By:
Submission
Dale Clemens Cabin is a rustic cabin in south-central Alaska. It offers great views of the surrounding mountain peaks, and Resurrection Bay and Seward in the distance. Visitors enjoy hunting and exploring, as well as fishing in nearby Lost Lake.
The cabin can be accessed by hiking, biking, skiing and snowmobile. It is open year-round, though conditions may impact travel plans. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.
Visitors enjoy fishing for rainbow trout in Lost Lake. Hunting is available in season for moose, black and brown bears, wolves, mountain goats and ptarmigan.
Hiking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling are also popular activities.
The two-story cabin has two entrances via stairways at ground level. A wooden deck with seating overlooks the surrounding peaks. The cabin is oufitted with a Nordic oil drip stove for heat. Cabin users are responsible for supplying his/her own kerosene/number one fuel oil at a rate of one gallon per day June-August and two gallons per day the rest of the year. Contact the Seward Ranger District for more information. Heating system will be changed to Nordic oil stove on September 11, 2019. Users are responsible for supplying kerosene/number one fuel oil after September 11, 2019.
Inside the cabin are wooden bunks and a loft that will sleep up to eight people. Counterspace,table,benches, and an oil drip heater are provided. An outhouse is located outside the cabin. There is no electricity, potable water, mattresses, bedding or cooking utensils. Visitors should bring kerosene/heating oil at a rate of one gallon per day June-August and two gallons per day the rest of the year, sleeping bags and pads, a cook stove, cooking gear and food. Water from the lakes or streams should be treated or boiled before consumption.
The cabin is located west of Seward Highway at an elevation of about 1,750 feet. The cabin sits just above tree line, amid mountain meadows and groves of hemlock and spruce trees, as well as grasses and abundant wildflowers.
Winter snow can linger into July and the cabin is susceptible to heavy fog and rain in the summer, as well as whiteout conditions in the winter.
A variety of wildlife makes its home in the area. For more information on access and regulations pertaining to this cabin, trail conditions, safety precautions and [outdoor safety and ethics](https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r10/recreation/safety-ethics), please contact the Seward Ranger District.
Resurrection Peak and Mt. Ascension tower above the area, at 4,700 and 5,700 feet respectively.
From milepost 5 on Seward Highway turn onto Scott Way and follow signs to the Lost Lake Trailhead. In the summer, hike 4.5 miles to the cabin. In the winter, ski or snowmobile 2.5 miles to the cabin. From milepost 17 on the Seward Highway, at Primrose Campground and Trailhead, hike 12.6 miles to the cabin on a steep and rugged [trail](https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3818053.pdf
) .
Winter travelers need to be able to evaluate [avalanche](http://www.cnfaic.org/) and over-ice travel conditions. For more current travel conditions call the district office. The trail is closed to horse/pack stock from April 1 to June 30, and is closed to motor vehicles between April 30 and Nov. 30.
Refer to USGS topographical maps Seward A7 and B7. [Maps](http://ask.usgs.gov/to_order.html) are available online or by calling the Seward Ranger District at 907-288-3178. For more trail information see the following links:
Lost Lake Trail
[https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/chugach/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=16811&actid=51](https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/chugach/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=16811&actid=51)
Primrose Trail
[https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/chugach/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=16812&actid=51 ](https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/chugach/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=16812&actid=51)
Reservations can be made the day of arrival or up to 180 days in advance. Only one change per reservation for all Alaska cabins is allowed. Change is defined as a modification to the start or end date of the reservation; after one change has been made, if additional changes are desired, the customer must cancel the current reservation and re-book the new dates.
If you cancel a cabin reservation within 14 days of your scheduled arrival date, you will be charged the $10 service fee and forfeit the first night's recreation use fee. No-shows, early departures, or cancellations after the scheduled arrival date are not entitled to a refund. Cancellations for single night use for Alaska cabins will not be assessed a service fee.
Rented the cabin in the late April and was extremely satisfied. There is a very roomy loft area and two bunks available for sleeping. The table over looks an amazing view of Resurrection Pass. I highly suggest this cabin. In the winter the route is shorter and follows a snow machine path where the summer trail is a bit longer following a different route. We brought snowshoes for the second half of the trip and very happy we did. Our friend who joined us later in the day ended up post-holing quite a bit with out snowshoes. We also brought up a sled (which we dragged out snowshoes in the first half) which worked perfect for bringing down the trash... plus pretty fun to use on some of the hills!
Visiting the cabin at the height of snow machine season is maybe not the best choice if you are looking for a nice getaway from people and noise. The setting is idyllic: a nice short (but steep in places) hike to a cabin with great views and just into the alpine area which is perfect for skiing. The new kerosene stove certainly keeps the place warm enough too. I'd recommend turning it off at night to save fuel and it's seriously too hot otherwise even on low. We did have temps in the 30s though. We burned a gallon of kerosene from around 3pm until sometime in the night when it ran out.
Unfortunately the number of snow machines made things less enjoyable. A few snow machines is no surprise and no big deal, even expected in such an area but the number of snow machines out there on some days is RIDICULOUS.
I've stayed at this cabin a few times now before writing this and I have to say I probably won't ever go there again on a weekend during snow machine season. I had to constantly jump off the trail and wait for over 20 snow machines (I counted) on the way up to the cabin and they were consistently getting stuck, flipping over, overheating, etc. And because they are all running two stroke engines (which stink), combined with the constant engine noise, it rather takes away the enjoyment of hiking through and otherwise gorgeous forest.
Once in the alpine area, if you hike up the hill near the cabin to get a view or ski the trail toward the lake the views are rather sullied by the snow machine tracks which literally cover every square inch of land without any trees on it. I'm not even exaggerating. Seriously. This **** is out of control.
I never saw any wildlife because I assume it either had a heart attack or evacuated.
Secondly, people have a bad habit of leaving their empty kerosene containers at the cabin. Please haul out your trash. And no one wants your dirty bong you left there either.
Sorry, if you can't tell I'm a bit bitter about the entire experience.
