bear valley trailhead anchorage
Some residents began openly wondering whether the situation could tip into violence. ", "Excellent trailhead, but limited parking. Within a few minutes, you will already be high enough to get a birds eye view of downtown Anchorage and across the Inlet to the Mat-Su Valley. That is all on the opposite side of Rabbit Creek Valley, with no easy way across (i.e. Trips available from Whittier, Homer, Seward, Juneau, and Sitka. So, I decided to go back this weekend, with the attention of either turning into Ship Lake or the valley of tarns that lies below Bird Ridge. 1) Safety issue: limiting families and dog walkers access, having only very few people, is probably the best way to make a place favorable for suspicious activities. 6:30 PM-8:00 PM. This wide trail continues from mile 4, up the valley to the Bird Creek crossing. As soon as the tundra permits easy walking, cut south from the Rabbit Lake Trail, descend into the creek ravine and cross Rabbit Creek. Send an email to friendsofthestewarttrail@gmail.com thanks, Saddened- this is so not the Alaskan spirit. Turnagain Arm: Potter Trailhead. We were the 4th house up there at the time. At the signed intersection, cut right/northeast/uphill onto the McHugh Lake Trail. These include difficulty communicating with those of more pedestrian aptitudes. With additional reporting by Jeff Landfield. Starting in late 2016 an assortment of neighbors and trail users coalesced into a group, calling themselves Friends of the Stewart Trail. The Alaska Landmine is a owned and operated by Speedogate Media, a division of the Landfield Global Group. Overwhelmed by choices? The net climb from the trailhead to the summit is 2200 feet. You are under no obligation to speak with anyone on a public easement, and use of a public easement is not trespass. From the other side of the room, Whiteheads longtime companion Martha interjected: She had that old Alaska attitude of everyone helps everybody.. This ridge is well-traveled and there is an informal trail running along it most of the way. Eklutna. Ship Creek flows through the bottom of the valley to the west and steep mountainsides hem the road to the east. I hope the trail is eventually reopened without the bullshit in the future. ADN and KTVA ran articles announcing that parking on both sides of the roads was now illegal. Whitehead helped Ivan Stewart build the Stewart Trail with dynamite in the early 1960s, and remained close to both Ivan and Oro until their deaths. A hiker and his small dog arrived at the entrance to the Stewart Trail to find a man busily expanding an existing vehicle gate with rebar and barbed wire. We have several options. As Falsey notes, easements by prescription are created through public use that is continuous, hostile, and open. A less developed trail continues on for another 2 miles, then quickly gains elevation to the pass. Eklutna and Bear Mountain above Peters Creek. also- neighborhoods and property owners have a responsibility to develop in a manner that allows access to shared lands. The classic Alaska Cruise, offered by such companies as Holland America, Princess, and Royal Caribbean. Excellent trailhead, but limited parking. While the Bear Valley route up McHugh is just an adventurous Class 2, the final few feet to the true summit qualify as Class 4 (light rock climbing). Nine-time champion and record holder at Crow Pass. Pugh began patrolling the trail on foot or in his truck, often confronting those who circumvented his gate to demand that they sign Access Agreements. Many relented and signed the agreements, which affirm that Pugh owns the Stewart Trail and has the exclusive right to dictate trail use. People darted in and out of small huddled groups, yelled, and talked over a grimacing Pugh. We had been told that the HOA occasionally plowed snow into the trailhead cul-de-sacs fire truck turnaround to discourage parking by hikers. Eventually, the neighborhood had had enough. Was there a word count requirement on the article submission? The classic Alaska Cruise, offered by such companies as Holland America, Princess, and Royal Caribbean. Oro was devastated. Choose a round-trip Inside passage or one-way Gulf of Alaska Cruise. While they are fun to explore, unless you know the area well it would probably be fastest to stay on the main trail. Even in a town where comfort with firearms is the norm, some residents found Cavanaughs postsand his increasing desire for confrontationunsettling. ", "Jesse Aaronsen's review mistakes Canyon Road trailhead for this one. Gate on Honey Bear Lane, photographed November 29, 2019. Six-time champion and record holder at Mount Marathon from 1990-2015. FYI, Mensa members normally dont mention it & they definitely dont brag about it. Bear Valley Route (North Ridge) The North Ridge Route, starting at the Honey Bear Trailhead at the top of Honey Bear Lane in Bear Valley, is a fun Class 2 ridge walk with 2,300 feet of elevation gain and excellent views over Anchorage and across the inlet. The best times to visit this trail are May through October. If it were me and I had bought that property in the first place I would have done a little more research. Jesse Aaronsen's review mistakes Canyon Road trailhead for this one. Let us simplify it for you, How much does an Alaska summer vacation cost? There is only one trail originating from the trailhead. Parking is very limited at the trailhead and extremely restricted outside the parking area, so please carpool if hiking as a group. Then came the confrontations and the cameras. Groups are currently working to restore public access to this route. In the back yard, Whitehead introduced Team Landmine to Star the Reindeer, a descendant of the same herd that Ivan and Oro had paraded through Anchorage decades ago. After a brief discussion, the Anchorage Assembly voted unanimously to confirm Pease. Though tens of thousands of Anchorage residents live on the foothills below this belt of parkland, the Honey Bear trailhead can accommodate only five vehicles. But Cavanaugh almost immediately developed a hostile relationship with Stewart Trail users. The summit is out of view to the left. 3 and 4: 55 Ways to the Wilderness (1972). Eklutna. I think theyre a waste of money, and if he wants to spend all of his time looking at people coming and going I feel sorry for him. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 3 h 58 min to complete. All Rights Reserved. On October 11, 2018, Team Landmine attended the monthly RCCC meeting at Golden View Middle School. But if youre hoping to score a prime parking spot, this trailhead is best tackled on weekdays or in the off-season. My verdict is still the same. In his letters, Falsey writes that the Stewart Trail is open to public use because it meets the qualifications for a prescriptive public easement. Located in the same area as the Bear Valley Visitor Center and picnic area, the Morgan Horse Ranch, and several self-guided interpretive trails, it's possible to make a day out of visiting this area alone! It was trivially obvious that several spots on Honey Bear Lane would allow vehicles to pull fully off of the road surface and onto the shoulder. Its western flanks enfold several of South Anchorages hillside neighborhoods and dont flatten out until they reach the New Seward Highway. It has a few outcrops that you may not want or need to climb over, but its generally easy to follow and fairly low-angle. In early 2018 Pugh became Chair of the RCCC, and Cavanaugh became Vice-Chair. It soon became known as the Stewart Homestead Road. 99516, A less developed trail continues on for another 2 miles, then quickly gains elevation to the pass. But a huge amount of self-interest has been generated among Hillside homeowners over the years, he said. This trailhead specifically provides access to McHugh Peak ridge. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); If you had told me last year that the Landmine would be publishing the most in-depth investigative journalism in the state of Alaska I would have thought the apocalypse had already come and gone. The creek is generally low and easy to cross. Curious about the roadblock, we knocked on the door of the nearest residence, a sprawling red-roofed house with a commanding view of the Anchorage bowl. Note the line of old fenceposts visible right below the rainbowthese are a good landmark for when you might consider crossing the valley and heading up McHugh. Moose Ridge trail, Spencer Loop, etc. Take a left on Kullberg, following it through switchbacks, then turn right on Malcolm Dr. Moreover, Pughs gate now blocked access to the original Stewart Homestead land now owned by the Alaska Zoo and Alaska Botanical Garden, as well as large tracts owned by the MOA Heritage Land Bank and the State Department of Natural Resources (DNR). With more people you may unfortunately get some trash, but hopefully less needles, condoms etc. Here youll find Alpenglow Ski Area, which offers miles of hiking trails and late summer berry picking. It is not good access to Rabbit Lake's, Flattop, Peak 2 etc. To enjoy a scenic drive just a few minutes from downtown Anchorage, head north to mile 6.1 on the Glenn Highway. Bear Valley Trailhead is located off of the Pine Valley Rd. I hope that this site helps you plan exciting and safe trips, but please always keep the information here in context. From downtown, take New Seward Highway toward Seward. Before and after Frank Pugh bought his property people accessing Stewart Trail disregarded the property rights of nearby neighbors. After quarter miles of going through low brushes, you will be out of tree zone. Follow the trail .7 miles straight uphill to the ridgeline. Whatever you guys are doing, keep doing it. And Im closing it. You know he might have said, Its my land., The man with the acetylene torch was Frank Pugh, and soon his gate was complete. Carpooling to the trailhead is highly recommended. The battle for the Stewart Trail has spilled over into a bitter civil war on the Rabbit Creek Community Council, into heated Anchorage Assembly meetings, onto talk radio and into cryptic op-eds published by the ADN. It has received 27 reviews with an average rating of 4.7 stars. If they really cared about that fire turnaround they sure as hell wouldnt fill itRead more , One of the best summers for co-existence between residents and hikers has come at the cost of severe restrictions on public access due to parking scarcity and harassment by nearby homeowners. Patrolling the trail. At roughly the 2.5 mile mark, the Rabbit Lake trail reaches a high point below Ptarmigan Peak and then begins to descend slightly into the upper valley. Even after they burnt the houseboat down, I dont recall Oro sayingwhen we were up there, we saw people walking or hikingshe didnt say get out of here. It was just Hi, how are you doing? that kind of stuff. Drive the Seward Highway to the McHugh Creek parking area. I have photos. But the people are coming anyway.. Ill just make a brief comment that if you have to pay to be a part of a society that declares you have high intelligence, well you aint that smart to begin with. ), Popular Alaska Itineraries Using In-State Airlines, Anchorage to Denali National Park Driving Map, Denali National Park Campgrounds & RV Parks. Oh you know what, I think [the cameras] are stupid, I dont care about them at all. This site is not currently open to the public, but history buffs and others still visit it. Full-day adventures can be found at Wheeler Lake and Bull Run Lake. But that would require a vote of the Anchorage Assembly, and one Assembly member told the Landmine that secession attempts would be dead in the water. There is one section of the trail that becomes singletrack. 03/16/2023 . On September 2, 2018, Friends of the Stewart Trail announced via email that they had initiated a lawsuit: The Friends of the Stewart Public Trail has resolved to commence litigation to confirm the non-motorized public access trail rights to the historic Stewart Homestead Road, and to remove the gate blocking access to it.. The Honey Bear parking lot was platted in the early 2000s as a condition for continued private development of upper Bear Valley. This trailhead specifically provides access to McHugh Peak ridge. And at the back of the room, well-known mountain runner and former RCCC Co-Chair Nancy Pease appeared to be the nucleus of another small group of opposition. Follow Ski Rd for one mile, take a right on Whaley, which become Chugach Park Rd. From here, you can head up the steep and winding, Arctic Valley Road. All trails are moderate with wonderful view. Both sides of the RCCC, and Royal Caribbean specifically provides access to McHugh Peak ridge New! 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