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Alaska Railroad's New Whistle Stop Service Accesses Spectacular Chugach Backcountry
The U.S. Forest Service and the Alaska Railroad have partnered on The Whistle Stop Project to provide recreational access to the spectacular backcountry of the Chugach National Forest between Anchorage and Seward. No roads lead to this wilderness area, which means you'll be able to get away from the crowds.
The Chugach Whistle Stop service to Spencer Glacier officially opened in August 2007, making Summer 2008 the first season it's been fully operational. The Spencer Glacier stop is the first of five Whistle Stops planned for the future; other stops will include Leubner Lake, Bartlett Glacier, Grandview and Trail Creek.
Passengers board the Glacier Discovery train in Anchorage, Girdwood or Portage and travel deep into the Chugach National Forest to remote areas of Alaska that can only be accessed by train. The Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop has toilet facilities and pavilions reminiscent of a historic railroad camp. A U.S. Forest Service interpreter leads a narrated 1.5-mile walk to Spencer Lake and a viewing platform for the Spencer Glacier. The area is open to unguided and overnight use, as well, and hikers can explore the Spencer Lake area on their own.
The U.S. Forest Service is now building a 2.1-mile trail that extends from Spencer Lake to Spencer Glacier. Dispersed, non-fee camping opportunities are available along this trail. Within the Spencer Developed Recreation Area, camping is available by reservation and fee at a group campsite. The group campsite has two pods, one accommodating 10 people, the other accommodating 15 people. The entire site also can be reserved. Firewood and camp fuel can be purchased on site. Currently there is no potable water, but a well is planned for July 2008. To find out the status of the well, call the Glacier Ranger District at (907) 783-3242. Reservations for the group campsite are made through Alaska Railroad when you book your train passage.
The completed Chugach Whistle Stop Project will include a series of five Whistle Stop Stations with restrooms and other amenities where visitors can disembark the train to take a day or overnight trip into the heart of the Chugach National Forest. Plans call for a connected system of about 35 miles of trails linking the different recreation sites and allowing visitors access to lakes, glaciers and high-mountain passes. Along the trail system visitors also will find campsites and public-use cabins. Other recreation opportunities include guided interpretive hikes along the more developed trail segments as well as opportunities to engage in a variety of outfitted/guided recreation opportunities.
Jim Fincher, Glacier District Ranger with the Chugach National Forest, said this partnership provides an opportunity to see and experience the backcountry of the Chugach National Forest and the northern Kenai Peninsula. “Visitors will gain access to spectacular ice-capped mountains, glacial lakes, wild rivers and backcountry campsites, public-use cabins and trails. They can visit for a few hours, the entire day or on a multi-day excursion. And they can get there on modern, safe railcars,” he said.
Future plans include a self-propelled railcar called a Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) built by Colorado Railcar. This all-in-one unit is suited for the whistle-stop service because it can stop and start in a short distance, is fuel efficient and remarkably quiet. It has the power to pull two additional railcars.
The current Whistle Stop service is limited to the summer passenger season schedule, which runs May through September, but may be expanded as the service grows. The fare from Anchorage or Girdwood includes rail fare to Spencer and return to the Portage stop, backcountry use, guided hike, and a motorcoach transfer from Portage to Anchorage. The round-trip fare from Portage or Whittier includes backcountry use and guided hike. Reservations and more information can be found at www.alaskarailroad.com.
To learn more about the Chugach National Forest and its recreational opportunities, visit www.fs.fed.us/r10/chugach. To learn more about the U.S. Forest Service's involvement in the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop, and to see pictures of the lake and glacier, visit the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center pages at www.fs.fed.us/r10/chugach.
Guided Rafting Tours at Spencer Glacier
Guided rafting and dugout canoe tours are offered by Chugach Adventure Guides in conjunction with Alaska Railroad. Ride the rail to Spencer Glacier and then steal away on a gentle float tour among the icebergs at Spencer Lake and down the Placer River. Professional guides, raingear and rubber boots are provided. Guests are advised to dress in warm layers since conditions around the icebergs are chilly.
The tour departs from Anchorage, Girdwood, Portage or Whittier. Tours departing from Anchorage or Girdwood include one-way rail and a return to Anchorage by motorcoach from the Portage stop. Book reservations through the Alaskan Railroad either online at www.alaskarailroad.com or by calling (800) 544-0552; if you are in Anchorage, call (907) 265-2494, or for hearing impaired, call (907) 265-2620.
To learn more about Chugach Adventure Guides, the Spencer Glacier Float and Canoe Tours, as well as other float and whitewater rafting trips they lead, go to www.alaskanrafting.com.