The mighty Trail Crew has not been able to get to the remainder of Johnson Pass trail between mile 4 and 4 from south and north for removing fallen trees, so, if anyone is out for a ride and notices how many down trees, location, and size please send me a message. What one moment is good/bad may change in a matter of hours due to the extremes in weather we experience. Keep in mind however, there are always obstacles that make some areas difficult, such as the mud hole we almost got stuck in on the Johnson Pass Winter Route, or that windblown side hill where we couldnt keep our machines going where we wanted. Johnson Pass Trail is ice covered, with limited snow patches near the trailhead. Summit Lake 6 ice under 2 of water and 3 of wet snow. Crescent Creek Cooper Primrose has quite a bit more icy at mile while the hill out of the Lost Lake trailhead is in good condition, there is some ice but appears manageable. The Cordova area is not connected to Southcentral Alaskas road system, so visiting this region requires taking the Alaska ferry or an airline flightan additional travel leg not unlike visiting an island. Ice skating is good in many locations of Seward Ranger District, anticipate this to change this afternoon as we will hopefully see the influx of several inches of snow. Above 700 you get into decent conditions to sno-go, ski, or Fat Tire bike to cabins and lakes on packed trails. Classic skiing is much better today than yesterday due to the amount of moisture in the form of rain and heavy wet snow weve received in the past 27 hours on Seward Ranger District. I drilled several holes around the lake staying away from the inlet and outlet and all holes were consistent with the above measurements. So now that we have opened all our trails that allow for public winter motorized use, and all lakes are adequately frozen for travel (remember though to educate yourself to frozen water travel and know where your springs, inlets, outlets, and channels are), except Kenai Lake is not totally frozen over, I dont anticipate sending out many more trail condition updates, unless there is something worth mentioning. Cooper Lake ice thickness is 3.5 inches; Upper Trail ice was 5 inches 100 to the north from the Ball Diamond yesterday, and Grant Lake today had 3 of ice beneath 1.5 inches of water. The Winter Trail to the Barber Cabin has been packed and is in very good condition, this trail skirts the main avalanche path on the summer trail. Official websites use .gov A .gov Id like to revisit a blurb I send out as a sensible reminder to people to think about before they venture to the woods. Insider tips to pick the best Alaska cruise. website belongs to an official government organization in the It is 1.3 miles to the Bean Creek trail. If you are itching to bike the trails, check back in a few weeks. Bertha Where snow/ice have recently melted, trail tread is muddy and imprintable, please keep your bikes at home until these areas have a few weeks to dry out. Chugach National Forest. LockA locked padlock When biking please get off and walk around saturated and muddy trail tread, when mud is more consistent please turn around. Chugach National Forest Visitor Information Centers The West side is a little thin, Take Bean Creek if going up Resurrection Pass South, West Juneau Rd. Chugach National Forest Points of Interest | ALASKA.ORG Cabins Crow Pass Cabin (see Crow Pass Trail notes) and those in Western Prince William Sound Harrison, Pigot, Paulson all 3 being more shore side are all good to get to . Were working on hauling bridge materials, bear food lockers, etc. Exit Glacier Road:Conditions at the moment are good and void of last weeks glare ice. Grooming of Russian River C.G., Trail River C.G., and other local areas has begun, skate skiing in these areas is fantastic!!! If you do bike or ski Winner Creek Trail please be cautious of other slower moving trail users as you head back downhill towards Alyeska. The three distinct landscapes of the Copper River Delta, the Eastern Kenai Peninsula, and Prince William Sound are destinations for adventurers and nature enthusiasts the world over and areonce-in-a-lifetime destinations for a million visitors each year. Day 1: Fly from Anchorage to Cordova. Our Avalanche Specialist Alex McLain will be teaching a free Avalanche Awareness class this Saturday December 12 beginning at 9:00 a.m. the Seward Public Library conference room. Watch for overflow on the Lakes. The trail crew will replace several bridges on these trails this summer. With the snow comes even more recreation opportunities in winter. December 23, 2014-Seward and Glacier Ranger District. Devils Creek trail is mostly dry to mile 6, three days ago we needed the aid of snowshoes from mile 7-10, down trees have been cleared. >The last few snowfalls accumulated 6-10 inches on ground in Portage Valley; crusty conditions for skiing and skating have been reported. Four Corners Hand Tramhas openedfor the summer season. All of us screamed. and many location have been groomed for skiing, trail updates will only be posted if there are significant changes to conditions or area closures or openings. These areas remain closed. Theres at least one larger snow section below Divide Lake that can be tricky to know where to dive back onto the trail, there is some orange flagging that should help guide folks back onto the trail. The first 3 miles has just a couple open water crossing, the last 2 miles has many water crossing. Bear Lake to Divide: This segment of INHT is constructed with bridges, at mile 12 of the Seward Hwy. FAX: (907) 743-9476. The Copper River Delta covers 700,000 acresthe largest contiguous wetland on the Pacific coast of North America and the largest unit in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. The middle 5 miles of the trail could be muddy. While the