Lowe River and Chugach Mountains From Thompson Pass

A beautiful view of the Lowe River and Chugach Mountains as you cross Thompson Pass going toward Valdez, Alaska.

From Valdez drive 26 miles... more

by Robert Bales

Title

Lowe River and Chugach Mountains From Thompson Pass

Artist

Robert Bales

Medium

Photograph - Photo

Description

A beautiful view of the Lowe River and Chugach Mountains as you cross Thompson Pass going toward Valdez, Alaska.

From Valdez drive 26 miles out the Richardson Highway. From Fairbanks drive about 334 miles south on the Richardson Highway. From Anchorage take the Glenn Highway until it T's with the Richardson Highway and drive about 90 miles south on the Richardson Highway.
About
Thompson Pass is an alpine pass through the Chugach Mountain between Glennallen and Valdez. Richardson Highway runs directly through the middle of the pass. The pass can be nerve racking to drive through in the right conditions at anytime of year. Spring through fall the pass can fill with thick clouds where driving visibility is only a few feet in front of your vehicle. In winter blizzards can hit the pass with the same level of visibility and heavy snow accumulation. DOT does a good job of keeping the highway open through the pass but it is possible for it to be closed for a time.

But when the visibility is great Thompson Pass is a playground at any time of year. Worthington Glacier is the largest summer attraction for those stopping in the pass. But the alpine surrounding the pass allows for limitless exploration and stunning views.
In winter people travel from around the world to ski, snowboard and snow machine (snowmobile) Thompson Pass. The snow depth and quality is often par to qualify as some of the best on the planet.

Uploaded

February 12th, 2020