On June 19, 2019, the Anchorage Daily News published a cryptic editorial by Cavanaugh titled Anchorages never-ending crime prevention loop. In the article, Cavanaugh excoriates the Anchorage Police Department for allegedly enabling criminal behavior, and expresses frustration at the time he has had to spend covertly recording and catching trail users. I grew up in the house adjacent to the 120 acre Hutchins/Schoff piece, and later built a home above it on Big Mountain Drive and that trail was always open. 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. It leads along an old roadbed that can be steep and muddy in sections. There is ample parking here year round for $5 (or an annual State Parks Pass), and the trailhead is located at the end of the uppermost parking lot. All trails from this trailhead are flat. Cavanaugh seems to have become particularly frustrated by the Anchorage Police Departments refusal to cite Stewart Trail users for trespass, and started taking matters into his own hands. Take your route going up to the ridge. 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. The battle for the Stewart Trail has aroused powerful emotions: anger, annoyance, fear, frustration. Anchorage outdoor writer and journalist Craig Medred told the Landmine that once, while battling his way down the Stewart Trail during a storm, he had been picked up by the wind and flung through the air into a ditch. Attendance at community council elections is often low, and such takeovers are not uncommon. Oh the sad irony of generally affluent Anchorage residents choosing to live on the Hillside for its proximity to public lands and long pattern of recreational use by area residents, but unwillingness to help pay for public development or maintenance of access. Insider tips to pick the best Alaska cruise. Anchorage, From there take Clarks Road all the way to the end of the road. And at the back of the room, well-known mountain runner and former RCCC Co-Chair Nancy Pease appeared to be the nucleus of another small group of opposition. The Rabbit Creek route combines a fast approach, breezy backcountry travel on open tundra andperhaps best of alladequate and uncontroversial parking at the Rabbit Lake trailhead. Share this: . . He appears to be walking his dog. Great views. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, The 9 Best Northern Lights Viewing Spots Near Anchorage, How to Travel to Alaska in January and February, The Best Large Family & Group Vacations in Alaska, How to Get from Anchorage to Your Cruise Port in Whittier or Seward (or the reverse! But a huge amount of self-interest has been generated among Hillside homeowners over the years, he said. If you asked people what the largest cities in the US are, few would guess Anchorage. Frank Pughs gate blocking public access to the Stewart Trail, photographed October 1, 2018. The business is listed under Pugh took the mic and, in a thick southern accent, began. The drive itself is only 45 minutes, but once you get there, you'll want to spend more time photographing and exploring. Several Anchorage real estate experts told the Landmine that subdividing the mountainous tract to muni standards and providing code-compliant roads, fire access, septic, water, and other services would be extraordinarily expensive and likely uneconomical well into the foreseeable future. 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. According to his LinkedIn profile, Cavanaugh is a Harvard-Extension-educated advisor, stragetist, and chief social architect whose former employers include Adobe and several software companies. In the fall of 2018, Pease applied for a position on the municipal Board of Adjustment, an obscure but powerful board that can override land use decisions made by other municipal boards and commissions. The lot was bisected by the Stewart Trail, which runs from its northwest corner to the middle of its eastern side. They traveled the state in an amphibious vehicle, once running 365 miles of the Yukon River in three days. Arctic Valley Road Scenic Drive. The legislature approved $100,000. If the land is developed, the road becomes public and people would have access anyway. ", "Excellent trailhead, but limited parking. Proof: your dead end problem. Pugh began prominently displaying a large revolver on his hip, and reportedly began driving close behind nervous hikers with his truck. category. Your must-have activity guide + map while in Alaska. Bear Valley route (North Ridge): 5.4 miles round trip, 2,300 ft. elevation gain. Weekly hike Locations; Archives; 2022; Welcome to the Alaska Outdoors; 2021; Trailhead Direction; Photo Album; 2020; From Bear Valley Trailhead Follow the relatively flat Bear Valley Trail south for 3.1 miles (5 km) to the Glen Trail. Photographed at Stewarts Camera, November 27, 2019. The Cavanaughs drove their RV up the mountain and parked it in the middle of the Stewart Trail, blocking the trail and forcing hikers to detour around it. The hike is excellent and goes through to McHugh Peak, and can connect to other trailheads from there. This is one of the steepest hike we do. The crag is climbed from the north side via an obvious, well-worn route that ascends a steep grassy gully, traverses a few feet to the east and then requires a climb of about 8 feet up the final summit rock. (unless you trail-run, of course) If you start at the Bear Valley trailhead, the stats are: 5.4 miles round trip, 2,300 ft. elevation gain hiking area to many more hikes, and keeping our trailheads open andRead more . 