Official Language:
English
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Currency:
US Dollar
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Population:
Approximately 4500 people call Valdez home
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Weather:
Climate and current weather information for Valdez: Valdez is located on the north shore of Port Valdez, a deep water fjord in Prince William Sound. It lies 305 road miles east of Anchorage, and 364 road miles south of Fairbanks. The temperatures in Valdez January temperatures range from 21°F to 30°F; (-6°C to -1°C) July temperatures are 46°F/8°C to 61°F/16°C. Annual precipitation is 59.3 inches. The average snowfall is, incredibly, 300 inches (25 feet) annually.
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In the heart of Prince William Sound and east of Columbia Glacier is Valdez, the most northernly ice-free port in the western hemisphere and the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Valdez, is located at the foot of the Chugach Mountains, and is a focal point for the Alaskan economy, but is more well known for the Exxon Valdez - the oil tanker that spilled thousands of gallons of oil into the sound in 1989. A Visit to the local Museum or Pipeline Terminal will give you a fascinating look at the facility that stores and transports more than 9 million barrels of oil every day. Take excursions to see Valdez Glacier, Prince William Sound, Columbia Glacier and Keystone Canyon.
The town and port were named after a Spanish naval officer in 1790. Valdez boomed in 1897-98 when approximately 4000 gold seekers came looking for the "All American Route" to Alaska's Interior and the Klondike gold fields.
Not many knew of Valdez (pronounced Val-deez) until March 1989, when a supertanker ran aground spilling 10.8 million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound. The largest oil spill in U.S. history, put Exxon in the news and Valdez on the map. It took more than four summers and $2.1 billion before Valdez was back in business.
Cruise ships traveling to Valdez dock three miles east, which is far from the town center. Most ships hire courtesy buses to provide complimentary roundtrip ship/town center transfers.
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Attractions |
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Valdez Museum & Historical Archive
Trans-Alaska Pipeline
Worthington Glacier
The accessible glacier with a hiking trail that offers fabulous views.
Columbia Glacier
This is the largest tidewater glacier in Alaska.
Keystone Canyon
This area is known for great river rafting.
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More Information |
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Valdez Convention and Visitor's Bureau
P.O. Box 1603
Valdez AK
Phone: 907 835-4636
800 770-5954
Fax: 907 835-4845
E-mail: valdezak@alaska.net
Web: www.valdezalaska.org
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