I do want to however i just forked over a bunch of dough for new driveshafts and currie upper control arms. Which by the way are totally worth it

 

I hit Hatcher Pass last weekend, there's a decent trail or two up there. Did more camping than wheeling though.

There's a decent trail that goes to Moose Pass too, a Chief in his FJ (he and I go back and forth all the time) did it so I know my Rubicon can. If you're heading South to Seward, take the Y to Soldotna and I think it's on the left. I can get more exact details if you need them.

I'm a little saddened by the Jeep community in Anchorage, 80% of the owners just have them for 4 wheel drive, no loyalty.

-r3

 

Hmmmmm......you'll have to get more details on this for sure as I've never heard of this one. I've been on a trail that comes out at Tern Lake from the Cooper Landing area, but never up to Moose Pass. And there is one that goes up to a mine that starts in Moose Pass. But frankly from where you are saying I don't see how there can be...

 

I'll ask him when I see him Thursday. I'm going to run up to Hatcher one last time this weekend. It's the last weekend the gf has off until October and only have a 3 season tent. Four years in Arizona, a little over a year in Guam and a year in Turkey has destroyed my kinship to cold weather.

I'll poke around and see if I can't locate a decent trail or two.

-r3

 

It's all about the right gear my friend....

 

+1- the Saami say, there's no such thing as bad weather, just depends on how you dress.

I've been meaning to take a trip to the Willow side of HP- there's a few trails I've been wanting to explore. Most private property is marked- right?

 

There is a lot of private property and it's very clearly marked but about 10 miles in it tapers off. I started from the Palmer side the last trip and exited the Willow side. I'm going to go the other way this time.

A lot of washboard road. If you have anything just screwed on you may want to check it from time to time. I replaced my rubber hood hold-downs with the turnbuckles and they were coming loose by the end.

And I agree, there's tons of gear that will make the colder climates more bearable. But I was a transplant back in '87 and I enlisted out of Anchorage in '94. Alaska really isn't home for me. I love the beauty of it, and the expanses of nothing. I don't even mind the mosquitoes. If only it was 10 degrees warmer over all.

 

Yeah.......I guess it's really about where you were raised. I came to AK in 83' from Tahoe where I was raised.....so I knew about snow and cold. But the long winters are what gets harder for me as I get older.

 

Okay, I pinned down the Chief, they're awfully wily....

If you go to google maps and look at the Y in the Seward Highway where it splits off to Sterling Highway right at Tern lake and zoom in there's a "jeep trail" that will lead you towards the Quartz Creek road, then if you head east again the Crescent Circle trail. It looks like it takes you to the middle of Carter lake then picks up again so I'm not sure how that will pan out. Just like you were describing. I can't see where it would get you to Moose Pass either. If you could get around Carter lake the trail will lead you right back to the Seward highway and then you can get to town but that's kind of cheating.

If we had a summer that was >80 degrees but still as dry I'd stick around. This summer was weak with maybe two weeks of mid/high 70's. Don't even get me started with last summer, I got one good weekend of camping in.

-r3

 

Ok.....I had a feeling I knew what you were talking about, but now I know for sure. I have been on the "jeep" trail that goes towards Quarts Creek........I did it the other way around....from Quarts creek to Tern Lake. I happened upon it and didn't know where it would take me. It really wasn't much of a jeep trail as I did it in my old 2wd Dodge pu.

But the Crescent Creek, Crescent Lake, and Carter Lake trails are closed to motor vehicles May 1- Nov 30. I know people that take snow machines on them in the winter. I guess after Nov. 1 if by chance we haven't gotten any snow then "maybe" taking your jeep up there "might" be doable. But that area usually gets snow a bit sooner than we, or you guys do. So unless you get lucky, these trails are pretty much a no go.