Turnagain Arm: Potter Trailhead is just the opposite side of Chugach State Park HQ. Cruises and land tours are great ways to see Alaska. With the ups and downs of the ridge, however, you will have climbed about 2450 feet to gain the summit and 2700 feet by the time you complete a round trip. The classic Alaska Cruise, offered by such companies as Holland America, Princess, and Royal Caribbean. 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. We have several options. Those who park on nearby streets risk tickets from APD, though enforcement is uneven and the legality of the No Parking signs and tickets has been questioned. He was sometimes slow, one former coworker told the Landmine, but he was careful. Use our calculator to find out, Stay casual, dress in layers, and get proper footwear, View All Southcentral & Interior Towns on a Map, Cruises depart Juneau or Sitka. 55 Ways to the Wilderness, published in 1972, advises readers that hikers are welcome and that the road makes a lovely walk. Between 2002 and 2010, the Chugach State Park Access Inventory, Rabbit Creek Trail Plan, and Hillside District Plan all refer to the Stewart Trail as a public access corridor. Two trails reach the topamore direct steep route, and alonger. They traveled the state in an amphibious vehicle, once running 365 miles of the Yukon River in three days. I think its cruel and thoughtless. 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 best times to visit this trail are May through October. Its southeast ridge steps steeply into Turnagain Arm, its north ridge reaches toward the south face of Flattop, and its eastern ridge winds all the way to Rabbit Lake below the Suicide Peaks. As soon as the tundra permits easy walking, cut south from the Rabbit Lake Trail, descend into the creek ravine and cross Rabbit Creek. You are under no obligation to speak with anyone on a public easement, and use of a public easement is not trespass. 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. Bear Valley: Golden View Trailhead has great access to McHugh Peak, and view from ridge is one of the best view of Anchorage and Chugach mountains. I live by the park entrance off of Upper Huffman. Traveling safely in the outdoors requires experience with routefinding, gear selection, emergency response, weather assessment, etc. My interaction with him was really short, I walked up to him and said whats going on? and he said Im building a gate or something. Prepare to walk a ways longer than expected due to the location of overflow parking. 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. This trailhead has many route options. The trailhead to this route provides access to Bear Mountain and Mt. Proof: your dead end problem. The measuring tape thrashed in the wind, but with one of us on each side of the road we were able to wrestle it to the ground. Direction to the Golden View Trailhead The trailhead parking lot can hold only 5-6 cars. If you asked people what the largest cities in the US are, few would guess Anchorage. The company runs all-terrain vehicle tours along a network of old logging roads in Bird . want help with those problems (which exist everywhere in every city)? Ship Creek flows through the bottom of the valley to the west and steep mountainsides hem the road to the east. It requires only a bit more elevation gain than the north ridge route (2550 ft. vs. 2320) and far less than the McHugh Creek route (4,300 ft). On August 18, 2018 he posted a photo of himself on the Stewart Trail on Instagram wearing a chest-mounted Glock 20. Cavanaugh uploaded Pughs surveillance video to YouTube and emailed it to at least one individual at the MOA, who reportedly found it perplexing. The Anchorage Police Department does not consider use of the Stewart Trail to constitute criminal trespass and does not issue citations for use of the trail. Bear Valley Hike is a Hiking area located at 10471 Honey Bear Ln, Bear Valley, Anchorage, Alaska 99516, US. Few crowds and fantastic views. decided to name the peak Mattanaws Peak, Anchorages never-ending crime prevention loop, Order to Stay Away from the Pugh Property., 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Stewart Trail blockader Frank Pugh demands arrest of Landmine team and elected officials, Judge rules that Anchorage's historic Stewart Trail is open to the public, Judge orders Frank Pugh to restore Stewart Trail public access. Focus on Denali & Kenai Fjords. 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. You'll find berries growing on the slopes of both Mt. Fascinating read and quite thorough. It was not evident what Pugh and Cavanaugh hoped to accomplish by taking over the RCCC. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 3 h 58 min to complete. Bears. This trailhead is the only designated public access . But the people are coming anyway.. 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. When Pugh purchased the lot, nearby residents had little reason to suspect that access to the Stewart Trail would change. Choose a round-trip Inside passage or one-way Gulf of Alaska Cruise. And if I saw that it was a well-established trail, which it was, I probably would not have bought it planning on not letting other people use it. As a young man, Whitehead spent long weekends camping on Ruby, watching dall sheep bound between the crags. Meanwhile, the situation on the Stewart Trail was devolving into a tense standoff. This expansiveness and proximity to Anchorage make McHugh an excellent choice for easy day trips, afternoon berry-picking jaunts, long ridge walks, and rocky scrambles. The man in the audience grilling Pugh about his handling of the re-zoning issue was Bert Lewis, an Anchorage fisheries biologist who had already begun organizing a neighborhood effort to reopen the Stewart Trail. 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. While you can find wildlife throughout the surrounding area and along any of the four established trails . By the same token, nobody would ever claim that McHugh Peak, which borders south Anchorage at the southwest corner of Chugach State Park, is the largest peak in the Chugach. The McHugh peak is a rock crown at the end of the ridge. On April 18, 2019, Pugh called in to the Mike Porcaro show and, in his distinctive drawl, accused us by name of trespass. Despite the public announcements, documents suggest uncertainty and lingering questions about the accuracy of the new No Parking signs. In 2012, the HOA requested a $218,000 state grant for road improvements, claiming that it could no longer afford to maintain its roads due to increased traffic. Back inside, Team Landmine asked Whitehead whether Ivan or Oro Stewart had ever been concerned with granting permission to traverse the Stewart Trail. Trips available from Whittier, Homer, Seward, Juneau, and Sitka. 