Thursday, September 18, 2008

Above Valdez

Sky Watch Friday

Valdez is the southern terminus of the oil pipeline crossing Alaska from the North Slope Oilfields.

There is a small hard-to-find slate/gravel road on the Northwest side of town. It goes for miles and miles, climbing higher and higher towards the glaciers. You have to ford a river on the way since the bridges are long gone.

Looking back and down towards Valdez
Click on the photo for a better feel

It was a great day to climb through the clouds. I wish I could describe the fresh air and all of the smells associated with this drive to the sky.

For other SWF posts,
see Tom's new SkyWatch site here
.

Troy and Martha

59 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

Magical!!

Daryl said...

I love how fog looks in photos ...this is how Brigadoon would look if it was real....

:-Daryl

kjpweb said...

I can only imagine! It's gorgeous looking!
Cheers, Klaus

Michael Palmer said...

Always a great capture here -

Michele said...

Mmm... yes... that is one amazing photo. I can only imagine the fresh air associated with scenery such as that... gorgeous!
Mountain Retreat

Dewdrop said...

Troy, climbing through the clouds... were you on cloud 9? I love this shot... mystical. I really enjoying hearing about y'all's adventures.

Louise said...

PHOTO NEEDS TO BE ENLARGED! I hop everyone takes your suggestion. So, so beautiful. And though I've never been near the place so have never smelled the smells, I can imagine them. Just a beautiful place.

Brad Myers said...

A great photo from Valdez, it is such a lovely place. I picked Seward Alaska myself for this week.

Juliana RW said...

beautiful and peaceful

Please drop at my SWF post also: in HERE. Thanks

Rune Eide said...

I felt at home at once!

Ivar Østtun said...

runee took my words. It is just wonderful.

EG CameraGirl said...

I think I'd have liked being on that trip with you! Looks a bit like my idea of heaven. Happy Sky Watch!

Redzlan aka Tabib said...

So fresh and cool.
I like the 'V' slopes composition that lead to the river below.

Pearl Maple said...

Striking photo for sky watch friday, lots of things going on there. Thanks for sharing this pretty photo of nature in action.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful!~ Love how the fogs looks like in the shot:) Mine is here. See you there!~ Happy SWF!~

Pernille said...

Wonderful shot!
I have seen many photos from Valdez and it's a beautiful place. My brother's daughter lived there for a year. She went to a high-school there:)

Have fun:)

Photo Cache said...

This is a Texas I have never seen in pictures before. Thanks for sharing. Great capture.

Carletta said...

That looks like you are in another world - gorgeous!
I admit I'm envious.
Willow is right - magical looking!

Roses and Lilacs said...

What a wild and beautiful scene.
Marnie

Guy D said...

Oustanding photos, thanks for sharing

Cheers

http://reginainpictures.blogspot.com/

Tom said...

This makes me want to head for the local hills and take in the air and views also... great Sky Watch post

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Troy: Very neat view up the valley.

Anonymous said...

lovely

Petunia said...

Love this shot because when i walk around looking for great SWf shot I always forget that it doesn't have to be a sunset or a sunrise. The sky is there on the rainy days too

Kathie Brown said...

Troy, when I enlarged the photo it almost took my breath away. It's so hard to capture the grandeur of a place in a small photograph. You have done it here. How lush and vibrant it is and mysterious with all those wafting clouds. The mountain rises strong and powerful behind the soft green shoulders of the nearby slopes. I love the bit of lace looking flowers in the corner.

Unknown said...

Wonderful capture as always.

david mcmahon said...

Definitely my kind of place.

Leedra said...

Great, it looks like it was exciting.

Laura ~Peach~ said...

absolutely beautiful ... I hope you dont have any spam it can be so annoying!

Mary said...

Wow, that is amazing! Beautiful! Happy SWF. :)

Anonymous said...

Oh man, does that look (and feel) fresh! I can sense the fresh air coming straight out of my computer screen. Excellent capture.

Mary said...

Great bowl of clouds!!

Larry D said...

Great mood in this photo and I can also only imagine being there.

Anonymous said...

Great shot. Beautiful landscape.

Pat - Arkansas said...

Lovely! I can almost feel the cool mist filling my lungs! Must have been an exhiliarating drive! I think the view was well worth having to ford a river.

Dianne said...

'drive to the sky'

that's lovely!

Anonymous said...

what more can I say? It's Beautiful with a capital B. oh, the smell of fresh air up in the mountains is the best.

nina at Nature Remains. said...

Alaska--I must go someday!

myonlyphoto said...

This one is unique. Anna :)

Scotty Graham said...

I can just imagine the smells and feel of your walk...I am jealous. Great photo, Troy....

Cheers,

Scotty

Anonymous said...

what a wonderful scene. this is a great landscape

naturglede/Randi Lind said...

Magical photo. I love it!

Angie said...

Gorgeous! I'm trying to imagine those scents and that fresh air.

Cath said...

Wow - the clouds! Wonderful.

Bob Johnson said...

Looks almost mystical, nice shot.

Anonymous said...

pretty picture blended with beauty of nature....tc

storyteller said...

Looking at this spectacular view enlarged made me feel as if I was actually there! Thanks for sharing. My Sky Watch is at Sacred Ruminations.
Hugs and blessings,

Pappy said...

Beautiful, but chilly looking. Pappy

Reader Wil said...

The mists make this photo very mysterious. What is hiding behind the shroud? Beautiful photo.

Woody said...

Looks very peacefull, Thanks for posting!

Unknown said...

Wonderfully atmospheric piccie

AphotoAday said...

Oh boy...
What a place...

Pietro Brosio said...

Oh, I like this kind of photos.
Great view and atmosphere!

Tonjia said...

Alaska can give some amazing photo ops cant it? this picture looks like a postcard. beautiful

Neva said...

what a great photo.

chanpheng said...

Glaciers, mountains and glacial fed fog - beautiful!

I couldn't do SWF last week but posted some rainbow pictures as well as the boat racing in Salavan. My post is over here

Jo's-D-Eyes said...

wow! Hi Mrtha and Troy,
Really very artistic and its like a painting, a piece of art!
hppy swf

greetings JoAnn's D Eyes
visit my swf here: www.joannwalraven.blogspot.com

Merisi said...

Wonderful scenery!
Thank you for sharing this, and congratulations on winning "Post of Day" over at David's "Authorblog"! :-)

indicaspecies said...

Oh, I love this photograph. Marvellous!