Black Rapids Training Area

This morning, when I came into the office, Mark and Brooke were discussing possible new programs for Outdoor Recreation. I suggested we look at doing a climbing program since we are so close to the mountains, a climbing site has to exist. We discussed it and mark mentioned Black Rapids Training Area. BRTA is about 30 miles south of delta Junction, just a bit past as far as I drove yesterday. They conduct Arctic and Mountain training for Fort Wainwright. I looked up their contact info and gave their office at black Rapids a call.   The Captain that answered the phone said they'd be training for another week to come on down anytime, 'how about today?' 'okay'. After lunch we headed down to talk to them about their programs and the area. We hit an outdoor jackpot. BTRA has a ski hill with T lift with about 30 braided runs for skis/snowboards. It used to be a ski area with lodge that was open to the public years ago. Jess used to go up there as a kid before it closed and the Army took over. They also have a granite rock climbing area of lower class 5 climbs, great for training. Jackpot #2. We met up with Captain T and he walked us the 1/4 mile over to the rocks. Pure granite 30-40 foot climbs with easy access to the tops to set up the top ropes. The area is also along the highway with porta-potties and the base are is smooth small river gravel. Most of it is south facing. What a sweet beginner set up. The routes are even bolted and marked. While walking and talking the Captain even recommended we look into the Gulkana Glacier. They do training there, it's another 20 minutes down the road and is excellent glacier travel in May and June, normally slower Outdoor Rec times because of breakup and the spring melt which has everything a little soggy and muddy. Jackpot #3. He also clued us in on some beta about waterfall ice climbing in the area. Two drainages up the highway from BRTA, about a 20 minute walk up the frozen creek, they utilize a frozen waterfall to teach technical ice climbing. The area is top ropeable and a great training location. 4 new programs, one afternoon trip. Awesome. On the drive back, while talking through the programming options we could do in the area, we drove by the dead caribou I saw yesterday. The eagle was there again, only this time he brought reinforcements. 2 bald eagles were chilling in the tree tops on the opposite side of the road. It was a nice sunny day and the animals were out in full force. We saw 4 or 5 big moose walking around and one band of the Macomb herd (I know pretty coincidental for a WIU grad) of caribou was walking around in a group of 50 pracing along as caribou do. All in all, not a bad day to be in Interior Alaska. I am starting to get very excited for the possibilities that the summer holds outdoors.

Here you can see the ski runs up in the hills. They are braided all through each other. The cadre of BRTA said most of it is all blue runs, but what a great place for families to come for a day if we did a special event. there's even a warming chalet lodge.

Granite.

Granite.

More granite.