The City of Valdez is a town of about 4,000, situated in the northeast section of Prince William Sound.
It is surrounded by the Chugach Mountains, the tallest and most heavily glaciated coastal mountains in North America.
Valdez is now the terminus of the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline, but was created during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-98, when prospectors came to Valdez looking for gold. It remained a mining center in the early part of the 1900s. In the early 1970s, the town became the staging area for work on the pipeline, and now hosts the Valdez Marine Terminal, which is the southernmost end of the 800-mile pipeline.
Backed by the steep Chugach Mountains, which receive up to 900 inches of fresh powder snow each year, winter sports are an important part of the Valdez experience. Helicopter and snowcat skiing and snowboarding are considered some of the best in the world. Snowmobiling and cross-country skiing also take advantage of the snow, and freezing temperatures make frozen waterfalls favorite ice climbing sites.
During the summer, fishing is a favorite occupation, with fishing derbies rewarding those catching both the biggest salmon and halibut.