I have an upcoming trip to Alaska during 8/31-9/4 date range and I’ll probably have the opportunity to hike in Talkeetna Mountains for 2 or 3 days and of course the Bomber Traverse is catching my eye. I have a little bit of off trail experience and this one looks relatively straightforward from a navigation perspective. For reference, I have done the Knapsack Col Titcomb Basin Route. Is was quite steep and slow (going down to Titcomb) and close to the edge of my comfort zone but fine. Also, for reference my friend and I average 12-16 miles daily in Wind River / Sierras terrain with rare 20+ mile days. Will have trekking poles and microspikes.
2 Day Plan:
Day 1 – Hike Gold Mint trail to Mint Hut by lunch and thereafter over Backdoor Gap to Bomber Hut area
Day 2 – Visit Bomber crash site and hike out over Bomber Pass / Reeds Lake area
3 Day Plan:
Day 1 – Hike Gold Mint trail to Mint Hut by lunch and thereafter over Backdoor Gap to Bomber Hut area
Day 2 – Visit Bomber crash site and hike to top of Bomber Pass; backtrack to Bomber Hut area for lunch; hike to Snowbird Hut area
Day 3 – hike out over Glacier Pass and likely back up to Reeds Lake and then back out to trailhead
(on Day 2 might hike just pass Glacier Pass to the unnamed lake to make Day 3 shorter)
Questions:
– Is the hike down Bomber or Glacier Pass easier/safer?
– Do you see a lot more nicer stuff with the 3 day plan? Or better to keep to 2 day and spend the extra day elsewhere?
-If two day, better to go over Bomber Pass and out or Glacier Pass and out (and skip Bomber wreckage)?
