Pioneer Peak (Ahtna: Tnel'aay; Dena'ina: Dnal'iy) is a 6,398-foot (1,950 m) mountain in the Chugach Mountains in the U.S. state of Alaska. Located beside the Knik River just nine miles (14 km) south of Palmer and about six miles outside the Municipality of Anchorage limits, it is a prominent landmark in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, as well as a popular hiking destination. Its Ahtna name means "the object is standing still" and its Dena'ina name means "the one that watches us". The name was given in 1939 in honor of the pioneers of the Matanuska agricultural colony of the mid-1930s. The Pioneer Ridge Trail leads up the eastern shoulder, beginning below 200', it allows access to the South summit. The North summit, and true summit of Pioneer Peak does not have a trail, and advanced mountaineering techniques are required. The first ascent of this peak was made June 1936 by Vernon Haik and John Wolffe via the Northwest Face.
___Denaʼina_language_q.jpg)
Pioneer Peak (Alaska) in the context of Chugach State Park
Chugach State Park covers 495,204 acres (2,004 square kilometers) covering a hilly region immediately east of Anchorage, in south-central Alaska.
Established by legislation signed into law on August 6, 1970, by Alaska Governor Keith Miller, this state park was created to provide recreational opportunities, protect the scenic value of the Chugach Mountains and other geographic features, and ensure the safety of the water supply for Anchorage. The park, managed by Alaska State Parks, is the third-largest state park in the United States, and consists of geographically disparate areas each with different attractions and facilities. Only Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California and Wood-Tikchik State Park in western Alaska are larger. Though primarily in the Municipality of Anchorage, a small portion of the park north of the Eklutna Lake area in the vicinity of Pioneer Peak lies within the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.
View the full Wikipedia page for Chugach State Park