#1: [22-Jul-00]

10-Jul-2016 -- This is the fourth out of 11 reports on confluence visits in Canada’s Yukon Territory and Alaska. The story starts from 61°N 137°W and continues from 61°N 146°W.

The next day we came along this confluence by driving from Valdez towards Anchorage along the Glenn Highway, which misses the confluence point by only 1.5 km. On a track to a gravel pit we could get 750 m to the confluence by car.

The actual hike was a bit more difficult than expected. First, we needed to climb down a valley. Then we had to cross a river by climbing over a fallen tree. The remainder of the hike was through a sparse spruce forest with muskeg ground. On the way, we could pick blueberries. The first ones of this season had just become ripe.

After hiking 20 minutes, we reached the confluence. As expected, it lies in spruce forest. We took the same way back to the car. This is probably the easiest confluence point in Alaska. All in all it took us one hour between leaving and entering again Glenn Highway.

Two hours later we reached the touristic Matanuska Glacier which is easily accessible on foot.

CP Visit Details:

• Distance to a road: 1500 m
• Distance to a track: 750 m
• Distance of car parking: 750 m
• Time to reach the confluence from car parking: 20 minutes
• Time at the confluence: 3:35 PM
• Measured height: 817 m
• Minimal distance according to GPS: 0 m
• Position accuracy: 2 m
• Topography: slightly hilly
• Vegetation: spruce, blueberries, grass, moss, lichen
• Weather: sunny, 25° C (felt temperature)
• Given Name: The Easy Alaska Confluence

The story continues at 62°N 150°W.