(Anchorage, Alaska) – The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation will hold a teleconference with the SnowTRAC board to discuss funding issues as well as upcoming programmatic changes currently being considered, Thursday May 17, 2012 at 11:00 am.

The SnowTRAC board advises the Director of the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation on how to spend snowmachine point-of-sale registration fees. Fees are typically used to support trail development and maintenance as well as safety and education programs. The public is welcome.

For more information or how to participate please contact Darcy Harris at 907-269-8699 or email her at darcy.harris@alaska.gov.



National Trails Day at Matanuska Lakes on June 2

(Palmer, AK) – Please join the Alaska State Trails Program in celebrating National Trails Day with trail cleanup activities at the scenic Matanuska Lakes State Recreational Area on June 2 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please pre-register for this event by calling 907-269-8699 or sending an e-mail to Darcy Harris at darcy.harris@alaska.gov.

Matanuska Lakes SRA, formerly known as the Kepler-Bradley SRA, is located southwest of Palmer, just north of the Glenn Highway. Take the Glenn Highway to Mile 36.4 and turn onto Kepler Drive. You will enter the park immediately. From there, follow the signs to the event headquarters.

Activities will include brushing and clearing trails, small repair projects and trash collection. Participants are invited to join a barbecue afterward in the park. Please dress for variable weather and bring appropriate footwear. Hand tools and work gloves will be provided. A shelter tent and restrooms also will be available.

(Homer, AK) – Please join Friends of Kachemak Bay State Park and Alaska State Parks for a day of fun and trail clearing in beautiful Kachemak Bay State Park on Saturday, June 9, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Projects will include minor brushing and limbing, trail clearing, installation of trail signs, erosion control, litter pickup along beaches and a family hike.

Please pre-register at the following locations: Homer High School at The Shorebird Festival - Saturday May 12, or at the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center at 95 Sterling Highway, Homer, AK 99603, between Sunday, May 13 and Friday, June 8.

On the day of the event, participants will meet at 7 a.m. at the Seafarers Memorial on the Homer Spit. The park is only accessible by boat and it is a 20-30 minute boat ride one way. Alaska State Parks has arranged for a REDUCED WATER TAXI COST OF $20 PER PERSON FOR TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THE PARK. This is a discount of 75%. Shortly after 7 a.m., individuals will be assigned to a specific water taxi for transport to and from Kachemak Bay State Park for the day.

Each work project has a limited amount of space and will be determined by the beginning of May Please bring gloves, appropriate footwear and clothing for the day, and food and water. If you have tools for the project that you signed up for, please bring them.



Recreational Trail Projects Receive Additional Funds
(Anchorage, AK) – The Alaska Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation is pleased to announce recipients of supplemental funding for 2011 Recreational Trail Grants. The federally-supported, reimbursable grants were available for development and maintenance of recreational trails and facilities and acquisition of trail right-of-way. The awards go to the following projects:

SOUTHEAST ALASKA:

Juneau Trails Wayfinding Project: The City and Borough of Juneau has been awarded $36,680 toward constructing trailhead kiosks on 12 of Juneau’s most popular trails. The kiosks will serve as consistent landmarks, making it easy to find and access trails from the Juneau Road System. Maps and other signage will provide information on accessibility, trail etiquette, and interpretation.

Skaters Lake Trail, Phase II: The Metlakatla Indian Community has been awarded an additional $49,761 to supplement previous funding to resurface and extend the Skater's Lake Trail, with assistance from volunteers with the Annette Islands School District - School to Work Youth Program. The additional funding will also be used toward the long-term goals of lighting the entire length of trail and acquiring a utility terrain vehicle and a compactor, which will allow the community to maintain the site for years to come.

Treadwell Ditch Trail Rehabilitation: The City and Borough of Juneau has been awarded $44,704 in supplemental funding to restore four miles of the Treadwell Ditch Trail. This additional funding will also support a C-1 fill trail-capping project on the Gastineau Meadows Access trail, where the blasted-rock surface is damaging bike tires.

SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA:

Big Lake Groomer Purchase: Big Lake Trails, Inc. has been granted $44,500 to replace its 1971 Bombardier Ski-Dozer with a new Sno-Cat that is more fuel efficient and less expensive to maintain. Heavier equipment is needed to address high frequency of trail use, including racing events, given that lighter grooming equipment has not provided a good rider experience.

Mat-Su Trail Brushing: The Mat-Su Trails Council has been granted $25,250 to fund brush work in the area around Sutton, from Moose Creek to Granite Creek, which attracts a large number of motorized users. Approximately 20 miles of one-lane roads from past mining operations in the area have been identified in the Mat-Su Borough Trails Plan and have been protected for trail use with easements. Past attempts at clearing brush on these trails have proven the amount of material to be cut and disposed of is too much for hand crews. The Mat-Su Trails Council has a Bobcat Mini-Excavator with a boom attached flail mower, which can cut brush up to 3 inches in diameter.

Kincaid Singletrack Trails Project: Alaska Trails, in partnership with Singletrack Advocates (STA), has received $50,000 to supplement its 2011 grant to construct a network of soft-surface, narrow trails that are sustainably built for mountain bikes and other non-motorized trail uses in Kincaid Park. The project will create linkages among existing single-track trails to form a continuous network of approximately 9 miles. The additional funding received will enable them to hire a Student Conservation Association (SCA) crew, and add an additional 7,881 feet of trail design and reconstruction.

Girdwood Nordic Ski Trails, Phase II: The Girdwood Nordic Ski Club has received an additional $50,000 to supplement its 2011 grant to finish construction of a 5-kilometer, year-round use trail system in time for this year’s ski season. This supplemental funding will enable local contractors and volunteers to complete the connector trails.

NORTHERN ALASKA:

Goldstream Bike Pump Park: The Goldstream Valley Lions Club has received $61,574 to finish construction of a 30-foot by 600-foot bike pump park and skills course that will offer a fun and exciting way for riders to learn bike safety and technical skills. The Goldstream Valley Lions Club received a grant earlier this year for planning the park. The additional funds will pay for the contractor and fund the tools, equipment, and fuel needed to complete the project.

Rex Trail Reconstruction Feasibility Study: The Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Mining, Land & Water Division – Northern Region has received $100,000 to study reconstruction of the Rex Trail from Mile 280 Parks Highway to the Wood River. Reconstructing or rerouting the trail may restore access opportunities to those who are currently restricted either by current land management or by the trail conditions. To better inform future DNR decisions and ensure long-term access, a trail prescription report will be performed to assess problem areas for potential reconstruction and analyze rerouting opportunities.

Mastodon Trail Project: Alaska State Parks, Northern Area, will receive an additional $49,000 to supplement previous funding to contract 3.5 miles of full bench construction. This trail segment is part of a non-motorized trail system that will eventually offer 40 miles of trail to three public cabins/shelters.

Stiles Creek Extension: The Alaska State Parks, Northern Area, has been awarded an additional $59,205 to supplement its 2011 grant to realign approximately 4 miles of steep, dangerous trail onto a sustainable curvilinear route with 8 percent grades. The additional funding will provide use or hire of heavier equipment and operators.

Fairbanks Nordic Ski Trail Grooming Equipment: The Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks has been awarded $100,000 to replace snow machines that maintain about 35 kilometers of ski trails. The snow machines have exceeded their useful life. The funding will help pay for a 2011 Paana Piston Bully, or similar snow machine with attachments. This will enable the club to uphold its long-standing agreement with the Fairbanks North Star Borough Department of Parks and Outdoor Recreation to develop and maintain the ski trails at Birch Hill Recreation Area and the adjacent Fort Wainwright land. The new groomer would meet standards for high-quality grooming and enable groomers to satisfy daily requirements regardless of weather conditions.

For more information on how these and other projects were scored please visit the following link: http://www.dnr.alaska.gov/parks/grants/trails.htm to review meeting minutes and the Outdoor Recreational Trails Advisory Board score sheet. The score sheet can be found at the end of the meeting minutes. Additional projects may be funded according to their ranking, depending on the availability of supplemental funds to the Recreational Trail Grant Program.

