Management Unit 5 J

ClcarwatcrMountainsFoothills

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General DescriptionEast of the Susitna River, the Denali Roadclimbs the foothills of the Clearwater Mountainsand from there skirts the river valley for thefull 17.4 miles of Management Unit 5. On thenorth, the steep, rough rock faces of the Clear-waters dominate the near views, while on thesouth a panoramic vista takes in the flat ter-rain of the Susitna basin to the jagged Tal-keetna Mountains on the horizon.

The Susitna River is the outstanding visual ele-ment in this unit as it meanders through a broadvalley densely forested in black spruce. Thevegetation changes with altitude. From the riv-er, the road climbs through stands of spruce andhigh brush to where it stays above tree line andlow brush and barren slopes predominate. Fore-ground elements, such as small lakes and creeks,add visual diversity and are important high-lights along the drive. Some of these featureswould serve as the focus for a turnout or recre-ation area.

Uniformly wide out strips prevent the road fromblending with the landscape. Instead, the depth ofthe out can be varied, allowing trees close to theroad near the crest of the rise to frame the nextview.

The scenic quality in this unit is very high,offering a more or less continuous panorama ofclose, steep mountains, the broad Susitna Riverand distinctive mountain ranges. However, thefact that there are few suprises in this unitbecause of the continuous views somewhatdetracts from the unit's drama. The visualabsorption capability of land to the north ofthe road is low because of its steep slopes, buton the south side below tree line it is higher,which is attributable to the flatter terrain anddense, tall vegetation.

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KEYT* TurnoutV'View ManagementRec- RecreationR- Reclamation—— Realignment Proposals

Native Selected Land

5 Cleairwater MountainsFoothills

Assessment Units D28 - D34

NORTHO Federal Land

12 mi.

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Development Is insignificant in unit 5. Severalmailboxes on the road indicate the presence ofcabins, but they are not visible. The mostobvious indications of human activity are sev-eral material sites adjacent to the road. Theyhave varying impacts on the visual experience.

Land Ownership &Management ResponsibilityAlmost all the land in this unit is managed bythe Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Two sec-tions of land around Swampbuggy Lake are Nativeselected and there is one small parcel of pri-vate land near the road. The State DOTPF main-tains a 300 foot right-of-way throughout theunit in addition to several material sites out-side the right-of-way.

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Visual ResourceManagement ObjectivesThree goals should guide the management of thescenic resources in this unit: retention,appropriate right-of-way management, andenhancement.

Retention: To retain the high quality of thescenic resources in this unit by managing theland along the corridor as a wild and scenicroad.

Appropriate Right-of-Way Management: To managethe land within the right-of-way in a mannerthat recognizes its importance in maintainingthe road's scenic quality and to improve thoseareas which have suffered from poor management.

Enhancement: To open and improve views throughthe sensitive management of roadside vegetationand to enhance the recreational use of the areaby opening up some areas to public use.

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ManagementRecommendationsRight-of-Way ManagementSince the primary management goal for Unit 5 isto promote the wild and scenic qualities of theroad, DOTPF's right-of-way management practices,which affect those lands most immediately vis-ible from the road, can significantly add ordetract from the overall scenic quality. Belowtreeline in this unit some roadside brush clear-ing is necessary to improve road visibility,minimize wildlife-auto collisions, provide forsnow removal and road maintenance, and also openviews. But along several long stretches of roadtrees and brush have been removed, cut orknocked over in a swath extending 20 to 25 feetfrom the road edge. In these areas the road hasa ravaged appearance: In some places only baresoil remains. In other places there is only cutstubble with the slash left piled in the trees.Not only is the slash unsightly, it also is apotential fire hazard.

This cutting and trimming can be accomplished sothat it does not detract from the scenic qualityof the driving experience. To accomplish this,DOTPF maintenance crews should adopt thefollowing practices:

• Minimize the vegetation cut in the right-of-way,leaving as much as possible to keep the naturalroad appearance.

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climbs above tree line, two greenbelt categoriesare recommended in three separate combinations:

(1) Assessment Units 28-32—A 500 foot green-belt is proposed for both sides of the road.Steep slopes near the road on the north side andflat forested land to the south permit a mediumwidth greenbelt to maintain the natural char-acter of this road segment.

(2) Assessment Unit 33—A 500 foot greenbeltis proposed for the north side of the road and a1 mile greenbelt is proposed for the south side.The road climbs above treeline in this unit, andthe landscape opens, requiring a wider manage-ment area. The topography is still close to theroad on the north side.

(3) Assessment Unit 34: A 1-mile greenbelt isrecommended for both sides of the road. Theflat, unvegetated terrain necessitates a widegreenbelt in this unit.

Without vegetation to screen development on this openterrain, wide greenbelts are important to retainscenic views and the wild road character. Also notethe milepost in need of replacement. - . The greenbelt designation is not meant as a "no

development" zone. Instead, any proposed landuse and development should be secondary to thearea's scenic value and be guided by practices .designed to maintain scenic quality.

