The Knik-Pioneer Trail leading to Goat Creek Ridge is a masterpiece of trail construction.  It ascends about 5,000 feet in five miles but, seemingly, the gradient and switchbacking have been optimized to reduce suffering.  Much of the ascent is a corridor through dense thickets of alder.  Leaving the trail would be akin to the experience of Bilbo and the dwarfs in Mirkwood.

As Jeff pointed out, the 5,000 foot ascent is the "price of admission" to majestic running and scrambling on Goat Creek Ridge.  The trail along the ridge was developed and maintained by Dahl sheep.  For a portion of the outing we were in pursuit of a band of about a dozen sheep as they scurried along the trail.

About half of the ridge is comfortably runable and the other half involves slower movement and scrambling across a mix of rocky and rugged terrain.  Throughout the journey, the views are panoramic and include overlooks of the pastoral landscapes of the Matanuska Valley, the braided Knik River, glaciers and high peaks of the Chugach Range, and the turquoise waters of Eklutna Lake.

Of the Quintessential routes of 2004, this rates high on the keeper list for future Quintessential events.