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 Reporter |
Summary: The trail starts with a wooden staircase and switchbacks through hemlock until reaching the alpine tundra at Blueberry hill. The last few hundred feet are steep & rocky. The views are great from the top of the 3550 ft peak. On clear days Mt. McKinley and Mt Redoubt can easily be seen. If so desired a person can continue along the ridge to the southeast to the next two peaks, elevations 3658 ft. and 4111 ft. During the summer and winter solstice the Mountaineering Club of Alaska holds overnight camp-outs on the summit, despite the lack of water. Rated easy-moderate due to the elevation gain in the short distance and bad trail conditions near the top. The trail holds several potential hazards. Exercise extreme caution as you approach the summit. Several hikers have been seriously injured after slipping on the loose rocks and falling off the side. Stay between the markers that are set near the summit. Novices may have problems. Not recommended for small children. Trailhead: Drive south on the New Seward Highway and take the O'Malley road exit and head east. Drive about 4 miles and take a right onto Hillside drive. Drive approximately 1 mile and turn left onto Upper Huffman Road, and drive .7 miles to a three way intersection, turn right onto Toilsome Hill Drive. Go about 2 miles to the Glen Alps parking area, the trailhead is on the left. The Flattop Trail is found by climbing the stairs on the southeast side of the parking area. (Lat:61.1 Lon:-149.68) Trail Guides for Flattop Mountain Trail: 55 Ways to the Wilderness in Southcentral Alaska by Nienhueser and Wolfe (Mountaineers Books) Best Seasons: Fall, Summer, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Ranger Contact: Chugach State Park (907) 345-5014 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Irene Lee, who has posted 1 other hike on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Page 1 of 6 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Peter on 2/26/2010 If you don't have access to a car but want to hike Flattop, there's another way to get to the trailhead: The Flattop Mountain Shuttle. The cost is $22 from downtown Anchorage to the trailhead and back. Go to www.hike-anchorage-alaska.com to find out more. 
Reviewed by Michelle on 1/21/2010 We hiked this mid January in the dark, from 5pm - 8pm. LOTS of fun! Some tricky spots, glad to be in a group and glad to have headlamps though the snow did illuminate things quite a bit. Would love to go in the summer when we return to Anchorage one day.
Reviewed by Heath on 12/6/2009 Wonderful hike. I did it in Dec. an there was a plenty of snow. Had to post hole a bit, but the summit was worth it!
Reviewed by Michael on 11/2/2009 I thought the hike was easy but at the top was a beautiful view. I also had a 60 pound ruck sack on my back so that made it interesting towards the top. Over all it was an awesome hike and would definitely do it again.
Reviewed by Tom on 10/11/2009 What a great trail. Was pretty intense climb at the top for a moderate hiker, but fun. The views of Anchorage and the surrounding mountains were awesome. Will be doing this hike many times in the future!!!
Reviewed by Ivan on 9/28/2009 Outstanding hike, with amazing views from the top, especially with the brilliant yellow fall foliage covering all of Anchorage. Snow had blanketed this area the day before and the pitch before the summit was fairly snowy/icy and a bit slippery and potentially dangerous. Without prior hiking experience and the right gear, I'd recommend not trying to climb to the top when it's icy/snowy, otherwise it would be a decently easy scramble to the top for the experienced hiker. Also met many nice individuals climging up/down Flat Top. Another plus is it's so close to Anchorage, it doesn't require a huge time investment. From our hotel downtown to the parking lot it must have taken 15-20 minutes.
Reviewed by Shawn on 9/21/2009 Flat top is very easy to hike if like hiking. I love hiking so much i hiked flat top every single week until it got very tiring, everybody should hike this ttrail!
Reviewed by Vanessa on 9/18/2009 Hiked Flattop many times the summer, mostly June & July. Wondering how it is this time of year? Have a friend that is from out of state and would love to take him there. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: Alaska Hiking, Alaska Trails, Alaska Hikes, Anchorage County Hiking, Anchorage County Trails, Anchorage County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||