Johnson Pass July 2013

4th of July 2013!  Liz, Me, Adam, and Derek at the pass. Thanks for the photo Jared!!

 In Celebration of aMerica's Birthday my friends Liz,Adam, Jared, Derek, and I only had one day to do something painfully awesome, we decided that Johnson Pass was in order!

Classic Kenai, super lush! July 2011

Pass Stats

Access: There are two access points. The North Trailhead is at mile 64 on the Seward Highway and the South Trailhead is 32.5. For a day trip I highly recommend starting at the north and going south, it is a shorter, steeper up hill to the pass. With kids and loaded bikes we went the other way because it is a longer, less steep up hill, the downhill was less technical, and for camping logistics.

Miles: About 22 miles

Conditions: Well marked, single track. More then half of your journey will be in the forest, you are above the trees in the pass,. During June and July the trail is very overgrown. Be prepared with long sleeves, and rain gear. The cow-parsnip is brutal.

Time: It will take about 5 or 6 hours in a day

Wildflowers in the pass! July 2011

In the summer of 2011 I lead a four day biking trip on Johnson Pass with 12-14 year olds and it was a SUFFERFEST. Derek fondly referred to it as the “22 mile bike push.” And yes, that’s basically what is was! We did it with loaded bikes and it was tough. Between the rain ,cow parnsip rashes,giant bruises, and a bike that wouldn't shift any more; my bike and I were WORKED. It was so miserable it was awesome, dont let me fool you I loved every moment! Even after my co-leaders  derailleur broke 7 miles in and we fixed it with a zip tie. It was a miracle that the zip tie held for four days and nobody got seriously injured. 

Notice the zip tie, remarkable engineering... It held for 4 days!!

Happy Leaders at the Pass!! July 2011

Since that trip, all I have wanted to do was crush Johnson Pass. AGAIN! But this time it was going to be different, I wanted to do it in a day without loaded bikes. Johnson Pass is located in the Kenai Peninsula in the Kenai Mountains. It is one of my favorite places, the trail is rugged, the views are incredible, and the wildflowers are insanely beautiful. It is a little piece of Alaskan Paradise.

 As far as mountain bike trails go, its not incredibly difficult. I would rate it as moderate. There is some technical parts, and it is uphill until the pass. It is a looooong ride, though. The last 6 miles became a battle of endurance! Starting from the North it is about 8 miles to the pass. There are a couple steep, rocky parts, but most of it is ride-able. Once you are on the pass the riding is easy and super fun! Then you get to a long 5ish mile downhill rollarcoaster ride! It is good stuff. I highly recommend doing this trip with at least two people. It is remote, overgrown, not heavily traveled, and there are TONS of bears. Be ready. Make noise, have your spray ready. Also this is a great mellow backpacking trip. There are campsites located in the pass and before the pass on both sides.

Overgrown, but incredibly beautiful in the pass! July 2011

Crazy Cow-Parsnip

Cow Parsnip Fun Facts!

So cow parsnip (Pushki) is a giant, evil plant that lives in the northern latitudes, so south central Alaska... It gets to be giant thanks the ample sunlight and rain, like 7ft tall! It gets white umbel flowers, and has huge leaves. It can get confused with another painful plant; devils club. Now cow parsnip is what ya call photo-reactive meaning that if you brush up against the leaves or stalk and get its secretions on you, it causes a chemical burn IF exposed to sunlight. Pretty cool eh'? Not every body reacts and some people are more sensitive then others. Ive had  a couple reactions, its a crazy feeling. It feels tingly, and itchy, and because it is a burn it leaves painful blisters. That then leave scars and discoloration that go away with some time.  For me it was between 4 months and a year. It spreads with light and heat! Watch out for saunas...