If you have any questions related to the Recreational Trail Grant Program, please contact Steve Neel, the State Trails Grant Administrator, at Steve.Neel@alaska.gov.



2011 Recreational Trails Program Grant Awards
(Anchorage, AK) – The Alaska Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2011 Recreational Trails Grants. The Recreational Trails Program is a federally funded reimbursable trail grant program. Funding is available for development and maintenance of recreational trails and facilities, acquisition of trail right-of-way, and development of trail safety and education programs. ;This year’s awards go to the following projects:

SOUTHEAST ALASKA

Upper Dewey Lakes Trail Restoration - Phase III: Project funds will be used to address deferred maintenance needs and remedy rutted, dangerous sections of the trail. The proposed work will involve reconstruction of impacted trail tread through use of paid professional stone masonry contractors. The Municipality of Skagway was awarded $37,385 for this project.

Skaters Lake Trail Project: Funds will be used to resurface and extend an existing trail around Skater's Lake utilizing the Annette Islands School to Work Youth Program, which is composed of local community members and volunteers. This project will create a one mile trail to fulfill health and wellness goals for the community and include interpretive signs to enhance awareness of local plants and wildlife, as well as cultural values. The Metlakatla Native Corporation was awarded $50,000 for this project.

SOUTHWEST ALASKA

Kanatak Trail: Project funds will be used to restore the Kanatak Trail, a historic route, intended to be developed for use by visitors of the Alaska Peninsula/Becharof National Wildlife Refuge. This will be the first developed trail within the Refuge. Once completed, the alignment will provide a link for visitors which will take them from the Pacific Ocean to Becharof Lake. The Becharof National Wildlife Refuge was awarded $21,568 for this project

KENAI PENINSULA

Peninsula Sled Dog Racing Association Trail Grooming: Project funds will be used to groom and maintain 30 miles of existing year round trails for multi-purpose, non-motorized use. In the winter the trails will be used for dogmushing, skijoring, snowshoeing and x-country skiing. During the summer the trails will be used for hiking and horseback riding. The Peninsula Sled Dog Racing Association was awarded $12,408 for this project.

SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA

Archangel Road Trail Brushing: Project funds will be used to reconstruct approximately 800 feet of motorized trail destroyed by stream erosion. The Mat-Su Trails Council was awarded $4,566 for this project.

Archangel Snowmobile Trail: Project funds will be used to develop a snowmobile trail that will run parallel to the east side of the Archangel Road Ski Trail. The new snowmobile route will be 2.4 miles in length and begin at Fishhook Road and connect to the multiple use ski/snowmobile trail beyond the Reed Lakes trailhead. The new trail alignment will alleviate congestion in the popular Hatcher Pass State Management Area and mitigate snowmobile and skier conflicts. The Alaska State Parks, Mat-Su Area Office was awarded $50,000 for this project.

Nancy Lake State Recreation Area Snowmobile Trail Corridor: Grant funds will be used to build a trail near the south side of Nancy Lake Parkway from the park boundary to the winter trailhead at mile 2.2 of the Parkway entrance. Construction of the trail will require brush and tree removal and a small amount of trail grading. The trail will be groomed regularly by Alaska State Parks staff. The Alaska State Parks, Mat-Su Area Office was awarded $43,765 for this project.

Napaimute Trail Marking Project: The Napaimute Trail Project will use wooden markers with reflective tape to mark a winter trail from crooked creek to Kalskag, linking the Middle and Lower Kuskokwim Trail Systems. The markers will aid in day and night navigation for recreational purposes as well as for public transportation. The Napaimute Native Corporation was awarded $49,811 for this project.

Cambell Creek Estuary Trail: Funding will be used to construct a one (1) mile ADA compliant gravel trail on the upland portion of the newly acquired Municipality of Anchorage, Campbell Creek Estuary Natural Area. The trail system will provide access to the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge and provide stunning views from the bluff. The Alaska Great Land Trust was awarded $50,000 for this project.

