Into the sunset

April 17, 2007

By Will Elliott

Frontiersman

MAT-SU - After 33 years with Alaska State Parks, Mat-Su/Copper River District Superintendent Dennis Heikes will retire May 18. Heikes and his wife will be moving to Washington after a tour of Europe to be closer to family.

&#8220I've loved this job. I still love it,” Heikes said. &#8220It's just time to move on to something different.”

Besides his superintendent post at Finger Lake, Heikes also served as chief ranger at Nancy Lake. During his career, the agency has undergone many changes, not all of them for the better, he said. Still, looking back, Heikes said he is proud of the parks and the team of rangers, staff and volunteers he has overseen as superintendent.

&#8220It's been a team effort, everyone deserves credit,” he said. &#8220I learned a lot and have a lot of respect for my predecessors and colleagues. My hope would be for someone to remember me as I'll remember all of them.”

Growing up in Anchorage and Big Lake, Heikes didn't initially plan on being a park ranger.

&#8220After college, I applied for any outdoor job with Fish and Game or Parks that was available,” Heikes said.

But when State Parks offered him a summer ranger post in Glennallen, he accepted, with big expectations for his new career.

&#8220The job title was ‘park ranger,' but I was cleaning toilets and bagging trash. It turned out to be a lot dirtier work than I thought,” he said. &#8220When I took the job, they gave me an orange garbage truck. I thought, ‘Where's the green pickup?'”

With increased use of the parks system, however, the job of park ranger has changed, Heikes said. Rangers must now focus on law enforcement at the expense of other duties.

&#8220All of us who joined had this vision of a friendly guy in a Smokey the Bear hat, helping hikers, talking about nature. But we're too small an agency to specialize,” he said. &#8220We can't have separate naturalists and law enforcement.”

Heikes said he is disappointed about how this affects the public presence of State Parks.

&#8220It's a tough balancing act. As law enforcement, we're taught not to let people come close, for safety,” he said. &#8220But that means the public doesn't feel we're approachable. And because we don't have the money for additional staff, we're spread too thin. People say, ‘The only time I ever see a park ranger is when he's giving me a ticket.' Well, that's why.”

Heikes took the job of superintendent just as budget cuts were forcing State Parks to close some campgrounds and turn others over to private contractors. According to Heikes, this system has yielded mixed results.

&#8220The contractors try to do crowd control to keep the parks a family experience. But with no ranger backup, they are powerless to enforce the rules,” he said. &#8220It got so bad last summer, we had campground hosts who hid in their trailer, because they were afraid if they confronted the rowdy campers, they would get beat up or their trailer vandalized.”

Without additional funding, Heikes said, sending rangers to one location means stealing them from somewhere else. The size of the region his rangers must cover, stretching from Hatcher Pass to the Little Susitna, and from Denali State Park to properties near Glennallen, compounds the problem, he said.

With major changes promised in the near future by increased tourism in Denali State Park and Hatcher Pass, Heikes expects big consequences for these flagship Mat-Su parks and surrounding areas. A new $21.5 million Boy Scout camp on the southern border of Denali park and a $2 million access bridge over the Chulitna River, built 1.5 miles downriver from an existing bridge at Scouts' request with federal funds, will bring further impact to the area.

&#8220Without more staffing, it will be very difficult to keep up with growth,” Heikes said.

Despite these challenges, Heikes said he is optimistic about the state of Mat-Su parks.

&#8220We're proudest of the restorations in Independence Mine State Historical Park in Hatcher Pass. That area is a focal point for recreation in this area, from snowmachining to skiing and berry picking,” he said. &#8220We're also very proud of Kesugi Ridge in Denali State Park. That trail receives worldwide attention.”

Heikes will be replaced by incoming superintendent Wayne Biessel, formerly of Kodiak. After an extended vacation, Heikes plans to find a new job.

&#8220We have some exploring to do before we put roots down, but after that, we'll be looking for work,” Heikes said. &#8220I'm not retiring with a capital R. I don't like the daytime soaps that much.”

Heikes will be honored at a retirement party, May 21, 7 p.m. at the Palmer Elks Lodge. For more information, call Alaska State Parks Mat-Su headquarters at 745-8950.

Contact Will Elliott at will.elliott@frontiersman.com.