On to Wrangell

Staying an extra week in Sitka was good business and good fun, thanks to Joe and Debbie.  It did change our plans to see the Mendenhall Glacier.  Instead we loaded onto the ferry and headed back south to Wrangell, another Alaskan gem of a city/island if you read their brochure.  It is touted as, "the friendliest city in Alaska".

Wrangell Mountains

I think they were right.  We got in at 4 a.m. and just pulled over and slept in the van for a while.  I would say until light, but we are in to that incredible summer sun season and it was daylight by then.

We know a friend of a friend that moved here and had called ahead to say that we were coming by.  He met us at the dock, took us to his home for a home cooked meal, then gave us a tour of the island.  He insisted that we stay with him both nights of our stay there and cooked all of our meals because he claimed the restaurants there weren't worth much.  Thanks Jack!

He lived within walking distance of Wrangell's big attraction, Petroglyph Beach.  We got up at 4 again the next morning to see the beach at low tide.  Petroglyphs are carvings in the rocks, not painted.  These were of unknown age (estimated 10,000 years), origin, or author (not in the Tlingit oral history), but according to Larry they are here.

I say according to Larry because I went right down to the beach and started climbing and looking while LR stayed up on the dock and read the information plaques.  I think I looked one minute for each of the 40 symbols they claim are there.  I didn't find any, zip, naut a.  Larry on the other hand, took pictures of the area and his hiking staff, read the info, watched some eagles breed, and then walked slowly down to the rocks.  He soon whistled me over.  By then, I had dang near walked, climbed, and slid half way around the island.  All 12 miles of it.  He had stepped off the walkway and spotted the first petroglyph.  He proceeded to turn around and spot three more.  I stood beside him and could barely make out the ones he pointed to.  It must be the light.  

Do you see any?

How about now?

Now?

Wrangell has a clean, picturesque downtown. Someone with a paintbrush clearly had too much time.  Every building hosted full on murals.  They were running food booths to select the 4th of July queen.  It must be a great celebration.

The museum there is one of the best we have seen in Alaska, especially the gift shop!  It really chronicled the history of the area. Wrangell was the first stopping off place for miners.  Wyatt Earp visited the place during the gold rush days and refused the job of sheriff stating that it was a little to wild for him.

It was just right for us!