AK2006 -- Along the Seward Highway

I spent much of Day 5 exploring the Turnagain Arm down the Seward Highway AK-1/AK-9. The landscape is dramaticly different from that of Northern Alaska, much of that being because of how close the area is to the Pacific since southern Alaska receives far more rain. (And it did rain off and on) Not to mention the coastal roads that allow driving right on the water shore. . .

Early on the drive, the Seward Highway crosses through a watershead marsh area on the Cook Inlet. . .

A view across the Cook Inlet from the Seward Highway (AK-1). The mountain in the distance is part of the Alaska Range. . .

. . .A northern view of the Cook Inlet from the Turnagain Arm wayside of the Seward highway. . .

. . .waves breaking off a rock outcroping in the Cook Inlet. . .

. . .another scenic rock outcropping off the wayside. . .

. . . this is a marker speaking of how scenic the area around Turnagain Arm actually is. . .

. . .the Alaska Railroad paralels the Seward Highway throughout the drive. At many places, the railroad is closer to the water than the road is. . .

. . .a view of the mountains southeast of th Seward Highway a little farther down the Turnagain Arm. . .

. . .the Portage Glacier from the Seward Highway. . .

. . .the clouds and rain started moving in. . .

. . .random downpour. This happened all day long. . .

. . .a view at the rock walls that tower over the Seward Highway. . .

. . .random mini-waterfall flowing down the rock face. . .

. . .there are a couple of mountain goats up on the rocks.