Information About

Hatcher Pass

Quick Facts

Open in The Map Hatcher Pass on The Map

Location

61 ° 46' 10.999" N,
149 ° 18' 32" W

Region

Matanuska-Susitna

Nearest City

Wasilla

Elevation

3822 ft (1164.95 m)

Fatalities

3

Tributaries

Gold Cord Lake, Marmot Mountain, Independence Mine State Historical Park, Fish Peak, Hatch Peak, Microdot, Pass Peak, Mile 16 Ski Run, Paradise Ski Run, April Bowl Trail, Arch Prospect Trail, Gold Cord Lake Trail, Gold Mint Trail, Lane Basin Trail, Rae-Wallace Mine Trail, Reed Lakes Trail,

Hatcher Pass in Detail.

Getting There

From Palmer take Glenn Highway to Milepost 49.5, turn left onto Palmer-Fishhook Road. Stay on that and it will lead to Hatcher Pass. Before getting to the lodge near the end of the pavement, there is a turn to the left continuing to Hatcher Pass, it is a dirt road. Take that and continue to Hatcher Pass.

About

at S end of Skyscraper Mtn., NE of Summit Lake, 13 mi. NW of Palmer, Talkeetna Mts.

Hatcher Pass is a popular destination for hiking, climbing, and skiing for those located in Anchorage and the MatSu Valley. Its easy access to the alpine and rich history make it a little gem tucked in the mountains.

Hiking

Hikes in Hatcher Pass include; Gold Mint Trail, Reed Lakes Trail, Gold Cord Lake Trail, April Bowl Trail/Hatch Peak, Marmot Mountain/Fishhook Trailhead, Independence Mine walk, Summit Lake Trail, and many more places open to exploration.

History

Local name reported in 1951 by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Hatcher Pass is rich in gold mining history. Many old buildings of Independence Mine are still standing and other mining buildings in the area have fallen over time and lay in ruins.

Fatalities

On April 21, 2023, 1 person died while skiing. Read More

On November 9, 1997, 1 person died while snowboarding. Read More

On July 2, 1979, 1 person died while hang gliding. Read More

Hatcher Pass Gallery

Pictures of, from, or near Hatcher Pass.

Topo Maps

Anchorage D-7 (1949), Anchorage (1951), Anchorage (1951), Anchorage (1951), Anchorage (1951), Anchorage D-7 (1951), Anchorage D-7 (1951), Anchorage D-7 (1951), Anchorage D-7 (1952), Anchorage D-7 (1952), Anchorage (1962), Anchorage (1962), Anchorage (1962), Anchorage (1962), Anchorage (1962), Anchorage (1962), Anchorage (1979), Anchorage D-7 (1994), Anchorage D-7 SE (2016),
Related Places
April Bowl Trail, Arch Prospect Trail, Gold Cord Lake Trail, Gold Mint Trail, Lane Basin Trail, Rae-Wallace Mine Trail, Reed Lakes Trail,
Places Near Hatcher Pass
Airports:

Microdot Ridge,

Cities:

Palmer, Wasilla,

Crags:

4th of July Wall,

Dams:

Independence Mine Dam, Memory Lake Estates Dam Number 1, Memory Lake Estates Dam Number 2,

Lakes:

Anderson Lake, Baird Lake, Black Lake, Canoe Lake, Chignaki Pond, Clear Lake, Cornelius Lake, Cottonwood Lake, Dandy Lake, Dry Lake, Dusk Lake, Emerald Lake, Finger Lake, Gold Cord Lake, Gooding Lake, Hart Lake, High Ridge Lake, Irene Lake, Johnson Lake, Kennedy Lake, Kepler Lake, Kings Lake, Klaire Lake, Loberg Lake, Long Lake, Lower Reed Lake, Lucile Lake, Matanuska Lake, McLeod Lake, Meier Lake, Memory Lake, Mud Lake, Mud Lake, Mud Lake, Neklason Lake, Paradise Lake, Pinnacle Lake, Reed Lake, Summit Lake, Triangle Lake, Upper Reed Lake, Walby Lake, Wasilla Lake, Wolf Lake,