overflow on area lakes is mostly refrozen, there are no smooth surfaces for skating. Skiing gets better at Mile 1 of Bean Creek Trail. Bears have been feeding on it. Remains closed to winter motorized. Spencer Bench Trail No specific updates since report from observations from the Whistlestop onMay 23 -clear at bottom and snow covered for top half. Resurrection Pass Trail North has been cleared of fallen trees. Expect continuous punchy snow at Lost Lake starting at mile 1, Primrose starting at mile 4, around Carter Lake, and at Resurrection Pass fortwo miles. Office Hours:8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Dont call us, well call you, re: when snow is gone, its going to be 3-4 weeks out at the earliest for our lower elevation trails. I would also like to share three websites covering areas on Glacier and Seward Ranger Districts for skiing so you can check conditions and find out when campground roads and other areas have been groomed as I dont plan on posting any further updates for skate skiing now that everyone is up and running with the minimal snow we have and posting updates when needed: Portage webcam: http://w1.weather.gov/data/obhistory/PATO.html. The Seward Ranger District is putting together some awesome employees to get a handle on this section of trail by removing as much as they can from across the trail tomorrow. Trails across the district are frozen with snow cover from a trace at lower elevations to a few inches through the passes. If travelling this way you should also be mindful that after roughly the first mile from the T intersection with the Winner Creek Trail you will be entering avalanche terrain and should only travel further with the appropriate gear and knowledge of the avalanche hazards and how to mitigate them. Its almost Christmas and the forecast looks exciting for the arrival ofSanta Claus, ha, ha, ha, ha..I meant snow. Access roads to winter used trails/areas are in good condition. Please keep in mind the changing conditions that may occur after trail/area/water/ice/avalanche condition reports are sent. Cordovas trails are BLOOMING! Devils Creek trail between mile 7.5-9 would be helpful to travel with snowshoes through one more weekend, and its a toss for travel through Resurrection Pass which had less snowfall than Devils Creek. Am I really talking about Seward Ranger District as we head towards another round of sunshine? As we near the end of this most magnificently, sunny week, here is the forecast for Seward Ranger District weather: THERE ARE NO IMPACTFUL WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS SOUTH, CENTRAL THROUGH THE WEEKEND. Carter/Crescent Lake area has a tad over 3 of snow, and lots of alders showing today. We are beginning to close and lock Campground entrance road gates, though the Russian River C.G. Speaking of Upper Winner Creek. Lost Lake has 36. Several large avalanches with debris are blocking the road. Resurrection Pass Trail North is bike able to just beyond Caribou Creek Cabin and skiable from just beyond through the Pass. No good ice for skating on ponds, and Portage Lake is not frozen. Enjoy the next few days with the ghosts and goblins and Ice Skating on Tern Lake! 9/10 of our wildland fires are human caused camping fires, either left unattended or never extinguished. The snow off trail in most locations north of Seward is packing well and classic skiing is good. Areas of note are the first mile of Lost Lake trail and first mile of Carter Lake trail. Sand Trail has a new paved parking lot: Offload 4wheelers, park your trailer, and go! Resurrection Pass Trail South: Snow free first 3 miles then packed snow. Portage Valley is looking like early winter with about 3 of new snow, ski tracks on the Trail of Blue Ice, and a shoveled ice-skating area at Moose Flats. Two feet of snow is on the ground at Carter Lake provides for some good skiing. With that in mind heres a reminder to be mindful when adventuring over frozen water: Please keep in mind that ice thickness may vary drastically on each body of water depending on location, just because I give ice thickness reports on frozen bodies of water does not mean ice travel is safe. Travel up the Swan Lake Grade towards Devil's Pass Cabin is in good condition for motorized travel with a packed trail. Johnson Pass Trail opened today to Winter Motorized use for your vrooming pleasure, though make note that access from the North Trailhead is via the Johnson Pass Wagon Road located to the West of the parking lot as the first 2 miles of Johnson Pass Trail is closed to all motorized use to Center Creek. Many lakes have alot of snow on top andoverflow underneath. There may be times when I say the skiing is Great is at such and such a spot, however, just because its Great to me, it might not be to you, it could possibly be a Death Trap depending on how you go about it. Other trails/areas on Seward Ranger District continue to have wonderful winter conditions unheard of for this long. add 3 miles to get to the T.H. The first few miles from the Trailhead on the Sterling Hwy. Signs around McKinley and Pipeline Trails have been given much needed repair. From Devils Pass cabin to mile 17 on the north from Hope we needed snowshoes. Snow on trails above 1,200 feet in elevation in most areas including Carter, Lost Lake, Primrose, Johnson and Resurrection Pass. Resurrection Pass trail south to Swan Lake, and Resurrection Pass trail north to Caribou Creek are snow free, but not ice free. #youneedalaska #girdwood #placer #neverstopexploring #tourism #travelalaska #chugachnationalforest #alaskarailroad #mountains #river #snow #green #bluebird #riverrunner #guide #optoutside #alaska #travel #lastfrontier #glacier #tour #float #boat #travelphotography #adventure #explore, Happy St. Patricks Day! Right now there are no fees AND no services, so please (please) if you pack it in, pack it out. Cooper Lake has 6 of ice, and Grant Lake has 2. 