On the Road with Hannah: Mountain Edition
By Hannah Pembroke
Hello again, friends of the Alaska Wildlife Alliance! This week takes across some of Alaska’s most infamous terrain: the mountains. We will be staying close to Anchorage as we visit Eagle Peak, Beluga Mountain, Wolverine Peak, and Moose’s Tooth Ridge. These natural sky-risers line the Alaskan landscape and are home to a wide variety of alpine animals. Ironically, in spite of the animal-themed names, the higher in elevation we reach, the fewer (but more resilient!) animals we are likely to see. Aviatory animals will be the most common wildlife accompanying us this week, so it is only fair we start off in a location that honors one of Alaska’s most iconic feathered friends.
Eagle Peak
Photo courtesy of: Winter Bear Guidebook
Named after Eagle River, Eagle Peak is a part of the Chugach Mountain range. Eagle Peak was first recorded as the mountain’s official name in 1872 by W. H. Hall. This mountain is frequented by many alpine animals, such as ptarmigan, Dahl sheep, and mountain goats. Hawks and the name-sake Bald eagle are also common. At 6,995 feet tall, this mountain peers over Eagle River, and a vertical mile below lies Eagle and Symphony Lakes. Since Eagle Peak stays true to its name and reaches well into the sky, most hikers split the summit into a two-day excursion (the views over the inlet and Chugach State Park at the summit make the effort worth it!).
Beluga Mountain
Photo courtesy of : Suhanova Kseniya/Shutterstock
Called Hnidi, or “the one upriver” by the Dena’ina people, our second location is Beluga Mountain. This mountain dawned its animal-inspired name in 1898 by Eldridge, according to the USGS. However, his inspiration unfortunately went unnoted. Beluga Mountain has gone by several names over the years, transitioning from its original Dena’ina name to Snee-dee Mountain, which was then shortened to Sneedee and later Snidi Mountain, before settling into its whale-themed honorific. With an elevation of 3,698 feet, it’s an unlikely place to do any whale watching. However, in its Southcentral location, similar wildlife found at Eagle Peak will be around at Beluga Mountain.
Wolverine Peak
Photo courtesy of: Alaska.org
Though Wolverine Peak may not be our biggest skyscraper at 4,491 feet, the peak offers incredible views all around. These include Canyon Valley, Williwaw Valley, O'Malley, Flat Top, the Chugach Mountains, the Kenai Mountains, the Anchorage Bowl, Cook Inlet, Mt. Susitna (Sleeping Lady), the Alaska Range, and the Talkeetna Mountains. Wolverine Peak itself is bowl-shaped, hence the spectacular 360 degree view. Located just outside of Anchorage, Wolverine Peak is a fairly common hike for locals and tourists looking to get in a good workout. Its animal-inspired name was first recorded by the Mountaineering Club of Alaska in 1963 after some wolverine tracks were found near the summit. As we explore this peak in person, we will have to keep our eyes out for some fresh tracks!
Moose’s Tooth
Photo courtesy of: Mark Smiley/Climbing.com
At our highest altitude of 10,089 feet, Moose’s Tooth Mountain is located on the east side of the Great Gorge of the Ruth Glacier. Moose’s Tooth was named by the Athabascan people for its resemblance to, well, a moose’s tooth. Home to some of the more difficult climbs in the area, Moose’s Tooth reaches an altitude where seeing wildlife would be unexpected. The various climbing routes going through the mountain offer many challenges, but summation has been achieved enough to be able to provide the different routes with names. Among them include the Ham and Eggs Route and the Root Canal. Legendary in the mountaineering community, this ridge also has earned a name for itself in the gourmet pizza community! Moose’s Tooth Pub and Pizzeria in Anchorage was named after this famous mountain.
Thank you for checking in this week for the Southeast leg of our journey! As always, it is a privilege and joy to experience the land around us and to witness wildlife in its natural habitat. If you are interested in aiding our goal of protecting Alaskan wildlife, please take action and visit AWA at https://www.akwildlife.org/take-action-1. See you for our next mini series, when we are back on the road with Hannah!