Locales:

7 Sacred Chutes, April Bowl, Baby Ruth, Bennet's Ridge, Black Prospect, Eldorodo Bowl, Face of Hatch, Fairangel Cirque Gully, Farside, Gold Chord Death Traverse, Lake Run, Lake Run, Nixon's Nose, Nosebleed, Nunatak East, Nunatak West, Point 30, Rock Garden, Seldom Seen, Stairstep, Sunnyside, Sunnyside of Hatch, Swimmin' Tims, The Glades, The Lost Couloir, Valley of Sin, Wimp Bowl, Womens Run,

Mine:

Arch Prospect, Black Prospect, Conrock North Pit, Eldorado Mine, Fern Mine, Gold Bullion Mine, Gold Cord Mine, High Grade Mine, Holland Prospect, Independence Mine, Kelly-Willow Prospect, Lane Prospect, Lonesome Mine, Lucky Shot Mine, Mabel Mine, Marion Twin Mine, Martin Mine, Premier Mine, Rae-Wallace Mine, Schroff-O-Neil Mine, Snowbird Mine, Talkeetna Mine, Thorpe Mine, War Baby Mine, Webfoot Prospect,

Mountains:

Bullion Mountain, Government Peak, Idaho Peak, Marmot Mountain, Skyscraper Mountain,

Parks:

Independence Mine State Historical Park, Finger Lake State Recreation Site, Wolf Lake State Recreation Site,

Mountain Passes:

Backdoor Gap, Birthday Pass, Bomber-in-a-day Pass, Dogsled Pass, Friendship Pass, Hatcher Pass, Point 40,

Peaks:

Blueberry Knoll, Delia Benchmark, Didikama, Fairangel Cirque, Fairangel Peak, Fish Peak, Gold Chord, Good Hope Towers, Granite Mountain, Hatch Peak, Higher Spire, Hunchback Spire, Lower Spire, Luck Peak, Lynx Peak, Managemint, Microdot, Nelteni, Nunatak, Outpost Peak, Parlimint, Pass Peak, The Pinnacle, Rae-Wallace, Rainy Day Knoll, Teeny Weene, Tenemint, Top Peak, Turnkey Peak, Yisbo,

Ridges:

Arkose Ridge, Bald Mountain Ridge, Murphy Ridge, President's Ridge,

Routes:

Mile 16 Ski Run, Paradise Ski Run,

Streams:

Archangel Creek, Bartholf Creek, Carnegie Creek, Coal Creek, Cottonwood Creek, Craigie Creek, Delia Creek, East Fork Fishhook Creek, East Fork Sawmill Creek, Fairangel Creek, Fishhook Creek, Francie Creek, Glacier Creek, Goodhope Creek, Government Creek, Grubstake Creek, Hatcher Creek, Homestake Creek, Moon Princess Creek, Reed Creek, Shorty Creek, Sidney Creek, Upper Willow Creek, West Fork, West Fork Grubstake Creek, West Fork Sawmill Creek,

Routes:

April Bowl Trail, Arch Prospect Trail, Assay Spur Trail, Blueberry Knoll Trail, Fairangel Trail, Gold Cord Lake Trail, Gold Mint Trail, Hard Rock 2 Trail, Hard Rock Trail, Hatcher Pass Snowmobile Trail, Hatcher Pass Snowmobile Trail 1, Hatcher Pass Snowmobile Trail 2, Hatcher Pass Winter Maintenance Trail, Independence Mine Trail, Lane Basin (Old Road) Trail, Lane Basin Trail, Marmot Mountain Trail, Martin Mill Trail, Mill Loop Trail, Rae-Wallace Mine Trail, Reed Lakes Trail, Snow Trail to Lodge, Snowbird Trail,

Valleys:

Cable Valley, Grubstake Gulch, Lone Tree Gulch, West Fork Grubstake Gulch, Wet Gulch,

Cities:

Gateway, Lucky Shot Landing, Tanaina,