NMAC BTWN A DEP PA28 AND AN INBOUND; NORAC; C172 1 NM W OF MRI.

Narrative

I DEPARTED MERRILL FIELD; RWY 24; WITH APPROVAL FOR A 'SHIP CREEK' DEP. (THIS ENTAILS A R TURN SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF; USUALLY AT ABOUT 400 FT MSL; TO INTERCEPT SHIP CREEK WBOUND. SUCH DEPS ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN AT OR BELOW 600 FT MSL (FAR PART 93) TILL XING KNIK ARM OF COOK INLET; SO AS TO REMAIN BELOW THE FINAL APCH COURSE TO RWY 5 AT ELMERDORF AFB. ONCE OVER SHIP CREEK; AT 600 FT MSL; I CONTACTED MERRILL TWR AND REQUESTED A WAIVER FROM THE ALT RESTR IN ORDER TO CONTINUE CLB; A COMMON REQUEST; USUALLY GRANTED WHEN THERE IS NO TFC. MERRILL TWR ADVISED THAT A WAIVER COULD NOT BE GRANTED DUE TO A CESSNA ON A 10 MI FINAL TO ELMENDORF. (SUCH TFC WOULD BE ABOUT 9 MI FROM MY CURRENT POS.) LESS THAN 30 SECONDS LATER; I BECAME AWARE OF A CESSNA DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME; OPPOSITE DIRECTION; SLIGHTLY HIGHER (PERHAPS 30 FT); AT ABOUT A DISTANCE OF LESS THAN 300 FT; IN A CLBING; L TURN. I HAD NO TIME TO TAKE ANY ACTION. I PASSED BENEATH THE CESSNA. TO MY KNOWLEDGE; MERRILL TWR DID NOT ISSUE THAT TFC TO ME; NOR TO THE OTHER ACFT. ANY ACFT IN THAT LOCATION WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO BE IN CONTACT WITH MERRILL TWR. SEVERAL MINS LATER; WHILE WORKING ANCHORAGE DEP; I CONTACTED MERRILL GND TO COMMENT ABOUT THE INCIDENT; BUT THEY SEEMED UNAWARE OF THE OCCURRENCE.