Trail blazers

Workshop brings rangers, others to Hatcher Pass

September 19, 2006

Michael Rovito/Frontiersman

INDEPENDENCE MINE - Standing in a brisk, cold wind with a steady deluge of tiny flakes of snow, members of the state Division of State Parks, Mat-Su Borough and other nonprofit and volunteer groups joined the Alaska Trails organization for the second day of a three-day workshop on trail building and maintenance.

The session was held at the Independence Mine area in Hatcher Pass, where low-hanging, gray clouds - and the quickly dropping temperatures - reminded everyone that winter is just around the corner.

Before suiting up in warm layers Saturday, Jack Mosby, the president of Alaska Trails, explained the purpose of the weekend as creating trails for everyone to enjoy.

Mosby mentioned the poor construction of some longtime trails in the park, which he said he hopes will be fixed for future use.

&#8220We try to get the water to drain off the trails,” Mosby said, referring to trails built in such a way that water rolls right off.

In the upper parking lot of Independence Mine, Jillian Morrissey of the Alaska Service Core stood over a trailer full of special tools used by State Parks professionals and trail volunteers on a regular basis. As she pulled each tool out, those in attendance were quizzed on the name of the tool and its purpose.

Morrissey then went over basic safety techniques and tips on how to make the tool last. Her audience, mostly wrapped in park ranger coats, joked about what they called the easily breakable tools as they rocked from side to side to keep warm in an ever increasing wind.

The Alaska Trails group, which was facilitating last weekend's three-day event, is a nonprofit organization with a mission statement outlining a devotion to &#8220supporting sustainable, world-renowned trails through funding, facilitating and educating.”

Rangers from as far as Denali National Park came to Hatcher Pass over the weekend, all of them referring back to years in the woods using tools like the ones on display Saturday.

The Alaska Trails organization accepts members who are motorized and nonmotorized trail users. The group can be found online at www.alaska-trails.org.

Contact Michael Rovito at 352-2252 or michael.rovito@frontiersman.com.