'Old Glory' is a small traditional cache hidden near the flag pole at what I think most would consider the turnaround point for this hike. One can trek further along the ridge but this was my goal for the day! Hope to one day make my way back up here and explore a bit further out the ridge and hide a few more for you!
The initial ascent up the face of the ridge from the parking coordinates is steep and will wind you a bit but once the ridge is gained it levels out...sort of! But, it is all worth it. The views all around are spectacular. You can see across Archangel Road up the Little Susitna River and the Gold Mint Trail; the Independence Mine Ruins, the road leading up to it and the bowl behind it; and Hatcher Pass itself!
The first 0.9 miles will require an elevation gain of 1279 feet...a meager 27% incline!!! Total distance to this cache is 1.65 miles with and elevation gain of 2048 ft...a 23.5% incline...so maybe it doesn't level out all that much!!!
Lots of Marmots, Arctic Ground Squirrels and Collared Pika seen along the way. And on the way down several paragliders were floating about!!!
I had followed two gals and their dog on the way up the hill and caught up to them at GZ. After a bit we all started to chat and I brought up geocaching and turns out I was talking to another geocacher! Always nice to meet another geocacher who likes the remote ones ie 'Lost n Alaska' and a muggle she had met this morning on their 'meet up' hike! We all took pictures and made our way down the ridge and hid a couple of more along the way!!!
This cache is not for the timid, but well worth the effort. Hope you have as much fun making your way up here to the cache as much as I did and hiding it!!!