First trip on Hatcher Pass, July, 2010

Wow, I finally got a chance to drive on the dirt/gravel road portion of Hatcher Pass, and I have to say, even after all the trips I've taken out there before, I was nervous, with the proverbial butterflies in the stomach as I turned the corner and began the steep incline up the dirt road.

Quickly the memories came back: You can't drive this road with your car in "Drive", you need to shift down to first gear, go slow, and take your time. The road is slippery, and the "potholes" are large enough to swallow your car. Huge rocks jut out from the road.

Photos from Hatcher Pass

I wont add much other commentary here, other than to say wow, what a beautiful day here, and what a gorgeous drive!

This photo gives you a little idea of what it's like to drive on this portion of the Hatcher Pass road:

This photo was taken from one of the Hatcher Pass mountain peaks, looking down at the valley and road below:

I love this picture for showing some of the wonderful colors you'll find on Hatcher Pass:

And finally one more view from the side of the road. I took this while giving my tired and hot car a breather:

Hatcher Pass photo gallery

I didn't want to overwhelm you with photos here, but if you'd like to see more photos of the wonder that is Hatcher Pass, I've created a new Hatcher Pass photo gallery.