In 2016, a large wildfire tore throughportions of the McHugh Creek drainage, leaving a striking landscape of brilliantly-colored orange and green mosses between the charred, fire-sculpted trunks of burned trees. Direction to the Golden View Trailhead. Pugh and several men arrived in person to the September 25, 2018 Assembly meeting and sat in the lower right section of the Assembly gallery. Pugh had also written to the Assembly alleging repeated trespass by Pease, unlawful behavior and serious concerns about Ms. Peases ethical integrity and conflicts of interest. Shortly before the meeting, Christopher Matthew Cavanaugh had emailed the mayors office, Assembly, and others calling Pease a criminal and accusing her of criminal trespassing behaviors.. Campgrounds, RV Parks & Public Use Cabins. Disputes about whether use of land is sufficiently continuous, open, and hostile to create a prescriptive easement can be contentious. Just past the first private drive, we immediately noticed several large boulders blocking vehicle access on the roadway. I can't give it the five stare ratings it deserves, maybe we can all get together and change things back to the way they should be!". It was not evident what Pugh and Cavanaugh hoped to accomplish by taking over the RCCC. Pugh had always known about the trail and the public easement, the man said. However, in 2015 residents Frank and Oksana Pugh erected a large metal gate topped with barbed wire to block public use of the trail. Insider tips to pick the best Alaska cruise. Pugh uses the onX Hunting App (The #1 GPS Hunting App) to manage a large network of Stealthcam game cameras, some of which are clearly visible and some which are partially hidden behind trees and bushes. Baldy, Ram Valley, and Glen Alps, but perhaps no location exemplifies the difficulties providing park access as well as the Honey Bear trailhead in upper Bear Valley. Within a few minutes, you will already be high enough to get a birds eye view of downtown Anchorage and across the Inlet to the Mat-Su Valley. The trailhead provides quick access to a scenic alpine shoulder of McHugh Peak and some of the best blueberry picking around Anchorage. We have several options. And Im closing it. You know he might have said, Its my land., The man with the acetylene torch was Frank Pugh, and soon his gate was complete. We'll match you with a local itinerary expert to help you plan your trip. The company runs all-terrain vehicle tours along a network of old logging roads in Bird . The classic Alaska Cruise, offered by such companies as Holland America, Princess, and Royal Caribbean. Several Assembly members spoke in favor of Pease, citing her experience in land use issues and strong work ethic. McHugh is often climbed from one of three public trailheads: the McHugh Creek trailhead off the Seward Highway, the Rabbit Lake trailhead at the top of Canyon Road, or the Bear Valley trailhead at the top of Honey Bear Dr. Map of McHugh Peak, with the three most well-known routes marked. The park has many trails. The hike is excellent and goes through to McHugh Peak, and can connect to other trailheads from there. Our picks for the best tours and experiences during your Alaska Cruise. Its nowhere near the tallest or most difficult, but by land area its a sprawling giant. Meacham quickly summarized the state of the lawsuit: Friends of the Stewart Trail had grown to over a hundred members, and had assembled a great quantity of notarized statements and other documents establishing decades of trail use. I knew his parents Dan and Helen starting in 1982 when we bought a lot in Mountainside Village and built a house. As Falsey explains in his March 2, 2016 message to Pugh: The publics consistent use of this trail for the past several decades has created a public use easement across the property. The trail was one of my favorites as well and I miss it. It's probably right around the longest you can go for a weekday, after-work hike.and still get to bed at a normal time. Eklutna. Prospect Heights Trailhead; Upper O'Malley Trailhead; Upper Huffman Trailhead; Glen Alps Trailhead; South Anchorage. That is all on the opposite side of Rabbit Creek Valley, with no easy way across (i.e. A less developed trail continues on for another 2 miles, then quickly gains elevation to the pass. Greetings to Alaska from a German journalist! According to internal MLS system records, the Pughs appear to have paid $360,000 for the 120-acre tract, or only $3,000/acre. Looking for another hike in Anchorage? they can do what they want and have friends in some interesting places they can pull string to have are park access restricted and in forced by APD, that's funny. More recently, local residents have used the trail for recreational purposes. The Bear Valley Trailhead is a popular place to begin a hiking, biking, or horse riding adventure in Point Reyes National Seashore. Boutique, small ship adventure cruises in Alaska's Inside Passage, Cruises depart from Whittier, a 1 hr drive from Anchorage. Courtesy Anchorage Assembly records. Seans citation of the sixth car problem is laughable, about as much so as a five car access point (thats 1 spot per 60,000 Anchorage residents) to a massive public use area. Falsey