The challenge is to figure out how to curb the bad behavior of those people who are simply looking for an out-of-public-view spot to engage in such activities, without restricting access to the park by legitimate users who simply want to be able toRead more , Im sympathetic about the crime, but it sounds like the Honey Bear residents are engaged in their own illegal behavior (blocking off a public city street and putting illegal signage on it, even after the city told them they couldnt!). There is one section of the trail that becomes singletrack. By submitting the photos to the Assembly Pugh entered them into the public record, revealing the tools he employs to record and track those who use the Stewart Trail. Pugh began prominently displaying a large revolver on his hip, and reportedly began driving close behind nervous hikers with his truck. A less developed trail continues on for another 2 miles, then quickly gains elevation to the pass. 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. In a 2018 phone call, one exhausted legislator described the situation as an emotional shitshow.. Also, the fire truck turnaround thing is obviously an excuse to keep hikers away. 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). Note the line of old fenceposts visible right below the rainbowthese are a good landmark for when you might consider crossing the valley and heading up McHugh. From central Anchorage, take the Seward Highway south to O'Malley Road (or take the Minnesota Bypass, which turns east and becomes O'Malley Road). 3 and 4: 55 Ways to the Wilderness (1972). But Cavanaugh almost immediately developed a hostile relationship with Stewart Trail users. Governor Kevin Meyer. 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. Fascinating read and quite thorough. He said he had spoken with Pugh shortly after Pugh purchased his lot. And there are so many stories of hikers and berry pickers being harassed by residents up there. bushwacking thru alders and devils club). In early August 2017, a new figure emerged on the Stewart Trail. The park has many trails. 7-10 days is the most common. From here, you can head up the steep and winding, Arctic Valley Road. In the winter, experienced outdoorspeople hike its wind-blown ridges and ski on its mellow north and west-facing bowls. However, it was clear that the RCCC meetings under Pughs leadership had accomplished one thing: a resistance had crystallized. This trailhead specifically provides access to McHugh Peak ridge. Despite the public announcements, documents suggest uncertainty and lingering questions about the accuracy of the new No Parking signs. Meacham insisted that the MOA was, in fact, providing as much help as it could. Rabbit Creek Trailhead; Grandview Trailhead; Turnagain Arm Turnagain Arm Trail. This is one of the steepest hike we do. 7-10 days is the most common. Car, train, or group tour. The Alaskan spirit is to allow all to enjoy the outdoors and do things for the greater good of the community, not just ones own self (that is a very American quality- the self serving, individualistic culture). By this point, many influential people in the broader Anchorage community had become aware of the bizarre drama unfolding on the Stewart Trail and at the RCCC. I feel compelled to set the record straight. Problems with public access have proliferated across Chugach State Park, from the South Fork Eagle River Trailhead to Mt. The address of Bear Valley Hike is Cavanaugh emerged from the bushes yelling Go away! while waving a GoPro camera, and then attempted to block the trail with his vehicle. The usual kind of casual, Alaska Hello.'. Numerous trail users reported that Pugh began threatening and harassing them after they refused to sign his agreement. The vast majority of McHugh is long, fairly relaxed Class 2 (hiking, light scrambling) ridgelines, but attaining the true summit requires a very short Class 4 climb up a cluster of large rocks. Campgrounds, RV Parks & Public Use Cabins. The trail was one of my favorites as well and I miss it. Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 9 miles Elevation Gain: 850 feet Rarely do two lakes lie within a few feet of each other. Given all of that, its tempting to call Pease the Queen of the Mountain, but that would be shortsighted. He identified himself as a longtime former coworker and friend of Pugh. All trails from this trailhead are flat. Located 40 minutes north of downtown Anchorage in the Eagle River Valley, the center serves as the gateway to the Chugach. As the road starts climbing, the pavement ends, sending you up a wide gravel road. And if I saw that it was a well-established trail, which it was, I probably would not have bought it planning on not letting other people use it. Therefore, we respectfully request that you remove the barriers you have installed by March 4, 2016. Some trail users