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Greenbelts

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As a management strip beyond the right-of-way, agreenbelt provides an additional means to pro-tect the wild and scenic qualities of the DenaliRoad. As land manager for most of this unit, itis recommended that BLM establish these green-belts in their land management plan. To accountfor the change in screening capacity as the road

• Vegetation clearing should be minimized.

• Access roads through the greenbelt developmentsshould be kept to a minimum and aligned sensi-tively with the topography.

• With the exception of dispersed recreationalcabins, discourage settlement, mining andmineral leasing within the greenbelt.

• Material sites may be located in the greenbelt- if well-screened or otherwise hidden from view.

• Vary the width of the management strip throughselective cutting to create a softer edge to thecorridor.

• Do not strip the corridor of all vegetation.Cut bushes and trees to variable heights so thatvisibility is maintained, but a feathered edgeranging from low plants to trees is created.

• Vary the timing of roadside maintenance bylocation. Trim short segments of the right-of-way in one year, leaving adjacent portionsfor a subsequent season.

• Revegetate stripped areas immediately adjacentto the road with low bushy plants.

• Remove all slash and cut material from theright-of-way and dispose of properly.

• Where it is desirable to open or maintainviews—especially around turnouts—selectivelyclear trees and brush. Adjacent areas should beleft in dense vegetation to help maintain avisually diverse driving experience that alter-nates from an open view to a spatial enclosure.(See V-l on map).

Material Sites & Reclamation (R)_____In this unit, material sites are located atrelatively frequent intervals along the roadwithin the right-of-way. Usually, they arelocated at the closest point off the road wheresand or gravel is available, with little regardfor visual impacts. In addition, road cutsthrough morainal landforms in Assessment Units33 and 34 are being used as gravel sources.This practice leaves large "bites" out of theends of otherwise contoured cuts that then be-come rough equipment staging areas. Becausethey have no screening from the road, they areunsightly and unusable as turnouts. Both typesof extraction create open scars that contrastwith the natural appearance of their sur-roundings. DOTPF must adopt policies and

practices to guide the location and use ofmaterial sites. In this unit, the followingguidelines should apply:

• All new sites should be outside the right-of-way so they can be screened bytopography, be mis or vegetation. DOTPF shouldIdentify appropriate sites in conjunction withBLM.

• If glacial landforms, such as small moraines,are used the material should be taken from theside away from the road.

• In open areas, locate the site on the side ofthe road away from the predominant views.

• Do not use the ends of road cuts for materialextraction.

• Sensitively align access roads to conform to thelandform and minimize clearing.

• Screen active sites with berms or vegetation.

• Unused sites should be actively reclaimed andreturned to their natural condition, used forturnouts or have access closed and then allowedto revegetate naturally. (Plant regeneration Isslow in this area, thus revegetation can be bothcostly and/or slow).

Only two sites are noted as priorities forreclamation, although others exist and are notedon the Assessment Units. A roadway managementprogram developed by the DOTPF road maintenancecrew foreperson and a landscape architect shoulddefine detailed reuse or reclamation approachesfor material sites along the road.

R—1 This existing gravel pit should be screened nowand, once the gravel source is depleted, recon-toured to a more natural shape and allowed torevegetate.

R-2 Reclaim and revegetate the sand pit below theroad and screen the existing culverts. D67

Recreation (Rec)There are few developed public recreationfacilities such as campgrounds or picnic areasalong the Denali Road near the Susitna River.With the magnificent panoramic views availablein this unit, this is a priority area toidentify a site that will meet the need formore than just a roadside turnout.

Rec-l Swampbuggy Lake, immediately adjacent to theroad at the foot of the Clearwater Mountains,is a email lake with high recreation poten-tial. Already DOTPF has identified a smallsite between the road and the lake as anappropriate turnout. Above the lake to theeast and 1/4 mile off the road is a 2+ acregravel extraction site which provides anexcellent opportunity to develop an overnightcampground. Situated north of the road on aslight plateau, the site has a lovely panoramaof the Susitna Valley and the Talkeetna Moun-tains. An overnight campground could bedeveloped in the gravel pit with trails lead-ing to the lake or up into the ClearwaterMountains. The day use site would be appro-priate next to the road, where DOTPF presentlyplans to develop a turnoff. Boating orcanoeing on the lake is a potential use and asmall launch could be located part way up theaccess road to the campsite.

The land around Swampbuggy Lake is a Nativeselection. If this is not patented to the Na-tives, this site should be reserved anddeveloped for public recreation by BLM. If itis patented, the Native corporation can beencouraged to develop the area for a privaterecreation development.

