Little Switzerland, AK

[miller]

Anyone been there in July?

 

Have any idea if that is a good time to go?

 

 

Thanks!

[wfinley]

I have climbed in there in August. Rock / snow etc. was great - weather was iffy. July would have been better. The previous party before us had been in for a couple weeks of July and had killer weather and did many routes.

[miller]

hey hey!

 

were you able to fly in and out?

 

do you know anything about the hike out if they cant land?

 

thanks!

[wfinley]

Yes - we were able to fly in and out. We had to stamp out the suncups on the runway - and Paul / TAT flew over us a few times while we were there to monitor the snow. Definitly fly with Paul -- he'll go out of his way to make sure he gets you out. While we were there he actually landed the plane twice with flightseers to pick up our and another groups crap. (Imagine paying good money to flightsee and having to fly out with a bag of frozen crap that slowly thaws as you reach Talkeetna.)

 

The hike out is a bear (no pun intended as you will most likely meet a few). Go out the pass SW of LS - drop down to the Kahiltna -- hike S until you can veer E to Peter's Hills then thrash your way down misc. mining roads and ATV trails until your reach the Petersville Road. There is a landing strip 1/2 between the Kahiltna and Petersville Road. If you're seriously considering it contact the AK chapter of NOLS as they actually guide (un)willing 18 year old girls on this route every now and then. Likewise Roger Robinson (at the Ranger station) could show you the route he used in the past.

[tanstaafl]

I was up there last year during the last week of June and the first week of July. Weather was astounding (only one rain day), and TAT flew us in and out no problem. There were a couple of days when no planes were flying, but that was because there was so much smoke from forest fires.