08/17/2026
8/17/2026 Trail Update (Thanks Sean!): "13-15 Aug, group of 9, four adults and five teenagers. Girdwood to Eagle River.
Trailhead to Crow Pass: No issues going up. Several mountain goats around in the pass.
Crow Pass to Clear Creek: There’s one level snow patch that we all walked across without issue. The other snow patches are on slopes. Some in our party crossed the path through the snow, and others took the side trails down and around the toe of the snow patches.
Clear Creek Crossing: Our party put on water shoes to cross, except for one who threw his pack across and then jumped across the two flatish boulders just upstream of where the trail meets the creek.
Clear Creek to River Ford: The trail is brushy but not that bad. I never lost sight of the trail, or my feet, which often isn’t the case through there. It was full sun all day, and it got hot! We topped off water at Clear Creek and then again at Turbid Creek, which is the second footbridge.
River Crossing: The Eagle River was running full, and we debated waiting until morning to cross, but in the end we all felt good about it, and so we went for it. Two groups, arms locked together. It was up to our butts! Some more than others. It was just over two and a half feet deep and swift. We slowly got across just fine though. In the morning, I checked the river and found it had dropped 10 inches overnight.
Thunder Creek Crossing: We ignored the rope strung across the creek at the trail crossing (as usual) and went downstream 150 feet to the left, toward the river, where it widens and braids a little. It was shin-deep, and much easier. We later heard that a hiker lost her footing and briefly went down in the creek at the rope crossing.
Thunder to Twin Falls: The new trail reroute is not open yet, so the ladder is still in use. The landslide area (you’ll know it when you see it!) is in really bad shape, and I would not try going straight across. There is a side trail that goes up and around, and it is much easier, faster, and safer.
Yakedeyak Creek and Icicle Creek: Yakedeyak is a mucky mess. We put on our water shoes, went straight through the muck, following the flagging, and continued to Icicle Creek, where we washed off the muck as we waded across, and then switched back to our regular hiking shoes for the rest of the trip.
Icicle to Eagle River Nature Center: No issues.
General: The flies are bad, but I’ve seen them much worse on this trail. We saw one black bear, and very little bear sign overall. Two nights was perfect for our group, and trying to do it in one night would probably have been a bit too much."
Driving into the Nature Center this morning (8/17), Eagle River water levels looked to be on the higher side and it is currently raining. This time of year, remember the daylight hours are decreasing (pack a headlamp) and you could possibly start seeing snow up in the pass!
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.
