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Portage Pass Trail – Alaska

We enjoyed the short Portage Pass Trail day hike out of Whittier.

Hiking author Dean Littlepage:

… A half-day or overnight hike to Portage Pass, Portage Lake, and an overlook of Portage Glacier.

Portage Pass is a beautiful spot in its own right, and this hike is also the easiest way to get a good view of the face of Portage Glacier since it melted back out of sight of the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center, in 1993.

A moderate hike to an outstanding destination, this trip offers a reward-to-effort ratio that’s right up there with the best Southcentral Alaska has to offer.

Portage Pass is a gap gouged out of the earth long ago by a lobe of Portage Glacier and opened up for hikers by the glacier’s retreat of the last century.

The trail has history too; in the 1890s, when the Alaska Gold Rush brought in the first big influx of non-Natives, steamships docked at the foot of Portage Pass, where Whittier is now, and dropped off prospectors headed for gold strikes near Hope and Sunrise on Turnagain Arm. They hauled their supplies up the steep east face of the glacier with ropes and pulleys, hiked a beaten path across the ice through Portage Pass, and rambled down to Turnagain Arm and the diggings.

Special features: A glacial landscape, alpine scenery, and historic interest.

Portage Pass Trail | Alaska Hikes

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Recommended for the Portage Trail is Hiking Alaska, 2nd: A Guide to Alaska’s Greatest Hiking Adventures

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scramble Skookum Volcano Trail, Alaska

I was determined to trek rugged Wrangell-St. Elias in the summer of 2007. But which hike to chose?

The National Park website has a number of recommendations for hikes in Wrangell-St. Elias. (PDF files are linked from that page)

I was tempted by the Sanford-Dadina Plateau “Volcanic Traverse” — but did not have the 4-8 days needed. Ron Cosby hiked it in July finding it demanding:

“… the hardest part was fighting through the thickest alder I’ve ever seen on the initial part of the climb up to the plateau. It took us 10 hours (including breaks) to go 4.1 miles as the crow flies according to the GPS.”

Eventually we decided instead on a simple day hike volcano scramble, a very popular route off the Nabesna road.

The trail is 2.5 miles to a beautiful high pass. …

Highlights: Roadside access, wildlife, spectacular scenery, alpine plants, volcanic geology.

Access: The Skookum Volcano Trail leaves the Nabesna Road at mile 36.8. From the beginning elevation of 3,000’, it rises to an elevation of 5,800’. This trail leads through an extinct, deeply eroded volcanic system and provides an opportunity to examine picturesque volcanic geology.

NPS

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The highlight was close-up views of Dall sheep who seem quite accustomed to human visitors.

We did the standard Skookum scramble, in and out. But there is an off-trail loop option which puts you walking a road for 1.4 miles. (Not recommended.)

Better for overnight hikers is Skookum Volcano to Rambler Mine, 10-14mi, 2-3 days, depending on route taken. Transport needed between trailheads.

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Lost City Trek – Colombia – now safer

I loved the Lost City Trek — Ciudad Perdida — when I was there in 1997. It’s a steep climb up a lost jungle city.

Ten years later the adventure is much safer as Brian Rudert reports:

Just did the hike in 4 days/3nights …

The trail is safe, very safe – with a large Colombian military contingent at the top. …

Most tour groups spend 4 or 5 nights along the trail which is a total of 21 kilometers one way with 4 major (steep) descents and 3 descents along with 9 crossings of the Buritaca river before you reach the final 1,300 narrow and steep steps up to the city. The starting point is 340 meters in altitude and the final destination is 1,100 meters.

The 21 kilometers are broken up with sleeping points at kilometer 8 and 16 with guides preparing your food and mules carrying supplies. However, the mules cannot go beyond kilometer 16 because of the condition of the trail.

… A fascinating Kogui (local indigenous group) village is at around kilometer 15 and you will see them again further up the trail and in Ciudad Perdida.

There is a reddish-brown dog with yellow eyes named Niño with no home or owner who goes up and down with different hiking groups (whoever feeds him the best). Niño knows all the best river crossings and will whine when he sees you crossing at the wrong place.

Colombia is my favourite country in South America mainly due to the friendly people.

Check out photos from a 2007 trek to get an idea of the unique landscape at the top:

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adman_as more lost city trek photos – flickr

Lost City Trek information page – besthike.com

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more bear encounters due to global warming?

Is this another crackpot GOAT blog speculation?

Perhaps not.

Check the original post for links to the encounters mentioned:

The Aspen Times, in Colorado’s top resort town, calls this summer “The Killing Fields,” because so many local black bears have gotten into trouble and been killed. The story has powerful photos of bears being “euthanized” or driven out of town. …

The Aspen Times has more sad bear stories and photos … and an editorial — calling for a crackdown on people who get bears in trouble by offering easy garbage.

The Denver Post reports a larger wave of black bear conflicts around Colorado, and quotes a wildlife agent, “I’m up to my eyeballs in bears.”

Meanwhile, Nevada experiences a record year for black bear conflicts and executions.

In New Mexico, this summer’s black bears have bitten at least two people.

In Montana, one black bear tried to claw into a pickup-truck camper, and another wrestled a guy in a tent.

In Wyoming, wildlife agents killed a mother bear when a tranquilizer dart failed to tranquilize.

As I’ve said, I think the surge in bear conflicts is caused by global warming/drought, and more people infringing on more bear habitat, as well as people acting foolish around bears.

GOAT – A High Country News Blog » Summer of growls: More black bears bother more people

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Hiking in Alaska and the Yukon we’ve seen a fair few bears. (Two on the highway yesterday, for example.) Not sure if the incidence is up or down here. People are certainly bear aware here, however.

