Proposed snowmachine access to Eklutna Traverse

[wfinley]

Glacier City Snowmobile Tours has submitted a proposal to move their summertime operation from the Spencer Glacier to the Eagle Glacier. They are requesting an opening of approximately 3 square miles for a “handful” of snowmachines. Access to the glacier will be via fixed wing and helicopter. Glacier City Tours will maintain two tents and an outhouse on the glacier and are requesting 450 service days (a service day is 1 user day / person).

 

For those of you who are unaware of the area, the Eagle Glacier lies N of Girdwood and is the start (or end depending on direction) of the world-famous Eklutna Traverse. The Ekulutna Traverse is a 40 mile glacier traverse that travels across 3 glaciers and has 3 huts along the way. The huts are maintained by the Mountaineering Club of Alaska and the trip is one of the best hut to hut trips worldwide. Glacier City is claiming that their operation will not interfere with the mountaineering route – and they claim they they will not be going near the hut. But the access to this route will pass straight through their territory – and anyone who has ever skied near snowmachines knows that is one is within 5 miles you know they’re there!

 

Below are contact points where you can express your opinion.

 

Teresa Paquet

Special Uses Specialist

Glacier Ranger District, Chugach National Forest

907-754-2314, (fax) 907-783-2094

 

PLEASE write, fax or call and express your concern over this proposed opening. Even if you’ve never been to Alaska call and say you’re concerned. Imagine going to do the Haute Route and having to ski past snowmachines… that’s what it will be like if this goes through.

 

Teresa did say that comments that offer some sort of alternative will be most looked at. Personally I think is bogus… they have an alternative – the Spencer Glacier. However concerns such as safety (imagine skiing roped up past some Florida tourist out for an “adventurous” snowmachine tour), wildlife (there won’t be any if snowmachines are buzzing about), increased helicopter traffic over the tiny Girdwood Valley, not to mention the fact that you’ll now have to share the 2000’ descent to the Eagle Glacier hut with a bunch of motorhead tourist.

 

So once again… please call, write, fax, ask them to post maps, notices etc.. Your input will make a difference.

 

More info can be found on the CNF site here:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/chugach/news_releases/glacier_city/glacier_city_tours.html

 

See the attachment for a pic of Eagle Glacier.

Edited February 24, 2005 by wfinley

[Alpinfox]

I did the Eklutna traverse in 1992. It was one of my first real backcountry experiences ever, and still one of my fondest memories. I saw a WOLVERINE loping along the Eagle glacier !! It really would be a tragedy if snowmobiles were allowed up there, but the 'bilers lobby is VERY strong in AK.

 

Thanks for getting the word out on this issue.

[wfinley]

Tell Teresa that -- you won't see any Wolverine if this goes through.

[Kraken]

I plan on doing the Eklutna Traverse soon, perhaps this spring, and I can't imagine having to put up with the CONSTANT noise of snowmachines on that route. Plus, what is to stop them from going out of their bounds? Not to mention it would pollute the glacier, add increased traffic to the glacier, cause visable damage...need I go on? I'm listing everything I can. Machiners can keep to their already 8 month season, there's no reason to extend to WILDERNESS for the sake of the almighty dollar.

[wfinley]

Dudes... you are preaching to the choir. Tell it to the (wo)man: tpaquet@fs.fed.us

[Kraken]

i just left her a message with my t houghts but i think i'll still write a letter, everyone else should too. thios is BULLSHIT!

[Alpinfox]

My email:

 

Hi Teresa,

I hiked the Eklutna Traverse about 13 years ago and it was one of my first real backcountry experiences and still one of my fondest memories. I remember sitting on the porch of one of the huts overlooking one of the glaciers (can't remember which one now), and seeing a wolverine come loping down the glacier - the only wolverine I have ever seen in the wild. It covered a distance of a mile or two with incredible speed and then disappered over a ridge.

 

The opportunity to have such experiences are increasingly rare in this day of expansion and population growth, and it would be a shame to deprive future generations of such opportunities by spoiling accessible wilderness areas such as the Eklutna Traverse with snowmobile traffic. Those loud, obnoxious, and polluting machines will ensure that no wildlife will be seen in the area. Furthermore, they will result in the deposition of trash in the area, the overuse of the huts, and increase the potential for injuries requiring expensive and dangerous rescue efforts in the backcountry.

 

For these reasons, I urge you to deny Glacier City Snowmobile's request to operate a for-profit snowmobile service on the Eagle Glacier.

 

Sincerely,

- -

[Kraken]

what is her email?

[Kraken]

 

Here is the letter I wrote to her. I am going to have the club members sign it if they agree with it on thursday night's meeting. I'll send it off on Friday morning.

 

 

 

To Teresa Paquet, Special Uses Specialist of the Chugach National Forest, Glacier District:

 

Rumor has been stirring lately that Glacier City Tours, which runs a summertime snowmobile tourist company out of Girdwood, wants to expand. From their current location on the Spencer Glacier, we understand that they now want to take over a portion of the Eagle Glacier. Being one of the most serene and pristine glacier ecosystems around, it seems almost morally wrong to even consider allowing for this company to gain access to this almost untouched environment.

