On the drive from Talkeetna to Hatcher Pass this morning we passed the beautiful Kashwitna Lake where there is public fishing for stocked rainbow trout. The lake is also used by float planes.
After setting up at the campground and making a picnic lunch we set out for the 50 mile drive over the pass to Palmer, and what a beautiful day it was today! The sun was shinning, just a tiny bit of cloud cover, slight breeze and mild temps. Our first creek crossing was Deception Creek. The water was so clear you could see all the way to the bottom.
Then we crossed Little Willow Creek, which flows into Willow Creek, we followed this until we reached Summit Lake, it’s headwaters.
That’s a tent on top of a van out in the tundra, not sure how it got there, we didn’t see any road.
Up here the Lupine are more purple than the Bluebonnets we see in Texas.
Those small rodents were the only wildlife we saw the entire day!
That’s the road we went down! Just before heading down we saw a wedding party near the summit! What a great place for a wedding.
This is the Independence Mine State Historical Park, a 271 acre site that includes old machinery and buildings. From 1938 until 1941 it was owned and operated by Alaska Pacific Consolidated Mine Co, said to be one of the largest gold producers in the Willow Creek mining district. There are lots of trails in the area.
Want to stay here, this is the Hatcher Pass Lodge and further down the road is the now closed Mother Lode Lodge
From here we followed the Little Susitna River all the way down to the junction of the Wasilla Fishhook road.
Hatcher Pass is incredible! We took over 100 pictures today, Jon took several movies. Sure hope you enjoy our virtual tour. This is a drive not to be missed.
Not sure where we are going from here, need to wait for some mail to catch us with us, then ……
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