During World War II my Uncle led his men over the Glacier ice from Portage to Whittier. When I took him to see it decades later that ice had become Portage Lake. The Glacier itself remained visible from the shore and large icebergs that had broken off filled the lake.
Today if you go to the Portage Glacier Visitor's Center you may be lucky to see a small iceberg or two in Portage Lake but Portage Glacier itself has retreated behind a mountain. That said, one can for a modest fee board a Glacier Cruise boat that will take you around that mountain allowing still today to see the face of Portage Glacier. Watch this video and you can share that experience.
Here are some added views which include Portage Lake as it can be seen today from the Portage Glacier Visitor's Center along with still shots of Portage Glacier itself:
Soldiers during World War II, including my uncle, once climbed from Portage to Whittier over Portage Glacier before the ice they climbed on became Portage Lake:
Today though one can hike to the base of Byron Glacier which is reachable from the Portage Glacier Visitor's Center:
And here is an expansive video capturing the entire glacial ice field below Byron Glacier with hikers climbing on it:
If you have made it to Portage, why not continue toward the storied deep water port of Whittier which is reachable through the longest shared train/vehicle tunnel in North America, if not the world, at a length of 2.5 miles.
Pictured in this introductory video is the train departing into the tunnel as viewed from my vehicle as we cars wait our turn to enter the shared tunnel:
Watch as those of us in vehicles await our turn to enter the longest shared Train/Vehicle tunnel in North America, if not the world.
The tunnel extending 2.5 miles connects Portage, Alaska to Whittier Alaska which was the alternative deep sea port developed by the U.S. Army in World War II because of the expectation that Seward would be taken out by the Japanese.
And here are some added photos taken from my vehicle within the tunnel. Note the railroad tracks centered in the roadway:
When I was a teenager in the early 70's, each summer we went on a
trip to New York City. Dad had business meetings till 11 then we went
sight seeing. Museums, Statue of Liberty and so on. A couple of times
we would have lunch or early dinner in the Twin Towers. $10 for a burger
and some fries. High dollar for 1973 and'74. Still have the menus somewhere. @OAKSTAR Stealing your picture
And as a footnote to the prior posted Portage Glacier photos -
Following the March 27, 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake that still remains the largest in North America, as a high school student I wrote the following article suggesting that there would be merit in preserving some of the earthquake damage as a reminder to future generations. I proposed that a portion of the damaged parking lot at Portage Glacier could be set aside for that purpose.
This past week in a visit to the Portage Glacier Visitor's Center I was reminded of that "Letter to the Editor" when I came across an exhibit that included photos of the very earthquake damage I had described.
Pictured below is my penned proposal as I made it some three months after the earthquake as well as photos of the just found exhibit now on display at the Portage Glacier Visitor's Center.
Apart from the exhibit there at the visitor's center, I can add that the City of Anchorage did eventually set aside a portion of the "Turnagain Slide Area" as an Earthquake Park that also reminds today of the past Great Alaska Earthquake. Whether a then school kid's suggestion had anything to do with that remains a matter of conjecture, but establishment of an "Earthquake Park" with its included descriptive posted narratives does meet the suggested criteria.
@ Oakstar. That is a great photo of the damage on Anchorage's 4th Avenue. You can tell which photos are taken within a day of the March 27th 1964 Quake by the presence of snow. After the day after all the snow was absent.
Gulf Shores Alabama, State Pier, caught many fish there, good times.
.
.
Alabama Point, a few miles from the Florida Bama line, great fishing there too.
.
.
Gone swimming.....
@1northcoin said:
@ Oakstar. That is a great photo of the damage on Anchorage's 4th Avenue. You can tell which photos are taken within a day of the March 27th 1964 Quake by the presence of snow. After the day after all the snow was absent.
Years ago I had a 3 month TDY to Elmendorf (June-Aug time frame). My co-workers suggested I take a drive up to Denali one weekend. So one weekend I took a drive up. It must have been a 3 or 4 hour drive. I remember driving for hours, seeing nothing but dead gray pine or oak trees! It had to have been hundreds or thousands of acres, as far as the eye could see in all directions!! Nothing but dead trees! No color, no green, just dead gray shells of trees as far as you could see! I'm thinking to myself, this had to have been one major/massive forest fire!!
