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Public Use: High. Foot traffic only April-June. e Portage N S Historic Grade: Steep uphill hike. Rocky Glacier Trail Byron eward Tread width: 24-48” Glacier Trail Condition: Snow may persist into late spring. Second part is steep and Burns PART OF THE IDITAROD rocky with a final descent to Portage Lake. Glacier NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL Getting there: 1.5 miles west of Whittier. Drive or walk paralleling the Miles The Iditarod National Historic Trail - 0 0.5 1 2 ± Southern Trek (INHT) is a 180 mile railroad tracks toward the tank farm. Stay off railroad tracks. Follow signs. portion of the 1000 mile-long route. Trailhead is on right when coming from Winter travellers used it from the late Anchorage side of tunnel. Trail can be 1800s to early 1900, though parts have accessed from eastern side of Portage been used for millenia by Native Lake at the giant rock cairn. cultures. When you walk the INHT, you’re walking in the footsteps of Alaska’s indigenous people, and its gold miners, w a 1 pioneers and dogsled mushers. Users: TRAIL INFORMATION BEST VIEW OF THE GLACIER KNOW Before you GO! As the Portage Glacier retreats from Portage Pass is a great day hike for all view, the top of Portage Pass has There is private land on both sides of ages, and provides spectacular views become the best place to see it. the lower section of the trail near the of Passage Canal and the surrounding trailhead. A short hike gives visitors access to a mountains and glaciers. Although the pass is low in elevation, spectacular panaroma of the lake and snow often remains through June. Though the hike is short it has its steep surrounding area. sections. Looking west from the top of There is a fee to travel through the the pass gives hikers a fantastic view Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. of retreating Portage Glacier. Midway Check the tunnel schedule online at the on the hike, Divide Lake makes a good Alaska Department of Transportation picnic spot. website.

The trail starts in low shrubs, then winds past alders and finally into open tundra ONE OF THE OLDEST TRAILS at the top of the pass. The hike can be Portage Pass is one of the oldest sections PLAN AHEAD extended by taking the route to Portage of the Iditarod National Historic Trail. Glacier overlook for great views of the Hundreds of years ago Russian traders You are responsible for your own safety. glacier and lake. and Alaskan Native Cultures such as the Proper equipment and good judgment Alutiiq people, or Sugpiaq, used Portage are essential for safe travel while on the It then drops back down through Pass to access Passage Canal. Chugach National Forest. the alders, past a small lake, before ultimately ending on the eastern shore During the late 1800s Portage Glacier still Filter or boil water for five minutes of Portage Lake. covered the entirety of Portage Lake, and before drinking to avoid giardia. prospectors and settlers traversed the ice Users can continue their hike by strolling to get to . All creeks present hazards that can along the lake shore, with more great be dangerous. Cross creeks at low views of Portage Glacier. water levels. During winter use extreme caution when crossing bodies of water. The Portage Pass Trailhead is just ANTON ANDERSON Remember you cross at your own risk. outside of Whittier. If you are not already MEMORIAL TUNNEL in Whittier, you have to pay a fee and Winter travel can be hazardous and The 2.5 mile tunnel, which leads to the trails can cross through avalanche- drive through the Anton Anderson port town of Whittier, opened to cars in Memorial Tunnel. The trail's endpoint on prone slopes. Visit www.cnfaic.org for 2000 and is the second longest highway the latest avalanche conditions. the eastern shore of Portage Lake can tunnel in North America. only be reached by kayak or canoe after Let someone know your travel plans. putting in near the Begich, Boggs Visitor The first load of passengers made Center. Be Bear Aware and keep your distance their way through in 1942 on the railcar from wildlife. shown below. Contact a USDA Forest Service office Portage Pass Trailhead is located on for specific trail safety precautions. the Whittier side of the tunnel. FOR MORE INFORMATION… A WINDOW INTO TIME The scouring and grating of the glacial Glacier Ranger District ice has, over time, left some unique The 7 P.O. Box 129 rock formations in the area around Principles 145 Forest Station Road Portage Glacier. Girdwood, AK 99587 ❒ Plan Ahead & Prepare (907) 783-3242 Layered beds from the Cretaceous ❒ period, about 100 million years ago, Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces Chugach National Forest ❒ have been uplifted and tilted by Dispose of Waste Properly 161 East 1st Ave., Door 8 mountain building events, and then ❒ Leave What You Find Anchorage, Alaska 99501 exposed over time. This can be seen in ❒ (907) 743-9500 Minimize Campfire Impacts the surrounding rock faces. ❒ Respect Wildlife www.fs.usda.gov/chugach ❒ Be Considerate of Other Visitors