declined to engage with Pugh, while others began carrying copies of the MOAs letters stating the trail was public. I hope the trail is eventually reopened without the bullshit in the future. He disingenuouslyRead more . I dont recall her telling anyone to leave. Sign-up for any of the following email series to help plan your Alaska trip. From downtown, take New Seward Highway toward Seward. Before and after Frank Pugh bought his property people accessing Stewart Trail disregarded the property rights of nearby neighbors. Big ship or small ship? This ridge is well-traveled and there is an informal trail running along it most of the way. Eliminating the easement and closing the trail had been Pughs plan from the beginning. Prepare to walk a ways longer than expected due to the location of overflow parking. The mountain goes unnamed on current maps and hikers simply refer to it as East McHugh, but 1979 USGS maps briefly gave it its own name: Ruby. Courtesy Anchorage Assembly records. Portage Pass Trail. An assemblyman wants to change that. cites Weddletons position as follow: For most of the city, its a no-brainer out of fairness that the entire Hillside should pay taxes for park maintenance, Weddleton said. 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. Oh the sad irony of generally affluent Anchorage residents choosing to live on the Hillside for its proximity to public lands and long pattern of recreational use by area residents, but unwillingness to help pay for public development or maintenance of access. Car, train, or group tour. . Eklutna. In an October 10, 2018 call, APD spokesperson MJ Thim told the Landmine: Overall this is a civil matter [as opposed to criminal] and we will respond if there are any public safety matters, but this is a civil matter and thats how were treating it., Though Pugh has repeatedly called APD to report trespassers, noone has faced criminal charges for using the trail. 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. There is no way fire department equipment could have accessed, much less turned around in, the space. I live by the park entrance off of Upper Huffman. Whitehead handed out carrot treats and suggested touching Stars antlers once he warmed up to the new attention. Later, Pugh recovered the memory cards, identified each of us, and compiled his footage into a video. Signage on the Stewart Trail posted by Christopher Matthew Cavanaugh, photographed October 14, 2018. Does this trail get overgrown. Great views!!!!! This site is not currently open to the public, but history buffs and others still visit it. The drive itself is only 45 minutes, but once you get there, you'll want to spend more time photographing and exploring. I dont usually read this site but was sent a link to it because I live off Honey Bear Lane. He appears to be walking his dog. Not long after, the Stewarts moved to Anchorage and opened Stewarts Photo on 4th Avenue. Honestly. All trails are flat. Fortunately, the trail to see this geological rarity begins just a 30 -minute drive north of Anchorage. Almost immediately, the meeting careened out of control. Many nearby residents, some of whom had moved to the neighborhood specifically because of the Stewart Trail, were aghast. They were instead forced into some other hillside bottleneck, or they didnt hike at all. On the other side, strike out across the open tundra and climb any of the slopes arcing upward toward McHugh Peak. The Landmine was unable to determine who first brought the situation to the attention of the Municipality of Anchorage (MOA), but on February 29, 2016 then-MOA Attorney Bill Falsey drafted a letter to Pugh with a clear message: the gate was illegal, and would need to be removed. 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. Christopher Constant, Chris Birch, and Jeff Landfield walk the Stewart Trail, October 1, 2018. But the people are coming anyway.. Unless I missed a point- no where in this article does Alaska Landmine mention Private Property ownership Rights As longtime homesteaders of Potter Heights (60+ years) We knew The homesteaders that created Stewart road (the Millers were one) none of them did it to give the public recreational access to their land-Period!- Private property is just that- I stand with Frank Pugh, and other Potter land owners that want their privacy preserved. In late 2017, Anchorage Assemblymember John Weddleton proposed an ordinance bringing the entire Hillside into the parks service area. In his letters, Falsey writes that the Stewart Trail is open to public use because it meets the qualifications for a prescriptive public easement. Rising above the Potter Valley neighborhood on the southeast corner of Chugach State Park, its summit and the ridges below it have a graceful symmetry uncommon in the Chugach Mountains. 