Went I got back to work Monday morning, I told my co-workers about the trip. I mentioned the forest fire and miles of dead trees.
They all laughed at me! I said; what? They said that wasn't from a forest fire. It was from the 1964 earthquake!! My mouth dropped open and they explained. They said the earth shifted and opened up! Sea water from the Cook Inlet rushed in for hundreds of miles, flooding the valley and killing the trees with salt water!! AMAZING and SHOCKING!!!
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
This pic shows how huge the Tomcat really is. We used to call it the 'flying tennis court'. The Intruder could carry 28 MK-82 500-pound bombs w/o taking the gear doors off. I've done it once off the coast of Okinawa at a range called W-174. It was 'one-pass-haul-a$$', in actuality, I had to overfly the island to let shrapnel collectors know I was about to drop. I'd fly low enough so they could see I was 'loaded'. In the turn I saw these 'collectors' get in their boats and speed off. The island momentarily disappeared after the drop. Geez, that was nearly 40 years ago.
The A-6 was a great platform but it was butt-ugly; a plane only a mother could love.
Comments
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
Doesn't look like his wife ever made a decision on which shoes to wear.
These two along with the others, past and present, are so blessed to have
you and Lady Marcovan in their lives. The two of you are true treasures.
It's a shame round ups like this aren't going on 24/7 in the Everglades.
The sale of these creatures should be illegal.
Three hour tour.
.
The two best days in the life of a boat owner:
The day you buy it ...
and the day you sell it.
.
INYNWHWeTrust-TexasNationals,ajaan,blu62vette
coinJP, Outhaul ,illini420,MICHAELDIXON, Fade to Black,epcjimi1,19Lyds,SNMAN,JerseyJoe, bigjpst, DMWJR , lordmarcovan, Weiss,Mfriday4962,UtahCoin,Downtown1974,pitboss,RichieURich,Bullsitter,JDsCoins,toyz4geo,jshaulis, mustanggt, SNMAN, MWallace, ms71
The ones in the south are a little smaller
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
Discovering Alaska's Portage Glacier Near Anchorage which can Still be Seen Up Close as Captured in this Video;
During World War II my Uncle led his men over the Glacier ice from Portage to Whittier. When I took him to see it decades later that ice had become Portage Lake. The Glacier itself remained visible from the shore and large icebergs that had broken off filled the lake.
Today if you go to the Portage Glacier Visitor's Center you may be lucky to see a small iceberg or two in Portage Lake but Portage Glacier itself has retreated behind a mountain. That said, one can for a modest fee board a Glacier Cruise boat that will take you around that mountain allowing still today to see the face of Portage Glacier. Watch this video and you can share that experience.
Here are some added views which include Portage Lake as it can be seen today from the Portage Glacier Visitor's Center along with still shots of Portage Glacier itself:
Soldiers during World War II, including my uncle, once climbed from Portage to Whittier over Portage Glacier before the ice they climbed on became Portage Lake:
Today though one can hike to the base of Byron Glacier which is reachable from the Portage Glacier Visitor's Center:
And here is an expansive video capturing the entire glacial ice field below Byron Glacier with hikers climbing on it:
Watch and see how the expansive glacial ice located below Byron Glacier can be climbed upon if one avoids the peril of a threatening crevice.
One can actually hike from the Portage Glacier Visitor's Center to the base of Byron Glacier in less than an hour.
If you have made it to Portage, why not continue toward the storied deep water port of Whittier which is reachable through the longest shared train/vehicle tunnel in North America, if not the world, at a length of 2.5 miles.
Pictured in this introductory video is the train departing into the tunnel as viewed from my vehicle as we cars wait our turn to enter the shared tunnel:
Watch as those of us in vehicles await our turn to enter the longest shared Train/Vehicle tunnel in North America, if not the world.
The tunnel extending 2.5 miles connects Portage, Alaska to Whittier Alaska which was the alternative deep sea port developed by the U.S. Army in World War II because of the expectation that Seward would be taken out by the Japanese.