The University of Alaska Anchorage Outdoor Club has discussed this matter and we stand behind other outdoor associations such as the Mountaineering Club of Alaska, Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking, the Alaska Alpine Association, etc. Should Glacier City Tours receive permission to run their tour on what we referred to as this almost untouched environment, soon, it will become just the opposite of that. The Eagle Glacier will become yet another populated profit station. It will lose all aspects of appeal that it currently retains.

Not only will this company disrupt the world famous glacier crossing, the Eklutna traverse, it will affect animals’ habitats, trails and migration routes and hunting grounds (such as the wolverine, wolf, moose, bear, fox, etc). Glacier City Tours states on their advertising pamphlet that tourists will get the chance to spot “real Alaskan wildlife.” Our response to that is simple...how many animals run towards or remain in one spot when the obnoxious revving of a snow mobile is heard?

We believe that while everyone has an equal opportunity to use the Eagle, or any other glacier for that matter, that they should do so in a natural way. Furthermore, if one side should have the bigger say, and advantage, shouldn’t it be the residents of Alaska as well as the hikers and skiers (who use the traverse), as opposed to a few Florida tourists? If these tourists want a real Alaskan snow machine adventure, let them either have it on the Spencer Glacier, or in their choice of any of our seven to eight months of snowy season, where snow machines are perfectly acceptable. We have no problem with snowmobilers, we believe there is a time and place for everything, yet the Eagle Glacier is not the place and there will never be a time for it.

We have nothing against the right for a company to make a buck, but we say “let them do son on the Spencer Glacier.” Imagine taking a week off from a hectic job in Anchorage, or perhaps even somewhere in the Lower 48 and setting out on the Eklutna Glacier to traverse south. Wanting only peace and quiet, and serene views, you are forced to deal with untrained snowmobilers and the constant noise produced by the six to nine machines which would be zooming around right within your immediate area. There goes the peaceful trip

In short, we ask you to think of Alaskans first, and not the few tourists who would use this service. Think of the wildlife, the environment, and the hikers and skiers attempting to escape such madness. We as a club, as Alaskans, and most of all, as environmentalists and lovers of the Chugach ask you to make the right decision and vote against this company’s request to move their business to the Eagle Glacier.

 

Thank you for your time.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

Clint Helander

[Kraken]

FYI, the deadline was march 7 for comments, but due to public interest, it has been extended to Monday, March 14th.

 

It isn't too late. We had people sign a petition all during Banff and got nearly 100 signatures. I hope it helps.

 

Get out there and voice your opinion.

[Alpinfox]

 

 

Bye Bye Wolverines.

 

Dear Friends of the Chugach:

Thank you for your comments regarding Glacier City Snowmobile Tours’ (GCST) request for an amendment to their existing permit. I appreciate the level of response that was received regarding this request (over 150 comments via phone, fax, electronic and regular mail) and I have carefully considered each comment. In response to the level of input and interest from the public, a site visit to Eagle Glacier that included a State Park employee was arranged to ensure full consideration of concerns raised. After reviewing all of the information available, I made the decision to authorize GCST to operate commercially guided summer snowmobile, hiking and snowshoeing tours and a base camp on Eagle Glacier located northeast of Girdwood, Alaska.

 

My decision to authorize the use on Eagle Glacier is based in part on the guided activity’s consistency with the Chugach National Forest Revised Land and Resource Management Plan, as the management direction for summer motorized recreation access for the project area is Open to Motorized Use on Designated Routes Only, Open to Helicopters. In addition, the decision to authorize the use came after mitigation measures were developed to address issues brought up by those who commented. A few of those measures are listed here:

• To reduce potential noise, visual and social impacts to mountaineers and skiers who use the Eklutna Traverse the operating period started May 28, 2005 for base camp set up and will end October 5, 2005. Guided tours will run June 1 through September 30. Because the majority of use of the Eklutna Traverse occurs before May 15, allowing guided operations to begin no earlier than June 1, 2005 should allow for multiple uses of this area and reduced adverse impacts to the non-motorized user.

• GCST is required to establish a “Hot Line” which allows those using the south end of the Eklutna Traverse and Rosie’s Roost hut to leave a message detailing when they will use the area and where they will be. GCST will then be required to avoid use within a viewshed of the traverse and Rosie’s Roost hut on Chugach State Park land. This measure was developed to addresses the non-motorized recreationists’ desire for quiet and solitude.

 

Operations will be monitored throughout the season to ensure permit terms and stipulations are adhered to. The amendment may or may not be reissued for the 2006 season depending upon results of the monitoring and other input.

 

Please see the Decision Memo accompanying this letter for further details. Thank you for your interest in the Chugach National Forest. If you have any questions please contact Teresa Paquet, (907) 754-2314 or tpaquet@fs.fed.us.