Dining and Night-life
Lisa, owner of the Tsania Lodge |
When it comes to the night-life, our experiences are relatively calm. It probably has something to do with the fact that on many an occasion we were still skiing after 9pm. After such a full day and a promise for yet another with the dawn to come, most
of the skiers we meet take it easy with a late dinner followed by a beer or two before calling it a night. Valdez does offer a variety of restaurants and bars to sing the night away in, but we spend most of our evenings up on the pass. The Tsaina lodge
seems to be the most popular gathering spot up here. The casual style dining with elaborately prepared house specialties are all that anyone could want. Every night there is a nice choice of fresh seafood and merriment from the bar. Along with a few A
laskan Micro Brews, the lodge also offers Guinness on tap - my favorite.
Where to Stay
The options are many. In Valdez, there are a variety of motel style lodgings including the Totem & Village Inn as well as a large selection of Bed and Breakfasts. If you want to stay closer to where the action is up on Thompson Pass, the choices are li
mited. The Tsaina Lodge is the ideal choice. The place was built years ago and has a warm atmosphere ideal for nightly feed and merriment. The setup is relatively rustic and simple but appropriate for the location and view. Thanks to the efforts of Li
sa , the new owner, there are six newly built log cabins for rent, all built from lumber that Lisa and her friends milled themselves, and comes equipped with four extra comfy beds and a porch. This is a perfect place to catch up on lost sleep and R&R during the down days due to the inevitable changing weather. But be warned if you need to check in with the outside world, there is only one telephone in the parking lot and the line tend
s to encourage another turn at the bar instead.
The last, and most flexible, option is the moving home. We pick up our 27 foot RV at Clippership Motor Home Rentals of Alaska in Anchorage. For those of you who are not familiar with the R.V. experience check it out. For those of you who are, you proba
bly know as well as I do that it doesnšt get much better than this. Our motor home sleeps six, with every comfort from stereo, oven, stove, fridge, shower, bathroom. We unpack once and never give it a second thought. The flexibility to go whenever an
d wherever we want, all the while knowing that we have all the luxuries of home with us at all times, is perfect. Our days go unscheduled, and our nightly campsites change daily. There are RV parks in Valdez if you want to plug into a power source and h
ave access to full amenities. We opt for the simpler route. We let time take its own course. When we are hungry, we eat
(gourmet, of course). When wešre tired, we sleep. The bottom line is that our motor home proves to be the ultimate tool of flexibility. Our campsites vary from a vast sunset vista view over the Books and the Chugach to a sunrise close-up look at an imm
ense glacier. After this experience, I canšt think of any better way to see and feel Alaska. For more info, give Emmet a call at (800) 421-3456.
Getting There
The drive from Anchorage along the Richardson Highway is stunning and takes us along a variety of sparsely inhabited lands. As we drive, we see valleys with glaciers, forests and soaring peaks. We arrive at the Tsaina lodge, at the top of Thompson pass,
in under 5 hours. The drive down into Valdez takes less than an hour and follows the Tsaina River through the Keystone Canyon. A quicker option is to take a flight directly from the Anchorage International Airport into Valdez. ERA Aviation has three f
lights a day, and the trip takes under an hour. The last option incorporates the Alaska Marine Hwy (Ferry) system. The most direct route connects through Whittier via the Prince William Sound and involves a train connection. Operation hours vary by se
ason, so be sure to check out all the info ahead. All accounts are that this is a stunning ride with active glacier and whales to boot!
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