Snow continues to fall and this slide path and others could send additional snow to the valley floor. Me and three other snowmachiners accessed lost lake are from snug on tues April 12. Beyond trail end avalanche danger is above the snow pile (where Byron Glacier Creek goes under). In earlier years when my children were younger my pack weight was way heavy with extra layers, gloves, hand warmers, lots of food, on and on and on, I still carry extra items for them, but not as much now that they are teenagers and know more than I do. Carter Lake: 10 of ice on Wednesday, anticipate it to now be around 12 with 20 of snow cover. adfg.alaska.gov|By dfg.webmaster@alaska.gov. Each adult also needs to take serious precautions when introducing children, pets, and inexperienced adults to an outdoor activity. The gate will be open late Friday afternoon. Closed from 12 -1 pm, Cordova Ranger District Trails were not bad with the wet snow. December 23, 2014-Seward and Glacier Ranger District. Warm temperatures is melting ice at record levels not seen before, Tern and Lower Trail Lakes are mostly ice free, Upper Trail Lake has many open areas that we dont normally see until the 2nd to 3rd week of May. are closed to winter motorized. Note: Resurrection North by sno-go is for the experienced rider to the top of the southern grade at East Creek; from here it turns into easy riding to Devils Pass Cabin, Devils Pass cabin to Swan Lake Cabin is advanced riding. The three communities also support a mosquito fleet of guides and marine taxis offering sightseeing, deep-sea fishing, camping drop-offs and sea kayaking support. #KnowBeforeYouGo www.cnfaic.org. Carter Laketrail is snow/ice free for the first mile. If you are itching to bike the trails, check back in a few weeks. Johnson South to Johnson Lake via Johnson Creek winter route, Thank you Corey for going back with a chainsaw! Upper Trail Lake ice within 100 of the Ball Diamond measured 3 today. But dont be fooled by the lack of ice, take your ice creepers with you. Most of the land on the Seward Ranger District is publicland, managed by the Chugach National Forest, and isopen to trapping fur-bearers. Happy May Day! Looking for a more strenuous hike? The first few miles of the trail traverse avalanche prone slopes and steep terrain. There was a report of a very curious black bear at the Pass that was not easily scared off. Johnson Pass Trail is less brushy this year, though the annuals (cow parsnip/grass) on the north will still be there, as the trail brushing started last fall has been completed this month. Happy Trails to you, have a Great Summer and Ill talk with you again in late fall, unless something arises that warrants your attention. Information on Grooming of ski trails in Cooper Landing: http://grooming.cooperlandingnordicskiclub.org/. Ice skating on the cleared paths on Upper Trail Lake is good. There was a landslide at mile-5 of the Resurrection Pass Trail North (Hope-side) or 6 miles from the winter parking lot. For reference in above paragraph with brochure map below: 2 is Alder Pond, 3 is Explorer pond, Trail of Blue Ice is labeled on map, and 7 is Williwaw Campground. The trail is very muddy between mile 8 and 17 where snow has recently melted. Skiing is good from about mile 8, over the pass and to the Bean Creek junction on the southern end (about 26 miles). Currently Snug Harbor Rd is a good drive, but the snow machine access to Lost Lake is not, need more snow to cover the alders on the first hill climb. (RRCG) roads is good. Its only the first week of May and this spring not the time to get out on bikes onSeward District. Lower Russian Lakes Trail at the moment is a better hike than ski. Other lakes may soon offer skating, we havent checked ice thickness yet on Upper or Lower Trail, or Summit Lakes due to the open water they sported late last weekend. Lower Russian Lake to Upper Russian Trailhead there are several down trees and sporadic icy conditions. It is easy to negotiate the snow on the trail and across the bridge to the cabin. Even if its not icy when you start out,you willmost likely encounterice between sea level and approximately 1,300 feet elevation. Mountain biking is another popular activity on many of the Chugach National Forest trails, particularly Resurrection Pass Trail and Johnson Pass Trail. Snow machines have quite the challenge of getting around in the chest deep snow up high, and also finding places to ride that are not in avalanche territory. Carter Lake Trailhead parking will be filled with rigs on Saturday, April 5th due to a local event, you wont be able to find a spot to park. Chugach Electric Association is proposing what would amount to an average increase of 5.9% for its 90,000 member customers, with most of the increase starting in September, the utility said in a . From Lost Lake Trailhead ice on the trail is non-existent and has been replaced by large pools of water. 