Crow Pass Trail

04/29/2026

Heads up hikers!

10/22/2025

10/22/2025 Trail Report: No new reports over the last 3 weeks. This time of year, expect snow up in Crow Pass. Winter travel on the Crow Pass/ Girdwood side of the trail is not recommended due to the trail traversing through avalanche terrain. To get an idea of how much snow could be in Crow Pass, check out the Alyeska We**am for Glacier Bowl Express (they are about the same elevation, https://www.alyeskaresort.com/webcams/). There is currently snow up at the top of Glacier Bowl Express. You can also check out avalanche reports and conditions when they start reporting on the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center (https://www.cnfaic.org).

On the Eagle River side of the trail, conditions are pretty good. No snow down low yet, but we are definitely dipping below zero on some nights. Eagle River water levels appear to be about normal for this time of year. The new Perch trail reroute is finished and is pretty awesome.

Remember: this time of year your daylight hours are shorter (pack a headlamp) and temps are dropping close to freezing! Be prepared for possible fresh snow up in the pass. The trail is not marked, so if it's snow covered, it can be hard to follow.

These are reports from trail users. We cannot and do not guarantee trail conditions on any given day/time. Trail conditions change daily, especially the river depth at the ford site. Be prepared for anything from knee to waist deep. If you are not comfortable crossing, turn around and go back the way you came. You should be prepared for any kind of weather (rain, snow, sun, fog) and wildlife (bears/moose). Always carry a map for navigation, the trail is not marked. Trail condition contacts: Eagle River Nature Center 907-694-2108, Chugach National Forest 907-783-3242, or Chugach State Park 907-345-5014. Please check out the Crow Pass Trail page for more information and hiker posts: Crow Pass Trail page

09/04/2025

Wahoo!!! The Perch reroute is complete and is fantastic 🤩. Thanks Interior Trails for all your hard work!!!

08/29/2025

8/29/2025 Trail Update: Eagle River and other stream crossings are running high right now due to recent rain! We received almost an inch of rain at the Nature Center within the last day (8/28/2025).

Hikers coming of the trail on 8/26/25 report “the trail from Girdwood up to the pass in good condition. Trail down from pass and to the Eagle River ford site overgrown with vegetation. Eagle River ford site crossing waist deep on someone 5’6”. Thunder Gorge crossing was deep and swift. It is recommended to not cross at the make shift rope rigged up where the trail hits. Look downstream for a a better spot to cross. There is a rock slide after chutes and ladders before Twin Falls that was tricky to navigate. Icicle creek bridge is under water (see pictures).
The swamp at Yakity Yak Creek was challenging because of the lack of any markings for the trail. It is easy to follow the wrong muddy path of people’s footprints who went the wrong way. So, something for people to be aware of. We wandered the wrong swampy mess for a bit before we backtracked and tried another path that eventually led to seeing a bridge in the distance to know we were on the right track. Rest of the trail in ok shape”

These are reports from trail users. We cannot and do not guarantee trail conditions on any given day/time. Trail conditions change daily, especially the river depth at the ford site. Be prepared for anything from knee to waist deep. If you are not comfortable crossing, turn around and go back the way you came. You should be prepared for any kind of weather (rain, snow, sun, fog) and wildlife (bears/moose). Always carry a map for navigation, the trail is not marked. Trail condition contacts: Eagle River Nature Center 907-694-2108, Chugach National Forest 907-783-3242, or Chugach State Park 907-345-5014.

07/23/2025

7/23/2025 Trail Update: Congrats to all those who did the Crow Pass Crossing race this last Saturday (7/19). Check out race results here: https://crowpasscrossing.com/results/

Not much has changed in the trail conditions! Still some lingering snow patches up in the pass. Sections can be icy in places, but otherwise there is a packed trail through the snow. Be careful descending down from Raven Glacier on the snowfields! The trail is steep and off camber, possibly slick in places. Always be aware of where you are at, following someone else's tracks doesn't always mean you are going the right way.

Raven Gorge to the Eagle River Ford site is in fairly good shape but vegetation is overgrown in spots. Eagle River ford site has been knee to mid-thigh high on average. REMINDER: Please pack out what you pack in! DO NOT LEAVE your shoes, no one is going to use them.

Thunder Gorge crossing was knee deep and very swift. Cross downstream from where the trail hits the creek for a shallower crossing. The "chutes and ladders" section of the trail is still gnarly. There is a trail up and over this section, so pay attention before you reach the washed-out area for signs of this trail. Icicle Creek bridge is still in place, but water is starting to flow around it. Rest of the trail back to the Nature Center was good.

Heads up that trail contractor crews will be hard at work improving sections of the Crow Pass Trail this summer, working in 8-day stretches from June through mid-September, focusing on areas near Echo Bend to the Perch, and Chutes & Ladders.