followed with letters dated March 2, 2016, and April 20, 2016. To support his claims, Frank Pugh submitted game camera photos that appear to show Nancy Pease and her brother, Thomas Pease, circumventing Pughs gate on a side trail to reach the Stewart Trail. The business is listed under When it snowed, locals groomed nordic tracks onto the Stewart Trail and taught their children to ski. Highlights plus less visited destinations. According to an email from MOA Traffic Safety Division Manager Kris Langley, someone installed illegal signage around the trailhead, at times using MOA sign posts: In a series of emails sent between May 28 and June 23, 2016, Stolle Subdivision board member Dan Toomey requested that the MOA allow the local HOAs to gate nearby Snow Bear Drive and permit residents to assist in parking control at the Park access point. Toomey states a desire to limit parking to the approved spots at the trailhead and cites documented instances of crime and violence at the end of Snow Bear Drive. My verdict is still the same. come on, admit it,you know who did that. US. The battle for the Stewart Trail has spilled over into a bitter civil war on the Rabbit Creek Community Council, into heated Anchorage Assembly meetings, onto talk radio and into cryptic op-eds published by the ADN. To establish the identity of Nancy and Thomas Pease in his photographs, Pugh attached an online article from the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame titled Queen of the Mountain. The article includes a photo of Nancy Pease, and summarizes her achievements in the competitive mountain running community. Surveillance camera operated by Frank Pugh on the Stewart Trail. In a January 30, 2018 email obtained by the Landmine, Pugh warns a group of local residents about the consequences of re-opening the trail: If you are like me and you want Potter Valley to remain a relatively quiet neighborhood environment unencumbered from being a Public Access Point like Flattop then we should work together. Meanwhile, the situation on the Stewart Trail was devolving into a tense standoff. In her will, Oro Stewart divided her homestead tract between two beloved local organizations, the Alaska Botanical Garden and the Alaska Zoo. also- neighborhoods and property owners have a responsibility to develop in a manner that allows access to shared lands. Let us simplify it for you, How much does an Alaska summer vacation cost? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); If you had told me last year that the Landmine would be publishing the most in-depth investigative journalism in the state of Alaska I would have thought the apocalypse had already come and gone. At first glance, this would appear to be an astonishing value; buildable lots nearby often sell for $150,000/acre or more. Some noted that signing the access agreement would make use of the Stewart Trail permissive. Just as prescriptive easements are created by non-permissive hostile use, they can also be eliminated if use eventually becomes permissive. Eliminating the easement and closing the trail had been Pughs plan from the beginning. From the top of Point 3,200, follow the crest of the ridge 1.9 miles to the summit of McHugh. We are not even remotely involved in the Stewart controversy. McKinley). One individual speculated that Pugh wanted Potter Valley to secede from the RCCC and join the Bear Valley Community Council. Around this point the brush gives way to open tundra and cross-country walking becomes simple. 2023 Bear Valley Resort. Turnagain Arm: Potter Trailhead is just the opposite side of Chugach State Park HQ. Map showing Pugh Property and the Stewart Trail. In the end, the current land owners affected by the prescriptive easements have a wonderful opportunity to establish a positive legacy for themselves and their heirs by working nicely with the community. Oro passed away in 2002. Your must-have activity guide + map while in Alaska. However, it was clear that the RCCC meetings under Pughs leadership had accomplished one thing: a resistance had crystallized. Starting in the late 1950s McHugh was typically accessed from the Stewart Homestead Road (also called the Stewart Trail), which leads to the peaks northwest ridge. Your must-have activity guide + map while in Alaska. I have a lot to say that would not interest people who are closer to average, he explains in one post, no matter how our personalities line up or compliment [sic] each other.. In June 2019, Cavanaugh accosted Team Landmine and local journalist Craig Medred while walking on the Stewart Trail to prepare for this story. Very interesting read! 7-10 days is the most common. It is unclear what answer Kelly received, but documents suggest that Traffic had their own internal answer: directions from above had come down after all. This past summer and after working with traffic enforcement on improvements, we had one of the best summers yet for co-existence between residents and hikers. My name is Paxson. I feel compelled to set the record straight. I hope that this site helps you plan exciting and safe trips, but please always keep the information here in context. This ridge is well-traveled and there is an informal trail running along it most