When weather is good, you have wonderful view of mountains. Site by. We'll match you with a local itinerary expert to help you plan your trip. Boy! Located 40 minutes north of downtown Anchorage in the Eagle River Valley, the center serves as the gateway to the Chugach. If people suggest climbing Flattop, tell them youd rather climb Rendezvous Peak. Citing precedent and practicality, Fire Marshall Cleo Hill and representatives from the Traffic Department refused to approve the gating of a public road. 7-10 days is the most common. I hope that this site helps you plan exciting and safe trips, but please always keep the information here in context. In a 2016 Alaska Trails Survey, over seventy people stated that they had openly used the Stewart Trail for decades. One longtime local resident and trail user told the Landmine that Pugh chased him down the trail, yelling Dont come on here! From the trailhead, the clearly-signed trail begins at the parking lot and switchbacks through dense alder toward the broad shoulder of McHughs north ridge. Basin of the McHugh peak is a wide moonscape like rock field. When it snowed, locals groomed nordic tracks onto the Stewart Trail and taught their children to ski. Though McHugh peak is mostly an alpine walkup, negotiating the bundle of rocks on its summit can be tricky and feels more like rock climbing than hiking. Looking down the east ridge of McHugh Peak toward Rabbit Lake and the Suicide Peaks. The classic Alaska Cruise, offered by such companies as Holland America, Princess, and Royal Caribbean. This trailhead is the only designated public access for a vast swath of Chugach State Park stretching between McHugh Creek and the Rabbit Lake Trailhead. Carpooling to the trailhead is highly recommended. Private Tour: Anchorage 3-Hour Tour 31 Recommended Bus Tours from $623.57 per group (up to 12) Sunset City Tour 16 Bus Tours from $149.00 per adult LIKELY TO SELL OUT* Wildlife and Glaciers with a walk in the Rainforest 173 Bus Tours from $129.00 per adult 2022 Wilderness Wildlife Glacier Experience. McHugh is often climbed from one of three public trailheads: the McHugh Creek trailhead off the Seward Highway, the Rabbit Lake trailhead at the top of Canyon Road, or the Bear Valley trailhead at the top of Honey Bear Dr. Map of McHugh Peak, with the three most well-known routes marked. And Public Land must be accessible. It is not good access to Rabbit Lake's, Flattop, Peak 2 etc. The lot appeared to have significant value to only one group: users of the Stewart Trail. This article is part of the Alaska Landmine's coverage of the Stewart Trail access controversy. 10471 Honey Bear Ln, Alaska This piece tries to set the impression that landowners in the vicinity of Stewart Trail endorse open access. Goose Lake Park, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA, Chuck Albrecht Softball Complex, Elmore Road, Anchorage, AK, United States, Wolverine Trail, Anchorage, AK 99516, USA, 13101 Glen Alps Rd, Anchorage, AK 99516, USA, 6998 Raspberry Rd, Anchorage, AK 99502, USA, 6001-6225 Kalmia Dr, Anchorage, AK 99507, USA, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), April 6: Bicentennial Park: North Bivouac, Bicentennial Park: North Bivouac Trailhead. After a while we turned our backs on Pughs gate and headed up the Stewart Trail. Rising above the Potter Valley neighborhood on the southeast corner of Chugach State Park, its summit and the ridges below it have a graceful symmetry uncommon in the Chugach Mountains. Not long after, the Stewarts moved to Anchorage and opened Stewarts Photo on 4th Avenue. ARead more . 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. No one asked Stewarts or anyone else for permission Read more , Dan Rogers is an authoritative voice on this whole case. 2) 5 cars only for McHugh this is ridiculous. This self-fulfilling cycle results in an undersupply of access points to the park, and causes chronic overcrowding at the access points that do exist. Or, they can let their legacy be one of ill will. The Rabbit Lake Trail is about as exciting as hiking on a road, which is exactly what it used to be. Starting from Ram Valley, it's approximately 11 miles to Mile Hi trailhead with three summits, or approximately 13.5 miles to Baldy if you add in Round Top. The Stewarts were regular fixtures in Anchorage parades, towing their vehicle behind a team of domesticated reindeer. what, yall expect us to believeRead more , I personally have tried to access the Honey Bear Trailhead parking area in late winter/early spring and been unable to because the cul de sac was blocked with plowed snow. The hike is excellent and goes through to McHugh Peak, and can connect to other trailheads from there. The Hutchings Homestead tract languished on the market for months before the purchase by the Pughs, going through several rounds of sharp price reductions. From here, you can head up the steep and winding, Arctic Valley Road. Never would have guessed, I really appreciate Seans well-thought-out and expressed