(Our biggest problem on the last hike was Dave losing the plastic safety piece on his bear spray and having it discharge by accident on his hands. He’s still trying to wash off the smell days later.)

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Best. Hike. Ever.

What makes a hike a “best ever”?

Kimberly explains why her Great Wall of China day was her best hike ever:

Because it was the sunniest day.

Because the challenge was to reach the Great Wall at the ridge of the mountain, and we made it.

Because the view was spectacular.

Because it was HARD. My quads were quivering three quarters of the way up — and then I still had to get *down*.

Because a bunch of random people agreed to go hiking with me and they liked each other.

Because there was a feast of fresh grilled trout and fish dumplings at the end.

Because I went into it tired from a long week and came out of it happy happy happy.

Because it was preceded and followed by a night of dancing.

Because I still have Sunday.

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Best. Hike. Ever. – Kimberlyland

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OneDayHikes.com – best day hikes

We include relatively few day hikes on our list of the best hikes in the World.

For more, check out the excellent OneDayHikes.com list. Here’s a sample of their overview page:

Aiguilles Traverse, Chamonix, France
Take the Grand Balcon Nord, beneath the serrated cliffs and pinnacles of the Aiguilles, to an awe-inspiring view of the Mer de Glace.

Aira Force, Ullswater, England
This easy walk through a picturesque gorge is a good choice in wet weather, when the waterfalls are at their most dramatic.

Alpine Circuit, Lake O’Hara, Canada
Experience some of the finest hiking in the Canadian Rockies on a dramatic high country route past jagged peaks and glacial lakes.

Alpine Lakes-Glacier, Great Basin, USA
A beautiful hike through the mountains of the Snake Range, climbing to a close-up view of the Wheeler Peak glacier.

Alum Cave Bluffs, Great Smoky Mountains, USA
A trail that combines interesting rock formations with beautiful valley views.

Angels Landing, Zion Canyon, USA
An exciting trail that climbs steeply to the top of a promontory overlooking Zion Canyon, with long sheer drops on three sides.

Bahia Lapataia, Ushuaia, Argentina
A coastal walk between two beautiful bays on the southern shore of the Land of Fire, one of the remotest regions on earth.

…

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We’re linked to OneDayHikes.com from our right hand navigation column under WEBSITES.

OneDayHikes.com – Full Hike List

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BEWARE Devil’s Club when hiking

Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridus, Araliaceae) is a large shrub native to the Pacific Northwest coastal forests of North America. Also known as Devil’s Walking Stick, it grows to 1-1.5 m tall normally, however instances exist of it reaching in excess of 5m in rainforest gullies, with the erect stems covered in short, stout spines. …

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The brittle spines break off easily and contain a chemical that may cause dermatitis. The fruit is considered poisonous, …

Wikipedia

Photo is George negotiating the Devil’s Club near Whittier, Alaska. (Unfortunately he lost his shirt on this scramble.)

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We were extracting spines for days afterwards.

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hike Wrangel – St. Elias National Park, Alaska?

First MAPS:

In a huge and wild park such as Wrangell-St. Elias, you can never have too many maps

National Geographic – Trails Illustrated has produced a 1:375,000 (1 inch = 6 miles) scale map of Wrangell-St. Elias that is a great tool for initial trip planning.

It is waterproof, tear resistant, and covers the entire park, including detailed inserts of the Nabesna Road and McCarthy/Kennecott areas. This map is available at all park ranger stations, or online through the Alaska Natural History Association for $9.95

We highly recommend that backcountry hikers also purchase the highly detailed USGS 1:63,360 (1 inch = 1 mile) topographic maps, also known as 15-minute quadrangle maps of the particular route they plan to travel. Note: this part of Alaska is not covered by USGS 7.5-minute maps.

maps – National Parks Service

Next, GUIDEBOOK:

The best I can find is Hiking in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
by former mountain guide Danny W. Kost (2000)

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Amazon

This Park is very intimidating.

Get all the information you can before you travel to hike here.

We will simply dayhike from the road access.

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bigger than Switzerland, with much higher mountains

Flying in to Anchorage, Alaska from Juneau I was already worried.

How can anyone possibly hike Wrangell-St. Elias?

It looks the realm of mountaineers, not mere hikers like myself.

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Because there are very few maintained trails within the park, travel through dense brush, along steep scree slopes, and across fast and cold glacial streams and rivers should be expected.

For most routes, map and compass reading skills are essential. Weather in these mountain ranges can vary to extremes in relatively short time periods. It is best to expect (and prepare for) almost any possibility with a variety of layerable clothing (polypropylene, wool or pile), raingear, and extra food. Summer snow storms may occur at elevations of 4,500 feet and above.

Trip Planning

A successful hiking trip requires adequate planning. You should be prepared for everything and should not count on aid or rescue from others. Here, you will be on your own. Caution and good judgment are key ingredients for a pleasant expedition. For many hikers, hiring the services of a local guide will make the trip safer and more enjoyable. In general, the areas above tree line (~3,000′) afford the easiest hiking and best views. These areas are often accessed by chartering a flight to one of the many possible “bush” landing strips. Note that there are many more places to land than are shown on maps. Air taxis will often land on gravel bars or on the tundra.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve – Hiking & Backpacking in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

w-ste-map.jpgWrangell-St. Elias is the largest National Park in the USA. Indeed, if you combine it with the adjacent Parks and reserves it’s the largest protected land mass in the world.

But how does one hike it if you have only a small vehicle, not a helicopter or light plane? (Perhaps I can find some gold nuggets to pay for this trip.)

This will take some reconnaissance.

Wish us luck.