...Winner Creek Trail

The gang poses in front of the sign at the trailhead before we start hiking. Mrs. Hufford stops to examine the direction marker at a fork in the trail.

Lori, Laura, and Alex ride the Hand Tram.

Here is a photo that shows how mountain bikes can be transported across the gorge. Just place them on the hooks located on the side of the Hand Tram.

Mitch and Alex come in for a landing.

When you are camping at Williwaw Campground in the Portage Valley the hiking opportunities are boundless. The Trail of Blue Ice passes through the campground and Portage Pass Trail is just a short drive away. Of course, if you motor a short way down Turnagain Arm you will pass numerous trailheads which lead up the valleys and into the mountains. All of them are perfect places to explore when the weather is beautiful and you have the benefit of a long Labor Day weekend.

After much discussion and debate we finally settled on Winner Creek Trail. We had wanted to hike this trail for a long time but just never got around to it. We didn't know what we were missing!

The trailhead is located near the tram behind the Alyeska Prince Hotel. But, once you are several hundred feet into the woods the hustle and bustle of the hotel parking lot melts away as the woods become tranquil and serene. We walked along watching the kids bound down the trail ahead of us. Then they would stop to look at something or pick a berry and eat it before bouncing off again. The trail was in great condition and the forest was beautiful, but at mile 2.5 we saw what we were looking for--the Hand Tram across Winner Creek.

The Hand Tram is something we have heard about for a long time. It was recently renovated and in perfect condition. We took turns climbing into the small cage and pulling the rope to transport us across the gorge while glacier water rumbled in the stream below. Other hikers arrived and some mountain bike riders even put their bikes on the hooks on the side of the tram to continue their ride on the other side of the river. We rode across the gorge and back before returning down the path we had come in on.

When we got back to the trailhead we had hiked five miles round trip and it was worth every step just to ride the Hand Tram. We stopped at the Ice Cream Shop on our way out of Girdwood and then returned to Williwaw Campground for dinner. It was a great day and we truly enjoyed the Hand Tram on...Winner Creek Trail.