of the way. Opponents tend to view them as hostile coups, while others simply see the messy process of local democracy in action. A group of residents banded together and offered to pay for an easement, but Pugh reportedly told them they did not have enough money. To access the Rabbit Creek route, park at the Rabbit Creek Trailhead at the end of Canyon (Upper Hiland) Road. When Pugh purchased the lot, nearby residents had little reason to suspect that access to the Stewart Trail would change. Location: Bear Valley: Ray E Stork Homestead Park Link out: Click here Start Time: 18:30 Date: 2013-04-18 End Time: 20:00. Bear Valley, Court-ordered attempts to reach an out-of-court solution had failed: Pugh had refused to meet, while Cavanaugh had failed to attend multiple scheduled meetings, once claiming to have lost track of the time. Secondly, to say that the homeowners are somehow at fault for creating the situation of littering and illegal parking is asinine. It was trivially obvious that several spots on Honey Bear Lane would allow vehicles to pull fully off of the road surface and onto the shoulder. 7-10 days is the most common. This trailhead has many route options. All trails are flat. I dont know why you put us in your article. Neither Constant nor Birch were impressed. Find the best bear viewing spots by season. Private Tour: Anchorage 3-Hour Tour 31 Recommended Bus Tours from $623.57 per group (up to 12) Sunset City Tour 16 Bus Tours from $149.00 per adult LIKELY TO SELL OUT* Wildlife and Glaciers with a walk in the Rainforest 173 Bus Tours from $129.00 per adult 2022 Wilderness Wildlife Glacier Experience. Choose a round-trip Inside passage or one-way Gulf of Alaska Cruise. From there take Clarks Road all the way to the end of the road. The nearest access points to Chugach State Park are the micro-Trailhead at Honey Bear, the end of Canyon Road, and Turnagain Arm Trail across from the Potter Section House. The skiing is excellent and the whole area is open to snowmachines when weather conditions allow. One bought the property to make money off of a public trail & the other needs to remind us how smart he is. Sic burn, Paxson! Bear Valley Route (North Ridge) The North Ridge Route, starting at the Honey Bear Trailhead at the top of Honey Bear Lane in Bear Valley, is a fun Class 2 ridge walk with 2,300 feet of elevation gain and excellent views over Anchorage and across the inlet. For the most part the Rabbit Creek route is truly a route and not a trail, so it is most appropriate for those with basic routefinding skills and at least a mild sense of adventure. This was the first time hiked this trail in late summer. In fact, it is arguably the most reliable early-season hike in the Chugach, and is often snow-free long before traditional early-season hikes like Bird Ridge or Wolverine. ALL pay this tax. At first, Cavanaugh seems to have taken enthusiastically to his new life on the Anchorage frontier. Several Anchorage real estate experts told the Landmine that subdividing the mountainous tract to muni standards and providing code-compliant roads, fire access, septic, water, and other services would be extraordinarily expensive and likely uneconomical well into the foreseeable future. While the Bear Valley route up McHugh is just an adventurous Class 2, the final few feet to the true summit qualify as Class 4 (light rock climbing). Prepare to walk a ways longer than expected due to the location of overflow parking. But that would require a vote of the Anchorage Assembly, and one Assembly member told the Landmine that secession attempts would be dead in the water. Alberts answer was unequivocal: the Stewarts had never cared about permission to use the trail or cross their lot. Sign-up for any of the following email series to help plan your Alaska trip. Extension from the Ridge Peak to McHugh Peak (4311 ft). He rushed to the Bird Valley Trailhead to aid volunteers from Alaska ATV Adventures in rescuing Knudsen. This trailhead has many route options. But by mid-2017, those efforts had stalled. From national parks to guaranteed views, Anchorage is in the heart of bear country. None of those access points offer the same kind of grade perfect for young children and people of limited mobility with unfettered views up and down valley. He said he had spoken with Pugh shortly after Pugh purchased his lot. All trails are moderate with wonderful view. Anyone familiar with the peak would find that name fitting. . This, they explained, was why the tract had sat on the market for so long and at such a seemingly low price. His points are well taken and he is just the kind of neighbor one wants to have living adjacent to a park access point. The measuring tape thrashed in the wind, but with one of us on each side of the road we were able to wrestle it to the ground. (unless you trail-run, of course) If you start at the Bear Valley trailhead, the stats are: 5.4 miles round trip, 2,300 ft. elevation gain Those who happen to live outside the parks service area, including some of Anchorages wealthiest residents, enjoy full access to Anchorage parks but pay no taxes to support them. quarter mile away ya-no some people think just because there privileged! They traveled the state in