Redoubt and driving to the Kenai

[WIsam]

I'll be in the Anchorage area in the end of April and was thinking of doing some hikeing and scouting for this year's hunting season while I'm up there.

I was hoping to be in the northern Kenai in the vecinity of Hope and was wondering if Redoubt would have any effect on the trip. I would imagine any amount of ash would cause issues with a car and might not be that pleasant to hike around in. How much of an issue do you think the ash would be in the hope area for both hiking/scouting and driving?

Also, what do you think the odds are that the ash would cause issues with my flight in or out of Anchorage? Obviously any ash would cancel a flight, but how often does the ash make it all the way up to anchorage?

[Carnivore]

...I would imagine any amount of ash would cause issues with a car and might not be that pleasant to hike around in. How much of an issue do you think the ash would be in the hope area for both hiking/scouting and driving?

On a scale of 0 to 10 it would be somewhere between 0 to 10 - just no way to make such a prediction. As for ash reaching Anchorage, it has happened once since the mountain awoke. All depends on wind direction.

[stid2677]

The ash goes where the wind goes, Anchorage airport was shut down for a few days in March because of ash, It caused major problems. I had a friend that got stuck in Fairbanks for 3 days waiting to fly out. Fairbanks even canceled flights due to ash. Alaska airlines posted alerts on their website, keep an eye on that.

Steve

[WIsam]

So it sounds like it's happened once since the eruption started? How bout the effect of it on driving and scouting the Kenai near Hope?

[homerdave]

there is no way to even guess...

you simply can't make plans based on what the volcano may or may not do...
it either will or it won't , and you either go or you don't... can't plan for it, just ignore it and hope for the best...

[Blink]

I wouldnt cancel my trip on redoubt.

[shphtr]

If Mt. Redoubt erupts and the winds blow sig. ash to where you will be traveling, then it will prob be a problem. It an eruption occurs and no ash is carried your way then it will not be a problem. If Mt. Redoubt does not erupt then it will not be a problem. So the question is will Redoubt erupt - no one knows. If Redoubt erupts will winds carry ash your way - no one knows. So, in the final analysis will Mt. Redoubt cause you a problem - I think you can prob guess the answer ... but if in doubt - no one knows - at least that's the way it looks from here, even though it is dark outside right now!!!

[mudman1]

answers

driving you will be fine just make sure you air filter is fresh and it will not cause you a problem, hiking will not be any different than the snow, breathing wise just bring a 99 cent dust mask and you will be good to go. In no way should the ash affect your trip unless your flight gets cancelled due to ash in the air coming towards the airport.

[AGL4now]

I don't know if this will help, but yesterday hiked 5 miles at the Hope cut-off back Gulch Creek & Canyon Creek, today snowshoe 6 miles at mile 7.7 Hope Road, tomorrow will hike the beach along Turnagain Arm at the mouth of Six-mile creek at mile 8.2 Hope Hwy.

Yep, hike every day it is above zero, and some that it ain't. Living in paradise sucks, but someone has to do it.

[Kenaimike]

Redoubt will absolutely ruin all the plans you make.

[Kenaimike]

Or it won't.




Don't worry about the volcano, but have a back up plan.

[WIsam]

Do you mean backup plan as in flights or another location to go to when we get there?

[ptarmigan]

I think he means if it is puking ash hang out at The Mooses Tooth and drink IPAs until the sun comes back out, then carry on. Thats what I would do, you are welcome to do as you wish but I would plan on getting here and doing what you planned, give or take a day or two.

[Kenaimike]

Been gone Sam. Backup=alternative hiking location. If the planes are flying, get on it. If they set you in Fairbanks because of inability to land in Anc., find something there.

It'll be an adventure!

[Goody]

Gotta luv it....

Simply put, you can't control the mountain or mother nature. What you can control is packing your bags and coming north and just planning to have an awesome time. No need to worry about Redoubt and what it will be doing. To many people up here that have that all under control.....

As you can tell, most of us just wake up and carry out whatever we had planned and adjust our days as to what's happening in our area. Ash could be falling in Homer but the sun shining in Anchorage or Hope for that matter....