Prominence Point is one of the newest, ritziest subdivisions in town. It winds up the side of a steepish hill. Take the Seward Highway south to Rabbit Creek Rd, turn right at Goldenview and you should see it on the left after about 1/4 mile.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...28453&t=h&z=16

Bodenburg Butte is a popular Palmer hiking destination. Take the Glenn Hwy to the Old Glenn Hwy. Drive almost to Palmer. You'll see a huge hill soaring to the left of the highway. That's the Butte. The old access point is my favorite. It's at the end of the first straight section of Bodenburg Butte Loop at the base. It's on private land and is $3 donation per car. There's another newer access point on the other side of the Butte. It's about 800' tall and takes maybe 45 minutes to climb if you are in average shape. It starts off steep, but gets easier. And there are easy routes and less easy routes to the top. The hike down takes half the time.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...=lmc:panoramio

The dirt road to Exit Glacier was a 16-mile roundtrip. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...=lmc:panoramio

Ah, interesting. Haven't driven up around Prominence Point itself, but if you drive to the south end of Goldenview and then wind up into the hills from there, there is an absolutely massive house with (seriously) a three-story-tall picture window on the front. I think it's on Mt. McKinley View Drive (strange name, since the angling of the valley means you can't actually see Mt. McKinley). I've been trying to find out who lives in that house, as it is surely the nicest house in the state.

I think it's this one--it was under construction at the time this imagery was taken:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...05558&t=h&z=18

I've seen that butte many times. Never thought to try and hike it, since there are much taller mountains right next to it!

It's been awhile since I've been to Exit Glacier. Maybe I need to go back down there and re-familiarize myself with those roads.

However, I can confirm that the rental agencies really aren't worried about people going to Exit Glacier. If you get in an accident or a rock chip on that road, it's possible they may use the fine print to give you grief, but most of them probably don't even know it's a gravel road (I didn't!). They're mostly concerned about potential damage to the cars (especially the undercarriage and suspension) on the long, rural highways I mentioned earlier. Calling it a violation of the rental agreement is really just a way to discourage travel on them.

Hey, your link leads to 5th Ave just east of Medfra:eek:

Since this thread really has more to do with the state than the airline, we'll switch it to our Alaska Forum.

Please continue to follow and contribute to the thread at it's new home.

Thanks.

___________________

Cholula

Alaska Airllines Mileage Plan Co-Moderator

Of course! That's where all the rich people live!

Umm, let's try again. I tested this one--it should work:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...05558&t=h&z=18

I'd say the one towering must is Club Paris on 5th downtown. The Paris Special burger (with some ground tenderloin and on a french roll with au jus) is memorable for lunch, and the 14 oz. filet mignon is a must for dinner. They own the "best steakhouse" local award.

Would also give a nod to Local Burgerman/Arctic Roadrunner at Airport Rd. and Old Seward Hwy. Fast food, but I like the setting, the halibut sandwich and onion pieces and blackberry shakes. A bit reminiscent of the Varsity in Atlanta on a smaller scale and with different offerings.

As for activities, the museum and that Omnimax/earthquake similation place might make some sense on days when the weather isn't good.

That Onmimax/earthquake place is gone. I only went there once. Sort of "meh" to me, but fun for a tourist. Just across the street in the Performing Arts Center, though, they still do the northern lights slideshow, which can be kind of neat.

However, there is a newer (maybe built around 2000 or so) addition to the options in town: the Alaska Native Heritage Center out at Muldoon and the Glenn. It's spendy ($20 or so per person, last time I checked), but worth it for the visitor. It's actually run by a consortium of Native groups and will give you a better look at the way of life of the traditional peoples of Alaska. (More real, anyway, than the commercialized cruise-ship version.)

Jackal, that link to the area off Golden View is where we used to have a neighborhood owned and operated junker of a ski lift and ski run! That is spooky!

I had no idea who owned the land soooooooo long ago. No one seemed to care. The school bus stop closest to the house was on Golden View about a mile off Rabbit Creek. Used to be a very lonely area.

I guess it isn't that way now!

Edited to add: I spent some time with your map. The neighborhood ski lift was much further south. The area was called Keno Hills. No idea what it is called now. Not a clue. With much effort managed to find where our little cabin is/was. The street now has a name. Named streets!

I'd be so lost driving up there!

If we'd had any money we could have bought some of that land fairly cheap. Of course, we didn't have any extra money.

Wow. Well, the next neighborhood to the south is now Potter Valley, I think, which is another hoity-toity neighborhood. Was that where your ski run was?

jackal, we weren't all that far from Potter Marsh (but there was no direct road). We came and went via Rabbit Creek Road and Golden View. Ran Golden View until there was a dead end and headed up mountain. Made a left turn off Golden View continuing to go up, another left turn on to a road that was only open in the summer and then another left. If the roads had names in those days, it was a secret.

The winter road took longer. You didn't drive the summer road in the winter unless you had the bad luck to live on it.

Our view was of Cook Inlet. Flat Top was up and behind us. Between us and Golden View was a settlement of Native People. I bet that is gone now.

We had very little by way of public services including road clearing. We did that for ourselves. The neighbors worked on it together.

We always managed to get to work.

Rabbit Creek was paved but Golden View was only paved for a wee distance. The rest was all 'natural'.

We had a big ring embedded in our driveway that we used to winch the cars up when it was really icy. You couldn't block the road by parking on it.

Not sure if I want to see what it looks like now!

The ski run ran down the utility easement. Neighbor's built it so the kids could ski from home. It was an old rope tow that someone had made. Worked reasonably well for a long time. The kids just ran wild and did what they wanted. Bunches of boys would go off camping and no one worried at all.

That's real Alaska right there...kept your taxes low!

Maybe this weekend I'll go driving around up there and take some pictures for ya.

jackal, that would be so cool! If you see a little A-frame cabin with a great view of the Inlet.......

OP

I *think* I was just driving around in that area, but don't know for sure. If it is the area I'm thinking of, supposedly there are now some nice garage sales in that area on the weekends :D

It isn't a gravel road -- the Herman Leirer/Exit Glacier Road is paved. I was on it earlier today.

In fact my traveling companion remarked that it's probably one of smoothest pieces of road we've found in Alaska. Ever.

Must've been paved within the last week, then--any older and it'd be as pot-holed and frost-heaved as every other Alaskan road! :D