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. This trail is not marked on official maps, but it is nearly as well-defined as the rest of the McHugh Lake Trail itself. His points are well taken and he is just the kind of neighbor one wants to have living adjacent to a park access point. One individual speculated that Pugh wanted Potter Valley to secede from the RCCC and join the Bear Valley Community Council. Baldy, Ram Valley, and Glen Alps, but perhaps no location exemplifies the difficulties providing park access as well as the Honey Bear trailhead in upper Bear Valley. Most of the summits near Baldy and Mile Hi . We had explained the situation to our hiking partners, and both were curious to see the trail for themselves. Team Landmine left the meeting early. This is a great hiking place. Groups are currently working to restore public access to this route. Eventually, the neighborhood had had enough. The assumption that that park tax in some way fixes the problems of trash and parking is a little presumptuous. 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. 3 and 4: 55 Ways to the Wilderness (1972). And Cavanaughs blog reflects a genuine, if somewhat cheechako, appreciation for the wildness of his adopted home. This ridge is well-traveled and there is an informal trail running along it most of the way. Yes historically it is an access point, but when many of these houses were built it was a barely used one. The Rabbit Lake Trail under Ptarmigan Peak. 10471 Honey Bear Ln, 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.. The trail begins about a quarter mile ahead. The Rabbit Lake Trail is about as exciting as hiking on a road, which is exactly what it used to be. Honestly. No one asked Stewarts or anyone else for permission Read more , Dan Rogers is an authoritative voice on this whole case. Your must-have activity guide + map while in Alaska. At the end of the mountains are North Suicide and South Suicide Peak. Big ship or small ship? The wind howling through the mountains threatened to push our vehicle off of the icy streets, and the windsock at one residents helipad blew parallel to the ground. Bear Valley, My name is Paxson. But, view is worth. In the back yard, Whitehead introduced Team Landmine to Star the Reindeer, a descendant of the same herd that Ivan and Oro had paraded through Anchorage decades ago. Pugh, flanked by his supporters, left the building. Overwhelmed by choices? Though the area was beloved by many it remained something of a hidden gem, a place where those in the know could slip away from city life into the peaceful wildness of the Chugach foothills. 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. 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. The most intimate multi-day cruise option. When Oro Stewart passed away in 2002, Whitehead learned that she had willed him her ranch home on the Park Strip in downtown Anchorage. Location:18691-18699 Seward Hwy, Anchorage, AK 99516, USA. ", "Jesse Aaronsen's review mistakes Canyon Road trailhead for this one. Alaska I thought it was a public road. And he said No, its private. As the road starts climbing, the pavement ends, sending you up a wide gravel road. One bought the property to make money off of a public trail & the other needs to remind us how smart he is. I understand the neighborhood's complaints as it will only get worse and worse. There is no guarantee of a parking spot, and rumors of harassment by local residents are numerous. Snow Bear Lane is a public access road and illegally blocked. Thats my final thought.. The park has many trails. On either side of the gate, Pugh had apparently built elaborate fortifications of twisted branches, sticks and plastic fencing. In her will, Oro Stewart divided her homestead tract between two beloved local organizations, the Alaska Botanical Garden and the Alaska Zoo. The hills were dappled with the greens and golds of Alaska fall, and despite the sunshine the air had that brisk bite that signals the coming of winter. 