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Ken Smith/Turnagain Times A family group enjoys a casual walk on the Trail of Blue Ice board walk in Portage. |
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Photo Courtesy of the US Forest Service Tied Arch bridge over Williwaw Creek, near Black Bear Campground in Portage Valley is a beautiful place to view salmon in August. |
By Alison Rein
Special to the Turnagain Times
The Trail of Blue Ice in Portage Valley is not your typical forest trail. This trail is wide enough to walk side-by-side, and its smooth surface of compacted gravel, wood decking or pavement make family outings easy—even when some of your family are not walkers. Strollers, wheelchairs, and bike wheels all spin easily on this trail. It’s like being on a bike path without being close to a road.
And the views are spectacular as the trail winds through glacial valleys and along pristine rivers and creeks, flush with spawning salmon.
Planning for this 6-mile long trail began over10 years ago; funding has come through the state’s transportation enhancements program, in three stages, starting in 2002. The last major section is under construction this summer, completing the majority of this Portage Lake to Seward Highway trail system. Land Design North provided design expertise for the last two stages that includes several elevated boardwalks and bridges.
Right now, the trail is completed in two sections, one section is a mile long, between Moose Flats Day Use Area and Explorer Glacier Viewing Area. The other section extends from Portage Lake to Black Bear Campground.
An experienced trail building company, Oregon Woods Inc., is hard at work this summer constructing the trail between Black Bear Campground and the Explorer Glacier Viewing Area. They also constructed the section between Williwaw and Black Bear Campgrounds, with an awe-inspiring section of curving boardwalk made of Alaskan yellow cedar instead of the usual treated wood. A tied arch bridge over Williwaw Creek provides excellent views of spawning salmon in August.
The following describes a loop that is just under 3 miles total length and is fully accessible for people with disabilities.
Starting at Portage Lake, the trail departs from the end of the lakeshore parking area furthest from the Visitor Center. People can use the paved and level shoulder of the road, or follow a compacted gravel trail that is slightly steeper than guidelines for wheelchair travel. These trails soon join up where the trail crosses Byron Glacier Road.
From the road crossing to Williwaw Campground (CG), the trail winds through spruce trees and alder/willow brush, filled with song birds every spring. The mountains on each side of the valley have waterfalls and glaciers to add variety to your vista.
Soon you’ll see Freestone Ponds, the source of much of the gravel used for Girdwood’s recent construction projects. Just past the ponds, you’ll come to a junction with the Williwaw Nature Trail. You can go right on the nature trail, or continue on the Trail of Blue Ice (they join at the campground).
The nature trail crosses Portage Highway and leads you around Williwaw Ponds. You’ll cross over Williwaw spawning channel, teeming with salmon each August, near the end of their life’s journey.
Follow the channel downstream, eventually going back across (actually under) Portage Highway, and end up at the Salmon Viewing Area, next to Williwaw CG. Several interpretive signs were recently installed on the nature trail about fish habitat.
Walk straight back on the CG Road towards the mountains to rejoin the Trail of Blue Ice, and head back up valley to return to Portage Lake.
You can add another mile to your hike by heading west towards Black Bear Campground. This half-mile section ends where this year’s construction is underway. Please stay off uncompleted sections of trail, and beware of construction activity.
Stop by the Glacier Ranger District or Begich, Boggs Visitor Center in Portage for current trail conditions and trail maps.
See you on the trail!
Alison Rein works for U.S. Forest Service Glacier Ranger District in Girdwood.