Second Annual Crow Pass to Eagle River Hike
by Allan Shayer, Scree 7/92

On Saturday morning June 27th sixteen people met at Loussac Library to hike the Crow Pass Trail. We met at 6:00 am and arranged for cars to be left at Eagle River Visitor's Center for the return ride. Then we reassembled at 7:30 for the ride to the trailhead at Girdwood. At the conclusion of the hike another contingent of drivers picked up the cars left at the trailhead.

The hike up to Crow Pass started just after nine in the morning and finished twelve and a half hours and twenty-seven miles later at 9:45 p.m. We enjoyed continual, light rain until 6:00 p.m., saw two black bears, made two river or stream crossings, and otherwise had an enjoyable day.

The trip starts with three miles of switchbacks up to Crow Pass which is snow-covered this time of year. Another half mile of snow brought us to the south side of the pass. Through the clouds we saw Raven Glacier and down Raven Creek valley to the beginning of Eagle River valley. Snow and rock slopes brought us to Raven Creek where there were two separate black bear sightings and a several-mile walk to the walk to the river ford near the beginning of Eagle River. As expected the water was cold, thigh deep and easily forded. The thirteen miles of fairly level trail to the Visitor's Center took about five hours, including another cold walk through Icicle Creek.

Hikers: Allan Shayer, Donna Lind, Kate Vinson, Larry Meshkin, Larry Runquist, Linda Stanton, Mark Miraglia, Mary Grisco, Mike Mastrino, Nancy Schnetzer, Natilie Phillips, Paul Laverty, Rob Schwebel, Sandy Powers, Tom Hamilton, Wendy Long