THIS HIKE WAS SUBMITTED BY JACOB AND APRIL CHAMPNESS (Jacob & April in Alaska)

Photo by Jacob and April Champness (Jacob & April in Alaska)

Difficulty

Connects 
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Miles One 
Way

Miles from
Anchorage

General Vicinity

Season

Description

On the other hand, the hand-tram and the foot bridge over 2 gorges at the mine end are really, really cool. In particular, I could stare at the gorge from the foot bridge all day long.

On balance, it nets out to a 3. Honestly, if you start from the mine (Crow Creek Mine on Crow Creek Road in Girdwood), go to the bridge and then just head back without doing any of the rest of the trail, you've gotten probably 80% of the value of the hike.

One nice thing to think about-- tourists pay $85 a piece to take a "guided hike" along this trail, so take the money you saved and splurge at REI.

April emailed me a few days after this was published with the following additional information: " I just wanted to add that for those who enjoy a nice rainforest hike it is beautiful. It is also different from most of the other hikes in the Chugach in that it is fairly level, which is appealing to those who dislike too much elevation."

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The following was submitted by Bill Lawson:

an experience I had:

if you hike this trail from the hotel side, there is a big wide (like 20'wide) bridge on the right of the trail before the other bridges ( not too much past the turnoff to go to the cabin ruins) that looked like the way to go, but it lead just to swampy cleared areas, very wet. I think these may be the snowcat trails they use in the wintertime, certainly not the trail I should have been on. the correct trail stays on the left bank of winner creak past this first bridge.

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The following was submitted by Donald:

The hand-tram is out of service until spring due to frayed wires. Please contact the Forest Service Glacier Ranger Station in Girdwood for more info: 907-783-3242.

I hiked the trail today (03/12/08) from the hotel side and I agree with the assessment: start from Crow Creek Road until the bridge and you've seen the best of it. Or continue onto Upper Winner Creek.

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Important Information

To start from the mine end:

A couple miles in, turn left on Crow Creek Rd. 2 options follow.

Parking at the mine and running a small risk of being towed: about 3 miles up the road is the driveway for Crow Creek Mine. You can park in at the bottom of this driveway, though I think there's some small risk of being towed. The trail is on the east side of the driveway a couple hundred feet before the parking area. From this trailhead, go left at the T-intersection ~1/4 mile in.

Parking at the hard-to-identify pullout with no risk of being towed: there is a pullout on the north side of Crow Creek Road about a half mile or so before the mine driveway with a trail leading out the east side. This trail joins the main trail after about a half mile. It's miserable if there's been rain recently. From this trailhead, go straight, ignoring the well-traveled left-hand turn ~1/2 mile in, as it only takes you to the mine parking area.

To start from the resort:

Take Alyeska Highway ~5mi to the T-intersection at the base of the ski hill. Go left and follow it all the way around to the resort. Keep going to another T-intersection. Go left again to the resort parking area. Park here, with no danger of being towed. Walk back up toward the tram terminal at the resort. Walk past the tram terminal as if you're going to walk up the mountain, and almost immediately you'll see the trailhead well marked to the left. If you have any trouble, any resort staff will help you. ~1.5 miles in is a T-intersection. To continue on the main trail, go left.

Etc.