Government Peak Recreation Area a hidden gem

When the 7.5 kilometers of new Nordic ski trails opened for use at the Government Peak Recreation Area last December, it was a landmark day for folks who had been working since 1988 to see it realized.

We see clearly now that opening up a few kilometers of Nordic trails is just the setting for what could become one of the Mat-Su Borough’s outdoor recreation crown jewels. We watched Saturday as dozens of local families gathered at the area off Edgerton Parks Road in Hatcher Pass to help clear and groom trails, build picnic tables and clear a sledding hill. What we thought would be a nice people feature about volunteers coming together for a common cause evolved into a realization of the potential the Government Peak area has for those of us who call the Mat-Su home.

In addition to the added recreation opportunities for ourselves is the economic development piece that falls into place when the Nordic trails become varied enough in kilometers and difficulty levels that we can host world-class competitions here.

That’s why the Mat-Su Borough requested $4 million to continue work at Government Peak Recreation Area in this past legislative session. Although that money didn’t come through, borough officials are optimistic the funding will be there after this coming session. That will help those like the Mat-Su Ski Club that have worked for decades to open the trails, and now to improve them.

One of the major improvements that should excite Nordic skiers is a plan to install LED lights along the trails. With our limited daylight hours during wintertime, this will be a great upgrade that also has folks at the borough excited.

“You can get maximum use of the trails when you can have lights put in,” said borough spokeswoman Patty Sullivan. That’s why we join the borough in supporting the Mat-Su Ski Club’s continued efforts to enlighten us all to the joys of Nordic skiing.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of Saturday’s day of service wasn’t the work the more than 600 volunteers did to improve the area, it was spreading the word about our gem of a recreation area. Many of the families we talked to say they didn’t know about the Government Peak Recreation Area and were glad to discover it.

Even if you’re familiar with the area but just haven’t been for awhile, we encourage you to rediscover Government Peak. Don’t miss out on what promises to be an outstanding season of Nordic skiing this season.