While I was working on the blog, Steve attempted...and was actually successful in capturing a picture of the many salmon jumping out of the water in the inlet...There are lots jumping...see the rings on the water...
It was after 9:00 a.m....Steve had gone out for a walk, saying...when's breakfast, it's getting hungry out, that I finished up. It's ready for Steve's edit and posting. It took awhile to pick out pictures...so many good ones...I ended posting lots anyways.
After breakfast and dishes, it was time to get out and do some exploring. We stopped at Solomon Gulch Hatchery...the first major project completed by the Valdez Fisheries Development Association. The facility currently is contributing to both commercial and sport fisheries. The hatchery was completed in 1983 and is licensed to incubate and rear to release size, 230 million pink, 18 million chum, 2 million silver and 300,000 king salmon eggs.
There are literally thousands of adult pink and coho salmon returning to the hatchery to complete their life cycle of spawning and dying.This sign explains the purpose of the fish weir (click to enlarge)...very interesting...
The tide is out...think we'll have to walk out there and take a closer look!
This is a popular spot for the gulls...an easy food supply for them, so they have nests all along the edge of bridge...
This is right along the edge of the weir...can you see the salmon jumping?
The water is just bubbling with salmon...
Yup, it's a pretty spectacular day!
We heard from a fellow on the beach that there was a bear with her 4 cubs on the beach on the other side of the hatchery building...so we drove the short distance down the road and joined all the other vehicles pulled over to see the bears. We first saw mom and 3 of her cubs...
We were told by one of the bystanders that the 4th cub was still on the rocks down below us...taking his time. Mom was sure keeping an eye on him...We also watched a couple of Class C RV's stop in the middle of the road in front of a no stopping area. Then about 8-10 people including some very small children jumped out and proceeded to run towards the bears. We couldn't believe the stupidity of some people! Finally somebody yelled out to them...Hey...what do you think your doing!!!
Something has sure stirred up the salmon...
Wow...so cool! But they wandered off around the corner...time to continue on into Valdez. There is a lovely bike/foot path...
Our first stop was at the Visitors Center...
We spoke to a very helpful fellow who told us about some hiking trails and things to see in the area...and then we drove down to the waterfront and parked the truck. The first thing we are going to do is walk up the Civic Center Lookout Trail.
This is the Convention and Civic Center (the lookout is just above the building)...
There's Buster way down in the parking lot...
Up at the top of the trail, there is a nice picnic table under a shelter...and almost 360 degree views over the town. Steve had his telephoto lens on his camera so was able to zoom in for some great shots although it has turned into a hazy day...must be forest fires somewhere.
This is the harbor (notice that when I'm in the USA, I adopt their spelling? LOL)...And our trailer over on the other side of the inlet...
I also took a few pictures with my camera...
Then we headed back down...doesn't look very high but there sure were some great views...
The parking lot was on the waterfront near the ferry terminal...there was a long pier that went out over the water. 
Now it was time to head down to the harbor...
There is a boardwalk that goes the full length of the harbor...so we walked it...
Some huge fish being caught!
Hoisting a boat out of the water...
At the very end of the harbor we discovered a park across the road...
With a nice hiking trail that loops around part of a peninsula...
The harbor in the background...the fireweed is gorgeous...
Interpretive displays...
We finished our hike and then walked all the way back to where the truck was parked...
We needed to pick up some more bottled water and I had found out that there was a Safeway in town so we stopped there. Not only did I get the water but also a few other things...it was a nice store, a pleasant surprise after the grocery store in Tok.
The next thing on our agenda was to drive to the end of the highway...on the other side of town. Well, it didn't really go much further, mainly through a residential area, before crossing Mineral Creek......and the other side. You can see where it flows into the Valdez inlet at the end...
Have I mentioned how spectacular the scenery is here?!
On our way home we thought we would take a road...you know, just for the heck of it...and came across Solomon Falls Wild Alaskan Smoked Salmon. It said it was open to the public so we stopped and bought a filet of smoked salmon.
Then we took a drive down Airport Road toward Valdez Glacier...
...and then drove through Valdez Glacier Campground. There was a beautiful waterfall right behind a group camp site. I don't know whether I would like to be quite that close to the falls...it was pretty noisy.
There are 100 sites in the campground, the majority are very secluded in dense forest and have no services. There is one row of electric only sites that are a good size...but for $20/night no service or $30/night for electric only, I'm glad we made the decision to stay at Allison Point.
We stopped at the old townsite...
Finally back down Dayville Road towards Allison Point...lots of people were fishing in the inlet...
And the bears were still around...I managed to just catch them as they scrambled down to the water. The tide was now in so there wasn't much distance between the water and the road. I couldn't get over how close the people were to them.
One final stop...back at Solomon Gulch Hatchery for a different perspective with the tide in now...
There are waterfalls on the other side of the bridge...
And that was our day! It was almost 5:00 by the time we got home...we really like Valdez. The weather has been fabulous making the views so stunning. We had planned on going on a 3.8 mile hike tomorrow up the Solomon Gulch Trail and then leave Thursday, but the forecast is for rain on Thursday, so I think that we are going to take advantage of a nice travel day and leave tomorrow.
Love that bear family!!
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