Crow Pass Cabin

145 Forest Station Rd. P.O. Box 129
GIRDWOOD, AK 99587

Overview

Crow Pass Cabin is located about 500 yards off the Crow Pass Trail, which follows part of the former supply route for the Iditarod Trail. The trail is popular destination for its historic sites, stunning scenery and wildlife watching opportunities.

The cabin is an ideal stop for visitors hiking the entire length of the trail, which takes an estimated two to three days, or for visitors interested in a good base camp for mountain climbing or backcountry skiing in the area.

The site is only available for rent from June through October due to elevated avalanche danger during the winter and spring months. Please note, hazardous avalanche conditions may exist in this area as early as October and well into June some years. Getting there requires a 3-mile hike from the Crow Pass Trailhead off Crow Creek Road with an elevation gain of 2,080 feet. The trail may have snow October through mid-June. There is a small stream crossings to navigate just before the Cabin. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities including sleeping pads, sleeping bags, cook stove, toilet paper, pots and utensils as well as some form of water purification. More information on avalanche hazards in this area can be found at the Chugach NF Avalanche Center website (www.CNFAIC.org ). If accessing this cabin in late fall or early summer, please be prepared for winter conditions and/ or potential avalanche hazards affecting the route in along the Crow Pass Trail.

Recreation

The Crow Pass Trail is a picturesque 24-mile section (Girdwood to Eagle River) of the Iditarod National Historic Trail offering alpine hiking, trail running and sightseeing opportunities. The Cabin is ~3 miles from the Girdwood Crowpass Traihead. The section to the Cabin is a popular trail for families, but does have steep switchbacks in places. Interesting points between the trailhead and the cabin include the Monarch Mine ruins and several waterfalls. The trail continues past the cabin, revealing views of Raven Glacier and eventually the Eagle River. To continue the thru hike all the way to the Eagle River Nature Center (North Trailhead), it requires a substantial river crossing. The Eagle River Nature Center is a good resource for updated info on the river crossing. (907) 694-2108.

Glaciers and peaks around the cabin offer experienced climbers a challenging adventure. Hunting is possible, but the activity is tightly regulated in this area with limited permits available from the State of Alaska.

Facilities

The cabin is a 16x16-foot, A-frame with a main floor and sleeping loft. It can accommodate 6 people and offers wooden bunks, a table with benches, fire extinguisher, snow shovel, a broom and an outside pit toilet. A (Kerosene) stove is provided as a heat source though cabin users are responsible for bringing their own supply of Kerosene.

Electricity, water, toilet paper, and fuel for the heater are not provided. Guests are responsible for supplying their own drinking water, kerosene for heater (typically 1 gallon/ day is sufficent), a cook stove, flashlights or lanterns, bedding, mattresses, toilet paper, garbage bags, cookware, dishes and utensils. A small creek is located near the Cabin but water should be treated before consumption.

Natural Features

The cabin is situated in the Chugach Mountains near Crystal Lake at an elevation of about 3,500 feet. It sits in open tundra above the tree line with vegetation of low shrubs, grasses and summer wildflowers.

Black and brown bears, wolves and moose inhabit the area (learn about bear safety). Dall sheep, mountain goats, marmots, arctic ground squirrels and white-tailed ptarmigan may be spotted on the rocky terrain surrounding the cabin.

Contact Info

This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (907) 783-3242.

Camp site features

Across 1 camp site:

Pets allowed: all 1 sites
Largest party: 6 people

Fees

Only one change per reservation for all Alaska cabins is allowed. Change is defined as a modification to the start or end date of the reservation; after one change has been made, if additional changes are desired, the customer must cancel the current reservation and re-book the new dates.

Directions

The cabin is located near Crow Pass in the Chugach Mountains, 3 miles from the Crow Pass Trailhead. Cabin users can expect to encounter small stream crossings during wet periods. Access: At mile 90, AK-1 S/Seward Highway (35 miles south of Anchorage). Turn left onto paved road leading to Mt. Alyeska Resort (Alyeska Highway). After 2 miles, turn left onto Crow Creek Road. Trailhead is at end of road (7 miles) and parking is available. Refer to USGS Map, Anchorage A6.

Stay Limit

Check in from 12 PM, check out by 12 PM.

Reviews

15 reviews

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

1 stars

Pat

Loop:Area Crow Pass Cabin

Site:

Reviewed 2 months ago

We loved our time at the crow pass cabin. We stayed three nights at the end of August. We brought kerosene and used the full two gallons for heating the cabin in the morning and for a couple hours before bed. Plenty of room for four to sleep, two on the main floor and two in the loft.

Lily S

Loop:Area Crow Pass Cabin

Site:

Reviewed 4 months ago

We were not able to access the cabin due to deep snow and avalanche danger. We checked in with the Glacier Ranger District office several days before our reservation and the ranger simply stated they had no idea what the condition of the trail was up to the cabin or if we would be likely to access it. Absolutely zero information. On day of our reservation trail to cabin was still impassable without crampons etc.

Casey L

Loop:Area Crow Pass Cabin

Site:

Reviewed a year ago

The cabin is super cool! Especially when the stove won’t stay lit 😬. I would definitely go back again. Hopefully we’d have better weather next time and the stove would be working properly. I’ve been on that hike before (to Raven Glacier) from the Girdwood side trailhead. It’s a great hike and really beautiful. This trip however was howling winds and driving rain. We still enjoyed it and were thankful it wasn’t colder weather!

John W

Loop:Area Crow Pass Cabin

Site:

Reviewed a year ago

More snow and ice this year than in the past in July. Still easily accessible and our friends, the GOATs of Crow Pass kept us company all evening

Travis S

Loop:Area Crow Pass Cabin

Site:

Reviewed a year ago

There were a few patches of snow on the hike up but mostly clear on the low route. The pass still has a few feet of snow but water was still easily found near the cabin. The outhouse was not accessible due to ice and snow build up on the inside. The stove works well and each gallon of heating oil lasted about 16 hours. Nordic stoves come with the regulator pre-set for #1 heating oil. You can get heating oil at the essential one on international airport road, it is 1/5th the cost of kerosene. Diesel can also be used but you will get better performance out of heating oil.

Trenton T

Loop:Area Crow Pass Cabin

Site:

Reviewed a year ago

The cabin was in great condition! The outhouse was inaccessible due to 5 feet of dense wet snow so plan accordingly. The stove works very well. We used about 3 gallons of kerosene for the two nights we were there. There was still a decent amount of snow on the hike up the pass, including a couple of recent avalanches. We took the lower trail and had little issue other than some post holing. We were glad to have brought snowshoes so we could explore around the cabin more freely. Overall it was worth the trek!

Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

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Season dates

Peak season

Jun 1, 2027 – Oct 31, 2027

Reservable online

Peak season

Jun 1, 2028 – Oct 31, 2028

Reservable online

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