If you’re looking for something to do in Tanacross, Alaska, there are several places to check out. There are caves to explore, the Old Valdez-Eagle Trail, and Upper Tanana Health Center, and there are even some emergency plans if you need to get to the hospital quickly.
Tanacross caves
During the winter, you can visit the incredible caves at Tanacross. If you are looking for a unique winter activity, you can take part in a cave-climbing experience. You will be able to explore the interior of the caves by clambering over ice and slush. But be careful; this activity can be dangerous because you could fall into a deep crevice. The caves themselves are massive and have a beautiful turquoise color. Ice drips from the roof of the caves, making the air frosty. It is a surreal experience to stand in these caves and experience their eerie atmosphere.
Old Valdez-Eagle Trail
One of the best things to do in Tanacross is to hike the Old Valdez Eagle Trail, which takes you past some of the city’s oldest buildings. This trail is 3.8 miles long and offers great views of the surrounding area. It is also wheelchair accessible. While hiking this trail, you can also spot eagles and other wildlife.
After hiking the trail, you can also go on a boat day tour to see the Meares Glacier, which costs $170 per person. The tour also takes you within a quarter mile of the glacier’s face, and you might even see some sea lions and whales. Another great place to visit in Tanacross is the Anderson Glacier, which lies in the Chugach Mountains near Port Valdez. It is accessible from the town of Whittier, and it is worth the $170 fee to see the iceberg.
If you are an avid hiker, you will love exploring Valdez’s trails. There are plenty of hiking trails in and around Valdez, ranging from easy to challenging. You can even book a guided kayak tour or ride a snowmobile during the winter.
The Old Valdez Eagle Trail is a great place to get outdoors. You’ll be surrounded by glaciers and fast-flowing rivers. If you’re a fan of hiking and ice climbing, you’ll love this place. If you have the time, you can also take a helicopter tour and see the area from the air. Some helicopter tours even land on the glacier. Other popular activities in the area include heli-skiing and heli-boarding.
While the town of Tanacross may not be a popular destination for tourists, it’s worth checking out. The Tanana River is where the Valdez-Eagle Trail crossed. It was shallow enough for horses to cross, but it wasn’t deep enough to support a ferry. There are traces of an old railroad head-frame at the location of the pack-train crossing. Interestingly, the head-frame looks a lot like a ferry head-frame. However, residents of Tanacross assure visitors that no ferry existed at this location.
Upper Tanana Health Center
Since its opening last November, the Upper Tanana Health Center has been treating patients in the Tok area. The new facility has provided vaccinations, covid testing and care for infected patients. The health center is funded by the Tanana Chief Conference. Its regional member, Daisy Northway, has spent decades advocating for a new health care facility for her community. She believes the new clinic will help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The Upper Tanana Health Center provides primary care and behavioral health services to the residents of Tok. The center also provides dental and pharmacy services. It also has a radiology room. The center is owned by the Tanana Chiefs Conference, which means it will provide care for residents of the area.
The Upper Tanana Health Center is a 16,000-square-foot health clinic with dental care, urgent care, behavioral health, and lab services. The TCC and Nvision have worked closely with the client’s Cultural Committee to design the facility in a way that reflects the people of the area. The building’s design incorporates Native Athabaskan culture and uses materials indigenous to the region.
Emergency plans for people if hospital beds aren’t available
Emergency plans for people in Tanacross, Alaska, include putting up a gate on the only road into the village, and having a guard stand at the gate 24 hours a day. Similar to the one that was put up during the Spanish flu, the gate keeps out outsiders and protects people inside. This precautionary measure has worked. Only one person in the small, 140-home community has died as a result of COVID-19, and at least twenty have become ill.
