By Eric Troyer
Party: Eric Troyer
Trip Location: Granite Tors Trail, Chena River State Recreation Area
Access: Trailhead is at the Granite Tors Campground Day-Use Area at milepost 39.5 Chena Hot Springs Road.
Trip Date: Sunday, May 8 [Read more…]
Exploring Interior Alaska by foot


By Don Kiely
By Eric Troyer
Party: Eric Troyer
Trip Location: Granite Tors Trail, Chena River State Recreation Area
Access: Trailhead is at the Granite Tors Campground Day-Use Area at milepost 39.5 Chena Hot Springs Road.
Trip Date: Sunday, May 8 [Read more…]
By Don Kiely
Posted for Jim Trombley:
There seems to be plenty of interest in the trips I mentioned in the last email. Mark your calendars for April 15, 16, and 23 for Castner Glacier and Granite Tors. Here is the plan for first one:
Friday, April 15–Castner Glacier 5-hour snowshoe
Meet and greet 8:00-8:15 Walmart side lot facing Lowes. Anyone need a ride? Need to replace snowshoe straps or grab a snack for the road? We drive to Delta, pit stop at the store. Go south to Kastner River Bridge, anyone not carpooling can wait for the main group here. Plan is to snowshoe 11:30-6:00. The route proceeds east over the frozen? Castner River. Watch for open water!!! Then up glacier as far as time allows. The first two miles is basically flat, the next two miles is mostly up and some down on the lower glacier. You will be dazzled by amazing mountain views. Bring sunglasses, sunscreen, layered clothing, including wind proof shell for top and bottom. Watch out for low spots!! that means a hole is under the slumping snow. For those wanting to socialize, we can do dinner at Delta Junction. Back in town 9-10 PM if not stopping to eat.
Saturday, April 16–Castner Glacier 3-hour snowshoe.
I will be camping in the area and able to go again in the morning. Meet at 8 AM Castner River Bridge pullout (west side of Richardson). Snowshoe 8-11. Back in town by 2PM.
Please RSVP by private email. Group size is capped at 12 people for glacier travel and three 3-person tents at the campsite I know about, but determined campers can find other spots near the road. Please let me know which day I should expect to see you. If driving please let me know if you have seats available and how many are available for carpooling. If wanting a ride down, bring gas money and pay the driver well so they will want to keep supporting these longer trips. How much? Depends on the vehicle, but I would say $12-$20+. If anyone wants to go but needs to borrow snowshoes, call me ASAP.
Jim Trombley
799-4958 evenings 7-9 PM best

By Don Kiely
Party: Eric Troyer, Jay Cable, Jill Homer, Beat Jegerlehner
Trip Location: Tolovana Hot Springs, off the Elliot Highway.
Access: Take Steese Highway north. Go straight at Fox to get on the Elliot (turning right keeps you on the Steese). Turn left just after Livengood to stay on the Elliot (going straight puts you on the Dalton Highway). Parking area is at Milepost 93 Elliot Highway, on the south side of the road.
Trip Date: Saturday and Sunday, December 26-27, 2015 [Read more…]

By Don Kiely
Dayhike above Canwell Glacier
By: Jim Trombley
Trip date: June 27, 2015
Photos by: Candis Johnson and Inna Rivkin
Hot weather and lightning made for a busy fire season at the beginning of summer 2015. Some hikes were cancelled due to smoke. Many suffered as wildfires raged throughout the interior. For weeks, Fairbanks had smoke in all directions. A small group of us got away from the smoke by traveling to the Eastern Alaska Range south of Delta Junction. The plan was to hike to a viewpoint above the massive and scenic Canwell Glacier. Candis, Sophia, Aaron, Inna, Holly, and I had the pleasure of sharing the trail with Sophia’s energetic and sweet dog, Stella.
The day began with brilliant blue sky, sometimes strikingly clear, sometimes ripped with tatters of cloud. A fierce, biting wind came off the mountainside to test our layering. Occasionally, we were spattered by bursts of hail that seemed to come out of nowhere. [Read more…]

By Don Kiely
By: Jim Trombley
Photos by: Jim Trombley, Jay Summit, Christine Nutter-Huff, Iris Hartshorn, Sarah Solski-Madsen, Inna Rivkin
In early November 2015 we did a fun overnight snowshoe trip into the White Mountains. Christine Nutter-Huff organized the trip, which happened to come directly after a foot of fresh snow blanketed the pristine wilderness. Myself, Jay, Keri, Kim, Sarah, and Stanley started from MP 23.5 Elliott Highway with packs and snowshoes, taking turns pulling the firewood sled. Over nighters were joined at the beginning by a day-hiking couple Adam and Inna. [Read more…]