Trailblazers

WASILLA — Though the Wasilla Warriors cross-country running season is over, the excitement level for next season keeps rising.

The city of Wasilla and WHS cut the ribbon on the Maureen McCombs Equestrian Trail Tuesday, which will be utilized for cross-country running races during next season.

The existing equestrian trail that snakes around the soccer fields at the Bumpus Ballfields complex on Mystery Avenue had been underutilized. After hearing that Wasilla’s cross-country meet would be hosted in Talkeetna, Mayor Bert Cottle hoped to be able to keep the Warriors in Wasilla for home races.

“Why don’t we partner with you, we’ll get you a trail built,” Cottle said. “The more things we can offer locally, the better for everybody.”

Cottle and Wasilla Public Works Director Archie Giddings were approached by Wasilla cross-country coach Leslie Varys and activities director Stacia Rustad about the possibility of finding a trail within Wasilla city limits to host cross-country meets.

“It just filled my heart with pride to know that this city supported this school and our team so much,” Varys said.

Though the Maureen McCombs equestrian trail already existed around the soccer fields at Bumpus, it was in need of some help before it could be sanctioned for a high school cross country race. As a member of Boy Scout Troop 331, Jeffrey Barnes was willing to help. Barnes put over 100 man hours into designing a 4-foot by 8-foot stain finished sign to go along with the revamped trail. As a Boy Scout, Barnes, 16, is knocking on the door of earning his Eagle Scout badge, and his project constructing the sign for the Maureen McCombs equestrian trail will go before the eagle review board next month. Barnes began his work in May and had help from family members with painting the intricate Warrior logo on the sign.

“I am very happy with the work that I’ve done and I hope that it’ll be able to stay here and future generations will be able to see it,” Barnes said.

The course was scheduled to host the first home race in Wasilla in mid-September, but when heavy rains came down the course was flooded. The race was moved to Palmer High School. Palmer, Colony, Houston and Redington all have their own cross-country running courses on the school grounds. While Wasilla’s course remains off campus, the Warriors will be able to host home meets in their home city.

“Mayor Cottle thank you so much for working so well with WHS and our activities department. We wouldn’t be here without you,” Rustad said.

Wasilla city maintenance employees worked on the trail over the summer. The trail was graded and smoothed out, allowing for a 5-kilometer course to be completed in two loops with the start and finish corral positioned on the soccer fields.

“It is a big deal, just something that we can call that’s ours that’s worth us putting the time and effort into taking care of and hopefully this will be a nice a fast course,” Varys said.

The terrain around Bumpus has very little in the way of elevation change, and the flat course should make for fast times when the first race is held on the Maureen McCombs trial in September of 2020. McCombs taught elementary physical education in Wasilla and has a spirit for enjoying the great outdoors. Varys said that the Wasilla invite will be named the ‘Trailblazer’ invite after McCombs.

“We wanted to make sure that she kept her name on the sign because it was important to honor our past because it’s not a super new trail, but hopefully we can give it some new life,” Varys said.