PASSABLE FUN

On a recent late August Wednesday afternoon I spontaneously decided to do a “site inspection” and drive the entire Hatcher Pass loop. Part of my job as executive director of the Mat-Su Convention & Visitors Bureau is to be familiar with Valley visitor experiences.

The 49-mile road connecting Willow to the Glenn Highway north of Palmer is a beautiful scenic alpine drive. I visit Hatcher Pass frequently for hikes on the Gold Mint trail, but it had been a few years since I drove the bumpy, gravel road to the summit and followed the switch backs down the steep mountain side.

Part of its character is the pioneer gravel road that discourages rental cars and RVs from attempting. You aren’t going to get anywhere fast on this road, and the slow pace helps you take in the scenery. I was very surprised at the condition of the road. With so much rain this summer I anticipated some big potholes. But it seemed the road had been recently grated and was in good shape.

On the Palmer side, I spotted dozens of blueberry pickers parked along the road and hikers lacing up at the many trailheads. There were wildlife photographers with their foot-long lenses and tripods near the 4,000-foot summit. The fireweed up there was over and the temperature was 10 degrees cooler.

On the Willow side you realize the significance mining played in this area. Old mine shafts are visible up high on the mountain ridges. It makes you think about the miners who lived and worked in this beautiful place many years ago. Willow Creek bubbles alongside the road and you expect to see wildlife at every turn.

Once outside the Hatcher Pass Management Area, I realize it’s hunting season. I notice campsites with RVs and four-wheelers in pullouts along the road. They appear to be set to stay for a while.

Back on pavement for the final 10 miles to the Parks Highway, I consider the experience of the past two hours driving. Hatcher Pass truly has something for everyone. I think of all the multi-uses I observed and the wilderness experience without the crowds.

I know the majority of visitors to Hatcher Pass drive the Palmer side and visit Independence Mine Historical State Park. The visitor center this summer is only open Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m., but the park can easily be enjoyed self-guided because of the many interpretive panels and displays explaining the history of the site. Next summer a seven-day schedule will resume. But it is the “loop” that provides the value of the visitor experience. The return to base camp without backtracking is a preferred route in developing visitor itineraries.

I missed the peak of fall colors by about 10 days, which would have really put my experience over the top. But now you have time to take this amazing drive right here in the Mat-Su Valley.

Bonnie Quill is the executive director of the Mat-Su Convention & Visitors Bureau.