The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on Friday, Nov. 15, signed a decision finalizing the new Castner Glacier Recreation Area Management Plan (RAMP). This plan aims to help the BLM better serve the estimated 12,000 annual visitors and the growing demand for recreation opportunities in the area.
The BLM manages the approximately 4,695-acre Castner Glacier area and provides year-round outdoor recreation and glacier viewing opportunities in a natural setting. The area is 48 miles from the nearest town (Delta Junction) and 104 miles from the BLM’s Glennallen Field Office and includes little infrastructure development or basic services.
The new RAMP lays out the BLM’s vision and plan for these BLM-managed lands. This plan helps guide activities, especially commercial and group activities, within the Castner Glacier area. Vehicle use, trail designations, and land use authorizations are also guided by this plan. An accompanying Travel Management Plan (TMP) was also approved which clarifies seasons of use and designated trails for motorized vehicles.
The RAMP also increases the number of commercial special recreation permits (SRPs) allowed in the area from the existing four up to 15 permits in response to significant growth and interest in commercial groups and tours in the area.
With this decision signed, the BLM is now accepting applications for commercial SRPs through the BLM Recreation and Permit Tracking Online Reporting (RAPTOR) system. Applications should clearly demonstrate how a prospective permit holder will support or enhance the recreation setting characteristics, as defined in section 2.1.2 of the Castner RAMP.
In allocating these SRPs, the BLM will give operators in good standing preference for permit retention or reauthorization and will process applications in the order received.
The BLM launched the Castner Glacier RAMP planning process on Jan. 18, 2024. The BLM held a 30-day public scoping comment period from Feb. 13 to Mar. 14, 2024, and a public meeting was held via Zoom on Feb. 14, 2024. On Jul. 19, the BLM released the draft RAMP and associated environmental assessment (EA) for a 30-day public comment period lasting through August 18, 2024. Throughout this process, the BLM requested feedback and input from agencies, State and local governments, tribal entities, and other stakeholders. To learn more about this effort, visit the BLM National NEPA Register project page.