Another good hiking trail (once you get to it) is the Mount Newhall Trail. I guess technically it starts (or) ends at the Overland Drive summit and the same could be said for the cemetery along Summers Bay Road. This brief description is a continuation from the Overland Drive side.
The trail is documented as being 21/2 miles in length and of moderate difficulty. Again, in my opinion there are only a few things that makes this hike a little difficult. The big thing is that the trail disappears for a while, this forces you descend and side hill at the same time to pick up the trail just above the cemetery. This can be difficult if it is raining or foggy.
Mount Newhall Trail
I started from the summit of Overland Drive. The trail is obvious and takes off almost due west along another mountain ridge. This part of the hike is fairly straight forward. The only other reasons I would think to call it moderate is because of another scree / talus field after the ski bowl summit.
As you take off, there is one minor ascent of about 30 feet and a small steep cliff that you need to round, but after that your going to experience pretty easy hiking crossing below Gateway Peak and eventually
Cliff With Tricky Footing
reaching to saddle at Ski Bowl.
At Ski Bowl your going to see the remains of several shacks that used to house the tow rope ski lift system from when the military developed and used the area for instructional and recreational ski purposes (thus the name Ski Bowl)
When you make your approach to the saddle you will be heading due north and have a pretty good view of ‘the valley’ of Unalaska, also called the ‘other side’ if you live on Amaknak Island (also referred to as Dutch Harbor).
The Saddle
From here the trail is washed away, but from the saddle if you look down and to your right, you will see it below you about 60 feet. It’s an easy transition to make your way down to the trail.
Again the trail is straight forward until you reach the scree and small boulder field. Keep your direction and watch your footing. The trail ends just a few minutes after that in a small alpine grass field near where the three ridges around you meet up.
Scree And Talus Field
The trail map shows the trail continuing along the ridge line to your left then spuring off. You can follow the ridge to the summit of Mt. Newhall or you can start your descent to where the trail proper picks up.
Three Way Pass
Since your there, I’d take another few minutes and follow the ridge up to the summit, then if you feel like calling it a day, back track down and make your way to the cemetery.
However, for something a little extra and some more good views,
View From Mt. Newhall
read my next post where I continue from the summit of Mount Newhall along the ridge and connect to the Illuliak Bay Overlook trail.
For more pictures taken on the Mount Newhall Trail, check out the photo gallery.
You can also check out other hikes from around the island by clicking on the Hobbies menu at the top of the page and then choose Hiking.
Excellent trail guide – I had no idea about anything except the trail starting at the cemetary, which seems to fade away at that ridge halfway up the face of Newhall on the bay side (there was a notebook cached on that ridge last time I was up there). Thanks Dan!
Yeah technically it’s two trails. Mt. Newhall trail goes from the the cemetery to summit and the the Upper Mount Newhall Trail goes form the summit to Overland Drive. I guess if I’m going to do something of a trails report I should be more accurate. You know Steve, I think that would be fun to get some weather proof boxes for log books out on some of these trials and remote places for people to write in.