A day out of anchorage

[dawn.glenn@ns.sympatico.c]

Are there any car rental agencies in anchorage that allow dirt road travel? Have a free day and thinking of renting a car and driving up to mantanuska glacier, possibly a glacier hike, perhaps musk ox farm, and would love to do Hatcher pass. Any other attractions that way you would recommend? Would this be a full day or still time to spare....what about independence mine

[karatemom2]

Are there any car rental agencies in anchorage that allow dirt road travel? Have a free day and thinking of renting a car and driving up to mantanuska glacier, possibly a glacier hike, perhaps musk ox farm, and would love to do Hatcher pass. Any other attractions that way you would recommend? Would this be a full day or still time to spare....what about independence mine

 

We rented a car from Avis in Anchorage and drove the Glenn Highway all the way to Independence Mine on the paved highway with many sightseeing stops along the way. I think you can get to most of the places you are mentioning without offroad driving. We were very pleased with our rental from Avis. It is just a couple of blocks from the Visitor's Center.

[AkSusan]

Are there any car rental agencies in anchorage that allow dirt road travel? Have a free day and thinking of renting a car and driving up to mantanuska glacier, possibly a glacier hike, perhaps musk ox farm, and would love to do Hatcher pass. Any other attractions that way you would recommend? Would this be a full day or still time to spare....what about independence mine

There may be some local ones (like Denali Car Rental) but the major ones that rent out of the airport and downtown, will not allow you to go on dirt/gravel road.

 

The roads all the way to Mat Glacier and the Musk Ox farm are paved and actually, if you go to Hatcher Pass from the Palmer side (off the Glenn Highway), it's paved all the way to the Independence Mine.

 

What you couldn't do is continue on that road to go to the Parks Highway (as that's the unpaved part), you'd just have to go back the way you came up to the mine.

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

[Glaciers]

There's just a few miles of unpaved road to Matanuska Glacier. Just the last part. If you go with a guide, I'm sure they would drive you the short distance from their office.

[dawn.glenn@ns.sympatico.c]

Thanks everyone. So those few miles of gravel....is that the actual "pass" section of the road? Glaciers...good point! Thanks

[AkSusan]

Thanks everyone. So those few miles of gravel....is that the actual "pass" section of the road? Glaciers...good point! Thanks

No, the road through the pass is all Hatcher Pass road, it's just that it's not paved all the way from the Glenn Highway side to the Parks Highway side. From the Glenn side, you lose paving at Independence Mine and from the Parks Highway side you don't have payment until you arrive at Independence Mine.

 

Here is our Department of Natural Resources - which has this area under their department describes the road -

 

Hatcher Pass Road Conditions: Please note that only the Palmer-Fishhook Road from the Palmer side to Independence Mine State Historical Park is paved. This road is open year-round except for the last mile to Independnece Mine in winter months. Four-wheel-drive is recommended in winter months. The Hatcher Pass Road from Mile 17.5 to Mile 32.5 is a rough, gravel, narrow and steep road that is not maintained in the winter (closed) In the summer, the road is open but expect slow passage. Use of RV's or large vehicles in not recommended.

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

[dawn.glenn@ns.sympatico.c]

Aweome...thanks!

[Glaciers]

There are some photos of the gravel portion of the road to Matanuska here as well as many of the glacier.

https://plus.google.com/photos/107326259154545546042/albums?banner=pwa&gpsrc=pwrd1#photos/107326259154545546042/albums/5222683397629236657

[dawn.glenn@ns.sympatico.c]

Beautiful pics! Thanks!