Copper Center Interpretive Trail: Phase II of the Copper Center Interpretive Trail will complete work on a system of trails located on school grounds. The amount of deadfall from the initial tree clearing calls for wood removal and chipping. Woodchips will be used for the surface of the trail. Additionally, ortho-based trail maps and trail signs will be implemented into the trail system to help orientate trail users. The Copper Valley Development Association was awarded $12,000 for this project.

Girdwood Nordic Ski Trails: In 2010 the Girdwood Nordic Ski Club developed a 5 kilometer trail system in Girdwood Valley for year-round use. A portion of that project was funded by the Recreational Trails Grant Program. The second phase of construction will begin in the summer of 2011 to smooth trail grades, compact tread and re-vegetate the corridor. The Girdwood Nordic Ski Club was awarded $50,000 for this project.

Chugach State Park Trail Crew Equipment: Funds for this project will be used to purchase equipment for the Chugach State Park Trails Program. This equipment will allow park staff to outfit the third of three 2011 field crews with necessary trail construction/rehabilitation tools. It will also allow staff to maintain and rebuild the Chugach State Park trail system to sustainable standards. Chugach State Park was awarded $42,331 for equipment purchases.

Kincaid Singletrack Trail: Singletrack Advocates (STA) in partnership with Alaska Trails propose to construct a network of soft-surface, narrow trails that are sustainably built for mountain bikes and other non-motorized trail uses in Kincaid Park. The project will create linkages among existing singletrack trails to form a continuous network of approximately 9 miles. Alaska Trails, Inc. was awarded $50,000 for this project.

Mile-16 Trail: Funding for this project will be used to design and construct a 1.25 mile summer mountain bike/winter ski and snowboard access trail along the top of the 16 mile ski run within the Hatcher Pass State Management Area. Additionally, a 2.25 mile summer mountain bike trail will be designed and constructed from top to bottom of the Mile-16 ski run. The Alaska State Parks, Mat-Su Area Office was awarded $49,835 for this project.

Archangel Road Trail Brushing: Project funds will be used to brush the overgrown Archangel Road/Trail and the East/West Access Corridor. The Mat-Su Trails Council was awarded $4,623 for this project.

INTERIOR ALASKA

Stiles Creek Extension:This grant will re-align approximately 4 miles of steep dangerous trail onto a sustainable curvilinear route with 8% grades. The new alignment will be cleared and prepped for mechanical construction along with hardening the first 1/2 mile of trail from the trailhead across the valley to the hillside. The Alaska State Parks, Northern Area Office was awarded $39,830 for this project.

Tanana Lakes Non-Motorized Trail: Project funding will pay for the construction of a 3,400 foot section of non-motorized trail within the Tanana Lakes Recreation Area. The trail will follow the shoreline of Goose Island providing vistas of a shallow lake which is managed for its migratory bird habitat values. Boy Scouts will be used to brush the corridor. The Fairbanks North Star Borough was awarded $41,940 for this project.

Mastadon Trail: Project funds will be used clear 10.5 miles of trail corridor to a 6 foot width. Once cleared, grades will be re-shot and flagged with a tight flag line to include the critical edge. All work will be done in preparation for mechanical construction to harden, cap and crown sections of trail with gravel where needed. The Alaska State Parks, Northern Area Office was awarded $45,975 for this project.

SAFETY AND EDUCATION

Youth Employment in Parks (YEP) Trails Curriculum: Funds for this project will be used to develop an advanced trail-building education curriculum to address urban trail sustainability and natural resource restoration needs within the Municipality of Anchorage area. The curriculum will be specifically designed for Anchorage area youth (ages 10-19) and delivered through hands-on workshops, trail-building seminars and youth led trail safety trainings. A specific definition of "urban trails" will be created that pertains to Anchorage trails, with extensive input from Anchorage youth environmental and outdoor groups including the Youth Employment in Parks program. The Municipality of Anchorage was awarded $18,300 to develop this curriculum.
Alaska Trails Survival: Project funding will be used to provide wilderness survival games to teach important life-saving skills while travelling on Alaska’s trails. Delivered in a fun, interactive format, main topics covered in the program include hiking, wildlife and plant awareness, water crossing, shelter building, knot-tying, Leave-No-Trace ethics, wilderness medical care, and more. The North American Outdoor Institute was awarded $42,383 to provide these programs.