And here are some added photos taken from my vehicle within the tunnel. Note the railroad tracks centered in the roadway:
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say I've been closer to the Titanic then "any" of you. 🤣 😉
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
When I was a teenager in the early 70's, each summer we went on a
trip to New York City. Dad had business meetings till 11 then we went
sight seeing. Museums, Statue of Liberty and so on. A couple of times
we would have lunch or early dinner in the Twin Towers. $10 for a burger
and some fries. High dollar for 1973 and'74. Still have the menus somewhere.
@OAKSTAR Stealing your picture
And as a footnote to the prior posted Portage Glacier photos -
Following the March 27, 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake that still remains the largest in North America, as a high school student I wrote the following article suggesting that there would be merit in preserving some of the earthquake damage as a reminder to future generations. I proposed that a portion of the damaged parking lot at Portage Glacier could be set aside for that purpose.
This past week in a visit to the Portage Glacier Visitor's Center I was reminded of that "Letter to the Editor" when I came across an exhibit that included photos of the very earthquake damage I had described.
Pictured below is my penned proposal as I made it some three months after the earthquake as well as photos of the just found exhibit now on display at the Portage Glacier Visitor's Center.
Apart from the exhibit there at the visitor's center, I can add that the City of Anchorage did eventually set aside a portion of the "Turnagain Slide Area" as an Earthquake Park that also reminds today of the past Great Alaska Earthquake. Whether a then school kid's suggestion had anything to do with that remains a matter of conjecture, but establishment of an "Earthquake Park" with its included descriptive posted narratives does meet the suggested criteria.
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
@ Oakstar. That is a great photo of the damage on Anchorage's 4th Avenue. You can tell which photos are taken within a day of the March 27th 1964 Quake by the presence of snow. After the day after all the snow was absent.
Gulf Shores Alabama, State Pier, caught many fish there, good times.
.
.
Alabama Point, a few miles from the Florida Bama line, great fishing there too.
.
.
Gone swimming.....
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
Kinda scary
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
Battle creek MI
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
Years ago I had a 3 month TDY to Elmendorf (June-Aug time frame). My co-workers suggested I take a drive up to Denali one weekend. So one weekend I took a drive up. It must have been a 3 or 4 hour drive. I remember driving for hours, seeing nothing but dead gray pine or oak trees! It had to have been hundreds or thousands of acres, as far as the eye could see in all directions!! Nothing but dead trees! No color, no green, just dead gray shells of trees as far as you could see! I'm thinking to myself, this had to have been one major/massive forest fire!!
Went I got back to work Monday morning, I told my co-workers about the trip. I mentioned the forest fire and miles of dead trees.
They all laughed at me! I said; what? They said that wasn't from a forest fire. It was from the 1964 earthquake!! My mouth dropped open and they explained. They said the earth shifted and opened up! Sea water from the Cook Inlet rushed in for hundreds of miles, flooding the valley and killing the trees with salt water!! AMAZING and SHOCKING!!!
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
Blue Jay giving a Red Tailed Hawk a little trouble on my morning walk
Lafayette Grading Set
Gret view- Depends are recommended
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
fka renman95, Sep 2005, 7,000 posts
I was part of the commissioning crew (Plank Owner) while my squadron VA35 (A6 Intruders ) was assigned to the flight wing aboard the USS Nimitz
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
This pic shows how huge the Tomcat really is. We used to call it the 'flying tennis court'. The Intruder could carry 28 MK-82 500-pound bombs w/o taking the gear doors off. I've done it once off the coast of Okinawa at a range called W-174. It was 'one-pass-haul-a$$', in actuality, I had to overfly the island to let shrapnel collectors know I was about to drop. I'd fly low enough so they could see I was 'loaded'. In the turn I saw these 'collectors' get in their boats and speed off. The island momentarily disappeared after the drop. Geez, that was nearly 40 years ago.
The A-6 was a great platform but it was butt-ugly; a plane only a mother could love.
fka renman95, Sep 2005, 7,000 posts
@D808LF - I haven't heard "butt-ugly" in 40 years! 🤣 👍 👍
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
Umbrella Failure
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
Blackbirds
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian