AK -- Anchorage, 26 June - 9 July 2018

13 days in Anchorage, Alaska

Why we came…

Mostly to visit friends and also to explore our old stomping grounds.

The campground…

Black Spruce RV Park on Fort Richardson was pretty good.  The location was convenient for the things we wanted to do in the Anchorage Bowl.  It was also nice to be just a few miles from the main military shopping facilities.  Other than occasional military aircraft flying overhead and sporadic gun fire from a nearby shooting range, it was peaceful. 

The campsites were all big pull-throughs oriented parallel to the road.  We had full hook-ups and a reliable cell phone signal.  The sites were fairly level packed gravel and each one had a picnic table.  Though there were multiple campground hosts, we’re not sure what they did.  The bathrooms and laundry were dirty during our entire 13-day stay.  Sadly this has been a persistent problem noted in many campground reviews.

The two main military campgrounds at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson do not accept reservations.  We arrived at noon on a Tuesday and got the only available full hook-up site.  Maybe half of the 40 full hook-up sites were taken by long-termers though that is clearly against the rules.  Sadly this is typical of military campgrounds these days.

We were set up nicely and were very comfortable.   We’d stay there again.

Big pull-through sites at Black Spruce RV Park on Fort Richardson

Nearby towns…

Anchorage, elevation 102 feet and population 291,826, is the largest town by far in Alaska.  It is the primary supply and service center in the state. 

Arleen and I both lived in Anchorage for a number of years in the late ‘90s. We worked together and shared a common interest of spending time in the great outdoors. We became good friends, started dating, and fell in love while in southcentral Alaska. It has always been a special place to both of us. The few times we returned, we felt like we were coming home. We looked forward to catching up with friends and to sharing some adventures in the epic scenery that composes the area between Knik Arm, Turnagain Arm, and the beautiful Chugach Mountains. It’s one of the best city “play grounds” anywhere!

Anchorage, Alaska.  Looking east towards the Chugach Mountains.  (Not our picture)

Anchorage, Alaska.  Looking north towards Mount Foraker, 17,402 feet high, on the left and Denali, 20,310 feet high, on the right.  (Not our picture)

Adventures…

Chugach State Park

Six of the seven hikes we did during this visit to Anchorage were in Chugach State Park. At almost 500,000 acres Chugach is the third largest state park in the United States.

“The park’s westernmost boundary lies in the western foothills of the Chugach Mountain Range and is a mere seven miles to the east of downtown Anchorage. The park is further defined by the Knik Arm on the north, Turnagain Arm on the south, and Upper and Lower Lake George and Chugach National Forest on the east.

Within minutes of the park are the communities of Palmer, Eagle River, Chugiak, Indian, Bird, Girdwood, the village of Eklutna, and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.”

Arctic Valley…

It was a cloudy, chilly, breezy, drizzly day. But it was our first day back in the area and we were anxious to get out. We expected the light steady rain to become more intermittent, so we set off for the nearby Arctic Valley.

“Arctic Valley is a ski area in Anchorage. It is located on Ski Bowl Road in Chugach State Park, in the upper Ship Creek valley adjacent to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. It touts its accessibility, being closer to the majority of Anchorage's population.

The area encompasses nearly 500 acres with a base elevation of 2,500 feet and rises to almost 4,000 feet at Rendezvous Peak. Arctic Valley has three chair lifts, one pony tow, and four bowls.” There has been skiing at Arctic Valley since the 1940s.

First we paid our $5 parking fee. Although it is in the state park, the state park pass is not honored here. We set off while a light drizzle spit at us.

We knew it would be windy at mountain top so we did a clockwise loop with the logic that the strongest wind would be at our backs. The military Site Summit is on the west side of the valley so we stayed behind the warning signs. After the initial climb, we were able to walk along the installation’s road before turning east along a ridge and a climb towards Gordon Lyon.

As we walked along the ridge, the wind switched directions on us and slapped our faces. We knew better. In mountainous areas you get buffeted with winds from 360 degrees. The sideways rain slashed at us. And it was cold. But it didn’t matter. It is so spectacular and we were having a great time reminiscing about previous adventures.

We carefully crawled out to the overlook on Gordon Lyon. From here we could see up South Fork and Eagle River Valleys. Suddenly a full rainbow graced the scene.

Unfortunately it rained during our entire hike. Regardless, there were several other people out exploring the valley. We returned to the truck very chilled and hurried home for a hot cup of tea.

   

Hike route in Arctic Valley up to Mount Gordon Lyon  /  Trail info

The steep climb out of the valley kept us warm in the blustery weather

Fantastic views along the ridge

   

Cresting Mount Gordon Lyon

“I’m on top of the world!”

We love the Chugach Mountains!

High above the South Fork of the Eagle River.  Eagle Lake is on the left and Symphony Lake is on the right.

Mount Baldy…

Mount Baldy was only four miles from where Arleen lived in Eagle River. She often hiked it after work for exercise. I had also hiked it several times. We both wanted to climb it again.

The 3,218 foot shoulder-shaped peak is a landmark in Eagle River and you have to drive up through a hillside neighborhood to the Chugach State Park trailhead. We were shocked that there were about 20 cars parked there. In the late ‘90s there would only be a few other vehicles.

There are two trails. We took the closest trail that climbs straight up the face of Baldy. It climbs 1,100 feet in a mile. The lower half switchbacks in packed dirt. The upper half climbs a straight line and is rocky.

Once at the top, we had a great view of Eagle River, the Knik Arm and beyond to Mount Susitna. Unfortunately, it was cloudy because on a clear day, you can see all the way to Denali, 130 miles away.

The wild flowers were poppin’. Baldy was covered in Geraniums, Lemon paintbrush and Mountain Avens.

One of our favorite things about Baldy is that it is possible to do a nice loop. We were able to walk along the ridge and then drop down into a drainage off the east backside. It is a gentle, easy on the knees, two mile walk back that way.

We noted that it was nice being on trails that we were familiar with. We never had to refer to a map. There’s something comforting in returning to a place you know so well. Alaska still feels like home to us.

   

Hike route up Mount Baldy  /  We’re going up there.

Mid way up.  The town of Eagle River is on the left.  The Knik Arm is in the distance.

   

The trail gets steep and rocky near the top  /  Arleen pointing to her old neighborhood

It’s very pretty along the ridge

Aren’t we adorable?

Twin Peaks…

It was time to do a trail neither of us had done before. We drove to the Chugach State Park, Eklutna Lake trailhead, 20 miles northeast of Eagle River.

Twin peaks is a 2.5 mile trail that climbs 1,800 feet to a scenic vantage point of the towering Twin Peaks. We also looked forward to getting a bird’s eye view of the picturesque Eklutna Lake.

We parked at the trailhead. From here, we could also take the long wide trail around the lake which is popular with bikers and ATVers. Back in the day, Arleen had ridden her bike twice to the other side of the lake. There is a separate parking area for ATVs which are only allowed Sunday through Wednesday.

The trail starts out on an old road so it is wide and smooth while climbing steadily. There is a nice bench about a mile up the trail. You are rewarded with a nice overlook of pretty Eklutna Lake.

After this the trail really pitched up and narrowed a bit but was still in great shape. As we followed the curve of the Thachkatnu Creek drainage, both the Twin Peaks came into full view.

We spotted 60 Dall sheep in five different groups scampering around on both sheer scree fields and steep green meadows. We took a break near the second bench at about two and half miles to watch their movements.

The second bench is technically the end of the trail. But we could see and had read about a primitive trail that continues to another overlook. The primitive trail was very steep and rocky just as we expected a “primitive” trail to be. But the compensation was a short half mile further.

We had an incredible view of Eklutna Lake and its glacier. It was one of those spectacular views on a pretty day so we lingered. We did not want to leave.

   

Hike route on the Twin Peaks Trail near Eklutna Lake  /  It’s 2.6 miles one way.  We went further.

Our first good view of Eklutna Lake about a mile up the trail

We counted roughly 60 Dall sheep

Nearing the high point of our hike about 3 miles from the trailhead and 2,500 feet higher

Enjoying each other and the view!

Crow Pass…

Crow Pass Trail is “considered to be one of the best trails to hike in the Chugach mountain range, this epic 23 mile hike takes you from Girdwood to the Eagle River Nature Center.  Following part of the Historic Iditarod Trail, this trail offers diverse scenic sights including glaciers, alpine lakes, waterfalls, wildlife, and so much more!”

Both Arleen and I did the entire Crow Pass Trail back in the day. I did it in one day and remember it mostly as a torture fest. Arleen and good friend Heidi, backpacked the rugged 23 mile long trail in a more leisurely and enjoyable three days. The Eagle River crossing was memorable but the first four miles to Raven Glacier became our favorite hike. We did it many times.

We were contacted by our friends Tatyana and Eugene as they planned a trip to Alaska. Our schedules would overlap in Anchorage just one day and they wanted to hike with us. We had met them hiking the Narrows at Zion National Park five years ago and looked forward to another adventure with them.

We knew they would love to see Raven Glacier and we were excited to share it with our special friends. We met them in town and they followed us to the trail with a brief stop at Potters Marsh and a Turnagain Arm overlook.

The six mile Crow Creek Road from Girdwood to the trailhead is a bit rough and narrow. It passes several summer cabins. Once you make the turn for the final mile, the road narrows even further. But we made it there safely. The large parking lot was already half full. By the time we returned later that evening, it would be full. There were quite a few other people on the trail but they were strung out and it was peaceful.

The trail starts quickly with a gradual ascent up a couple of switchbacks. There are very few trees at this point because the trail starts at 1600 feet. The trail is lined with dense vegetation like Alder, Corn Lilies, Salmon Berries and the nasty Cows Parsnip.

After that the trail meanders up the Crow Creek drainage with mountain views in all directions. Before the Monarch Mine area at about 1.5 mile point and having climbed over 1,000 feet, we came to a divide where we had two choices. Go left towards the mine or right for a more gradual ascent.

We decided to go right which cuts back and then takes a steady line along a scree field and old landslide areas with a lot of rocks. The footing is not easy, but the route is not steep.

After traversing a mile of rocky trail, and nearing the pass at 3,500 feet, the scenery opened to a winter wonderland with waterfalls, snowfields, and glacial lakes. We climbed over a gentle rise and there was the stunning Raven Glacier!

Arleen and I practically had tears in our eyes! Tatyana and Eugene were both very excited! The four of us climbed to a rock outcropping where we could celebrate with a nip of cognac as we did five years ago in the Narrows.

We sat and marveled at Raven Glacier, ate lunch, and took many, many pictures. Finally, we tore ourselves away and walked back down the trail.

On the way back, we did not cross the scree and rock slides again. Instead we headed down the very steep trail to Monarch Mine. Thankfully, the steep area was short.

Plus, we were able to get a closer view of some very pretty waterfalls.

Finally, we all went to Chair 5 in Girdwood to share a well-deserved meal after our seven mile hike with 2,350 feet of climbing. We hugged Tatyana and Eugene goodbye and wished them well during the rest of their unforgettable Alaska trip.

   

Hike route up the Crow Pass Trail to Raven Glacier  /  Interesting history for the area

The remains of an impressive avalanche

   

Eugene and Arleen traversing the first snow field  /  Eugene, Arleen, and Tatyana

Eugene and Tatyana at our water filtering spot

       

Negotiating a tricky waterfall

Celebrating our goal:  Raven Glacier

This is one of our favorite places in the Anchorage area

We enjoyed sharing our special place with Tatyana and Eugene

   

Headed back down.  Another tricky stream crossing.  This is actually the top of a waterfall!

It’s a long ways down to Crow Creek.  We love this terrain!

   

Just two of the many pretty waterfalls along the route.  We crossed the top of the waterfall on the right.  /  We finished the awesome adventure with a great meal at Chair 5 in Girdwood.  In the past, we often ate here after skiing at Alyeska all day.

Rabbit Lake…

We were excited to spend a day with Louise and her new husband Tim. We both worked with Louise when we were all in the Air Force. We always respected Louise for her professionalism but we loved her for her quirky sense of humor and her sense of adventure.

She suggested one of her favorite hikes in the Anchorage area. Rabbit Lake sounded great, a pretty mountain lake in Chugach State Park, which also has rainbow trout. My fly rod would have to come along!

The trailhead was established since we left the area. The state of Alaska was able to work an easement with local property owners. Still, the parking area on a sunny 4^th of July day was a mess! Part of the reason is that it is another way to access Flattop “Alaska’s most visited peak”.

Folks were parallel parked on both sides of the already narrow road. Plus, there were people trying to drive both directions and there were a few standoffs. We felt lucky to find a decent spot for our huge truck.

The weather was beautiful! The trail is just a gentle climb of 1,400 feet in 4+ miles through mostly open alpine tundra. After some tough treks over the last few weeks, this was easy hiking.

We leisurely strolled and had fun catching up with Louise. It was nice to get to know Tim and learn about their plans for the future.

Louise and Arleen enjoyed picking out the various blooming wildflowers. Along our hike we had a full view of Flattop to our left, McHugh Peak to our right and the Suicide Peaks in front us.

Rabbit Lake is very scenic, surrounded by rugged peaks that still had snow fields. There were about 50 people walking, sunbathing, playing with dogs, and even a paddleboarder on the stunning lake on an unusually warm Alaska afternoon.

I saw two nice fish rise well out of casting range. I knew the lake was recently stocked so I moved to the deeper end with high hopes.

Unfortunately, I had no luck after an hour of steady fishing. There were a few other fishermen and I did not see any of them hook anything either. It was sunny and warm, plus there was also lots of commotion… not a recipe for catching trout!

On our walk back, we noted in addition to many other hikers, the trail is also popular with mountain bikers.

We went back to Louise and Tim’s for a BBQ afterwards. Cindy, a NWS intern, joined us there. It was great to meet her and hear of her plans to return to Alaska. We all shared Alaska stories with her.

We found out you’ll never starve at their house. Tim goes all out when it comes to grilling! We had grilled steak and vegetable kabobs, teriyaki skewers, and a few different sausages, plus several cold salads! Then, we had a patriotic fruit pie that Cindy had brought. It was a perfect 4^th Of July.

Tim and Louise have exciting plans for the future and we look forward to following them over the years.

   

Hike route to Rabbit Lake with Louise and Tim  /  We almost didn’t see this guy near the trail

Headed up the glacier-carved valley towards Rabbit Lake

The beautiful lake is stocked with rainbow trout but I didn’t catch any

Enjoying another gorgeous spot in Alaska’s Chugach Range with Louise and Tim

Eagle River Nature Center…

Arleen considered the Eagle River Nature Center her front yard when she lived in Eagle River. Eagle River Road ends here at mile road mile 12. We looked forward to an easy walk with a tough hike planned the following day.

“Friends of Eagle River Nature Center have revitalized natural history education in Chugach State Park; it has built new trails and public use facilities; and it has become a destination for visitors from around the world.  They provide connections to nature through education, resource protection and outdoor opportunities.”

We first walked around the easy Rodak Loop interpretive trail to have a look at the beaver ponds. They have informative signs on everything from beavers to how glaciers form to the lifecycle of salmon.

Next, we tackled the seldom used Dew Mound Trail. Arleen warned me that it was a rolling and rough trail. I thought we might spot wildlife since recent reports said moose and bear had been seen recently. The narrow forest trail is more mound then dew, especially the last mile. It climbs up-and-down a few old glacial moraines. It’s rocky and rooty most of the way.

After three rough miles, we left the forest behind and came into an opening where we could see the Eagle River back-dropped by Eagle Peak. The area is appropriately called Echo Bend.

From here we looped back to Rapids Camp. The trail rolls and is rocky but it is wider and better maintained than Dew Mound. At Rapids Camp we stopped to admire the class IV whitewater run.

Near Rapids Camp the trail drops off the moraine to the smooth forest floor. From here back to the nature center, it is an easy wide and smooth trail.

We had only planned on doing an easy four mile walk. It ended up being a fairly tough 6.6 miles. But I was glad to share one of Arleen’s special Alaska places with her.

   

Hike route near the Eagle River Nature Center  /  The difference between a Kodiak brown bear and a mainland brown bear…wow!

Very nice interpretive trail near the Nature Center

   

One of the many informative signs.  This one shows how 4,000 salmon eggs dwindles to two spawning adults.  /  It looks like snow but it’s from the numerous black cottonwood trees.

   

Grouse walking the trail  /  Echo Bend on the Eagle River is one of Arleen’s special spots

Rapids Camp on the Eagle River.  The mountains rise 4,000 feet above the glacial river.

Symphony Lake…

We planned to hike South Fork Valley to a few scenic mountain lakes with Gail & John. Arleen had considered South Fork her backyard when she lived in Eagle River. She often just hiked to the ridge line in the late afternoon.

Note: Bears are a significant hazard when hiking in Alaska. Two weeks before we hiked South Fork, a man was killed while out for a quick evening hike. While searching for the missing man, another person was mauled. The bear had not been found in two weeks. A warning at the trailhead said a brown bear with two cubs had charged some hikers on the trail the day before our hike. Three days after our hike, the sow charged hikers again and the state closed the trail. We always carry bear spray and bells. In addition, John carried a handgun and our heads were on a swivel all day. Both thankfully and unfortunately, we didn’t see any bears.

