Why Powerline Pass is Named Powerline Pass

This shot,  from 'the other side' looking back toward the trail toward the south along the pass, doesn't answer the question.

 

Nor does this one, also from the other side, this time looking west toward Flattop and the Glen Alps parking lot.  

And here's the reason for the name.  I tried to find some history online, but found nothing that really said too much.  Mostly it was hiking and biking sites.  There was a little bit about fiber optic cable that had been laid along the trail around 2005, but nothing too specific, and, of course, that was well after the powerline poles were put in.  

I also learned this was 'world-famous' as a place to see moose.  I knew that moose were out there, particularly in the evening, but I didn't know it was a favorite with photographers from around the world. From ADN piece  Powerline Pass famous for viewing moose:

High above Alaska's largest city, fall has sparked an annual mating congregation of majestic bull moose. Thousand-pound animals sporting antlers as wide as a man is tall, they gather along Campbell Creek to joust for mates. The area, once something of a secret among wildlife viewers but now increasingly well-known, offers some of the best moose viewing Alaska has to offer within an easy, half-hour drive from downtown Anchorage.

Photographer Stefan Meyers came all the way from Germany to witness and photograph these animals. . .

A professional photographer in Germany, Meyers said that among photographers in that country there is widespread knowledge of Powerline moose.

Do you think photographers go to Moose Pass to shoot the powerlines?

After lot had emptied a bit, about 11pm

What I do know is that parking has gotten bad.  I've seen it a couple times on summer weekends where cars were parked down the road.   Wednesday night, last week, when we visited,  cars lined the road next to the "Fire Lane - No Parking" signs.  Maybe 60 or 70 cars.  (We luckily found someone just pulling out of a space in the parking lot.)  There was publicity about all those cars getting tickets one night last August.   I guess there's been a truce.

And I've never seen so many people roaming around - and this was a weeknight!

This year legislation was passed to enlarge the parking lot and the governor didn't veto it.  It originally sounded like the parking lot was going to be put in where the trail goes to Powerline Pass - a long time favorite trail passed miniature trees that my kids loved to play in when they were little.  As I read the plans, they could well take out this field of lupine that was at it's perfect moment Wednesday night.

I don't think there is a perfect answer.  And I'm still not sure why the Governor signed this bill and vetoed the bill to purchase the Waldron land south of Tudor.  That's beauftiful green land that is accessible to far more people right in the middle of town.   It's certainly not the same kind of land.  And you can see that I too, fell into comparing one park land bill to another instead of comparing it to a road project or other expenditures in the operating budget that once spent are gone.  Whereas the money for Waldron will save that precious spot for future generations. 

Waldron Lake from prior post