Hatcher Pass?

HayDuchessLives · 06-18-2012, 10:27 PM

Is Hatcher Pass road open? I heard it was open, but I don't really trust the source. I know they were still grooming ski trails through mid May as they got a lot of snow back there. I've tried looking the information up online in various places and couldn't find an official opening date.

marbee40 · 06-19-2012, 12:09 AM

As of last Thursday 6/14, no. Brought a few visitors up for the view and you could see the upper road was still choked with significant amounts of snow.

Happy trails!
J

HayDuchessLives · 06-19-2012, 07:52 AM

Thanks for the update. I was pretty sure it would still be closed. I wonder if I could still ski up there....

Logpile · 06-19-2012, 11:07 PM

Hatcher was still closed on Sat :(

Av8rPaul · 06-21-2012, 06:11 PM

I get back home from Atlanta tomorrow and will be riding up there Saturday on the big Katoom to take a look.

BlueRider · 07-02-2012, 08:39 PM

Hatcher Pass is a go. The usual cautions inplace, soft spots, fresh pea gravel here and there, and lots of atv campers on the Willow side.

EJ_92606 · 07-03-2012, 12:47 AM

Just rode it on Sunday from the Willow side on a 1200GS without knobbies...no problem and what a great ride. The chalet at the top is a cool place to stop for a break and some food and the pavement descending from there is a lot of fun too.

schlapster · 07-04-2012, 11:11 PM

Went up today, going again tomorrow. Meeting scooter336 at Jitters @ 9AM. Anyone tagging along?

Drunk_Uncle · 07-04-2012, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schlapster

Went up today, going again tomorrow. Meeting scooter336 at Jitters @ 9AM. Anyone tagging along?

Meeting AKlizard at Fred Meyer in Palmer around 10am before hitting Hatcher Pass in the morning. So you may see a KLR and a Silver Triumph Tiger along the way.

scooter336 · 07-06-2012, 01:37 PM

Didn't see y'all on the way through, but it was an awesome ride.

It was my first time through, and on my drz, I had so much fun. Will be doing it again pretty soon.

aklizzard · 07-06-2012, 04:13 PM

went thru on thursday with drunk-uncle

was good lots of campers it wood be good to go thru on a week nite no cages if any ones up 4 ride

mpenner · 07-11-2012, 10:25 AM

It was closed on June 24 right at the entrance to the park (riding towards Palmer). This was one of my few disappointments during my time in Alaska. It was a great ride up until the point where we had to turn around.

This was the start of the road, not where it was actually closed. Why I did not take a picture of a gate blocking a road due to snow at the end of June is a question that I am still asking myself.

Cubdriver · 07-11-2012, 02:42 PM

I do not understand why that sign is swung out into the road. It was still out like that on Saturday during the Hatcher Pass Race. The road is clearly open and the sign is very misleading. I rode it on Saturday and am leaving in 5 minutes to do it again. Not hard to understand why youi turned around, not knowing the situation, because the sign is pretty definite and strongly worded. Hope you have time to take another whack at it before you leave our fair state. It is a good ride.

EJ_92606 · 07-11-2012, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cubdriver

I do not understand why that sign is swung out into the road. It was still out like that on Saturday during the Hatcher Pass Race. The road is clearly open and the sign is very misleading. I rode it on Saturday and am leaving in 5 minutes to do it again. Not hard to understand why youi turned around, not knowing the situation, because the sign is pretty definite and strongly worded. Hope you have time to take another whack at it before you leave our fair state. It is a good ride.

On June 24th when he was there the road was closed. It opened on the 1st I believe.

mpenner · 07-11-2012, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cubdriver

I do not understand why that sign is swung out into the road. It was still out like that on Saturday during the Hatcher Pass Race. The road is clearly open and the sign is very misleading. I rode it on Saturday and am leaving in 5 minutes to do it again. Not hard to understand why youi turned around, not knowing the situation, because the sign is pretty definite and strongly worded. Hope you have time to take another whack at it before you leave our fair state. It is a good ride.

I did not turn around there. I am way too stupid and stubborn to let a little sign like that stop me. I rode for about 10 more miles to the entrance of Independence Mine State Park at which point there was a gate across the entire road and big rocks blocking the path around the gate. I thought about dragging the bike under the gate, but apparently I am not quite that stupid or stubborn.

