Powerline Pass - Glen Alps to Indian: A Wild Ride

Glen Alps to Indian Creek had been on our list for a while—a classic local biking trip, conveniently close to Anchorage. The route starts at Glen Alps, climbs up Powerline Pass, then drops down into Indian Valley. With 2,000 feet of elevation loss and almost no climbing, it seemed like the perfect ride to my buddy Zach and me—downhill all the way! How could it go wrong?

On September 16th, I reached out to Zach to see if he was up for it. Despite the forecast predicting wind and rain, I pulled the old, “Nah, it’ll be fine. No rain, trust me!” card. Zach agreed, though I’m pretty sure he already had doubts. When we pulled up to the trailhead, with the wind howling and rain slapping us in the face, those doubts were fully confirmed.

We got an “early” start around 3:30 PM, because, you know, better late than never. The bike up Powerline was surprisingly easy. The gradual 2,000-foot elevation gain over about seven miles made for steady but manageable progress. The rain—and, eventually, sleet—kept us cool, so overheating wasn’t a concern (though Zach’s grumbling about my "weather report" was).

After a few creek crossings and with thoroughly soaked feet, we neared the top of the pass about two hours in. The final stretch was a bit too steep and loose to bike, so we hiked the last mile. Honestly, the views made it worthwhile—alpine lakes, dramatic rock spires, and the entire pass laid out before us like something from a nature magazine. Not too shabby!

Once we reached the top, the landscape shifted dramatically. Powerline Pass felt rugged and alpine, but the Indian Valley side, closer to the ocean, was a lush green rainforest in comparison. It was like we’d crossed into a completely different climate zone.

The first mile of the descent was a dream—fast and rocky, with some tricky shale but nothing we couldn’t handle. We even saw some sheep and ptarmigan along the way, which made us feel like we were really out there in the wild.

But then things got... interesting. The trail, which had started out wide and open, turned into a gnarly alder-filled mess. It felt like no one had maintained it in years, and we were forced to push through thick brush on a slope so steep it had both of our brakes crying for mercy. For miles, we were getting slapped in the face by alders and drenched by rain. Let’s just say, it wasn’t the most fun part of the ride.

Between the mud, our fading brakes, and the seemingly endless assault of alders, we started to seriously question our life choices. By the time the trail opened up, we were out of the alders but into a whole new challenge—mud everywhere. ATVs had torn the trail to shreds, and with deep, muddy ruts smacking our pedals, control was all but impossible.

When we finally reached Indian Creek, we were soaked, covered in mud, and laughing at how ridiculous the whole thing had been. We figured, “Why not?” and took a quick dip in the creek to rinse off some of the grime. Already soaked through, it didn’t really matter. From there, we rode the road down to the finish at what used to be the Turnagain Armpit BBQ.

In total, it was about 13 miles of adventure—equal parts challenging and fun. It was a great ride with good company, though I’d definitely recommend tackling it on a sunny day and after the trail has been cleared!