comments, and cant disagree with anything he said. Had the snow been pushed up against the No Parking signs, I would not have had a problem. Take your time, and follow the trail all the way to the ridge. Flattop is arguably Alaskas most popular (and therefore, most crowded) mountain; Rendezvous is far less crowded and offers better views from the summit. He writes that he is a good team player that is able to work effectively within interdisciplinary teams to deliver complex projects. Former coworkers describe Pugh as methodical and precise. Big ship or small ship? He identified himself as a longtime former coworker and friend of Pugh. The ridge consists of several peaks and valleys, but height of drop is about 100-200 ft. It has highlighted how decades of compounding errors in city planning have created so much dysfunction that one rogue landowner has been able to seizeand, for years, successfully holdcontrol over more land than any other individual in the Municipality of Anchorage. On September 17, 2012, Frank Pugh and wife Oksana Pugh purchased a 120-acre lot in upper Potter Valley formerly known as the Earl Hutchings Homestead. Until access issues there are resolved, use the signed public trailheads to avoid problems. There was an audible gasp in the room. For more about me and winterbear.com, click here. He disingenuouslyRead more . Indeed, the lack of visible progress had begun to invite comparisons with the 2014 Bundy standoff in Nevada and 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, in which armedand, some have pointed out, conspicuously whitemilitants had been treated with apparent indifference by government authorities after seizing and occupying public parklands. Parking lot, Blueberry Loop Trail, Anchorage, AK 99516, Northern Trailhead, Seward Hwy, Anchorage, AK 99516, Blueberry Loop Trail, Anchorage, AK 99516, 10471 Honey Bear Ln, ADN and KTVA ran articles announcing that parking on both sides of the roads was now illegal. As Falsey notes, easements by prescription are created through public use that is continuous, hostile, and open. Nothing could be further from that insinuation. The vast majority of McHugh is long, fairly relaxed Class 2 (hiking, light scrambling) ridgelines, but attaining the true summit requires a very short Class 4 climb up a cluster of large rocks. But in a May 7, 2018 email to a member of the public, Langley writes that, despite the No Parking signs, parking would still be legal if a driver could find a way to leave 20 feet of roadway clear: According to Langley, Honey Bear Lane was a public street open to the appropriate legal use by any person, and parking on the shoulder was no more or less illegal than parking on the shoulder of any Anchorage road of equivalent width. 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. Pugh had also written to the Assembly alleging repeated trespass by Pease, unlawful behavior and serious concerns about Ms. Peases ethical integrity and conflicts of interest. Shortly before the meeting, Christopher Matthew Cavanaugh had emailed the mayors office, Assembly, and others calling Pease a criminal and accusing her of criminal trespassing behaviors.. Prospect Heights Trailhead; Upper O'Malley Trailhead; Upper Huffman Trailhead; Glen Alps Trailhead; South Anchorage. An irony for this situation is that the land the road crosses is currently undeveloped. Evidence of continuous, open use of the Stewart Trail dating back to 1976. But while this route adds some thigh-burning it also features more variety than the other routes: it starts in groves of huge cottonwood trees, winds through the brilliantly-colored site of the 2016 McHugh Creek wildfire, and traces the wind-blasted crest of McHughs west ridge to the summit of McHugh Peak. In the April 2017 election the measure was overwhelmingly approved by voters in the current park service area, but was rejected by residents of the upper Hillside. Some noted that the city was overwhelmed with a property crime wave, and stolen cars took precedence over stolen mountains. Your must-have activity guide + map while in Alaska. Title: Bear Valley: Ray E Stork Homestead ParkLocation: Bear Valley: Ray E Stork Homestead ParkLink out: Click hereStart Time: 18:30Date: 2013-04-18End Time: 20:00, We hike around UAA park or Chester Creek Trail. Anchorage residents have thousands of photos of themselves, their friends, and their children using the Stewart Trail in all seasons. 