About the KMTA GeoTrail:
Welcome to a geocaching trail exploring Alaska’s only National Heritage Area. In 2009, Congress designated the Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm (KMTA) region of Southcentral Alaska as a National Heritage Area (NHA). This designation formally recognizes the history of an area that has deeply shaped the legacy of Alaska and the nation. It is the history of the Alutiiq, Sugpiaq, and Dena’ina people—the original stewards and inhabitants of the Kenai Peninsula. It’s that of the Iditarod National Historic Trail, Alaska Railroad, Gold Rush, Seward Highway, and local industries that give KMTA its character. KMTA’s geographic footprint bridges Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound via mountains, glacial valleys, and productive rivers. Throughout this landscape are communities and stories that connect us to our past and future. It includes the small and vibrant communities of Bird, Indian, Girdwood, Whittier, Hope, Cooper Landing, Moose Pass, and Seward, and all the wilderness between them. As Alaska’s only National Heritage Area, KMTA aims to enhance, preserve, and share the region’s natural and cultural resources— in essence its heritage. Above all else, KMTA strives to foster pride of place and an enduring stewardship ethic for this special place. As you travel through the Heritage Area to complete this GeoTrail, we encourage to keep that stewardship ethic front of mind as you learn about and enjoy the richness of the region.
As you search for the geocaches making up this GeoTrail, you’ll be asked to complete a passport that qualifies you to purchase the KMTA GeoTrail Geocoin. For more information on the Passport and GeoTrail, please visit KMTA-GeoTrail.GCAK.org
KMTA field guide link: https://kmtacorridor.org/field-trip-guide/
The unique code word for this cache is found on the front of the logbook and/or on the inside of the container lid.
**Cell coverage warning: this location may have limited cell phone coverage (at least for data). It would be wise to download the cache information before arriving at GZ.**
KMTA GeoTrail #19: Understanding the Jokulhlaup
View Where the Snow River Jokulhlaup Impacts Primrose at Kenai Lake
This cache is not rated as winter accessible. Deep snow occurs here and the cache is hidden at ground level. The gate to this state park area is often closed during deep snow, or during flood events caused by jokulhlaups occurring on the Snow River as it feeds into Kenai Lake near here.
A jokulhlaup (pronounced yokel—lop) is a outburst of a glacially impinged lake. The watershed of the North Fork of the Snow River includes a large glacially impounded lake, high above this location and only a few dozen miles southeast of here. During your visit here you can view where this flood outburst causes a dramatic impact on the community and campground at Primrose, on the south tip of Kenai Lake.
Looking south from the access road near the cache, towards where the Snow River enters the southern end of Kenai Lake.
As you drive on the bridge crossing the Snow River, just southeast of this location, you see a broad flat expanse where the river empties into Kenai Lake. Immediately to the east of the parking area here, and just off the shoulder of the access road you drove in on, you can observe how little elevation seperates the road and parking area from the flowing waters and Kenai Lake. The river valley is littered with debris (mostly downed trees) from previous flooding events. What is so dramatic about a jokulhlaup flood? As water accumulates under or behind glacial formations high on the mountain valleys southeast of here, tremendous pressure builds against the glacial ice dams. At some point, either because of warming weather conditions or because of the sheer weight of the water involved, the glacier fails to contain the water. A huge volume of water bursts forth and flows rushing down into the Snow River, and ends up flooding into Kenai Lake. In a matter of just hours, the flat river valley to the southeast of where you're standing can be covered completely with water so deep that it floods over the access road to this campground, nearly flooding the homes you passed as you drove in from the Seward Highway. The jokulhlaup flood can cause Kenai Lake to rise feet above its normal level, with the consequence of transferring the flood waters downstream to the west on the Kenai River. The dramatic impact of a jokulhlaup across the entire Kenai River watershed can be stunning and very dangerous. Stream gauges just below the glaciers feeding into Snow River give advance warning of the jokulhlaup events, but with just barely enough time for persons to prepare for the impact!
Park in the designated area near the boat launch and restroom, then walk back to the boundary marker that's several dozen feet in front of the main Primrose Campground sign, on the west side of the road. The cache is about 33 paces west of the National Forest Boundary Marker post on a very faint trail, under a large flat rock covering a hole in the root network between two spruce trees. Please take care to leave no trace, and don't disturb ANY moss growths! This area is worthy of your best CITO efforts!
This cache is maintained by local Alaskan geocacher NorthWes.
Please contact him with any questions or maintenance requests.
