Amalga Mine applies to build road by Herbert Glacier Trail

Published 4:44 pm Tuesday, February 24, 2026

A Canadian mining company, Grande Portage Resources Ltd., applied on Dec. 16, 2025 to build an access road that would roughly parallel the Herbert Glacier Trail from around 500 ft away. The road would improve access by helicopter to its proposed New Amalga Gold mine. The public comment period closes on March 13.

A controversial project for its connection to the $28.5 million Cascade ferry project, the New Amalga Gold mine was approved for exploratory drilling in April, 2025. Since then, the U.S. Forest Service shelved a long-time, popular proposal to build a Herbert Glacier cabin on the mining claim, despite U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski securing funding for the project.

Although the Forest Service cited complexities and capacity issues for shelving the project, public commenters speculated the mine affected the decision. Had the cabin been built, Grande Portage Resources may have faced greater permitting scrutiny from hikers and campers. Public comments can be made until March 9 to object to the Herbert Glacier cabin closure.

The Amalga mine’s road application includes two 1-acre for a helo pad and laydown areas, and mentions extending the road onto USFS land to access the mine.

“A separate utility corridor easement overlying the road easement may be established in the future,” the application says. “If a mine is ultimately built the road may be extended onto USFS land to access the site.”