Girdwood - Part 1

Girdwood is a small town southeast of Eagle River in the Chugach National Forest, home of Alyeska Ski Resort, and our destination last Thursday. We drove the Seward Hwy down Turnagain Arm, named after one of Captain Cook's aborted attempts to find the northwest passage.

After a stop at a very informative Forest Service office we headed to Alyeska for a hike. The lodge there is new and, as I'm finding all over Alaska, has flower beds that are abundant in variety.

Winner Creek Trail goes through a thick spruce, birch forest with blueberry bushes lining much of the path. Not many berries though - either previously picked or not yet on. Some of the trail has a boardwalk as pictured here making it an easy walk.

There are a couple creek crossings and this rocky, glacial stream runs fast in spots.

The reason I wanted to do this hike was the hand tram about 2-1/2 miles in. You hop in and haul yourself across, unless you are lucky enough as I was of course, to have help on one end. Fun ride across!

Next on the agenda, Crow Pass Mine, Girdwood - Part 2.