Anchorage, Alaska
Description
The Anchorage, AK graticule is at latitude 61, longitude -149. It includes most of the Municipality of Anchorage, except for the western edge of the city itself (Kincaid Park, parts of Anchorage International Airport, and most of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail); the graticule includes the nearby communities of Chugiak, Eagle River, Wasilla, Palmer, Houston, and Big Lake.
Accessibility
Large sections of the graticule are open and undeveloped land; Chugach State Park accounts for roughly one-quarter of Anchorage graticule's land area. The Chugach Mountains create additional obstacles throughout the graticule; although Flat Top in Chugach State Park is accessible to even a casual hiker, other mountains (such as those north of Palmer) are more remote, with little or no road access and peaks of 4000' or higher. Expeditions to these peaks requires greater preparation and caution.
The graticule completely encloses Knik Arm and includes a portion of Chickaloon Bay, which together make approximately 10% of the graticule inacessible by land. Military installations pose potential access problems as well:
- Elmendorf Air Force Base
- Fort Richardson
- Kulis Air National Guard Base
Notable Dates
No official Saturday meetings yet; on the first official date (May 24, 2008), the meetup location was in the middle of Knik Arm. The meetup location for May 31, 2008 was at elevation 4400', approximately thirty miles north of Palmer.
- June 4, 2008 - Yos, Doug and Orbatos conduct the first documented site visit.
Geohashes
- June 7, 2008 - Reachable location, in the foothills. Looks like no attempt at meeting came to fruition, though.
- June 15, 2008 - Location is potentially reachable, in undeveloped land near Big Lake.
- June 15, 2008 - One graticule over, the Seward graticule's spot is potentially reachable, near Cooper Landing.
- June 17, 2008 - Reachable location in residential area near Minnesota and Dimond.
- June 21, 2008 - Actually in the neighboring Seward graticule. Out on the Turnagain Arm, in the inlet 656 meters from alternate location in a pullout. About a 25 minute drive from midtown Anchorage.
