By Karen Garcia
Turnagain Times
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Nordic Trails Map: Click for large image The Girdwood Nordic Ski Club is moving forward with a project to build new trails in the upper Girdwood Valley. |
Since receiving approval from the Anchorage Assembly in early May, the Girdwood Nordic Ski Club continues to press forward with the developmental planning of a Nordic and multi-use loop trail system in the upper Girdwood Valley.
On a 9-1 vote, the Assembly approved the ordinance authorizing an easement to the club, allowing for the formation of a trail system on Heritage Land Bank land, north of Alyeska Resort. The Girdwood Trails Committee also voted in favor of the construction.
Incorporated on October 13, 2008, the non-profit Girdwood Nordic Ski Club’s mission is to build, maintain, and operate a world-class trail system that will benefit local residents, attract visitors, and potentially host competition in the Glacier-Winner Creek Valley.
Still in its early stages of development, the trail system is currently in the general planning and permit-obtaining phase. This stage of the project relies heavily on the Boutet Company, a design and engineering firm hired by the GNSC to map out a feasible trail construction plan.
“They are doing the planning and permitting work for us, and that is probably about 90 percent complete as far as permitting goes, and the construction plans are pretty much done,” said Brian Burnett, a member of the GNSC.
Jim Galanes, a former World Cup and Olympic cross-country skier, is employed by the Boutet Company and is the head of the Nordic trail planning project.
“We conducted a study and public process to see what was feasible to build and where a preferred location would be,” said Galanes. “So we went through a pretty extensive study.”
According to Galanes, the trail will be multi-use in the summer, and a well-groomed ski trail in the winter. Currently in the final stages of design, the company is flagging the corridors in the field and fine-tuning the details.
“We are deciding on final locations and working on the permitting process,” said Galanes.
Currently planned are two smaller loops within the larger trail system: the Red Trail and the Yellow Trail (see map). According to Burnett, both trails are about six kilometers in length, with the Yellow Loop being the first priority. The Red Loop will be constructed once the Yellow Loop is completely established.
“He [Galanes] has designed and mapped a fantastic trail system within the confines of the valley,” said Deb Essex, president of the GNSC.
As far as actual physical construction and trail-blazing is concerned, the members of the GNSC will help build and maintain the trail, but outside contractors will also be hired.
“The majority of the work will be contracted out to a trail-building professional,” said Burnett.
Galanes said that it is hard to say how long it will take to complete construction, seeing as his firm is not in charge of that aspect of the project, but that the club is probably looking at two construction seasons unless things come together extremely quickly.
According to Essex, the trail system has been designed to highlight the valley’s topographic features, accommodate for mass starts in future competition, and integrate with other multi-use trails. She said the benefits to Girdwood will be both social and economical.
While they all supported the formation of such a trail system, Alyeska Resort, Girdwood Parks and Recreation, and the Girdwood Trails Committee all declined to operate the system if it was to be built. Thus, the GNSC was formed.
The GNSC was created after extensively researching successful models of Nordic clubs throughout Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Its Board of Directors and other members consists of a diverse group of ski instructors, Olympians, and trail builders who hope to encourage responsible trail use through advocacy, education, and stewardship.
Now, the GNSC is looking to the community for both financial and social support to continue the project.
“We’re looking for support within the community; people that are interested in seeing these trails developed,” said Burnett. “What we have to move ahead on now is membership and business plans.”
The club is currently putting the finishing touches on its website (skigirdwood.org) and is conducting a fundraising campaign that is set to begin in early July.
“It’s all kind of coming together,” said Burnett. “There are a lot of hoops for us to still jump through, but the process is still moving forward.”.