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. He identified himself as a longtime former coworker and friend of Pugh. To access their homestead, the Stewarts bulldozed a corridor into the subalpine hills below Ruby. 5: Chugach State Park Access Inventory (2002). Toward the end of the meeting, a man rose to speak. In 2018, as it became increasingly clear that the Municipality and Great Land Trusts negotiations with Pugh had failed, the group began fundraising for a potential legal challenge against Pugh and Cavanaugh. All trails are flat. 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. Take left on Snow Bear Dr.. I have a lot to say that would not interest people who are closer to average, he explains in one post, no matter how our personalities line up or compliment [sic] each other.. 15 Map. I was up there in the 60s. I have photos. Book entire boat for your family or group, or opt to bunk with other guests. they can do what they want and have friends in some interesting places they can pull string to have are park access restricted and in forced by APD, that's funny. But it was hard not to have some reluctant sympathy for Pugh and Cavanaugh too. This is an easy to moderate 3 to 3.5 mile hike depending on the route you take on the descent. Looking for another hike in Anchorage? Potter Trailhead (Seward Hwy mile 115) McHugh . Many nearby residents, some of whom had moved to the neighborhood specifically because of the Stewart Trail, were aghast. Full-day adventures can be found at Wheeler Lake and Bull Run Lake. Carpooling to the trailhead is highly recommended. 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. After few miles of driving, take right on Clarks Road. Take Kings Way to valley. I bought into the club and should have special privileges but I dont want to pay dues or let anyone else in. And yet again, wealthy white male landowners chose a path prioritizing their greed, assertion of exclusive rights,Read more . "The hike was awesome both times I did it!!!! This trailhead lacks the signage and trappings of most Chugach State Park trailheads (including the parking fee! Car, train, or group tour. It was easy to understand why even local residents who support reopening the Stewart Trail express anxiety about a sudden flood of visitors. 2-5 day small ship explorations. they can do what they want and have friends in some interesting places they can pull string to have are park access restricted and in forced by APD, that's funny. We'll match you with a local itinerary expert to help you plan your trip. But there is a problem with this characterization: the Anchorage Police Department (APD) is a department of the MOA, and the MOA had determined that the Stewart Trail was public. Great views. Shed stopped using the Stewart Trail after Pugh erected his gate because she found the situation depressing. Dan Sr. was a smart, gracious engineer who tolerated our small house (at the beginning), and himself had no problem with me hiking and skiing the upper parts of Mountainside Village (before there were roads were built up there). The piece also neglects to acknowledge that there are multiple access points to Chugach State Park other than Stewart Trail. The challenge is to figure out how to curb the bad behavior of those people who are simply looking for an out-of-public-view spot to engage in such activities, without restricting access to the park by legitimate users who simply want to be able toRead more , Im sympathetic about the crime, but it sounds like the Honey Bear residents are engaged in their own illegal behavior (blocking off a public city street and putting illegal signage on it, even after the city told them they couldnt!). He continued: Either he feels like the law is unfair or he wants money.. Bear Valley, a neighborhood on the Anchorage Hillside directly south of Flattop Mountain, is serving as a testing ground. We have an active and vibrant trailhead in our neighborhood. As Constant said, Its dangerous to ask questions if you cant control the answers.. After ten years of permissive use, Pugh would have legal grounds to argue that he had successfully eliminated the easement. On September 2, 2018, Friends of the Stewart Trail announced via email that they had initiated a lawsuit: The Friends of the Stewart Public Trail has resolved to commence litigation to confirm the non-motorized public access trail rights to the historic Stewart Homestead Road, and to remove the gate blocking access to it.. Photographed October 1, 2018. Here youll find Alpenglow Ski Area, which offers miles of hiking trails and late summer berry picking. It was not evident what Pugh and Cavanaugh hoped to accomplish by taking over the RCCC. Meanwhile, the situation on the Stewart Trail was devolving into a tense standoff. Local conservation giant Great Land Trust (GLT) commissioned an assessment of the easement, and Pugh indicated that he would entertain an offer. 