Goat Trail

Goat Trail (HMXHB)

Location: Valdez, AK 99686 Valdez-Cordova
Buy Alaska State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 61° 4.197', W 145° 53.904'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 460 views
Inscription
The U.S. Army arrived at Valdez during the Gold Rush to build a trail into the interior. They found the Valdez Glacier impassable much of the year. To bypass the glacier, they cut a narrow trail along the walls of rugged Keystone Canyon. The "Goat Trail" quickly became a popular route to the interior.

There Must be a Better Way
In 1898 the Army found a route though Keystone Canyon as an alternative to Valdez Glacier. Despite dense vegetation, high walls, and a fast, icy river, a crew led by Corporal Robert Heiden hacked a rough trail through snarls of alder bushes and thorny devil's club.

Improving the Trail
The next year, Congress appropriated money to build the Trans-Alaska Military Road linking Fort Liscum at Valdez with Fort Egbert at Eagle City on the Yukon River. Improving Heiden's four mile canyon trail with only saws, axes, picks, shovels, and sledge hammers took 35 days. Axmen hung onto brush with one hand and chopped with the other. The section above where you are standing became known as the Goat Trail for its location along the edge of the canyon walls.

True to its Name
The Goat Trail was difficult, but safer in the summer than crossing Valdez Glacier: Winter travelers preferred the frozen river through Keystone Canyon or the glacier route until the trail was improved to a wagon road. Replace after World War II, by the present highway, the Goat Trail is now a hiking trail. It begins 200 feet to the left.
Details
HM NumberHMXHB
Tags
Placed ByAlaska Gold Rush Centennial
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Wednesday, September 17th, 2014 at 3:21pm PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)6V E 559447 N 6771078
Decimal Degrees61.06995000, -145.89840000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 61° 4.197', W 145° 53.904'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds61° 4' 11.82" N, 145° 53' 54.24" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)907
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 133 Richardson Hwy, Valdez AK 99686, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Nearby Markersshow on map
Old Railroad Tunnel
1 miles
Horse and Sled Trail
1.06 miles
Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. What historical period does the marker represent?
  3. What historical place does the marker represent?
  4. What type of marker is it?
  5. What class is the marker?
  6. What style is the marker?
  7. Does the marker have a number?
  8. What year was the marker erected?
  9. This marker needs at least one picture.
  10. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  11. Is the marker in the median?