At the trailhead, there were already about ten cars on an early Saturday morning. Gail remarked that normally on a Saturday with gorgeous weather, cars would be parked out on the road. Back in the 90’s there was rarely more than five cars all day. We would see a lot more people on the trail then we had previously.

The trail is a rolling yet wide, smooth trail for the first two miles to the bridge. The entire route you have sweeping views of steep mountain ridges and avalanche chutes all around. The top of the valley is punctuated by Hurdygurdy Mountain, Eagle Peak, and Canata Peak.

The picturesque bridge crosses the South Fork of Eagle River which flows from Eagle and Symphony Lakes, our goals for the day. Since the stream flows from lakes, it is very clear and pretty.

After the bridge you must face the hazards. First there were the mud bogs. If you took a wrong step, your boot would sink into the depths of black ooze.

The next hazard was the boulder fields. The half a mile long obstacle course is the remnants of a glacial moraine.

Only after passing these tests, we were able to look upon the two scenic mountainous lakes. Eagle Lake to the left, is a turquoise green color while Symphony to the right, is a steel blue color separated by a narrow rock ridge. It is amazing how two lakes so close together can be such a different color! (Eagle Lake is fed by a nearby glacier. Symphony Lake’s glacier is long gone.)

Symphony is special because it is stocked with grayling, one of my favorite cold water fish. John and I had carried our fly rods and Gail brought a small spin rod. There were several other hikers who were also fishing.

I had a lot of fun and caught about 10-15 small grayling. We could have stayed many more hours but the winds were picking up, foreshadowing of an incoming storm. The fantastic weather that we had experienced for a week was about to end.

We finished the day at Cold Stone for a refill of some of the calories we burned during our 11 mile hike with almost 2,000 feet of climbing.

   

Hike route to Symphony Lake  /  An ominous sign at the trail head.  One person was killed and another mauled about two weeks before our hike.  Just the day before, a momma bear with two cubs charged hikers on the trail.

Gail and John crossing the South Fork of the Eagle River

   

There were boards across a few small boggy sections  /  This giant flat rock is popular rest spot.  Note the large mound of rocks on the right.  We’ll cross those soon!

   

That’s an impressive cairn not far from the bridge in the next picture  /  Bridge near the outlet of Eagle Lake

Though long, the hike was easy until we got to the boulder field.  We traversed it twice and cursed it each time!

Eagle Lake is on the left and Symphony Lake, our goal, is on the right

Posing above Eagle Lake with Gail and John

John getting his fishing gear in order and the ladies enjoying a much deserved break at Symphony Lake

       

John fly-fishing Symphony Lake  /  Me fly-fishing  /  We caught a bunch of arctic grayling, 4-10 inches long

Friends…

Several people that we worked with in the late ‘90s came to Alaska because of military assignments. But they fell in love with Alaska and stayed to make it their home. During our 13 day stay, we met old friends almost every night to share dinner and get caught up on each other’s lives.

Penny and Ray:  It was great to meet Ray’s wife, Penny. We enjoyed sharing many fishing and bear stories.

Sam, Lucy, and Harvey:  We shared many fishing stories and Lucy shared stories of the challenges growing up in rural Alaska. Lucy & Sam prepared one of their famous spreads of Salmon and Halibut. Thank you for the “Sam’s Jam” and the fresh greens!

Mike and Ann:  They grilled in their yard. We chatted about past fishing and also future fishing ventures. Thank you for Mike’s “Crananna”, the salmon dip and smoked salmon. See you in Soldotna!

Darrell and Gail:  We caught up on life and shared a couple of fishing stories. (See a theme here?)

Gail and John: We knew Gail and John in Alaska and Germany. They invited us to their home where we had our first taste of really good beer battered halibut in years. John is a great chef! We also made plans to hike and meet up later this summer in Homer.

Bill, Tami, Arleen, me, Steve, John, and Raymona:  We shared many world travel adventure stories, oh, and some fishing stories.

Next…

We are in Soldotna and head to Homer tomorrow.  Then we make stops at Ninilchik, Cooper Landing, and Seward.

Parting shots…

A small part of the impressive snow plow fleet that keeps the Air Force runway clear

           

Flowers blooming near the base commissary  /  Fresh bear poop near our camp site.  We saw a small black bear in the campground twice.  We also saw a VERY large and VERY fresh pile of bear poop nearby.  There was moose poop everywhere too.  You always have to be alert in Alaska!

(206,500)