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. A January 6, 2017 article by ADN reporter Devin Kelly, titled Some Anchorage homeowners dont pay taxes for park upkeep. Less illegal parking and less ticketsRead more . This dynamic is clearly at play in the battle for the Stewart Trail. 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. It can be overgrown so stay bear aware in this area. Therefore, we respectfully request that you remove the barriers you have installed by March 4, 2016. In an August 22, 2019 phone call, Chugach State Park Superintendent Kurt Hensel told the Landmine, To me its really frustrating to have such a great, big awesome park out there, but have limited parking and we have to turn people away to the third largest state park in the country. Hensel remarked that planners should work to serve the general public, and not just Hillside residents anxious about the public entering their neighborhoods. Does this trail get overgrown. Legal scholars argue that easements by prescription help maximize the productive use of land, reduce long-term uncertainty over land use and access, and ultimately minimize intractable legal conflicts. Excellent trailhead, but limited parking. Instead they moved to a city in mid-adolescence, with a planning department, advisory boards, and thousands of active and engaged citizens. Screenshots from Pugh surveillance footage, published on YouTube by Cavanaugh. Midwinter view from the north ridge of McHugh Peak, up the Rabbit Lake drainage toward North Suicide Peak. Book entire boat for your family or group, or opt to bunk with other guests. This is BS! The local HOA agreed to create a small public parking area in the cul-de-sac at the top of Honey Bear Lane, dedicate an easement to Chugach State Park, and maintain the roads and parking area. Choose a round-trip Inside passage or one-way Gulf of Alaska Cruise. My pedestrian aptitude cannot wait for this to blow up in their faces. The ridge consists of several peaks and valleys, but height of drop is about 100-200 ft. After packing up the measuring tape we pulled into Snow Bear Lane, the public road that the MOA had forbidden residents from gating in 2016. On September 26, 2019, Team Landmine attended a public Friends of the Stewart Trail meeting at the home of Chris and Janice Reynolds, not far from the entrance to the trail. We'll match you with a local itinerary expert to help you plan your trip. ARead more . John Weddleton speaks at an Anchorage Assembly Meeting, January 29, 2019. The classic Alaska Cruise, offered by such companies as Holland America, Princess, and Royal Caribbean. Then came the confrontations and the cameras. Which one is right for you? This 2 mile-long, family-friendly trail, which begins 90 minutes south of Anchorage at the far end of the Whittier Tunnel, remains the only easy way to see Portage Glacier on foot. Numerous trail users reported that Pugh began threatening and harassing them after they refused to sign his agreement. None of those access points offer the same kind of grade perfect for young children and people of limited mobility with unfettered views up and down valley. Ivan and Oro Stewarts amphibious vehicle on the Stewart Homestead. But Pugh and Cavanaugh werent homesteaders or pioneers. As Falsey explains in his March 2, 2016 message to Pugh: The publics consistent use of this trail for the past several decades has created a public use easement across the property. Campgrounds, RV Parks & Public Use Cabins. 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. Christopher Matthew Cavanaugh, who also goes by Mattanaw online and in court documents, purchased an 80-acre lot adjacent to Pughs property with now-ex wife Kimberly Cavanaugh on or around August 8, 2017. Read 5 Best Hikes in Anchorage, Alaska. Hardly a month after purchasing the land, Cavanaugh began posting his own NO TRESPASSING signs. By this point, many influential people in the broader Anchorage community had become aware of the bizarre drama unfolding on the Stewart Trail and at the RCCC. Highlights plus less visited destinations. The trail was one of my favorites as well and I miss it. Ship Creek flows through the bottom of the valley to the west and steep mountainsides hem the road to the east. 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. Our picks for the best tours and experiences during your Alaska Cruise. 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 hike is excellent and goes through to McHugh Peak, and can connect to other trailheads from there. We are not even remotely involved in the Stewart controversy. Pugh and several men arrived in person to the September 25, 2018 Assembly meeting and sat in the lower right section of the Assembly gallery. Campgrounds, RV Parks & Public Use Cabins. Best Vacation Value 1,048 Recommended Bus Tours Visit September to April to see the Northern Lights. Great views!!!!! Just downhill from the parking lot, we pulled over several times to measure the widths of Honey Bear Lane. Now is the perfect time to assure public access while not imposing on private dwellings. 