Welcome to a new monthly column about Girdwood trails. No matter what time of year, Girdwood Trails Committee members want our community to know its progress in advocating for, protecting, and maintaining our valley trails.
The history of the Trails Committee demonstrates a consistent dedication to its mission. After the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to establish such a committee in 1992, Tom Yeager, Carolyn Brodin, Barbie Bowers, Norman Starkey, and others met to decide how best to protect our trails.
They were also concerned about proposed development of the upper valley, particularly the Four Corners area, where the hand tram and Winner Creek Gorge bridge are now located. Since then, Committee members and other volunteers have built the hand tram (five years, 77 helicopter sling loads, and 30 yards of concrete later), protected the valley trails from snow machines and ATVs, built and maintained trails, created trail signs and maps; groomed winter trails, and generally assured the community that trails remain a priority in the valley.
As a subcommittee of the Girdwood Board of Supervisors, the Trails Committee is part of the municipal structure that governs the valley. Its members also provide courtesy reports to the Land Use Committee. Committee members welcome all interested people to their meetings, held the first Tuesday of each month.
Upcoming agendas are posted at the post office, Little Bears, and library a week prior to each meeting.
The Girdwood Trails Committee provides “Trail Watch”. Watch for more columns in the Turnagain Times to learn what is happening in Girdwood to advocate, protect, and maintain our trails.
