5 mi
gravel
Arctic Valley RdGravel route from Arctic Valley Rd to Ski Bowl Rd, Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska " This road is a publicly accessible road on a portion of the Fort Richardson army base. It is paved from the exit to when the road starts gaining elevation. From there, it is dirt and gravel until it reaches the ski lodge at the top end. The dirt is packed, the gravel is loose and sometimes large. There are quite a few sections of heavy washboard. This is a well traveled side road that many people in Anchorage go up to some times to look at some scenery. In the winter there is also the Arctic Valley ski area at the top end of the road. Mind you, the whole time you are on a military installation. If you bring your weed, or whatever, on that land and get busted somehow, you will probably get a federal charge or federal jail time. There is an old derelict missile silo at the top of one of those mountains. When I worked on the base on security they would always dispatch security officer is up to that area because people would try to jump the fence and go see the missile silo. They always got caught. From what I hear, they almost always get a federal charge. Don’t go in there unless you want to get arrested. This road is essentially a dead-end road with several restricted roads coming off of it, apparently only for military use. You can hike in the area if you are a civilian but you have to go get a pass at the Fort Richardson main gate office. Overall, this road is a good opportunity for scenic pictures of Anchorage and the Anchorage bowl. On a clear Day you can see clear across the turn again arm and the cooking light to the mountains on the other side. " |