7-10 days is the most common. Sign-up for any of the following email series to help plan your Alaska trip. Its nowhere near the tallest or most difficult, but by land area its a sprawling giant. We had been told that the HOA occasionally plowed snow into the trailhead cul-de-sacs fire truck turnaround to discourage parking by hikers. The classic Alaska Cruise, offered by such companies as Holland America, Princess, and Royal Caribbean. Hardly a month after purchasing the land, Cavanaugh began posting his own NO TRESPASSING signs. Great article! We had explained the situation to our hiking partners, and both were curious to see the trail for themselves. Karma, dudesheaded your way. Almost immediately, the meeting careened out of control. Anchorage residents recreated below Ruby for decades, accessing Chugach State Park on an old homestead road called the Stewart Trail. Prescriptive easements can be frustrating for private property owners, but necessary for the free movement of people and goods. All trails are flat. Campgrounds, RV Parks & Public Use Cabins. Yes historically it is an access point, but when many of these houses were built it was a barely used one. To enjoy a scenic drive just a few minutes from downtown Anchorage, head north to mile 6.1 on the Glenn Highway. Bear Valley, John Weddleton speaks at an Anchorage Assembly Meeting, January 29, 2019. ), Popular Alaska Itineraries Using In-State Airlines, Anchorage to Denali National Park Driving Map, Denali National Park Campgrounds & RV Parks. My verdict is still the same. 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. I can't give it the five stare ratings it deserves, maybe we can all get together and change things back to the way they should be! Melissas Monthly fhike. Pugh began prominently displaying a large revolver on his hip, and reportedly began driving close behind nervous hikers with his truck. On June 20, 2017, APD issued a press release detailing the new parking restrictions. From here, you can head up the steep and winding, Arctic Valley Road. However, the concept has been part of English common law since 1275 and has remained a central part of western property rights regimes since then. We hike around UAA park or Chester Creek Trail. 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. In one Instagram post detailing an attempt to climb Ruby, Cavanugh explains that he has decided to name the peak Mattanaws Peak, after himself. This trailhead lacks the signage and trappings of most Chugach State Park trailheads (including the parking fee! Share this: . The Rabbit Lake Trail under Ptarmigan 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. Those with experience at a rock gym might wonder what all the fuss is about, but caution would still be wise. This site is not currently open to the public, but history buffs and others still visit it. A vehicle gate was installed across the mouth of the Stewart Homestead Road, but pedestrian access remained unimpeded. Campgrounds, RV Parks & Public Use Cabins. Basher Trailhead; Stuckagain Heights; Hillside. Smoked salmon and cans of King Street hefeweizen sat on the table, and an aged golden retriever ambled between guests in the packed living room. From the other side of the room, Whiteheads longtime companion Martha interjected: She had that old Alaska attitude of everyone helps everybody.. 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). Which one is right for you? Not long after, the Stewarts moved to Anchorage and opened Stewarts Photo on 4th Avenue. There is also overflow parking on Honey Bear Lane on a widened stretch of road about two thirds of a mile below the trailhead. I was up there in the 60s. It is best as an out and back hike, however you could use it to do a few loops: 1) go to the "peak" and head over ridge to connect to McHugh-Rabbit Lake trail and end up at McHugh Rec Area along Turnagain Arm, or 2) go down to Rabbit Lake from the end of the ridge, return on the Canyon Road-Rabbit Lake trail and eventually end up at Canyon Road, but neither are obvious and both require some wayfinding. The reason that the MOA claims to lack authority over the Stewart Trail area is that much of the trail lies outside of the MOAs parks service area. When the boundaries for the parks service area were drawn, a diagonal line across the Chugach foothills excluded portions of Bear Valley, Stuckagain Heights, Potter Valley, and other portions of the upper Hillsideincluding much of the Stewart Trail. Still some snow patches on the mountain. It is not good access to Rabbit Lake's, Flattop, Peak 2 etc. I Am so thankful for your persistence and work! Pugh uses the onX Hunting App (The #1 GPS Hunting App) to manage a large network of Stealthcam game cameras, some of which are clearly visible and some which are partially hidden behind trees and bushes. About fifty feet beyond the boulders, an offical-looking street sign read NO TRESPASSING. These guys just sound like two outstanding citizens of Alaska. 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. Great views. Bear Valley Trailhead provides ample parking for larger vehicles with trailers. The legislature approved $100,000. Christopher Constant, Chris Birch, and Jeff Landfield walk the Stewart Trail, October 1, 2018. Cruises and land tours are great ways to see Alaska. McKinley). Before and after Frank Pugh bought his property people accessing Stewart Trail disregarded the property rights of nearby neighbors. thats why the city originally made it apart of the development of the neighborhood to create and maintain the honey bear access in the first place- now I do believe that additional funds to expand the parking perhaps should be granted. 99516, Until access issues there are resolved, use the signed public trailheads to avoid problems. In her will, Oro Stewart divided her homestead tract between two beloved local organizations, the Alaska Botanical Garden and the Alaska Zoo. The drive itself is only 45 minutes, but once you get there, you'll want to spend more time photographing and exploring. Melissas Monthly fhike. This dynamic is clearly at play in the battle for the Stewart Trail. Use our calculator to find out, Stay casual, dress in layers, and get proper footwear, View All Southcentral & Interior Towns on a Map, Cruises depart Juneau or Sitka. 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