June 2
A Cessna 208-EX Caravan (means a fancier model than just a straight 208) took me between Anchorage and Port Alsworth today. Lake & Pen Air provided the service. On the way out to Port Alsworth, the pilot had to make two stops, one being Iliamna. We are now in dirt/gravel landing strip territory, no more asphalt. And the runway length is relatively short. A few folks got off, along with plenty of camping/hiking gear. The next stop was an even shorter runway (I just do not remember the name of the strip). Finally, we touched down at Port Alsworth, on a very bumpy strip of dirt/gravel. Flying is about the only means to access this settlement, and therefore Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. If one had a boat, they could get to the Park portion via Cook Inlet, the same body of water which runs up to Anchorage. Either method gets one to only a small fraction of the park.
The most amusing segment of my day was seeing the lone food-truck in the community serving lunch. The closest parking area next to the stand was for “Airplanes”. A large yellow sign let it be known that no pickup trucks or ATVs (the only other vehicles I saw) could park there.
Two mountain ranges (Neacola and Chigmit) cut through the park, and there was plenty of snow on the various glaciers and peaks today. Everything at sea level was clear of the white stuff, so taking the Tanalian Falls Trail hike was not a problem. Due to a reschedule of the flight, I only had two hours to meet with the park rangers at the VC and complete the hike. I had to get to the falls since that would mean I had entered the Park portion, from the Preserve. The rangers said another person had just come into the VC who was also trying to visit all the parks. Around the corner came Carl. Turns out he is also a NPTC member. I forget the exact number, but it is around 390 for the number of parks he has trekked to. He is getting close to #424. He said he had hiked the trail yesterday, with a few wet spots here and there. I headed out since the clock was ticking. I was fortunate not to meet any of the park’s furry friends. The rangers said no bear-human interactions had occurred yet this season. The falls has an upper section and a lower section. The upper section has plenty of large boulders which one can step across to get almost to the center of the action.
It took 1.75 hours to make the 6.5-mile round trip. I was walking along the side of the airstrip as the Cessna was landing. Whew.
The folks who call Port Alsworth, Iliamna, and the other villages out in the wilderness home, get special commendation for prospering in their lives. There are plenty of city folks who could not cut it out there.
After landing in Anchorage, I started driving to Copper River, for tomorrow’s adventure in Wrangell-St.Elias NP and NPres. If Utah route 95 is the must-see drive for Planet of the Apes desert views, Alaska route 1 is the Lord of the Rings Misty Mountains. There is a sixty mile stretch just east of Palmer which has to be experienced. Try to find time to hike out on the Matanuska Glacier. Plenty of business along the route which will get you out onto the glacier. Go for April to early June. Before April the road may be a mess due to snow (just guessing), and after June most of the snow on the mountains may be gone.