Page 93 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Alaska

ANCHOR A GE  91

VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
Practical Information
19 miles (31 km) N of Palmer at
Mile 17 of the Hatcher Pass Road.
Map C1. n 745-2827. & only
for tours and parking. 8 early
Jun–early Sep: tours at 1pm &
3pm Mon–Fri.  ∑ dnr.alaska.
gov/parks/units/indmine.htm
Transport
Taxi from Willow, Anchorage,
& Palmer.

Hatcher Pass Road winding through the
Independence Mine area

zHatcher Pass
21 miles (34 km) N of Palmer at Mile
19 of the Hatcher Pass Road. Map B1.
Taxi from Anchorage, Willow, &
Palmer. The pass is usually closed from
September to May; check in advance.
Beyond Independence Mine,
the Hatcher Pass Road climbs
up onto the “tail” of the
Talkeetna Range that reaches
westward toward Willow and
makes a wonderful driving or
biking route. The road is paved
only as far as the Independence
Mine turn-off and Hatcher Pass
Lodge at Mile 17. Shortly after,
at Mile 19, it crosses 3,886-ft
(1,166-m) Hatcher Pass, one of
. Mill Complex Alaska’s highest road passes,
The 1937 mill complex, uphill from the mine before twisting for another
offices, includes a welding shed, ore sorting 31 miles (50 km) to Willow.
plant, machine shop, and black smith. An Just beyond the pass, the
aerial tramway carried supplies up the hill road passes through the
and returned laden with ore. Summit Lake State Recreation
Site. The lake itself is a small
alpine tarn in a glacial cirque,
Plan of Site or steep-walled basin, and is
Fishhook Creek, where a dam accessed by a trail around its
was constructed, provided perimeter and along the bluff
Hatcher Pass water for mill operations. overlooking it. The inspiring
3 miles (5 km)
views take in the Susitna Valley,
Willow Creek, and the Alaska
Anchorage
60 miles (96 km) Hatcher Fishhook Creek Range in the distance.
Pass
Lodge In the summer, Hatcher Pass
is an excellent para gliding
venue, and a number of hiking
trails, including the popular
Gold Cord Road
Key Gold Mint Trail, take off into
Area illustrated Gold Cord Mine the peaks and valleys. In the
winter, the attraction is the
network of Nordic skiing and
snow machining trails that
lead into the wilds of the
Talkeetna Mountains.

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