Friday, July 22: Kenny Lake

We moved today from Valdez to Kenny Lake, about 100 miles north east and on the road to Wrangel/St. Elias National Park. The drive up took us over Richardson Pass, past the Worthington Glacier, which was visible today, and down into the Copper Valley. The weather improved considerably as we entered the valley. So much so as to entice us to drive out to McCarthy for lunch, a little jaunt of 65 miles, mostly on a dirt road. 

The road took us through Chitina, a small native community just uphill from the enormous Copper River. The river is known for its Copper River Sockeye Salmon that we all see in Costco. Yes, it’s a real thing and not just a marketing gimmick. Of course, most of the salmon is caught by commercial fishermen at the mouth of the river as it enters the ocean. At Chitina the river is open only to Alaskans, native or not, and limits are strictly controlled. The preferred method of fishing is by dip net, a large round net on the end of a pole that can be 6 to 30 feet long. The longer Mets are used by the native Alaskans to catch King Salmon as they make their way up the river close to the bottom. Kings range up to 40 pounds. Sockeye are caught in smaller nets as they rest in eddies close to shore. 

Long pole dip netting. 

Look carefully, that’s a 40 pound king salmon, prized by fishermen who need to feed their families in remote areas devoid of grocery stores. 

The famous Copper River. 

We watched a few fish being caught and then headed for lunch. 

On the way we saw another small black bear crossing the road. In June of 2019 bears were plentiful along the highways, not so much this time. 

McCarthy hasn’t changed much in three years except for the loss of many small retail businesses. A bar featuring live music, when the musicians show up, has taken up the retail space. 

To get to town you must park at the river, cross a long pedestrian and ATV bridge, then walk a mile or wait for the free shuttle. You can also take the lodge shuttle if staying there, or the $5 shuttle that shows up at irregular intervals. 

We ate at the Potato, a very good small restaurant featuring good beers and wine with incredibly fresh food options considering where you are in the middle of nowhere. The menu is very progressive with options for vegans as well as more traditional gastrogourmets. Unfortunately we were so hungry we forgot to take pictures until it was all over. 

On the way back to camp at Kenny Lake, the best deal in Alaska at $15 for a secluded spot in the woods, Betsy zoned and Larry napped as the road conditions allowed. Upon return Larry and I enjoyed a nice campfire. Betsy went to bed, feeling very tired.