The Wedge

The feel

The Wedge is visible from most of Anchorage, and it starts at the Glen Alps trailhead. Follow the Powerline Trail southeast to the cutoff for the Hidden Lake/Ship Lake Pass Trail, where a metal bike rack lets you bike the flats and save time. From there you walk on, crossing a bridge and winding through dwarf trees before the trail breaks into open tundra and a series of small unsigned trails.

Stay oriented east-southeast toward Ship Lake Pass. From the pass, turn south on a faint trail to the top; the last several hundred feet may be loose rock interspersed with tundra. The views take in the deep turquoise Ship Lake and the craggy summits of dozens of Chugach peaks.

What to expect

Route and terrain

Out and back, 12 miles total, with 3200 ft of gain. Powerline flats, then a bridge, dwarf trees, open tundra with unsigned trails, a steep tundra ramp before the pass, and loose rock and tundra to the top. The summit route is unmaintained and off trail.

Time

About 7 hours.

Crowds and best time

The Glen Alps lot can be hard to find a spot in, as most visitors are there for Flattop Mountain. The crowds thin dramatically about 1 mile up the Powerline Trail.

Parking

Glen Alps trailhead.

Fees and passes

$5 per day or an Alaska State Park Pass.

Dogs

Allowed.

Hazards

Good navigational skills are required. A hard-packed snow chute near the pass may persist until midsummer. Moose and bears are both quite common in this valley, especially moose.

Season and access

May to October.

Mingo says

Come between May and October, and plan for snow on the steep ramp below the pass until midsummer. Go early, because the lot fills with Flattop visitors.

Before you go

• Bring $5 for the day or an Alaska State Park Pass for Glen Alps.
• Bring a bike for the Powerline flats and lock it at the metal rack at the cutoff.
• Carry a map and navigation skills; the summit route is off trail.
• Watch for moose and bears in the valley.

Written October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.