2-5 day small ship explorations. category. When we asked about the boulders, he told us I dont know who put them there. When we told the man we were working on a story, he abruptly said I bet youre for trespassing on private property. He then stated he would not be answering any more questions. As a young man, Whitehead spent long weekends camping on Ruby, watching dall sheep bound between the crags. Illegal and/or disgusting behavior is always a potential problem where roads dead end at a park boundary. From the trailhead, the clearly-signed trail begins at the parking lot and switchbacks through dense alder toward the broad shoulder of McHughs north ridge. On September 17, 2012, Frank Pugh and wife Oksana Pugh purchased a 120-acre lot in upper Potter Valley formerly known as the Earl Hutchings Homestead. He was sometimes slow, one former coworker told the Landmine, but he was careful. Car, train, or group tour. But others refused. Distance: 2.0 miles, Elevation gain 1000 ft. From the Ridge Peak, follow the ridge to McHugh Peak (4311 ft). The City of Anchorage considers the Stewart Trail a public right-of-way and has repeatedly demanded that the Pughs remove the gate, without success. Bear Valley route (North Ridge): 5.4 miles round trip, 2,300 ft. elevation gain. Weddleton added, that traffics coming anyway. . Smoked salmon and cans of King Street hefeweizen sat on the table, and an aged golden retriever ambled between guests in the packed living room. Because it is south-facing in a high-wind area next to the ocean, this route is often fully snow-free as soon as early May. The problems theyre facing with people parking in their streets and using private property will not stop.. At the signed intersection, cut right/northeast/uphill onto the McHugh Lake Trail. He rushed to the Bird Valley Trailhead to aid volunteers from Alaska ATV Adventures in rescuing Knudsen. A city where most of the homesteader roads had long since been paved over, the trails had been blazed a generation ago, and the mountains already belonged to everyone. The trail also has a few stream crossings without bridges for the average adventurer. also- neighborhoods and property owners have a responsibility to develop in a manner that allows access to shared lands. The emails, the blog posts, the relentless confrontations. And Public Land must be accessible. We'll match you with a local itinerary expert to help you plan your trip. Groups are currently working to restore public access to this route. The brush on the south side of McHugh is not at all bad by Chugach standards, though the tundra and grasses can be steep and slippery. Eklutna. The routes marked on my map are really just suggestions, and its up to you to find your way through this collection of shallow ridges, rocky outcrops, and tundra slopes. 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. Take a left on Kullberg, following it through switchbacks, then turn right on Malcolm Dr. This trailhead is the only designated public access . Highlights plus less visited destinations. It can be overgrown so stay bear aware in this area. Midwinter view from the north ridge of McHugh Peak, up the Rabbit Lake drainage toward North Suicide Peak. This trail is not marked on official maps, but it is nearly as well-defined as the rest of the McHugh Lake Trail itself. Wolverine Trail, Anchorage, AK 99516, USA . Yes, he said, Weve heard several stories of that effect.. The creek is generally low and easy to cross. This trailhead has many route options. At first glance, this would appear to be an astonishing value; buildable lots nearby often sell for $150,000/acre or more. This, they explained, was why the tract had sat on the market for so long and at such a seemingly low price. We are not even remotely involved in the Stewart controversy. Flattop is arguably Alaskas most popular (and therefore, most crowded) mountain; Rendezvous is far less crowded and offers better views from the summit. Its western flanks enfold several of South Anchorages hillside neighborhoods and dont flatten out until they reach the New Seward Highway. Dont come on here! Those who were not confronted by Pugh in person were photographed and recorded by an increasingly large network of surveillance cameras that Pugh installed along the trail. We had been told that the HOA occasionally plowed snow into the trailhead cul-de-sacs fire truck turnaround to discourage parking by hikers. 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. Distance: 0.9 miles, Elevation gain 1000 ft. Highlights plus less visited destinations. Shed stopped using the Stewart Trail after Pugh erected his gate because she found the situation depressing. Anchorage outdoor writer and journalist Craig Medred told the Landmine that once, while battling his way down the Stewart Trail during a storm, he had been picked up by the wind and flung through the air into a ditch. 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