Whittier, Alaska

Fresh Salmon for Dinner - August 5, 2013

 We're in the Williwaw campground of the U.S. Forest Service outside Whittier....according to Wiki, "a sudden blast of wind descending from a mountainous coast to the sea. The williwaw results from the descent of cold, dense air from the snow and ice fields of coastal mountains in high latitudes, accelerated by the force of gravity. Thus the williwaw is considered a type of katabatic wind."

The campground itself is very beautiful and there are salmon nearby...

You can only reach Whittier by sea, air or a 2.5-mile tunnel through which train and vehicle traffic take turns in a single lane....the tunnel was built during WWII to disembark troops and supplies...

Whittier has about 200 permanent inhabitants, but this swells in the summer with tourists, fishermen and cruise ship passengers. 

The tunnel costs $12 for a passenger car....most of the inhabitants live in a single building which was once the largest building in Alaska...It's a former U.S. Government structure which has been converted into condos...

The other large building has been abandoned. It's a wreck and full of asbestos, ice, bears and collapsed walls, windows, and pipes.

Right now the port is full of commercial and sport fishing vessels.

This is the Buckner Building. It was badly damaged by the 1964 earthquake and tsunami... Demolition is impractical since the debris would have to be removed by boat or through the tunnel...

There's not much to do in Whittier so Mrs. Phred and I explore the building. The stairwell leading to the basement is in total darkness and at the bottom of the stairwell is "The Door". Through the door is the basement which, although caved in, is still accessible. In the Eastern corner is access to an underground tunnel leading towards the city. It runs downhill for over 500 yards, ends abruptly and is completely immersed in darkness. We explore the tunnel for about 400 yards but are chased out by a large animal or creature of some sort....possibly a bear or troll...