Little Susitna River

The Little Susitna River is a river in Alaska. It originates in Hatcher Pass, at 1,700 feet (520 m), in the Talkeetna Mountains which form the... more

by Chris Heitstuman

Title

Little Susitna River

Artist

Chris Heitstuman

Medium

Photograph

Description

The Little Susitna River is a river in Alaska. It originates in Hatcher Pass, at 1,700 feet (520 m), in the Talkeetna Mountains which form the northern boundary of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. It flows a few dozen miles to the Cook Inlet. It contains a variety of hydrology ranging from flat water near the inlet to class 5 water in Hatcher Pass. It is bridged by Fishook Road in Hatcher Pass, Edgerton Parks Road, Welch Road, George Parks Highway, and Schrock Road. It flooded in 1972 and again in August 2006, causing minor damage to homes and infrastructure. It is fed by the mint glacier, Archangel Creek, Fishhook Creek, Government Creek, Nurse Creek, Mary Creek, and numerous other unnamed streams. Popular activities along the river include camping, fishing, wildlife viewing and photography, and hunting.
The river begins in Hatcher Pass, a state recreation area that was originally opened by hard rock mining. This area still has active gold mines and is also open for recreational mining. Much of the land between Hatcher Pass and the George Parks Highway bridge is privately owned, while most of the land below the George Parks Highway Bridge is owned by the state. The George Parks Highway crosses the river at RM 69.5 and parallels the river for about a mile (1.6 km). 42 river miles down stream there is the Little Susitna Public Use Facility, which offers camping and boating access approximately 26 miles (42 km) south of Wasilla. This campground/boat launch lies within the Susitna Flats State Game Refuge on the pristine Little Susitna River.
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This photo was taken on the bridge that crosses the river on Fishhook rd. The water levels where high this year due to heavy fall rains.
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Chris grew up in Spokane Washington and has lived in Alaska for 20 years where her passion for hiking and photography collided. Each and every moment is an experience with God's creation that will never be repeated. She has captured the essence of those moments as well as the beauty, uniqueness, and the splendor of God's handiwork.

Uploaded

April 10th, 2013