Hatcher Pass and Independence Mine, AK

I spent a bit of time on the Matanuska River Trail, right next to my campsite. It shows that it was handicap accessible. It was a gravel path however, it was up and down roly poly, so I wondered how a wheelchair would really ever navigate this. I would certainly hope there’s some studded tires and boosters involved. It was mostly in the forest with glimpses of the silty river. I encountered a loose dog and was rather unhappy. When I came upon the owner I did my best to ignore her walking past quickly as she said, “cute dog,” I said yes, he’s a target and you should keep your dog close to you. Obviously, the signs of “leash and your dog” were ignored. I decided to head up to Hatcher Pass not quite a backtrack, but drive into the mountains. And I’m so glad I did as I wound up going to Independence Mine, a state park that showcased the gold mining era in this area. I stopped quickly to drive on Hatcher Pass Road, the roadway that cuts through, but it is gravel and quite steep. I managed to park for a little while to pick blueberries, and watched others as they discovered these berries. I don’t think I picked the right berry. There were lots of blue berries, but these were probably not THE blueberry. It was fun and I enjoyed the colors of the foliage, as you can tell fall it’s just around the corner. I walked throughout independence Mine, checking out the buildings and the equipment, and even the ruins were a fascinating composition, and the view was amazing! The mine closed down shortly after World War II as they discovered gold wasn’t worth more than the operating costs. Gold sold for $35.00 an ounce, the mine spent $45.00 to mine it! I drove just down the road to Government Peak camp. It’s definitely chilly up here. I had my furnace running all night long! 



















































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