To obtain more information regarding the Recreational Trail Grant Program, visit the program's website at www.alaskastatetrails.org or contact Darcy Harris, the State Trails Coordinator, at darcy.harris@alaska.gov. or (907)269-8699.



Snowmobile Trail Grants Awarded for 2011
(Anchorage, AK) –The Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2010 Snowmobile Trail Grant and Grooming Pool awards. The Snowmobile Trail Program is a competitive and reimbursable matching grant. Grants are available for developing and maintaining public snowmobile trails and related facilities and for safety and educational projects. The Snowmobile Trail Program’s Grooming Pool provides funding for trail grooming, marking and signage for snowmobile trails.

Grant applications were reviewed and evaluated by SnowTRAC, a statewide citizen advisory committee appointed by the Director of the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation to promote safe snowmobiling and development of facilities statewide. These grants are made possible by snowmobile registration fees paid to the State by snowmobile owners. Continuation of this grant program is dependent upon an annual appropriation by the Legislature of snowmobile registration fees.

Mid-Valley Trail Maintenance Project, submitted by the Mid-Valley Trail Club. The Mid-Valley Trail Club grooms and maintains approximately 60 miles of winter trails and trailheads within the mid-valley section of the Susitna River. The funds requested will provide the club with a four-stroke snowmobile dedicated to the grooming effort. Mid-Valley Trail Club was awarded $11,672.   

South Fork Montana Creek Trail Safety Improvements, submitted by the Montana Creek Motor Mushers. The proposed project will fund the rental of a small dozer to correct site distance problems to improve safety on the trail. Additionally the trail we be widened along portions that have been narrowed into a tight gully due to erosion. The Montana Creek Motor Mushers were awarded $4,000.

Alaska Snowmobile Safety, submitted by the North American Outdoor Institute. Host a workshop with snowmobile stakeholders to review and comment on the safety curriculum developed from past projects and intended for use with this project. The final curriculum will be posted on the web and followed by a minimum of four live training sessions in southcentral and northwest Alaska.  Participants will be eligible to purchase a discounted snowmobile helmet.  The North American Outdoor Institute was awarded $15,000.

Grooming Pool Administrative Snowmobile, submitted by Alaska State Parks. This funding would allow the state snowmobile trails administrator access to the statewide snowmobile trail system through the purchase of snowmobile. The snowmobile would be used to conduct trail site visits for a variety of purposes including to identify access issues along trail, inspect trail systems for proper maintenance, distribute trail resources such as signs, make public contact to discuss trail related issues, etc.  Alaska State Parks was awarded $8,000.

Repairs and Maintenance to Snow Cat, submitted by the Lake Louise Snowmachine Club. This funding would allow the Lake Louise Club to purchase parts needed in order to repair their Bombardier 400 Snow Cat used for grooming area trails. Lake Louise was awarded $10,920.

Grooming Pool Allocations 2011
Mat-su Area was awarded		$170,901
Northern Alaska was awarded		$45,480
Kenai Peninsula was awarded		$50,200
Southeast was awarded		$10,000
Total Grooming Pool		$276,581

*Note: These are approximate funding allocations. Actual funding amounts will be distributed based on weather conditions and snowfall. To view a more detailed list of grooming allocations per area, please see the spreadsheet attached to the meeting minutes at our website.

To obtain more information regarding the Snowmobile Trail Grant Program visit the program’s website at www.alaskastatetrails.org or contact Justin Wholey at (907) 269-8699 or justin.wholey@alaska.gov



SnowTRAC Survey Posted
The Snowmobile Trails Advisory Council (SnowTRAC) needs your help to decide where your snowmobile registration dollars should go. Please take a moment to fill out the quick two page survey. Your responses will allow us to put grooming dollars where you, the riders, want them.