Hatcher Pass

Hatcher Pass is in the southwestern Talkeetna Mountains between Willow and Palmer. Hatcher Pass Road (Fishhook Road) is a scenic sixty miles, twenty unpaved (gravel) on the west side of the pass. Summit Lake is a small cirque lake, or alpine tarn, the remnant of a glacier, hosting Summit Lake Recreation Area. The Little Susitna River flows south from the pass.

start of unpaved road firs river river road landscape river landscape river river pass treeline above treeline pass pass above treeline above treeline above treeline Summit Lake summit marker pass Little Susitna River

Robert Lee Hatcher discovered lode gold near the summit of Skyscraper Mountain in September, 1906. Independence Mine State Historical Park preserves one of Alaska's largest gold mining camps, which closed in 1951.

mine office engine engine parts mine ruins mine mine mine hillside and tailings stream tailings and entrance Paul stream ruins ruins mine window reflection engine detail mine railroad mine railroad cars

All of it is above treeline.

valley stream above treeline above treeline glacial valley

Wildlife:

Flowers:

flower daisies wild geranium

Insects:

flowers with insects bee bee

The arctic ground squirrel (sicsic), Urocitellus parryii, is native to North American arctic tundra, living in sandy soil for easy digging and good drainage.

sicsic

The hoary marmot, Marmota caligata, lives in alpine meadows and hibernates from mid-September to April or early May.

marmot

moose, Alces alces gigas

cow moose cow moose

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Last modified 4 November 2019