Valdez, AK

united states

Valdez is a small port city at the head of Prince William Sound, surrounded by the dramatic Chugach Mountains. It's the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and Alaska's northernmost ice-free harbor. The Richardson Highway provides the only road access, running 305 miles from Fairbanks and about 300 miles from Anchorage via the Glenn Highway junction near Glennallen. The route includes a spectacular descent through Thompson Pass with switchbacks into town. Valdez averages 326 inches of snow annually, making it one of America's snowiest cities.