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. Please call Alex at 288-7710 for more information. Resurrection RIVER trail (section between Seward trailhead and Upper Russian Lake trail jct) is not regularly maintained. Herman Leirer Rd (Exit Glacier Road), Divide, Trail River C.G., Russian River C.G. The Seward and Sterling highways provide direct access to dozens of Chugach campgrounds, trailheads, viewpoints, lakes and streams. Lower Russian Lake had 5 of ice four days ago and was good for ice skating. road has 500 feet of exposed gravel and asphalt. Trail River Campground - the Eagle and River Terrace Loops are open. In most locations, except above tree line at Lost Lake and Primrose, sno-gos will be limited to traveling the trails as there is not a lot of snow below 1,500 elevation on Seward R.D. United States government. 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. Classic skiing on Seward Ranger District is good. She was fortunate that we had knowledge and were able to access it through the fever of the moment. Common activities that will need these include wood cutting, commercial mushroom picking, and cutting Christmas trees. By . We anticipate opening the entrance gate tomorrow afternoon. Publications Find a list of publications available in paper and digital formats. Happy Summer Solstice to Everyone today, you know what that means right? There are four established campsites along the trail. Winner Creek Gorge Trailhead is not maintained for winter use. Please keep in mind that ice thickness may vary drastically on each body of water depending on past and present weather, location, inlets, outlets and springs, etc. Boardwalk reaches the tree line. There are random trees down across some of the trails but nothing to impede travel, these will be removed in the next couple weeks except for the Resurrection River trail. Layering is essential for adapting to changing conditions. More than 214 species of resident and migratory birds occupy Chugach National Forest. Stay to the right as you go up into bowl and rely on cairns and trail markers to guide in the less defined alpine area. Thank you to the hundreds of motorized users who have traveled this trail in the past 6 days and not ridden on bare vegetation. The upright post for the handrail on the Russian Lakes bridge is going to be replaced, along with the one next to it. Featured photo by: raybulson This trail has steep slopes above it and avalanche danger similar to Crow Pass Trail could exist. Snow is in the forecast, predictions change daily, we are making sure at least one of us is checking conditions every day and will let you know when we are able to open some areas to Winter Motorized use. West side of the District received a couple inches of snow at 400 elevation. Trout Lake, Romig, and Swan Lake Public Use Cabins will be reopened as well on that day. On the south end to Swan Lake would be good, and on the north end to East Creek would be ok. Travel from East Creek over the pass to Swan Lake would be difficult in deep and drifting snow with no packed trail. Good questions as its now December 6 and were full on into winter. Juneau Lake to Swan Lake snow conditions are marginal. I anticipate this section of trail to be mostly snow free by the end of the first week of July. More trees have fallen across the Trail since the crew finished. May this month bring a bit more snow down low but not much more up high. Resurrection Pass trail south to Swan Lake, and Resurrection Pass trail north to Caribou Creek are snow free, but not ice free. The ford at Martin Creek is low but anticipate this to change as water begins to rise from snow melt. Beyond trail end avalanche danger is above the snow pile (where Byron Glacier Creek goes under). Mission Statement "The Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation provides outdoor recreation opportunities and conserves and interprets natural, cultural, and historic resources for the use, enjoyment, and welfare of the people." Accessibility Notice Donate To Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation Atwood Building 550 West 7th Avenue Suite 1380 Wear boots as beaver dams create low pools across the trail, and take a moment to admire the lodge that extends into the trail itself. Came out yesterday on wet and icy trail with lots of dirt on Bean Creek. 