Crow Pass Traverse Attempt

The area where we camped - near Crow Pass in the Chugach Mountains

It was an ambitious and exciting plan – our unit would hike the 24 mile Crow Pass Traverse. Considered to be one of the best hikes in the Chugach Mountains, we chose this as our first group-backpacking trip of the service term. The five of us, hoping that we had not bit off more than we could chew, set out from Anchorage on Friday after work, arriving at the trailhead at about 6:30 in the evening. Our goal was to hike 5 miles that evening (the first several miles are the only continuous uphill section of the whole traverse – the rest is more or less a gentle downward slope) and then camp. We planned to hike a good ways the following day, and finish up Sunday morning in time to catch a ride to church.

Our camp site

Of course, things don’t always go as planned – especially in the outdoors. For starters, it was the first time backpacking for two in our group, and a 24-mile hike isn’t maybe the best way to introduce someone to hiking. It started to get dark less than a couple hours out on the trail, and we decided to set up camp after about three miles near a scenic lake and imposing mountain peaks on both sides (actually, it would have been hard to find a place along the way that wasn’t scenic and surrounded by rugged, beautiful mountains). Then it got cold – low 20s and windy. We were definitely on a “winter” hike, even though it was mid-September. While I was moving, it was easy to stay warm, but while cooking, setting up the tent, or other stationary activities, hands and feet became numb fairly quickly, even with what has been appropriate clothing at least for Kansas winters.

...cold enough for ice in the stream and in our water bottles

Moonset over snow-dusted mountains

Snowing in the morning

We gradually came to the conclusion that at the pace that we had been going, we weren’t going to make it to the end of the 24-mile trail in time to rendezvous with our ride to Church. Also, a river crossing that we would have to make 8 miles down the trail could be too dangerous to cross with the current water levels and at the very least would be moderate to severely un-enjoyable in the cold and later also snowy weather. Our plans were then thus adjusted – we did a little more exploring the next morning and then packed up and headed back the way we came. It was disappointing to turn back for sure – I was really looking forward to the views and experiences that further stretches of the trail was sure to promise. Maybe in hindsight, we shouldn’t have launched into such an ambitious hike with people at different levels of hiking experience. In any case, the short time that we were out in the Alaskan mountains was great. It only whet our appetite for more – several of us have pledged to return and hike the whole traverse next summer when weather conditions might make for a little easier time (others of the group have had their fair share of hiking for a good while!).

The hiking party

A glacier that several of us hiked to in the morning before heading back

Glacial streams bring to mind a barren volcanic landscape

Though we ended up being out in the wilderness for less than 24 hours, I still had time to enjoy some photography and enjoy being out in and seeing the power of the landscape. I’ve often looked up at the mountains from down in the city and wished that we could go hiking or backpacking in them. From the bright moon illuminating a rocky valley to snow swirling around and obscuring an imposing, dark peak above an expansive glacier to watching mountain goats navigate the steep rocky slopes with ease and grave, it felt good to be in land where you don’t quite feel as powerful, strong, or important as you think you are while amongst the comforts of a city or home.