Anchorage Municipal Parks & Recreation has retained DOWL Engineers and noted trail consultant Troy Duffin to develop a Trails Improvement Plan for Far North Bicentennial Park. 

At the Sept. 8 public meeting at Campbell Creek Science Center, the planners showed existing and new trails proposed for inclusion in the plan, including a trail connection between the Hillside and East Anchorage and a trail corridor paralleling the Campbell Aistrip Road but on the northeast side, away from Campbell Creek, to reduce the likelihood of bear encounters.   The planners also presented a list of projects proposed for the park over the next 10-15 years, including:

• Tour of Anchorge Trail bridge replacement
• Dog mushing trail bridges
• Bridge at N. Gasline Trail crossing Campbell Creek Trail
• Grade Separated Crossing at N. Bivouac Trailhead (under road)
• Grade Separated Crossing of road at Campbell Airstrip Trailhead
• Single Track Advocate mountain biking trails
• East Anchorage Connector (upgrades to Tank Trail & N. Gasline Trail)
• New classical skiing loop trail
• Parking lot improvements
• Designate areas for no new trail development 

These proposed projects reflect the input from stakeholders and the public at previous meetings.  The planners encourage feedback as to whether they are on the right track.   

The planning team is working on preparing a public review draft of the Far North Bicentennial Park Trail Improvement Plan by the end of 2008, and presenting it to the Parks and Recreation Commission and Urban Design Commission to finalize the plan in early 2009.  For more information or to comment, go to www.muni.org/parks/FNBPTrailsPlanHome.cfm

Meanwhile, Singletrack Advocates is working on Alaska’s first system of sustainable, soft-surface, narrow trails built specifically for mountain bikes and foot traffic. They  have completed a one-mile section of intermediate mountain biking trail, and work is cointinuing this fall.  The open section of trail is accessed from the Prospect Heights trailhead off the Gasline Trail, or from the Hilltop Ski Area, just off the intersection of Upper Gasline Trail and Spencer Loop.  The new trail is drawing rave reviews, according to a Sept. 14 article in the Anchorage Daily News (see also the mountain bike forum at forums.mtbr.com, in the Alaska section of the forum).

If you would like to volunteer to help on the project, join STA on Public Lands Day, September 27, 8:30 a.m. at Hilltop Chalet.  For more information or to make a financial  contribution, contaact Singletrack Advocates at PO Box 240574, Anchorage, AK 99524, or go online at www.singletrackadvocates.blogspot.com for more information.