Blackerby Ridge Trail

Smokin' Crackerby on Blackerby

Saturday February 22, 2009

Blackerby Ridge Trail

"What am I smokin'?" I asked myself as I started up this steep trail in the middle of winter on a late Saturday afternoon. From the view out of the Capital Transit bus window, it seemed impossible a trail could penetrate the sheer cliffs and near-vertical hills of the ridge coated in dense green Sitka Spruce.

I pulled the cord and the bus stopped right at Wire Street off of Glacier Highway. It was convenient as the trail head is only a short walk up Wire Street and a left at Greenwood Avenue. From there it is only a little way down on the right marked by a small sign.

I walked a couple feet on the trail and I knew I would need my gaiters. The snow was deep in places with only one other person's tracks to follow. The weather was good though. Only high overcast and nice and cold. I knew I had to hike fast so as not to get caught descending the steep slippery mountain in darkness (I left my head lamp at home along with the camera).

The trail steeply wound through the dense forest, straight up at times. I had to pull myself up often with the foliage but had to be careful not to crab on to the devils club! There was even a section of the trail that was near vertical and had a rope tied to a tree above for hikers to hoist themselves up.

The tracks I was following soon ended and I was breaking trail for a good mile. The snow was only 3-4 inches thick under the dense tree canopy but I still found myself post-holing in places. At 5pm I decided to stop and enjoy the view through a clearing in the trees along a frozen stream bed that meandered down the mountain.

I ate a Cliff bar, drank some water and then started sliding back down the mountain. And slide I did. I must have looked like a pinball bouncing off the trees. I admit it was much faster and easier but a lot more dangerous. I almost slid off the cliff next to the fixed rope but luckily grabbed a small tree in time.

I made it down to the bottom at about 5:45pm, just as it was getting dark.

I'll save this hike for the summer and when I have more time!

Mt. Bradley (Jumbo) Hike

Mount Bradley Round Two!

Sunday February 22, 2009
Mount Bradley (Jumbo) Trail

I took a hike up the Mount Bradley (Jumbo) trail around noon Sunday. It is a convenient hike for me since the trail head is only a 15 minute walk from where I live on Douglas Island, Juneau. The trail head is located on the 300 part of 5th Avenue in Douglas between two houses. (It is marked with a sign).
















The wind was howling at the lower elevations but once on the trail it was calm. The trail was well used and nicely packed down making for easy walking. The trail also had a nice thick snow pack and I saw a skier and two snowshoers out as well.

After 10 minutes of hiking up, the trail veers left and traverses across the hillside to a very nice falls. The mostly frozen creek continues down into a deep ravine before emptying out into the "Glory Hole", the giant open pit mine built in the early 1900s.















20 minutes more of hiking up the trial leads to a large meadow with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and the water south of Gastineau Channel. This was my second time hiking this trail and the second time I failed to find the trail past the meadow!

The snow was very deep at the meadow. Luckily (depending on your perspective) a few snowmachine trails bisected the meadow and allowed for a stable surface to hike on.



I still made the most of my time outside. I layed down for almost an hour in the snow and soaked in the sun before it went behind the snowy ridge line of Mt. Bradley. Clouds started rolling in the later it got afternoon and I descended back down stopping again at the falls. I also hiked down to the edge of the Gloryhole to get a better view. (One can usually spy it through the trees from the trail up above).

Even though I didn't get past the meadow again it was still a great hike. I'll have plenty of chances to reach the summit this spring anyway. The trail head is only 15 minutes away!

Welcome to the Alaskan Trails Blog!

This is my blog about trails I've hiked in Alaska. I will include trail conditions and other details about the hike so you can better plan your own (including pics!).

Feel free to post hikes you have done as well. I have hiked hundreds of miles of trials all over Alaska but am in Juneau right now so will focus on hikes in this area. If you have any questions about other hikes ask. I could post a trip report if it is one I've done.

Enjoy!

-AlaskanHiker