Snowmachine Trail Grants Awarded for 2005/2006

Grant applications were reviewed and evaluated by the Snowmachine Trails Advisory Committee (SnowTRAC), a statewide citizen advisory committee appointed by Alaska State Parks Director Gary Morrison to promote safe snowmobiling and development of better facilities for Snowmachine use statewide. These grants were made possible by Snowmachine registration fees paid to the state by Snowmachine owners. Continuation of this grant program is dependent upon an annual appropriation by the legislature of Snowmachine fees collected the previous year.

STATEWIDE:

NORTH AMERICAN OUTDOOR INSTITUTE has been awarded $15,000 for Be Snow Smart. The North American Outdoor Institute will conduct captivating safety presentations for junior and high school students (grads 7-12) designed to actively engage young people in an interactive manner that will help them learn and retain valuable, life saving information about the potential hazards of avalanches and outdoor travel. Funding through this grant will enable free presentations to snow machine clubs, shops, organizations and schools.

INTERIOR:

VALDEZ SNOW MACHINE CLUB was awarded $15,000 for Northwest Circumnavigation Expedition. The Valdez Snow Machine Clubs will conduct an educational expedition visiting the Yukon area and Northwest Alaska communities to promote safe backcountry travel.

NORTHERWEST ARCTIC BOROUGH was awarded $16,778 for Northwest Arctic Borough Shelter Cabin Construction. The Northwest Arctic Borough Public Services Department personnel will initiate and oversee the construction of two (2) shelter cabins between the villages of Shungnak and Selawik as well as Kivalina and Point Hope. Upon completion of construction, organizations from the aforementioned villages will maintain the buildings.

WILLOW TRAIL COMMITTEE was awarded $6,350 for Willow Safe Crossing. This project involves clearing, grading and signing three winter Snowmachine trails where they cross-paved public roads. These crossings have become increasingly dangerous with heavier, high-speed traffic and increasing trail use.

CITY OF MCGRATH was awarded $9,832 for On Track For Life. Grant funds will be used to develop a campaign/program for Snowmachine Safety in McGrath, which will include an instructional class to certify several local volunteer residents to provide an Annual Snowmachine Safety Class/Event for the residents of McGrath and the surrounding area. This Annual Class/Event seeks to increase this awareness of the dangers and responsibilities in Snowmachine use, especially for youth and their parents.

SOUTHCENTRAL:

ANCHORAGE Snowmachine CLUB was Awarded $10,775 for 2005 Grooming Season. Grant funds will be used to groom snow machine trails at Upper Huffman, Eklutna, and Ptarmigan within Chugach State Park.

BIG LAKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE was awarded $9,550 for Big Lake Area Safer Trails Project. The Big Lake Chamber of Commerce will provide a safer family trail system by: updating user maps, placement of regulated SnowTRAC signage for the Big Lake Trail System, and clearing of burn areas on dedicated trail system.

ALASKA SNOW SAFARIS was awarded $15,000 for Turnagain Snow Trails. Alaska Snow Safaris Inc. staff is working with the USDA/FS in the development and maintenance of multi-use trails on the Chugach Nation Forest. This project will encompasses sections of the Iditarod Nation Historic Trail. Grant funds will be used to develop, sign, and maintain sections of the trail to increase the enjoyment and safety of snowmachiners, dog mushers and all other trail users.

ANCHORAGE Snowmachine CLUB was awarded $8,972 for 2006 Chugach State Park Snowmachine Trail Maintenance. Grant funds will be use for the removal of downed trees, tall grasses and brush that have overgrown snow machine trails in Chugach State Park. Trail preparation will provide a better base for grooming Snowmachine trails in the park.

VALLEY HEALTHY COMMUNITIES PROGRAM was awarded $14,400 for the Mat-Su Snowmachine Helmet & Safety Program. Grant funds will be distributed to the Valley Healthy Communities Program who partners with various community businesses, schools, non-profit organizations and governmental departments (borough and state) to provide a comprehensive snowmachine safety and education program that includes an opportunity for participants to purchase a DOT approved helmet for $25 (these helmets retail for $160).

LAKE LOUISE SNOWMACHINE CLUB INC. was awarded $15,000 for the Eureka Trail East to Locate Monuments. Grant funds will be used to locate survey monuments to complete the State of Alaska, DNR easement requirements to record the trail easements.

WILLOW TRAIL COMMITTEE was awarded $10,100 for the Willow Winter Trails Maintenance Project. Grant funds will be used to provide signing and trail maintenance of 80 miles of winter trails between Willow and the Susitna River.

SOUTHWEST:

DILLINGHAM Snowmachine ASSOCIATION was awarded $7,500 for Rescue Deployment Vehicle. Grant funds will be used for the purchase of a Polaris LX Widetrack, Snowmachine for Dillingham Snowmachine Association's functions and purpose of promoting snowmobiling.

NORTH WESTERN ALASKA:

NATURE VILLAGE OF SHAKTOOLIK was awarded $25,000 for the Shelter Cabin at Igguagnak. Grant funds will be used by the Native Village of Shaktoolik to build an emergency shelter cabin easily accessible to subsistence gathers, hunters, fishers, trail users and extreme adventurers year round. The cabin would include a double plywood bunk, a wood stove, a cooking counter area, a fire ring and an outhouse.

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