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. Travel across higher elevations on Resurrection Pass will require skis or snowshoes. What is unusual about our weather on SRD is that we dont have much snow at our highest elevations 1,500+. My favorite piece of gear these past few weeks (besides ice skates) are my Kahootla Microspikes that have enabled me to safely travel over ice on any terrain. Palmer Creek road is open to highway vehicles, ATVs are not allowed on this road May 1st thru November 30. Snow is packing well for cross country skiing north of Mile 12 Divide to Hope. You know something is just not right when you see us packing M T propane bottles from the cabin to the trailhead, see 2nd photo. Speaking of Upper Winner Creek. Resurrection Pass Trail North to Devils Pass, limited parking for rigs w/trailers. Columbia Glacier is one of the largest tidewater glaciers in the world while Portage Glacier and its Begich-Boggs Visitor Center is one of the most popular stops for visitors in Alaska. The Chugach National Forest offers endless recreation opportunities. The spring melt is here, but there's still plenty of ice and packed trail to enjoy winter activities on Seward Ranger District. Dangerous avalanche conditions still exist and hiking the Girdwood side of the trail is NOT recommended yet this spring/summer. Byron Glacier Trail clear until end of official trail. Seabirds, such as blacklegged kittiwakes, nest in sea cliff colonies by the thousands. The area to the right of the squiggly pattern had 6 of ice. Skiing remains good on area lakes, Divide at Mile 12 Seward Hwy. Good evening on this snowy day on Seward Ranger District, so far we received 3 inches of snow south of Moose Pass (7:00 a.m. Friday morning it's now 6") and more in Moose Pass. road (access to Lower Russian Lake Trailhead) is now open for your driving pleasure. We have opened Primrose and Resurrection South Trails (also Bean Creek and West Juneau Road) to winter motorized to Caribou Creek Cabin, see map. Keep in mind that most of the time we measure ice away from inlets, outlets, channels (think Lower Trail Lakes western half from N to S). Ice skating on Tern Lake is FABULOUS!!!!!!! FAX: (907) 743-9476. Winter updates may be frequent depending on changing ground conditions. Lets hope my anticipation for Fridays opening is a go. Resurrection North and South, Bean Creek, and Lower Russian Lake Trailsare a little better for skiing with the few inches of new snow on top of the hard packed surface, though access roads are icy getting to all of these areas. Fall in Alaska brings temperature fluctuations and the potential for snow. Upper and Lower Trail Lakes, Cooper Lake, Lower Russian, and Tern Lake have 16+ inchesof ice. Chugach National Forest Photos (172) Directions Print/PDF map Length 44.9 miElevation gain 6,036 ftRoute type Point to point Check out this 44.9-mile point-to-point trail near Hope, Alaska. Herman Leirer (Exit Glacier) Road is completely dry (except for the first 2 hills) to the glacier overlook parking lot at mile 6.7. Extensive work on rock stairs at Lost Lake, most likely a couple reroutes but not definite, we anticipate several trail workers spending 4 weeks this summer. July in Alaska offers extended daylight, wildlife viewing, hiking, festivals, fishing, tours, and national park exploration in warm temperatures. Hello to the beginnings of winter! Clemens Cabin is low on propane, you can try one of the mostly MT bottles, hold it horizontally and shake the contents then hook it up. Travel Alaska is a registered trademark of Alaska Travel Industry Association. Share sensitive information only If the weather starts warming, snowing and/or blowing, the avalanche danger for people using the trail can rise quickly. The number of high-and-dry sites will narrow or expand with the rise and fall of the tide cycle. Have a Great Memorial Day Weekend! Nordic blades were the favorite skate as they cruised through the hoarfrost much easier and faster than hockey skates. Trail Crew Foreman/Coordinator Will Brennan has this report to share for the Girdwood area: Winner Creek Trail is primed for fat biking right now, and judging by the amount of tracks out there quite a few people are taking advantage of the good conditions. RAFTING, WHITTIER TUNNEL AND SCENIC RAW DRIVING Raw Ventures 9.7K subscribers Subscribe 0 Share No views 2 minutes ago AMAZING CLASS 5 RAFTING IN ALASKAN. If you are venturing out on any of Seward Ranger District trails, especially by bike, I suggest you take a saw. All areas of Seward Ranger District received measurable snowfall over the weekend except Resurrection Pass Trail North in Hope. Just a heads up if you dont have studded tracks on your machines you will not want to attempt going up Primrose or Lost Lake Trails due to the polished icy surface. Other side roads are icy but may get down to gravel soon. Trails have not yet been brushed out or cleared. Crown Point Road