Hatcher Pass Road now open to vehicles

HATCHER PASS -- What was a lonely spot visited by just a few hikers in previous weeks has turned into a Mecca for outdoor enthusiasts and sightseers since the June 28 opening of Hatcher Pass Road.

Dozens of vehicles bounced and jolted up the rough road from Hatcher Pass Lodge to Summit Lake on opening day. Other motorists took the longer route from Willow to the pass at 3,800 feet elevation.

The area is the domain of snowmachiners, skiers and snowshoers most of the year. But with lots of snow having melted, a green tundra paradise now draws adults, kids and dogs to a network of trails as well as off-trail fun.

The most popular route takes only minutes to walk. It leads from the road along Summit Lake's west side to an outlet, gaining no more than 15 feet during its 100-yard length.

On June 28, two young Palmer residents stepped off the trail momentarily onto large chunks of ice still floating in the lake. They hopped from one to another, going out about 30 feet from shore before finding conditions too precarious to continue.

Meanwhile, some hikers chose a trail from the lake's east side, scrambling over a ridge to a couple of tarns. That route is about 1.25 miles round-trip and doesn't involve more than 300 feet of elevation gain.

Others wanting more exercise, and a commanding view, tackled a ridge leading upward between the tarns and Summit Lake toward 4,811-foot Hatch Peak. The trail is well-worn but somewhat rocky in places.

Summit Lake looks smaller with each step toward Hatch's summit along the trail one guidebook calls "steep and continuous." It's two miles round-trip and estimates range from one hour to four hours to complete the jaunt, depending on the hikers' conditioning and motivation.

Sunny skies lured people to the pass early on opening day, but those who got a late start contended with worsening weather by late afternoon. Two hikers and their dog scampered down from Hatch as hail pelted them.

The unexpected shower emphasized these mountains' short summer season, and the need to explore as much as possible before snow closes the road again.