Land Use & Development (LU)_____The proximity of Unit 5 to the Susitna Rivercrossing and its associated recreation anddevelopment potentials makes this unit a

likely location for some additional develop-ment. But. because of the open landscapecharacter, the moderate screening potential ofexisting vegetation, and the wild and sceniccharacter of the Denali Road, it is recom-mended that BLM restrict development in thisunit. A developed public recreation area,with camping facilities is appropriate here,either at Swampbuggy Lake or another roadsidelake which would avail more people of theopportunity to enjoy the special amenities ofthe Susltea River Valley. In addition, somewell-screened and dispersed recreation cabinswould be acceptable south of the road andbelow tree line. Some cabins are alreadylocated here and it would be possible to siteothers with minimal disruption of the area'shigh scenic quality if design guidelinesrelating to screening and clearing werefollowed. Recreational homesites would behighly desirable given the panoramic mountainand valley views. Other development includingpermanent settlement, mining and mineralleasing is discourage, especially south of theroad, because of the broad open views.

Turnouts (T)__________________Numerous turnouts and potential turnouts arelocated in Unit 5, many of which are old gravelsites reclaimed for a pullout. Old gravel pitscan provide excellent opportunities to meettravelers rest needs since the cleared, gravelbase is good for automobile use and requires aminimum of additional site work. Selectivityshould be exercised in developing these sites.Those with safe access/egress, adequate space toaccommodate several cars, minimal development ormaintenance costs and good views or other D69

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Turnouts provide the opportunity to enjoy unspoiled,panoramic views like this one across the open Susit-na Valley to the edge of the Talkeetna MountainRange.

interesting natural features, should beretained. Other sites should be recontoured orgraded to contours more in keeping with thenatural surroundings and allowed to revegetate.

Recommended turnouts in Unit 5 include thefollowing:a "=> < " - ' • • ' '

T-l Recommended to be retained as a turnout, thisgravel widening offers distinctive views of theSusitna Valley, the Talkeetnas and the Clear-water Mountains. It requires only some grading,tree thinning and signing.

T-2 This recommended turnout was also noted by the_, DOTPF in their plan for realigning portions of

the Denali Road. Near a small lake, there is' enough space here to locate the site away fromg the road, partially screened behind existing

roadside vegetation. View orientation is towardthe lake and the Clearwater Mountains.

6 Access/egress is safe. There is a gravel;. widening across the road where access should be

closed and the site allowed to revegetate.

T-3 This site consists of an old materials siteslightly below the road. Only some grading isrequired to open the turnout, and it is actuallylarge enough to be developed as a rest area.This site has good views of the Susitna Valley.DOTPF included this site in their plan for theDenali.

T-4 This recommended turnout is at the crest of ahill with excellent valley views and a goodexpression of local landform. No vegetationmaintenance is required at this site. Bothvisibility and access are good.

T-5 Located on a small knoll, this recommended turn-out offers views of the broad Susitna Valley.

T-6 This existing gravel widening is a desirableturnout because of its good valley views. Thereis little vegetation in the foreground to blockviews and there is no problem for safe vehicularaccess. DOTPF also recommends this site.

T-7 This recommended turnout is actually two gravelwidenings at the crest of a hill located on twosides of a bend in the road about one tenth of amile apart. Some grading is needed, but size,

•"•"" access, and views are good.

T-8 An old gravel pit slightly below the road ,,surface, this site has the potential to be

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reclaimed either as a turnout or a rest area.There Is room on site for both toilets and lit-ter barrels. Short trails could be developed toadjacent knolls to take advantage of views tothe Susltna Valley. The site needs some level-ling and shaping. Automobile access from theroad is safe.

T-9 This recommended turnout Is at the crest of ahill where an existing gravel widening islocated. This site, too, has good views of thevalley.

T-10 A turnout is recommended here where a portion ofthe hill has been partially levelled and can bereclaimed as a turnout. The location Is excel-lent with a composite view encompassing the gla-cial valley, distant mountains and nearby land-forms. Surface grading is required, along withadditional gravel fill. Some vegetation wouldhelp soften the edges.

T-ll This gravel pad with views of the valley and themountains across has turnout potential.

T-14 This is a DOTPF recommended turnout where a gra-vel pad already exists. The site has goodviews, but higher priority sites exist nearby.

Roadway Signing.Throughout most of this unit, the highway signsand mileposts are falling into disrepair or areincorrectly located. All these signs should bereplaced and the mileposts recalibrated (in onesection, the milepost was off by 1/2 mile). Themilepost marking should wait until the proposedalignments are completed.

DOTPF could design a special milepost using woodposts, a special logo, or new color—for theDenali Wild and Scenic Road. In fact, each roadin Alaska could have its own milepost design, orcolor, which would help orient the traveler andalso serve as an element of roadside interest.

T-12 This small gravel pad will serve as a turnoutwith views of the Clearwater Mountains and theesker in Unit 6.

T-13 Located in Unit 5 at the end of the esker, thisis an existing rest area that consists of onlyan open gravel area. It has no screening orlandscaping and the present litter barrels arelocated at random on the site. The edges of thesite should be vegetated to create a moreIrregular, natural shape. Also, the litterbarrels should be replaced by barrels In a moreunobstrusive color and sited in a more screenedlocation. A short trail could be developed fromthis site up one of the adjacent knolls for aview of the esker.