Williwaw Loop 20 Mile
Chugach Mountains
July 15
    Eliseo Marquez
    Craig Sheahan
    Jeff Arndt
    Rob DeVelice
5 starters

The Williwaw Loop is a favorite of many ultarunners and hikers in the Anchorage area.  The route packs a high diversity of splendors into a compact space.  Crown Jewels are the string of aquamarine lakes below Mount Williwaw, the 5,445 foot high point of the Chugach Front.

The route starts in forests of spruce and birch on the well groomed Wolverine Basin Trail.  After a bridge crossing of crystalline Campbell Creek an ever steepening climb of Near Point begins.  The trail becomes ever fainter until disappearing completely into the alpine heather below Wolverine Peak.

To the delight of the botanically inclined, Lilliputian fields of 5 inch tall white spruce mutants occur in route to Long Lake.  Speaking of Long Lake, a swim was just the ticket to cool an over load of the heat of anticipation of Quintessential miles yet remaining and the 80 degree temperatures of the day.

The soaring towers of the Mount Williwaw massif registered mightily on the wow-o-meter, especially when reflected in the Williwaw lakes.  The intrepid participants of this outing soaked in a full quotient of outdoor splendor on this auspicious start to the Quintessential series.


Relaxing below a buttress of Mount Williwaw.