18620 Seward Hwy, Anchorage, AK, Anchorage, 99577 Overview Tours & Tickets Tours and Tickets to Experience Chugach State Park Nature and Wildlife Tours Bus Tours Half-day Tours Day Trips Photography Tours When are you traveling? Resurrection North has not received motorized use beyond mile 9. The first 100 of Grant Lake has 4 of ice, further out it looks as if other parts of the lake began freezing a couple days ago, there are many areas of open water on the lake. Many of SRD larger lakes are ice free; Crescent, Grant, Lower and Upper Russian, Ptarmigan, Trout, and all roadside lakes. Access to Lost Lake should be via Primrose Trail or Snug Harbor Rd, though, beginning around mile 5 Snug Harbor Rd is icy and glaciated, rigs pulling larger trailers may run into difficulties. With our latest round of opening/re-opening this is our 3rd one this winter season, see the end of this email for the run-down of our weather related motorized openings and closures. Parking lots are plowed, but there is NO ICE yet in Portage! Wish I had a little more perky news on winter conditions to welcome in the New Year, it could be worse though; at least we do have a few places to bike, hike, ski, and sno-go. The ridge tops are often covered with huge snow drifts known as cornice front of them. The good news is the snow level is dropping, elevations above 900 is about where you can begin skiing without hitting rocks, more lakes are freezing with no snow cover insulating the ice, and ice skating is good on Tern, Jerome, Grayling, Meridian, Trout, Juneau, and Lower Russian Lakes. Current Fire Restrictions As of July 14, there are no fire restrictions. See Recreational Passes and Permits for more information. This consists of a DVD presentation for dog owners on traps and trap lines and how to avoid getting your dog caught in a trap or snare and what to do about it if it does happen. #asf_artists #asf_fotografia #fhatelier #earthday2021 #earthday #chugachnationalforest #alaskaphotography, Last photo from the Portage Glacier. Through a unique partnership with the Chugach National Forest, the Alaska Railroad offers the only access to Spencer Glacier via its Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop rail service. Read More Campsite List Seasons & Fees Rules & Cancellations Facility Information Ratings & Reviews Info Notification: Primrose T.H. #alaska #alaskalife #landscape #landscapephotography #scenic #mountains #liveoutdoors #landscape_hunter #alaska_untamed #wildalaska #naturelovers #nature #kenaimountains #chugachmountains #mountainscape, OFFICIAL STATE OF ALASKA VACATION AND TRAVEL INFORMATION, Copyright 2023 Alaska Travel Industry Association. The terrain around the cabin is still snow covered. Sharing the country are the Chugach State Park in the north, and the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge in the south. From Caribou Creek ice packed trail is more consistent requiring the aid of ice creepers. Note that this loop is open to ski traffic only during winter grooming. Official websites use .gov A .gov Minimize your exposure to this hazard by staying away from un-forested mountain slopes, especially during or right after snow storms. -Bean Creek Trail: Mile 47.7 of the Sterling Hwy. Icy packed trails are melting fast at elevations below 800, except for those key areas of mini glaciers in various locations. ) or https:// means you've safely Ha, ha, ha, ha, sorry, I lied. Beyond the overlook patches of snow begin, developing into solid snowpack before reaching the pass down to Crater Lake. Upper Trail Lake directly north from the Ball Diamond measured 2 of ice five feet from shore (this is the moat that has refrozen); 30 feet from shore the ice measured 6 and 100 feet from shore the ice this afternoon was 3 thick under 1.5 of snow. Hello Winter Enthusiasts! Byron Glacier Trail clear until end of official trail. December 1 will come and go without the District opening to Winter Motorized use as we dont have snow, yet.When Seward Ranger District does open to Winter Motorized use, it will not include the Resurrection Pass Trail system from Hope to Cooper Landing as this winter season (2014/2015) is closed to motorized except for Subsistence users (residents of Cooper Landing and Hope). Ifyou encounter abear is encountered, back away slowly and give the bear space. Good ending to Summer as Fall is in the air. Walking without snowshoes is good due to the rapid melting and condensing of the snowpack. The trails current packed soft snow also makes for good conditions for walkers, and its just soft enough that you can leave the ice creepers in your pack. Five minutes can seem like forever. We dont normally recommend winter travel to Ptarmigan Lake due to several avalanche paths that cross the hiking trail and several on each side of the narrow valley from the beginning of the lake to the end of the lake, however, we feel pretty comfortable with travel to the lake and also down the lake before the next snowfall. The road to Saddlebag Glacier Trail is now passable and the trail appears to be snow-free. Here are 2 lakes for ice skating I have to share for those of you that can head out in the next couple days before the next snowfall as it isnt very often you can skate on them due to snow cover, and avalanches at Ptarmigan Lake. Its the height of the field season on the Seward Ranger District, and our trails team has been busy tackling maintenance and construction projects. Lost Lake Trail:NOT RECOMMENDED for travel unless you have studs on shoes or tracks, lots of ice, even on the summer trail that bypasses the steep trail out of the parking lot. All lakes on the trailare ice free. Last weeks early season snowstorm brought winter conditions to much of the Seward Ranger District.