Archangel Road in Hatcher Pass closes to vehicles for the winter

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities closed Archangel Road in Hatcher Pass to vehicles for the winter at 11:08 am Tuesday, according to Alaska 511. The road is closed in both directions near Palmer-Fishhook Road.

The closure ends drive-in access to the Reed Lakes Trailhead, at mile 2.9, until the road reopens next season. Alaska News covered the road's summer opening in June. The 511 listing says the road is closed for the winter, though it also shows a planned end date of Oct. 27.

Archangel Road runs about four miles and ends at the private Fern Mine gate, according to Alaska State Parks. Even in summer, state parks calls it "often very rough," and past the Archangel Creek bridge at mile 2.8 it is unmaintained and very rocky. The transportation department manages the road in cooperation with state parks.

The area draws hikers, berry pickers, cross-country skiers and snowmobilers, according to state parks. The Hatcher Pass Management Plan lists the road as closed in winter and calls the area an intensely used winter recreation unit. From Oct. 2 through April 30, the plan bars motorized vehicles in parts of the management area, except snowmobiles once there is enough snow.

In winter, snowmobilers headed for Archangel Road and the Hatcher Pass snowmobile corridor park at the Gold Mint parking area, according to state parks.