The weekly Alaska citizen., 1918-12-02
IMPRESSION OF TRIP OVER THE
 VALDEZ TRAIL RELATED; STORY
 WILL DO GOOD FOR OUR ALASKA

to the mouth of the Tonsina river the road hugs steep slopes and fol, lows along the rolling benches of the west bank of the Copper river.
 After crossing the Tonsina river there is a climb to the Copper river plateau, along which one crosses the Klutina and Tazlina rivers to the Gulkana. Up to this point, seventy five miles, the great snow-crowned peaks of the Wrangell range, reach, ing a height of from 14,000 to IT, 900 feet, are in full view from long stretches of the road, including the majestic active volcano of Mount Wrangell, which sends into the skies many jets of fumes and steam, as we'll as Mount Drum and Mount San. ford.
 Passengers Often Walk
 Crossing the Gulkana river the benches of the Gulkana valley are followed up to the summit of the Alaska range, about thirty miles of the Gulkana valley trip, in the lower valley, being in heavy loam and swamp country relieved by little gravel with which to cushion the ruts of the road. In this thickly soiled area the passengers often get out to walk and sometimes to push but the auto at last emerges from this heavy loam country into the fine gravel reaches of the upper Gulkana The projected gravel surfacing of this thirty-mile section in the Gulkana valley and a few short spaces on the Copper river plateau will make the Richardson highway an excellent automobile thorofare turnout it's en tire length.
 Isabella pass is the roadway sum init of the Alaska range. From here the highway descends thru the Delts valley to the banks of the Tanana river, crossing the river by ferry al McCarty. From this ferry crossing at McCarty, on the Panama, thru tC the city of Fairbanks, distance oi ninety miles, the trip affords views and experiences never to be for gotten. The traveller glides along tht shores of beautiful lakes, then hovers along the edges of sheer cliffs higf above the river, and obtaining sweep ing views of the great Panama valley and then on thru the beautiful white birch forests, finally to emerge amidst the enverdured areas and cul tivated farms in the near vicinity o Fairbanks.
 What an Appetite!
 And what an appetite!-When the auto at mealtime swings up to the door of some lone roadhouse, where steaming hot and tempting in aroma such a spread awaits as could no be matched at the Ritz or Waldorf Astoria-for it includes wild sheep or caribou, or both, served with na :! tive Alaska vegetables and native wild berries, the like of which can not be found in any other country
 Every ten miles along this entire highway one of these hospitable road houses insures comfort and adequate provisions for the traveller over 31' miles of a most wonderful drive thrl the rich valleys and along the noun tain fastnesses of interior Alaska road that Is destined immediatel. after the war to become world fam ous as a tourist thorofare. When thu road is thoroly graveled the entir' trip can be made, leisurely and com fortably, in two days time. Alth' the entire route of 317 miles ha been covered during the past sum mer in twenty-four hours actual run ming time, the average time is abou thirty-six hours.