to Iditarod/Vagt Lake loop has been cleared of fallen trees. Iditarod National Historic Trail (INHT) between Falls Creek Trail and Ptarmigan Creek Trail is clear of down trees. https://water.weather.gov/ahps/riversummary.php?wrr=19, http://www.cnfaic.org/advisories/current.php?id, http://www.crosscountryalaska.org/trails/, http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5399387.pdf. The geography is as varied as the outdoor recreation opportunities, with jagged mountains, pristine lakes, fjords and coves, salmon-filled rivers, alpine tundra, glaciers, wetlands, and temperate rainforests. Read More Campsite List Seasons & Fees Rules & Cancellations Facility Information Ratings & Reviews Info Notification: Winter motorized on trails that allow it opens December 1 if there is adequate snow cover to prevent resource damage. Little remains of the snow that fell last weekend except at higher elevations, (photo of Resurrection Peaks from Lost Lake Winter Trail). Chugach National Forest Alison Rein from Glacier Ranger District has this report for your skiing pleasure: Portage Valley received 4-6 snow on Sunday the 21st, and its stayed close to freezing or below , for good early-season ski on the Trail of Blue Ice. Herman Leirer Road (Exit Glacier Rd) is now closed at mile 1.4 for the winter. Russian River C.G. Rewarding view at the end of the #trail Travel via Cooper Lake is rougher due to exposed willow/alders. Crossing the creek to get to Shrode Lake Cabin from theThree Fingers Cove side could be deep with snow and snow melt spring conditions. Glacier Ranger District is hosting A Shared Trails Presentation by Alaska Trapping Association on Wednesday December 3rd at the Forest Service Office in Girdwood at 7p.m. Good Snowy Trails to you on Seward Ranger District, from zero inches in Seward, to over 12 at Summit Lake we have skiing! Catch it on a good visibility day. Girdwood, AK 99587 Before you reach the avalanche path on the Barber Cabin trail there is an area you can easily get onto the lake to access the cabin if you take the summer route the entire way. Ice cleats on boots still useful due to the saturated, slippery snow and ice. The slim skate skiing we had in Trail River C.G. The Alaska Railroad offers several itineraries through the forest, including a Glacier Discovery trip through mountains without road access. West Juneau Road is down to gravel for the 1st mile and a half. Lakes are frozen and beginning to open a little at inlets/outlets. Add Lower Russian Lake to the list for good ice skating. Youll find a special place here, camping with family and friends, cruising the Sound, or watching a million shorebirds. Remember if you are camping at the Pass to respect the cabin users privacy and camp 200 from the lake to protect resource damage. Vagt Lake to Johnson Creek trail: is not constructed, no bridges across Grant or Trail Creeks. The links below are to organizations that provide trail and terrain condition updates and in some cases maintenanceto popular recreation areas within and near Chugach National Forest. (907) 743-9500 Lost Lake trail to Primrosefrom approx. 161 East 1st Ave., Door 8 Add 5 miles to your trip length if you will be hiking Resurrection River Trail. Seward Ranger District has received 2-6 inchesof snow this past week at lower elevation parking lots and 1-3 feetof snow above 1,500 footelevation across the District. Black Bear Avalanches can occur through June. Take caution when traveling over frozen bodies of water later in the day as surfaces begin to soften and shore melt occurs. If you arebiking or walking on groomed ski trails please stay to the side and do not walk in the middle of the ski trail. Snow depth is a lightly packed 5 beginning at the trailhead, trees have not been cleared on this trail beyond mile 3. On the Resurrection River Trail, Resurrection River cut a new side channel quite a few years ago that angles towards the hillside and is getting more and more prominent. Its geographic diversity is unique among national forests. Be prepared for a lack of parking at many Seward Ranger District trailheads/parking areas as the trucks are plowing main roads first. Share sensitive information only While the overflow on area lakes is mostly refrozen, there are no smooth surfaces for skating. If you traverse frozen bodies of water, please remember ice thicknesses may vary drastically on each body of water depending on past and present weather, location, inlets, outlets and springs, etc. just because I give ice thickness reports on frozen bodies of water does not mean ice travel is safe, its just information on ice thickness. December 4th, 2014 and the woods are quiet as we remain closed to winter motorized use due to lack of snow