These are reports from trail users. We cannot and do not guarantee trail conditions on any given day/time. Trail conditions change daily, especially the river depth at the ford site. Be prepared for anything from knee to waist deep. If you are not comfortable crossing, turn around and go back the way you came. You should be prepared for any kind of weather (rain, snow, sun, fog) and wildlife (bears/moose). Always carry a map for navigation, the trail is not marked. Trail condition contacts: Eagle River Nature Center 907-694-2108, Chugach National Forest 907-783-3242, or Chugach State Park 907-345-5014. L

Race entry is $75 (this includes the registration fee). Registration opens at 9 a.m. AK time on Tuesday, May 1 and will remain open until 145 spots have been filled (race capacity is 150).

06/27/2025

6/27/2025 Trail Update (thanks Belinda): “We hiked to the Crow Pass cabin on Monday, June 23. It was a cloudy, misty day. We took the trail past the mining sites based on the information we got from a couple who we met at the trailhead. The upper trail had more snow on it. It’s about 3 miles and 2000 ft of accumulated elevation gain. The trail is pretty nice until you get up higher. We had to check our Gaia maps after we crossed the creek to ensure we went the right way because of the snow (and multiple tracks which may have all led to the right place). We were encased in the clouds and visibility was not good. We got to the first outhouse which was still buried in snow and is inaccessible. We spent some time laughing about it and the trail sign which was barely peaking out of the snow pack. We continued to walk and went right by the cabin without seeing it. We also had assumed the cabin was on the right because of where it was noted on the Gaia Hikes layer. We didn’t notice the little square on the map that would have been to our left. We went about 5 more minutes and then turned around. The cloud layer lifted some and we were able to make out the cabin.

We found the cabin free from snow. The nearby toilet is accessible but we repaired the snow stairs down to the door.

The couple before us left about half of a gallon of fuel plus some in the tank. We started it about 4 PM and kept it on 1 and it kept the cabin at 60 degrees all night. We figured we only used about a half gallon of fuel. We packed out all the empty containers. It was about 46 degrees when we arrived and about 42 degrees when we left in the morning.

We didn’t get to see the mountain goats but I did spook a Ptarmigan on a ridge close to the cabin. There is also some cell phone reception on the ridge in case you need to contact loved ones.

Sadly, we forgot to bring a game. So we read the logs and played a version of Pictionary that only required pencil and paper.

The next day we continued on the Crow Pass Traverse. We still were in the clouds a bit for the first hour. Then we started our descent and was treated to better visibility. The first 2 miles there was a considerable amount of snow on the trail. We choose to put on micro spikes for some of the traverses across steep slopes to help with traction.

We saw a moose below us moving along a moose trail. It moved out of view as we continued on our way.

After the snow we thought we’d be able to cruise but then we discovered the primitive nature of the Crow Pass Trail. We hiked through miles and miles of brush and grass that was as tall as we were.

We got to Clear Creek which was a bit pushy. We practiced a swift water technique to cross since we had a few smaller ladies in our party of 5.

The Eagle River crossing was less pushy but it was wide and about thigh high.

There was another crossing at Thunder Creek. This one might have been the most pushy crossing. We choose a different spot than where the trail crossed to make it easier.

The chutes and ladder section wasn’t too bad until we saw the wash out after the ladder. You need to go up and then across. The ropes in that area looked a bit sketchy - we didn’t touch them.

We spotted 3 beavers as we went past the beaver ponds. We also saw really big bear prints and several pills of s**t. But fortunately we didn’t see any bears.

The Crow Pass Traverse tested our skills and endurance and was worth every minute!”

These are reports from trail users. We cannot and do not guarantee trail conditions on any given day/time. Trail conditions change daily, especially the river depth at the ford site. Be prepared for anything from knee to waist deep. If you are not comfortable crossing, turn around and go back the way you came. You should be prepared for any kind of weather (rain, snow, sun, fog) and wildlife (bears/moose). Always carry a map for navigation, the trail is not marked. Trail condition contacts: Eagle River Nature Center 907-694-2108, Chugach National Forest 907-783-3242, or Chugach State Park 907-345-5014.

06/18/2025

6/18/2025 Trail Update: We have our first trail report from an experienced Crow Pass hiker who did a 1-day hike on 6/17/2025. Starting from the Girdwood side, the trail is snow free until you reach the small creek crossing just up from the Monarch Mine location (~1.5-2 miles from TH). There is still lots of snow up in the pass, but a firm trail at least in the morning (you can expect trail to soften later in the day). Crow Pass cabin is accessible. Crystal Lake in still under snow/ice. Snow continues up in the pass down until about Clear Creek. Some post-holing in spots, but trail firm otherwise. Be careful descending down from Raven Glacier on the snowfields! It is easy to lose the trail in this section since it's covered in snow and the trail is steep. Be aware of where you are at, following someone else's tracks doesn't always mean you are going the right way.

