A Mountainous Journey: The Drive North

I am way behind on blog posts as I have been gone for the past week on a Kaleidoscope retreat but travel back in time with me to last Friday (7/15/2011)…

I left work early to enjoy the beautiful weather and to explore the area north of Chugiak. I headed north on the Glenn Highway past Palmer, AK and past the Alaska State Fairgrounds. It was interesting to see since the size of the fairgrounds is no larger than the Nobles County (MN) fairgrounds and our county fairgrounds are the smallest around. At any rate I will have to go explore and take in the Alaska State Fair when the time comes.

My destination for the day was Matanuska glacier and Hatcher Pass. These two destinations are about 100 miles apart but I wanted to see both.

mountains, and low tide river

The drive to the Matanuska Glacier takes place by following the Glenn Highway. It is winding and changes elevation from down by the river to up high along the mountains. Several times along the way there were signs warning of falling rocks from the cliff. I saw several large stones on the road that had fallen so the signs proved accurate.

Bald Eagle-notice the mountains in the background, they look like clouds but they really are mountains

River at low tide

After driving the winding road I arrived at the Matanuska Glacier. What amazes me is the valley I drove along, and the river that was at the bottom of the valley had been carved out by this glacier. It had taken millions of years to make but the valley was now present and sitting down at the valley was the glacier, still carving out the river and valley below.

The Matanuska Glacier, for afar it looks like snow but its not its a glacier-click for larger image

Matanuska glacier tucked in-between the mountains

After taking many pictures I ventured back south toward Hatcher Pass. Hatcher Pass is an area of Talkeetna Mountains that once contained a Independence Mine-a gold mine that started in 1906. In 1906, Robert L. Hatcher staked and filed the first hard rock gold claim opening one of the richest chapters in Alaska mining history lasting until 1953 when Independence Mine was finally closed.

Looking at what used to be the main building, with the railroad tracks up top.

Looking down at the dorms where the miners would live

remians

the track used to haul out much gold, not any more

In the late 1970's, the Independence Mine State Historical Park was established, where today, guides lead walking tours among its romantic old buildings. I got to hike around these remains and was carried back in time to imagine what it must have been like during the great gold rush.

notice how high in altitude I am, the clouds at the top.

The tracks went down the VERY steep mountain...I wounder how that worked, here is what's left of the tracks on the steep incline.

After looking at the mine remains I drove up the mountain to the top of hatcher pass. It was interesting to me to find a lake at the top of the mountain. Summit Lake, as it is rightfully named, is a small cirque lake, or tarn, reaching a depth of 20 feet. This cirque was the beginning of a long-gone, alpine glacier. The surrounding terrain is all glacially carved as well. North of the lake, the uneven ground is caused, not by boulders, but by frost action in combination ground moisture and soil type.