Here are my tracks from that day. It was a bit frustrating to get that close to Palmer and then have to turn around

06-18-2012, 10:27 PM	#1
HayDuchessLives ^OP Loquita Joined: Aug 2008 Location: Anchorage Oddometer: 1,052	Hatcher Pass? Is Hatcher Pass road open? I heard it was open, but I don't really trust the source. I know they were still grooming ski trails through mid May as they got a lot of snow back there. I've tried looking the information up online in various places and couldn't find an official opening date. __________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks," John Muir. 2007 Suzuki DR650 (Loquita) & 2009 Suzuki DR650 Fun Denali Hwy RR: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=622201; Awesome Nome RR: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=808795

06-19-2012, 12:09 AM	#2
marbee40 Some Fear is Good Joined: Jan 2007 Location: 45 minutes-North-of-Los Anchorage Oddometer: 946	As of last Thursday 6/14, no. Brought a few visitors up for the view and you could see the upper road was still choked with significant amounts of snow. Happy trails! J __________________ R1150GS *01 WR426F*

06-19-2012, 07:52 AM	#3
HayDuchessLives ^OP Loquita Joined: Aug 2008 Location: Anchorage Oddometer: 1,052	Thanks for the update. I was pretty sure it would still be closed. I wonder if I could still ski up there.... __________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks," John Muir. 2007 Suzuki DR650 (Loquita) & 2009 Suzuki DR650 Fun Denali Hwy RR: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=622201; Awesome Nome RR: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=808795

06-19-2012, 11:07 PM	#4
Logpile Mr.V- or Drz Joined: May 2010 Location: Alaska, Funny River Oddometer: 165	Hatcher was still closed on Sat :( __________________ http://logpile.smugmug.com Get your Smugmug account at:https://secure.smugmug.com/signup.mg...=t1uVXMacr0U32 JOIN Ridedualsport.com

06-21-2012, 06:11 PM	#5
Av8rPaul Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2008 Location: Reno, Nevada Oddometer: 238	I get back home from Atlanta tomorrow and will be riding up there Saturday on the big Katoom to take a look. __________________ Paul 2004 KTM 950 Adventure - sold IBA #33

07-02-2012, 08:39 PM	#6
BlueRider Stromin' Alaska Joined: Sep 2006 Location: Anchorage,AK. Oddometer: 87	Hatcher Pass is a go. The usual cautions inplace, soft spots, fresh pea gravel here and there, and lots of atv campers on the Willow side.

07-03-2012, 12:47 AM	#7
EJ_92606 Rider Joined: Aug 2007 Oddometer: 1,389	Just rode it on Sunday from the Willow side on a 1200GS without knobbies...no problem and what a great ride. The chalet at the top is a cool place to stop for a break and some food and the pavement descending from there is a lot of fun too.

07-04-2012, 11:11 PM	#8
schlapster Adventurer Joined: Apr 2011 Location: Eagle River Oddometer: 15	Hatcher Pass Went up today, going again tomorrow. Meeting scooter336 at Jitters @ 9AM. Anyone tagging along?

07-06-2012, 01:37 PM	#10
scooter336 n00b Joined: Jan 2012 Location: Alaska Oddometer: 7	Didn't see y'all on the way through, but it was an awesome ride. It was my first time through, and on my drz, I had so much fun. Will be doing it again pretty soon.

07-06-2012, 04:13 PM	#11
aklizzard Adventurer Joined: Sep 2010 Location: Palmer, AK Oddometer: 64	went thru on thursday with drunk-uncle was good lots of campers it wood be good to go thru on a week nite no cages if any ones up 4 ride

07-11-2012, 10:25 AM	#12
mpenner Heavy Cruiser Joined: Dec 2008 Location: Centerburg, OH Oddometer: 716	It was closed on June 24 right at the entrance to the park (riding towards Palmer). This was one of my few disappointments during my time in Alaska. It was a great ride up until the point where we had to turn around. This was the start of the road, not where it was actually closed. Why I did not take a picture of a gate blocking a road due to snow at the end of June is a question that I am still asking myself. __________________ Mike 2001 KLR 650 2003 V-Strom DL1000

07-11-2012, 02:42 PM	#13
Cubdriver Stampede Swimmer Joined: Aug 2007 Location: Palmer, Alaska Oddometer: 593	I do not understand why that sign is swung out into the road. It was still out like that on Saturday during the Hatcher Pass Race. The road is clearly open and the sign is very misleading. I rode it on Saturday and am leaving in 5 minutes to do it again. Not hard to understand why youi turned around, not knowing the situation, because the sign is pretty definite and strongly worded. Hope you have time to take another whack at it before you leave our fair state. It is a good ride. __________________ KLR650 '05 Ultra F650GS Twin (recently succumbed to deer strike) HD Softail..... OOPS not on this site 09 R1200R For Mrs CD: F650GS Yamaha TW 200 G650GS

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