hatcher pass

When you drive on the long dirt road in Hatcher Pass, Alaska, you'll wind through the mountains, eventually ending up with gorgeous views of the valley, like this.

If you ever get the opportunity to drive on the dirt road that is Hatcher Pass, you'll encounter road conditions like this. Note: car rental companies don't like it if you drive their cars on roads like these, lol. The dirt road portion of Hatcher Pass usually opens some time in July, and closes in September, probably early September.

This is a view of the Hatcher Pass mountain range in Alaska. I believe I took this photo in October or November, 2010.

This is a photo of my car parked in a parking lot in Hatcher Pass, Alaska. Wasilla and Palmer, Alaska are in the valley off in the distance ... you could see the Mat-Su Valley if that pile of snow wasn't behind the car.

Here's a view of a mountain in the Hatcher Pass mountain range, as seen from Wasilla, Alaska on December 5, 2010.

This photo was taken from one of the high points of the Hatcher Pass mountains, looking down at the road in the valley below.

When you drive on the dirt/gravel road portion of Hatcher Pass, you'll be going uphill -- way uphill. As in you better be driving in first gear.

If you make it to the top of the Hatcher Pass dirt/gravel road, one of the prizes is seeing Summit Lake. I'll add many more photos of Summit Lake as time goes on, but as you can see, the water has a beautiful color (emerald?).

The dirt/gravel road portion of Hatcher Pass is very steep, with all sorts of turns and maneuvers.

I like this photo a lot, also. I took it while pulling over to give my car a break on the dirt/gravel portion of Hatcher Pass. It's wonderful to look out, with nobody else around, and just see mountains, and more mountains.