The Alaska Long Trail concept is superb. Such a trail would place Alaska in the grand culture surrounding long-distance walking trails worldwide.Three generations of our family have been hiking and writing about Southcentral trails for more than 50 years, beginning with “55 Ways to the Wilderness in Southcentral Alaska” and now transitioning to “Alaska Adventure 55 Ways” (book release June 1). We have seen many changes in the trail scene, but Alaska’s longest hiking trail still will be only 48 miles when the K’esugi-Curry trail extension is complete. A 500-mile trail would be quite the transformation.
It will be important to respect the land and residents at places like Eklutna and Talkeetna, where people may be wary of trail effects. But the concept is worth the work to get it right. We discuss the Iditarod Trail and Alaska Long Trail in the new book, because several featured trips are part of the Iditarod or could be part of the Long Trail. Let’s all link trails in our heads and imagine a month-plus of trekking from ocean to Interior across the Kenai, Chugach and Talkeetna Mountains and the Alaska Range.
— John Wolfe Jr.
Anchorage
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