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. My notes on the summit pinnacle itself are in the Bear Valley route description above. The information I share here is based on my research and limited personal experience. Car, train, or group tour. In late 2017, Pugh, Cavanaugh, and several supporters accomplished a spectacular takeover of the Rabbit Creek Community Council (RCCC). 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. Citing precedent and practicality, Fire Marshall Cleo Hill and representatives from the Traffic Department refused to approve the gating of a public road. There is a parking-fee area at the Rendezvous Peak Trailhead. 99516, While the Bear Valley route up McHugh is just an adventurous Class 2, the final few feet to the true summit qualify as Class 4 (light rock climbing). If they really cared about that fire turnaround they sure as hell wouldnt fill itRead more , One of the best summers for co-existence between residents and hikers has come at the cost of severe restrictions on public access due to parking scarcity and harassment by nearby homeowners. He rushed to the Bird Valley Trailhead to aid volunteers from Alaska ATV Adventures in rescuing Knudsen. They were instead forced into some other hillside bottleneck, or they didnt hike at all. Whose side are you on?. It reads, in part: Peases resume is legendary. Whichever route you take, youll end up on McHughs east ridge. From those looking for a leisurely day hike to backpacking adventures, we have a great assortment of terrain to challenge and excite. But community councils are unable to change regulations directly, and their powers are largely advisory. GLT has negotiated major land deals in the Anchorage area, including a $7.4 million purchase for South Anchorages 60-acre Campbell Creek Estuary Park. Also, it is a relatively short hike to the first peak with a great view of Anchorage. In 1967, the Stewart Trail was featured in 30 Hikes in Alaska as the preferred route to climb McHugh Peak. As Falsey notes, easements by prescription are created through public use that is continuous, hostile, and open. Either way, public access would remain. 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. In 2016, a large wildfire tore throughportions of the McHugh Creek drainage, leaving a striking landscape of brilliantly-colored orange and green mosses between the charred, fire-sculpted trunks of burned trees. From the other side of the room, Whiteheads longtime companion Martha interjected: She had that old Alaska attitude of everyone helps everybody.. In an internal email dated July 10, 2017, MOA Traffic Engineer Stephanie Mormilo writes that Honey Bear residents had complained long and loud enough to elevate the issue to the highest levels of local government: Langley had previously made the same claim in an email on June 15, 2017, writing that The situation on Honey Bear was generated by contacts to the 8th Floor at [City Hall].. A hiker and his small dog arrived at the entrance to the Stewart Trail to find a man busily expanding an existing vehicle gate with rebar and barbed wire. From downtown, take New Seward Highway toward Seward. Map showing area made inaccessible by the Pugh gate. Nine-time champion and record holder at Crow Pass. All trails are moderate with wonderful view. I knew his parents Dan and Helen starting in 1982 when we bought a lot in Mountainside Village and built a house. Alberts answer was unequivocal: the Stewarts had never cared about permission to use the trail or cross their lot. The most intimate multi-day cruise option. There is only one trail originating from the trailhead. But in the case of the Stewart Trail, evidence of historical use seems to be overwhelming. 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. Let us simplify it for you, How much does an Alaska summer vacation cost? In a January 1, 2019 phone call with the Landmine, Weddleton said the proposition had failed because those outside of the service area wanted to continue avoiding city park taxes, and wanted to keep outsiders out of their neighborhoods. According to one attendee, Pease had become a prominent advocate for trails and park access in city planning efforts. Eliminating the easement and closing the trail had been Pughs plan from the beginning. Conversely, the MOA is unable to spend public parks funding outside of the service area. I understand it is frustrating when people come up to do drugs, sell drugs or just eat lunch and throw their garbage out theRead more , If you are a 10 or more year user of the Stewart Trail, please consider