2023 Bear Valley Resort. Welcome to Rabid Creek, he said. The Chriss hadnt met before and occupied opposite sides of the political spectrum, but nothing encourages bipartisanship in Alaska like the prospect of an interesting hike. There is a delightful trail in Meadow Creek valley that leads to the saddle above Mile Hi trailhead, so either route option is easy walking. Nobody wants crime in their neighborhood, but it persists across this city nonetheless, regardless of the stringency of parking rules. After another mile of switchbacks and four-wheel-drive road, youll arrive at the top. The drive itself is only 45 minutes, but once you get there, you'll want to spend more time photographing and exploring. Wolverine Trail, Anchorage, AK 99516, USA . In 1967, the Stewart Trail was featured in 30 Hikes in Alaska as the preferred route to climb McHugh Peak. Over the subsequent years, Pughs gate has withstood repeated demands from the Municipality to tear it down, the ire and defiance of his neighbors, and the early stages of a lawsuit. Either way, public access would remain. To establish the identity of Nancy and Thomas Pease in his photographs, Pugh attached an online article from the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame titled Queen of the Mountain. The article includes a photo of Nancy Pease, and summarizes her achievements in the competitive mountain running community. When he fails (and you recovery your nominal damages and attorney fees), there will be a judicial decision that the trail constitutes a public easement. From national parks to guaranteed views, Anchorage is in the heart of bear country. The address of Bear Valley Hike is Focus on Denali & Kenai Fjords. The wind-swept tundra and rocky ridgeline is easy to follow and runs at a relatively shallow angle, though there are two prominent notches during which youll lose (and regain) about 150 feet of elevation each time. ADN Reporter Devin Kelly asked the Traffic department that exact question in July 2017. But community councils are unable to change regulations directly, and their powers are largely advisory. Visit September to April to see the Northern Lights. An assemblyman wants to change that. cites Weddletons position as follow: For most of the city, its a no-brainer out of fairness that the entire Hillside should pay taxes for park maintenance, Weddleton said. Just follow the ridge west to the summit of McHugh. But, view is worth. I Am so thankful for your persistence and work! Governor Kevin Meyer. Vegetable, coffee and fitness junky. He is a card-carrying member of Mensa (The High IQ Society), and frequently writes about the burdens and challenges of high intelligence. Boutique, small ship adventure cruises in Alaska's Inside Passage, Cruises depart from Whittier, a 1 hr drive from Anchorage. ), Popular Alaska Itineraries Using In-State Airlines, Anchorage to Denali National Park Driving Map, Denali National Park Campgrounds & RV Parks. The Landmine was unable to determine who first brought the situation to the attention of the Municipality of Anchorage (MOA), but on February 29, 2016 then-MOA Attorney Bill Falsey drafted a letter to Pugh with a clear message: the gate was illegal, and would need to be removed. Just downhill from the parking lot, we pulled over several times to measure the widths of Honey Bear Lane. After quarter miles of going through low brushes, you will be out of tree zone. This wide trail continues from mile 4, up the valley to the Bird Creek crossing. The trail is a mix of dirt and rocks. The stated reason for the parking ban was the width of the streets: AMC 90.30.040 requires that 20 feet of roadway be kept clear for vehicle traffic. This site is not currently open to the public, but history buffs and others still visit it. Moose Ridge trail, Spencer Loop, etc. In a September 24, 2018 email to Anchorage Assemblymember Christopher Constant, Pugh states this belief explictly: As for Ms. Stewart, based on your comments and the many discussions that I had with people on my property, it is evident that she granted permissive use to many people thus making claims of prescriptive easement null and void.. In fact, if every easement created via prescription on the Hillside were blocked off at once, hundreds of Hillside residents would find it difficult or impossible to reach their homes. I feel compelled to set the record straight. Pugh began prominently displaying a large revolver on his hip, and reportedly began driving close behind nervous hikers with his truck. Cruises and land tours are great ways to see Alaska. One individual speculated that Pugh wanted Potter Valley to secede from the RCCC and join the Bear Valley Community Council. We climbed past a line of game cameras on a side trail starting at the end of Switzerland Drive, reached the Stewart Trail, and backtracked to Pughs gate. Few crowds and fantastic views. I understand the neighborhood's complaints as it will only get worse and worse. come on, admit it,you know who did that. Signage on the Stewart Trail posted by Christopher Matthew Cavanaugh, photographed October 14, 2018. If your car doesnt have good clearance or if the road is in poor condition, park at the lower parking lot and walk the last few hundred feet to the gate. Around 1960, the couple obtained a homestead tract at the head of upper Potter Valley and began using their amphibious vehicle as a makeshift mountain home. Those who happen to live outside the parks service area, including some of Anchorages wealthiest residents, enjoy full access to Anchorage parks but pay no taxes to support them.