Snowbike Peters Creek: A ‘tweener season roller coaster

‘Tweener season is tough: Rapidly shortening day light combined with thin snow cover makes it hard to identify enjoyable outdoor activities. While waiting for ski season, I like to check out places near town I’ve never explored, or bike trips that are easier when the ground is frozen.

Peters Creek valley meets both these criteria. Many people use the close-in part of Peters Creek Trail on the way back from ridge hikes around Mount Eklutna, and destinations farther upvalley make sense for spring skiing. However, Peters Creek valley is extremely long, so it isn’t a particularly common destination except for hunting.

Fortunately, Peters Creek trail is great fat biking when the ground is frozen and snow cover is thin at mid-elevations. The trail undulates considerably as it gradually gains elevation from the trailhead, providing heart-thumping uphills and brief descents on the way out. A couple miles from the trailhead, the trail narrows as it briefly descends toward the valley bottom. Over the next few miles, the riding gets increasingly technical as the trail continues to narrow. Approximately five miles from the trailhead, a sign prohibits further progress on bikes. It is worth continuing on foot for another mile or so, as Peking and other mountains come into view. Several meadows on the north side of the trail provide easy routes into the alpine for hikes to more expansive views, and to incredibly prolific blueberry patches. A quick climb up into the alpine emphasizes how extraordinary Peters Creek valley is: There aren’t many places in America with a twenty mile long valley that has no development. In the case of Peters Creek, the valley is particularly majestic because of the massive peaks such as Rumble, and hanging glaciers in the valley headwaters.

Over the last few years, Chugach State Park leadership has opened new areas to snow biking, in recognition that fat tire bikes ridden over snow have zero impact on erosion or plant life. Peters Creek Trail would be a good one to consider for winter opening, as it could be great riding past the trail closure sign: Cold weather locks up the short boggy areas that would be muddy and unrideable in the summer. Peters Creek Trail is very well-designed, as it hugs the hillside and mostly avoids wet areas. Up-and-down pitches interspersed with meadows would be great riding in winter, if the trail was open to snow biking.

Since all but the first couple miles of Peters Creek Trail are somewhat technical, it takes the better part of a day to ride to the closure sign, hike out and into the alpine, and return to the trailhead. If you haven’t explored this pristine valley in Chugach State Park, it is a good option for ‘tweener season fat biking with hiking, before heavier snow coverage creates avalanche potential from the mountain slopes above the trail.