Around The World has arrived in Alaska! But you know how it is when the journey restarts from the coast in a new country: the road goes up, and this one’s no exception. Although the difference between the elevation at the start and the finish is only a few hundred feet, the vast majority of the stage is spent climbing and in the coming stages that will be repeated again and again.
The stage rolls out from the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport heading east into town. The first couple of miles are flat but as the aptly named International Airport Road approaches the flyover at Minnesota Drive, the climbing begins. It’s only gradual at first and indeed, as the road passes through Campbell, the gradient becomes almost flat again for a short while. But the left/right that takes the route onto East Tudor Street kicks off the climbing in earnest.
The top of the first climb is at the left hander opposite the Alaska State Trooper Headquarters where the route hangs a left onto Boniface Parkway heading north. Along the Parkway, the road actually descends gently to ten miles where the right hander onto Glenn Highway signals the start of the second, and by far the longest climb of the stage. The route loops around the intersection at Tikahtnu Commons before resuming the run north east, passing Moose Run Golf Course at thirteen miles where the road also crosses Ship Creek as it flows away from the golf course on its way down to the sea.
As the road continues to climb, it passes by the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, an amalgamation of the US military’s air force and army facilities. After the base, Glenn Highway, which is now otherwise known as Route 1, snakes left then right before reaching the summit of the climb at the junction of the Eagle River Loop Road adjacent to Eagle River High School.
Mark Beaumont’s route leaves Glenn Road at the summit and descends sharply down View Road to cross the Eagle River at twenty miles before climbing just as steeply away from the river to the finish next to Eagle River Elementary School in the town of Eagle River itself.
Distance: 21 miles / 34 kilometres
Ascent: 696 feet / 212 metres
RGT Magic Road: OPAnpbcsLK4H
Max elevation: 444 ft
Min elevation: -67 ft
Total climbing: 694 ft
Total descent: -362 ft
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