cover to prevent resource damage. Primrose trail does not sport ice in the normal areas near the beginning, though it does have its usual moguls. It is 1.3 miles to the Bean Creek trail. I Love outdoor recreating on the beautiful Seward Ranger District, actually almost anywhere, and this is why I particularly love sending information out on various conditions close to home on SRD. The entrance gate to Russian River Campground is now locked and closed for the winter season, add 8/10ths of a mile of road to your trek before reaching the Lower Russian Lake Trailhead. Most trails have good snow cover that is soft; anticipate needing ice cleats on packed surfaces when our temperatures drop below freezing at night, until then enjoy walking, skiing, and PUSHING your fat tire bike. Travel across Resurrection Pass and upper Devils Creek usually snow free by the 2nd week of June will be mostly snow free before Memorial Day weekend. According to ice safety charts you need 4 of ice for activities such as skating, skiing, and ice fishing. Fox Farm Trail: Impressive log bridges pave the entrance to a brand new boardwalk traversing through cloudberry rich muskag. Cordova, AK 99574 In addition I do not recommend travel between Martin Creek and the Russian Lake trail junction by any other mode of travel besides walking until after the 2 years worth of fallen trees are removed (Ill send a message out this summer when the trail is clear). Access to Resurrection Pass Trail SOUTH via West Juneau Road, Slaughter Ridge Road, and the Summer Hiking Trail have bare ground for first 1-1.5 miles. Here's aof a few areas that are still slogging in winter. Most of our side roads and trails between about 200-900 feet in elevation are solid ice, the warm temps and rain is making them even slicker. The warm up that has created many treacherous side roads has been abated by Wednesday nights snowfall, even a scant 1 on Snug Harbor Road has once again made the road drivable until the next major above freezing warmup. The trail is snow free for about the first 5 miles past the rock garden and up a steep section. It was less than a leash length from a regularly traveled trail and placed in a narrowing of the trail that made non-target species encounters more likely. We will begin working on these trails when we can after the Holidays. Other access roads usually not plowed in winter (though occasionally some of these will be plowed): Russian River C.G. Bear Lake beyond the cove ice thickness was 5 yesterday. Other work includes tread and drainage fixes, including fixing erosion and widening the tread in some sidehill areas to provide for greater visibility and prevent the trail corridor from being overrun with brush. Ice safety charts vary for thickness of when a person can safely travel on its surface,google ice safety charts for more information. Crater Lake is still beautifully snow-covered and frozen, and the trail is considerably wet after rains. Its a Winter Fairyland on Seward Ranger District with just enough snowfall to mess with ice skating on some lakes but not enough to open to Motorized use, and yet theres barely enough snow to allow for skate skiing in some areas but where it does, its GREAT due to the grooming Dave Story has done at RRCG and Jason Aigeldinger at TRCG. My trail conditions mailing list covers all of Seward Ranger District, I dont have one specific to Resurrection Pass Trail. Vegetation is growing and leafing out rapidly. Its been several weeks since the last winter update meaning we have had wonderful conditions for getting outdoors, and those conditions continue. The storm dumped more than a foot of snow at Summit Lake and an estimated two feet in the mountains. The deepest snow was during the climb from Swan Lake to Devils Pass cabin. This morning Tern Lake cloudy ice measured 3 and the clear black ice measured 2. Trails are slippery due to frozen puddles and moisture saturated soils. The map is also offered as tiled 8.5 by 11 PDFs for home printing. Check out Bear, Cooper, Grant, Lower and Upper Trail, and Tern Lakes before the next round of snow. Hiking poles are immensely helpful in pulling yourself up when you do fall through to the bottom. Carter Lakehas 6-10 of snow beginning at mile 1 and is mostly snow free from Carter to Crescent Lake. The snow is a little thin in places, but for the most part the rocks and roots have been covered up. Trail of Blue Ice - clear Resurrection Pass Trail South to Swan Lake via Slaughter Ridge Road(limited parking for rigs w/trailers, or West Juneau Road. Or, fish! Lost Lake Winter Trail has 1-6 feet of snow remaining to Clemens cabin. Conditions: Girdwood Nordic Ski Club @ skigirdwood.org or Alyeska Resort @ alyeskaresort.com/snow-report.aspx.