[10] The highway continues onto the Portage Creek Bridge, which is 114 feet (35 m) long. Portage Glacier Highway highlighted in red. When a train was scheduled to come through the tunnel, crews reported they had to spend "up to two hours breaking down equipment, getting it all outside and waiting for the train to pass before heading back into the mountain". [38], Work on the tunnel rapidly increased into the summer of 1942. Get directions, reviews and information for Portage Pass in , AK. Hopefully this helps you find the right one. Cart. Section 17.38.035. to assist in the construction of the future railroad's two tunnels. The event has been held since 2002, except it was not held in 2010. Portage Pass Trailhead | Longest Tunnel in NORTH AMERICA!!! Passing by the Cliffside Marina and the Alaska Railroad Whittier Depot, the route crosses over Whittier Creek before immediately making a left onto Whittier Street, crossing the railroad and bending southeastward and traveling past a large parking lot, the headquarters. The road serves the Portage Glacier branch of the park. [2] Past milepost 6 is a turnout for the Byron Glacier and Portage Lake. The Alaska Railroad would allow vehicles to drive onto flatcars, which would then be transported by train through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel to Whittier. The first boring of the tunnel began on the east side of the mountain, and shortly afterwards, construction on the west side began. At a length of 13,300 ft (4,100 m), it is the second-longest highway tunnel and longest combined rail and highway tunnel in North America. - See 13 traveler reviews, 31 candid photos, and great deals for Whittier, AK, at Tripadvisor. In addition to the state's paving of the highway, the Alaska Railroad began offering shuttle services between Portage and Whittier in the mid-1960s. [2][8] Peaks of the Chugach Mountains, along with several hanging glaciers can be seen from the road; Portage Glacier is out of view. Le sentier offre plusieurs activités et sa meilleure utilisation est de mars à octobre. [2] The road continues into the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. Portage Pass Trail: How is this not #1? While crews were working on the tunnel, a drunken Whittier resident drove his or her truck into the tunnel and got it stuck on the rails. The walk traditionally takes place in June. West Construction and the Army began working on the tunnel under Mount Maynard in late August 1941. Currently it is used as a migratory route for birds and as a recreational opportunity by hikers like you! [31] The tunnel is operated on a strict time schedule, with vehicles being allowed in for 15 minutes from each a single direction before alternating to the other. The control tower last heard from the pilot at 9:12 a.m. Construction of the highway, done by Herndon and Thompson Inc., was finished before tunnel work began. Despite low visibility, the plane took off at 9 a.m., flew through Portage Pass and along the snow-capped Chugach Mountains. [2][8], Moose can be seen along the highway, as well as black and brown bears. The trail head is on the Whittier side of the tunnel between Whittier and Bear Valley / Portage. [28] Spawning salmon species of sockeye, chum, and coho can be seen in Portage Creek. A short, 0.25 miles (0.40 km) long boardwalk trail and the 4.6 miles (7.4 km) long Trail of Blue Ice are accessible through the Moose Flats Day-Use area. [48] In 1981, the AkDOT&PF began to study possible alternatives to the railroad, which would have cost anywhere between $10 million and $68 million. Less than a week after the announcement of the plan, surveying of the area around Whittier was taking place in order to make sure of the safety of building the railroad terminal. The highway's lowest monthly traffic is in late winter, when the average monthly traffic is only about 6,000. [33][36] It was possible for boats to travel through the valley by using the Passage Canal and the creek up until 1913. However, unlike in that case, the Whittier Access project was found to be the only feasible solution for a link to Whittier. The tunnel was upgraded to bimodal use by the Kiewit Construction Company between September 1998 and mid-summer 2000. [29], A toll is charged for access through the Anton Anderson Tunnel. These counts are taken using a metric called annual average daily traffic (AADT). One place says trail is 1600 foot gain but forest service has gain at top of 800 feet. It was foggy and … 7 reviews of Portage Pass Trail "Outstanding trail. Depot Road splits away from the highway, which continues for a short distance along Dock Access Road before reaching its eastern terminus, the AMHS pier. [33][35] Russian fur traders and early settlers continued to use the valley, establishing a trail along the creek and the Portage and Burns glaciers. Western end of FFH-35 designation, Visitor Center access road. Near milepost 4 is the Williwaw fish viewing observation deck, which allows travelers to view spawning salmon in July through September. The bridge, which is just 83 feet (25 m) long,[11] spans over Placer Creek, the smaller of the two creeks feeding Portage Lake. While that was being completed, some crews installed a series of anti-icing insulation panels and drainage pipes to keep the tunnel clear during winter months. Small buses and regular RVs are charged $38, while large buses must pay $137. [47] After consulting with members of the Alaska Railroad, the general public, and highway and tunnel engineers, the AkDOT&PF decided to proceed with the last option, involving the expansion of the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel and the construction of a highway. The roadway continues through central Whittier before reaching a four-way intersection with Blackstone Road, Eastern Avenue, and Depot Road, after which the route transfers to the latter. Just this one view was well worth the effort of climbing the mile and a half. Portage Pass is a gap in Alaska and has an elevation of 591 feet. The highway continues to the six-lane Bear Valley Staging area, and the toll booth for the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. [22] In addition to taking AADT, the AkDOT&PF also takes monthly and yearly counts for the highway. The trail takes you up to the top of a landing, where you can see spectacular views. The portion of the Portage Glacier Highway traveling from the Seward Highway to the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center is designated as part of Forest Highway 35, a Federal Forest Highway (FFH). The U.S. entered World War II on December 8, 1941, after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. The hike is approximately two mile in … Alaska was declared a vulnerable attack target, as was the existing railroad connecting Anchorage and Seward. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. These rulings were legally significant as they appeared to overturn the precedent established in the Overton Park case, which was interpreted as saying that "it must be shown that the implications of not building [a] highway pose an `unusual situation'". A collection of natural giants The Portage Pass is the perfect place to view a number of glaciers, a few of which are reminiscent of great writers: Shakespeare, Burns, and Byron, as well as Middle and Explorer. The trail provides views of the Middle Glacier. [2][8] At the turnout for the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center is the Byron Glacier Trail as well as several others. Winter hindered the construction of the tunnel until mid November, when a small "snowshed" building was constructed. A Passage Through Time - Portage Pass Portage Pass has been historically used by Alaska Natives, Russian fur traders, and early settlers. Probably one of the best bang-for-your buck hikes I've ever been on. The quickest way to get to the North Gulf Coast is via Portage Pass, which is barely 40 nautical miles southeast from Anchorage, opens into Prince William Sound and has about a 700-foot elevation. Le sentier longe un lac et sa difficulté est évaluée comme modérée. [7], The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, often called the Whittier Tunnel after the town at its eastern terminus, is a dual-use ("bimodal") highway and railroad tunnel that passes under Maynard Mountain. The highway is made up of a series of roads, bridges, and tunnels that connect the Portage Glacier area of the Chugach National Forest and the city of Whittier to the Seward Highway. The structure was designed so that it would appear to fit with the environment but could also withstand the regular seismic activity of the region and have a minimal impact on the surrounding fish and plant populations. The tunnel uses a combination of portal fans and reversible jet fans to ensure proper air flow and air quality throughout the tunnel. Forest Highways are funded and administered by the USFS and the Federal Highway Administration;[4] the system was created by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921. Then-governor Knowles performed a ribbon-cutting and rode through the tunnel in a 1954-model Cadillac. [13], Vehicle convoys enter the tunnel in alternating directions every half hour. The tunnel also contains several pull-outs, which are reserved for disabled vehicles. [1] The town was destroyed in the 1964 Alaska earthquake when the ground in the area sank about six feet (1.8 m), putting most of the town below high tide level. These systems control the timing of vehicles entering the tunnel, spacing them for safety, and lower railroad gates when a train is approaching. Bald eagles can occasionally be seen from the highway. In November 1995, an environmental impact statement, created by HDR Alaska, was approved by the Federal Highway Administration, allowing the project to proceed. GEOLOGY OF THE PORTAGE PASS A~A, AWL- 213 No detded topographic map has bean made of the area around Portage Paw, although in 1913 C. E. Giffi made a topographic reconnaissance of the Portage Glacier region, including the ~ea de- scribed in this report.

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