How to Get There

Overview

Cordova is a city in Alaska near the mouth of the Copper River, at the head of Orca Inlet on the east side of Prince William Sound. Cordova was named Puerto Cordova by Spanish explorer Salvador Fidalgo in 1790. No roads connect Cordova to other Alaskan communities, so a plane or ferry is required to travel there.

Economy

Commercial fishing is the main industry in Cordova. The fishing fleet mainly fishes the Prince William Sound and Copper River Delta area. There are various fisheries in the area, the most economically important of which is the salmon fishery.

The Cordova Historical Museum has exhibits on the Copper River and Northwestern Railway, the local fishing industry, and Alaska Natives.

The Ilanka Cultural Center museum features exhibits on Eyak, Alutiiq, Ahtna and Tlingit history and contemporary life - including artifacts, photographs, and oral histories. The 24-1/2-foot orca whale, Eyak, is one of only five fully rearticulated orca whale skeletons in the world.

Sports and recreation

Skiing is a popular activity in the winter. The surrounding Chugach Mountains provide excellent back country ski slopes. The Mt. Eyak ski area operates a single chair ski lift and rope tow. It is the oldest working ski lift in North America. Snowshoeing and ice skating are very popular sports around the Cordova area.

Hiking is available year-round on many trails. Some are within walking distance of the city. Trails include:

• Eyak River at Copper River Highway mile 5.7
• Alaganik Slough Trail via Copper River Highway to mile 16.9; turn south on Alaganik Slough Road then follow the main road for 2.9 miles. The trail begins on the east side of the road.
• Pipeline Lakes Trail at Copper River Highway mile 21.4
• McKinley Lake Trail at Copper River Highway mile 21.6
• Saddlebag Glacier Trail via Copper River Highway to mile 24.6; turn north on firewood cutting road; trail begins one mile away at the end of the road.

Transportation

Despite being on the mainland, Cordova is only accessible via boat or aircraft, as there is no road connecting the city to any other. Regular ferry service is provided by the state owned Alaska Marine Highway System to Valdez and Whittier with whistle stops (the ferry only stops if there are prior reservations) in Tatitlek and Chenega Bay. The M/V Aurora operates in Prince William Sound year round and the high-speed M/V Chenega operates the area in the summer.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Cordova, Alaska", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0