Raven Gorge to the Eagle River Ford site was in fairly good shape. Some blow-down and some debris (sticks/rocks) from previous avalanches. Eagle River ford site was mid-shin to just under the knees at 4pm. REMINDER: Please pack out what you pack in! DO NOT LEAVE your shoes, no one is going to use them.

Thunder Gorge crossing was knee deep. Cross downstream from where the trail hits the creek for a shallower crossing. The "chutes and ladders" section of the trail is still gnarly. There is a trail up and over this section, so pay attention before you reach the washed-out area for signs of this trail. Icicle Creek bridge is still in place, but water is starting to flow around it. Rest of the trail back to the Nature Center was good.

Heads up that trail contractor crews will be hard at work improving sections of the Crow Pass Trail this summer, working in 8-day stretches from June through mid-September, focusing on areas near Echo Bend to the Perch, and Chutes & Ladders.

These are reports from trail users. We cannot and do not guarantee trail conditions on any given day/time. Trail conditions change daily, especially the river depth at the ford site. Be prepared for anything from knee to waist deep. If you are not comfortable crossing, turn around and go back the way you came. You should be prepared for any kind of weather (rain, snow, sun, fog) and wildlife (bears/moose). Always carry a map for navigation, the trail is not marked. Trail condition contacts: Eagle River Nature Center 907-694-2108, Chugach National Forest 907-783-3242, or Chugach State Park 907-345-5014.

05/23/2025

Heads up! Much needed work on the trail happening this summer.

05/10/2025

It’s that time of year…we are all itching to get out on the trail but it’s still very much winter up in Crow Pass and spring avalanche danger is a concern! For an idea of how much snow could be in the pass, check out Alyeska’s snow report for Glacier Bowl Express (about the same elevation as Crow Pass). There’s still 183” of snow! https://www.alyeskaresort.com/mountain-report-winter/. Also, check out the post below from Friends of the Chugach Avalanche Center regarding spring avalanche possibilities!

On the Eagle River side, things are snow free. Expect muddy sections of trail and downed trees in places. Let us know if you’ve gotten out past Echo Bend and how the trail is. We will start updating trail conditions as they come in.

09/20/2024

9/20/2024 Trail Update: Hikers coming off the trail on 9/18/24 reporting overall ok conditions. No snow in the pass at the time, however, this morning (9/20/24) snow has visibly reached below the 3000' level in Eagle River. So, expect some snow up in Crow Pass! Trail from Raven Gorge down to the ford site is overgrown/muddy/wet. Height of Eagle River at the ford site was knee high on someone 6'3". Trail from ford site to the Nature Center wet/muddy, overgrown in places.

Remember that daylight hours are getting shorter and temps are starting to drop near freezing, be prepared! Once significant snow accumulates up in the pass, hiking is not recommended due to the trail crossing through avalanche terrain.

These are reports from trail users. We cannot and do not guarantee trail conditions on any given day/time. Trail conditions change daily, especially the river depth at the ford site. Be prepared for anything from knee to waist deep. If you are not comfortable crossing, turn around and go back the way you came. You should be prepared for any kind of weather (rain, snow, sun, fog) and wildlife (bears/moose). Always carry a map for navigation, the trail is not marked. Trail condition contacts: Eagle River Nature Center 907-694-2108, Chugach National Forest 907-783-3242, or Chugach State Park 907-345-5014.

08/07/2024

8/7/2024 Trail Report (thanks Tom): “Started the trail on Girdwood side, 8/5. Trekking poles were helpful. Short snow pack sections mostly firm. Raven Gorge bridge still damaged and missing rails.Trail overgrown from Clear Creek to the Eagle River camp sites. Eagle River Ford site, river was hip height on someone 5'10' tall (crossed on 8/6 @ 8:30 am). Thunder Gorge is easy to cross. The washed out section of the trail is passable by going across with poles or up and around into the tree line. Twin Falls is low Yaketkak Creek is flooded and turned the trail around surrounding areas into a bog. Icicle Creek is flowing over the top of the bridge and around the abutment. Dishwater Creek is low and easy to cross.”

These are reports from trail users. We cannot and do not guarantee trail conditions on any given day/time. Trail conditions change daily, especially the river depth at the ford site. Be prepared for anything from knee to waist deep. If you are not comfortable crossing, turn around and go back the way you came. You should be prepared for any kind of weather (rain, snow, sun, fog) and wildlife (bears/moose). Always carry a map for navigation, the trail is not marked. Trail condition contacts: Eagle River Nature Center 907-694-2108, Chugach National Forest 907-783-3242, or Chugach State Park 907-345-5014.