Hunter Creek Hunter's Trail
by Shawn Lyons, ADN, 6/28/92  "Gems of the Chugach"

At the intersection of the Knik River Road and Hunter Creek there is a narrow, wooded ridge that climbs southwest to a bench above the creek.  A lengthy traverse climbs from there through a tundra valley to a 5,000-foot pass just below Bold Peak.  Once over this pass, one begins a long descent down the winding valley to Eklutna Lake far below.  That is a great long hike or overnight excursion.  But the trip can also be made into a day hike by turning around at any moment.  No matter which you choose, this is not the easiest of hikes. Even from the very beginning, you must be careful to stay on the apex of the ridge as it rises from Knik Road.  Too far to the left, and you'll be sliding down the scree into the creek whereas too far to the right and you'll find yourself dodging cowflaps or being chased by an ornery bull in the private meadows that border the creek.  Then, after you survive this Scylla and Charybdis of the lower reaches, there is still the brush at the top of the bench which can be a gantlet of nettles, devil's club, grass, broken branches, etc., that can turn a simple hike into a torturous march.  But the trouble is worth it. From the level of the bench, where the hunter and horseback trail is sporadically flagged, on up into the tundra, the panoramic view of the Hunter Creek valley and the braided Knik River disappearing into the deeper confines and shadows of the great mountains upstream is spectacular.  My friend Alan always insists that he won't climb unless there's a view. Rest assured there is a view on this hike, but it is not achieved without some sweat investment.  Apart from the previously mentioned hazards, this is the one hike of the six with the greatest elevation gain - more than 4,000 feet from the creek to the top of the pass.