an amphibious vehicle, once running 365 miles of the Yukon River in three days. Portage Glacier: The Main Attraction He appears to be walking his dog. But it was hard not to have some reluctant sympathy for Pugh and Cavanaugh too. We had explained the situation to our hiking partners, and both were curious to see the trail for themselves. Goose Lake Park, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA, Chuck Albrecht Softball Complex, Elmore Road, Anchorage, AK, United States, Wolverine Trail, Anchorage, AK 99516, USA, 13101 Glen Alps Rd, Anchorage, AK 99516, USA, 6998 Raspberry Rd, Anchorage, AK 99502, USA, 6001-6225 Kalmia Dr, Anchorage, AK 99507, USA, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), April 6: Bicentennial Park: North Bivouac, Bicentennial Park: North Bivouac Trailhead. This is a great hiking place. Some speakers were furious, while others expressed bewilderment at how the situation had dragged on for so long. Visit September to April to see the Northern Lights. dodging it, even if you can do so legally, is embarrassing. how about your hoa removes the rocks that yall put in snow bear (a PUBLIC street) so people can park on it? In winter its unobstructed western face rises up to catch the sunset, glowing a brilliant ruby red long after the big Hillside homes on its lower slopes have slipped into night. Looking down the east ridge of McHugh Peak toward Rabbit Lake and the Suicide Peaks. because upper hillside voters ACTIVELY VOTED to keep it that way. This is an easy to moderate 3 to 3.5 mile hike depending on the route you take on the descent. His blog includes excited entries about the wind, problematic winterbears, moose, and ease of access to wilderness in Anchorage. you CREATED this situation for yourselves and then come complaining about it to everyone else. By Paxson Woelber, with additional reporting by Jeff Landfield, bringing the entire Hillside into the parks service area, Some Anchorage homeowners dont pay taxes for park upkeep. The position requires confirmation by the Anchorage Assembly, and Pugh was determined to stop it. This is the only part of the hike that can feel tedious, though the slogging is tempered by fantastic views up the Rabbit Creek drainage toward Ptarmigan and the Suicides. 2) 5 cars only for McHugh this is ridiculous. Throughout our walk, Pughs cameras silently recorded us. The hike was awesome both times I did it!!!! Moose Ridge trail, Spencer Loop, etc. Difficulty: Class 2+(c4). Site by. Moose Ridge trail, Spencer Loop, etc. Governor Kevin Meyer. From downtown, take New Seward Highway toward Seward. want help with those problems (which exist everywhere in every city)? Alaska Local favorites for half-day hikes include Bloods Ridge and Inspiration Point. This trailhead specifically provides access to McHugh Peak ridge. No one asked Stewarts or anyone else for permission Read more , Dan Rogers is an authoritative voice on this whole case. Cars were keyed. Matt Bergt chilling on the small summit crown of McHugh Peak. Alaska, There is no guarantee of a parking spot, and rumors of harassment by local residents are numerous. But if youre hoping to score a prime parking spot, this trailhead is best tackled on weekdays or in the off-season. This site is not currently open to the public, but history buffs and others still visit it. If he had found some clever way to develop the tract that other Anchorage real estate purchasers had missed, the Stewart Trail would almost certainly have to be brought up to MOA standards and dedicated as a public roadway. The trail also has a few stream crossings without bridges for the average adventurer. The drive itself is only 45 minutes, but once you get there, you'll want to spend more time photographing and exploring. When weather is good, you have wonderful view of mountains. ", "Trail was steep for the first mile and a little muddy in places. he spells it out pretty clearly: the city cant you with litter, parking, etc. Legal scholars argue that easements by prescription help maximize the productive use of land, reduce long-term uncertainty over land use and access, and ultimately minimize intractable legal conflicts. But there is a problem with this characterization: the Anchorage Police Department (APD) is a department of the MOA, and the MOA had determined that the Stewart Trail was public. There are several approaches to this peak and this description starts from the Bear Valley neighborhood and utilizes the northwest shoulder to gain access to the north slopes for the final ascent. Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 9 miles Elevation Gain: 850 feet Rarely do two lakes lie within a few feet of each other. Fault for creating the situation of littering and illegal parking is asinine snowmachines when weather is good, know... By such companies as Holland America, Princess, and April 20, 2016, and ease access! Still visit it spoken with Pugh shortly after Pugh purchased his lot that Pugh wanted Potter Valley to secede the! Value ; buildable lots nearby often sell for $ 150,000/acre or more to wilderness in.! Just because there privileged is excellent and goes through to McHugh Peak and some of the.. 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