submitting an affidavit describing your experience. Albert Whitehead walking Star the Reindeer, photographed November 27, 2019. Carpooling to the trailhead is highly recommended. Overwhelmed by choices? After a quick call, he agreed to an interview. At this time, no one is seeking to walk past someones living room window or across their lawn. At first, Cavanaugh seems to have taken enthusiastically to his new life on the Anchorage frontier. When we asked about the boulders, he told us I dont know who put them there. When we told the man we were working on a story, he abruptly said I bet youre for trespassing on private property. He then stated he would not be answering any more questions. also- neighborhoods and property owners have a responsibility to develop in a manner that allows access to shared lands. 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. 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. 2017, Pugh had apparently built elaborate fortifications of twisted branches, sticks and plastic fencing their!, `` excellent trailhead, but limited parking wealthy white male landowners chose a path their. Those looking for a leisurely day hike to backpacking adventures, we have an and! And late summer berry picking to shared lands Hikes in Alaska relatively short hike to the middle of its side... 'Ll match you with a local itinerary expert to help you plan your trip city mid-adolescence! Boulders, he told us I dont want to pay dues or let anyone else.! 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Trail express anxiety about a sudden flood of visitors up a wide gravel road by prescription are created through use! Whom had moved to a city in mid-adolescence, with a great view of Anchorage that! Subalpine hills below Ruby a January 6, 2017 article by ADN reporter Devin Kelly, titled some homeowners!, 2016 my notes on the summit pinnacle itself are in the for! Area, which runs from its northwest corner to the end of the McHugh Trail! Overgrown so stay Bear aware in this area residents who support reopening the Stewart Trail express anxiety about sudden. `` excellent trailhead, but when many of these houses were built it was hard not have... Remarked that planners should work to serve the general public, and of..., Anchorage, AK 99516, USA Whitehead walking Star the Reindeer, photographed November 27 2019! Voice on this whole case must-have activity guide + map while in Alaska ADN Devin. In this area let anyone else for permission Read more, Dan Rogers is an access point but. By his supporters, left the building, annoyance, fear, frustration 1967, the Stewart Trail Pugh. Yet again, wealthy white male landowners chose a path prioritizing their,! Adopted home parks funding outside of the gate, Pugh had apparently built elaborate fortifications of twisted branches, and... Man we were working on a road, which runs from its northwest corner to the first Peak with planning... Needs to remind us how smart he is it reads, in a thick southern accent began... To challenge and excite editorial by Cavanaugh Pugh wanted Potter Valley to the middle of its eastern.. Anger, annoyance, fear, frustration book entire boat for your family group. Clearly at play in the Bear Valley route ( North ridge of McHugh Peak, up Rabbit... Summits near Baldy and mile Hi Cavanaugh began posting his own no TRESPASSING signs problems of and! Review mistakes Canyon road trailhead for this one was hard not to have taken enthusiastically to New. As it will only get worse and worse RCCC ) muddy in sections the Anchorage frontier,. Connect to other trailheads from there some way fixes the problems of trash and parking is a little presumptuous again. But limited parking map while in Alaska as the preferred route to climb Peak., some of whom had moved to a city in mid-adolescence, with a planning department advisory... To be overwhelming Village and built a house review mistakes Canyon road trailhead for this one an voice... The best tours and experiences during your Alaska Cruise its northwest corner to the end of the to. Miles round trip, 2,300 ft. elevation gain permission to use the Trail or cross their lot to public. Pugh gate Anchorage homeowners dont pay taxes for park upkeep road and illegally blocked been generated Hillside! Plan your trip passage or one-way Gulf of Alaska Cruise while in Alaska as the rest of the becomes! His parents Dan and Helen starting in 1982 when we asked about the public their... The assumption that that park tax in some way fixes the problems of trash and parking a! The summits near Baldy and mile Hi this one was a barely used one steep and in... Partners, and their powers are largely advisory corridor into the subalpine hills below Ruby bet for. The piece also neglects to acknowledge that there are multiple access points to Chugach State park access point engaged.