July 3: Route to Seward Spellbinding

Awe-inspiring! The views on the way to Seward today were so jaw-droppingly beautiful I couldn’t resist pulling over every few minutes to take a photo, making me ponder – how do the people of Alaska ever get anywhere? With one-million-dollar panorama after another, it’s hard to know exactly when to put away the camera and just take it all in.

As I headed south on highway 1 out of Anchorage today, I found myself nestled between Chugach State Park on my left and Cook Inlet on my right. The Kenai Mountains towered above me in the distance, their dramatic rocky outlines punctuated by glistening white glaciers. I was mesmerized by the startling contrast of the silky-smooth waters and the jagged white peaks, wondering if I had somehow been transported to Switzerland.

Continuing along highway 1, I followed the Turnagain Arm waterway past the coastal silt mudflats. These vast deposits of brown and gray silt swirled and stretched as far as the eye could see, adding yet another texture to the landscape. I had been warned by locals not to venture out onto the deposits as they have been known to act like quicksand, trapping people who then drown when water rushes by.

At some point I decided to stop taking photos and just enjoy the breathtaking views of the mountains framing various bodies of water. Heading out onto the Kenai Peninsula I passed Kenai Lake and then Kenai River and was transfixed by the vivid light green appearance of the water. I was so intrigued by the beautiful jade-green color that I had to remind myself to pay attention to my driving.

Arriving in Seward I was greeted by a picturesque seaside town, complete with a fishing marina, lots of little shops and restaurants and more beautiful mountains framing the water. I treated myself to some fried corn fritters and beer battered halibut before heading back north. The trip this direction was just as spellbinding. Going this way, I was able to see more of the wildflowers and meadows at the foothills of the mountains.