Alaska Llamas & Outdoors Blog

(Excerpt from comment to USFWS by Phil Nuechterlein) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is proposing a regulatory addition to 50 CFR § 36.39 (k) Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) stating that all domestic camelids are prohibited. USFWS concerns that camelids present a disease risk to wildlife in ANWR are clearly misguided and lack scientific evidence. The USFWS proposal to ban pack llamas unfairly eliminates a user group based on the false and misleading portrayal of pack llamas as a "disease threat" to wildlife. Although we have never packed for profit, the USFWS policy implicating pack llamas as a disease threat unnecessarily harms all of us that use pack llamas, including commercial llama packing enterprises in the lower 48 states. Rumor mongering knows no regional boundaries. The references cited by the USFWS as a basis for this proposed camelid prohibition in ANWR are not credible nor have they been peer reviewed. These same references have been evalua...

Why I Like this Hike:  With easy access right off the Glenn Highway, the improved two mile trail around Reflections Lake is more of a walk than a hike suitable for all skill levels making it an excellent choice for families with young children or those with physical disabilities. This hike which borders wetlands with a wildlife viewing tower can be done in all seasons. How to Get There:  Reflections Lake is located at the Knik River Access ramp just north of Palmer on the Glenn Highway.  Google Map - Reflections Lake When I stopped there recently, I was pleasantly surprised to see improvements made to the trail around the lake - bridges, interpretive signs and even a viewing tower. Reflections Lake was originally a gravel pit used for construction of the Glenn Highway. Through the years it became an informal shooting range and repository for abandoned vehicles and junk appliances. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation conducted a cleanup of the mostly lead ...