Denali Hwy Newsletter

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Hello Everyone,

It seems like a long time since I wrote a newsletter. We had a great summer and fall, and I hope that each one of you did as well. Susie and I went to the state’s for a while after the busy summer season to visit family and friends, and while we had a great time, we were very happy to get home.

I was certainly excited to see the amount of snow we had on the ground when we got home. After last year left us all wondering if we were going to have to move to the lower 48 to find snow, it looks like this year is shaping up to be much better.

We already have more then three feet of snow on the ground at the end of Nov, and the weather has been great for early season riding.

We also have some other GREAT news.

The Club was awarded part of the states grooming pool funds to help with our grooming expenses. It goes without saying that this is a Hugh relief, as the cost of fuel was really going to affect the grooming on and around the Denali Hwy.

Ok, so now for the trail report.

Denali Hwy: Mile 0 to 9 excellent, some junk at 7 mile but easily avoided by going around it to the north side of the road. At 9 mile there is a 50 to 100 foot section of almost bare pavement. From 10 mile over to 15 mile the north side of the road has a narrow trail of hard pack snow that isn’t great, but not as bad as some years. 15 to 20 mile is great, at 20 mile right in front of Tangle River Inn there is a bad snow drift that will really wake you up if it catches you daydreaming. Guardrails at Tangle Lakes have some small drifts starting but not too bad. From Tangles to the Sue Bridge the road is in excellent shape. >From the Sue Bridge to Cantwell the road is in fair condition. The State plowed the road earlier in the season to do a bridge inspection but it snowed shortly after and recovered what they had plowed. Not a lot of snow on the road, but defiantly enough to ride.

As of this time, our other trails have been opened but not yet groomed. With the warm weather here last week, we will have to look out for water crossings on the Maclaren River Road Trail.

On another note, if you enjoy the outdoors and winter activates as much as we do, there is a sad but real problem happening in and around our state. Just within the last couple of years, we have lost several lodges and business that catered to snowmachiners, dogmushers and all of us that just want to be out doing something in the winter. I know with the economy the way it is, that all of us are tightening out belts, but PLEASE don’t forget to support those lodges and business that are open and support us crazy winter lovers.

As always, we are ecstatic to find ourselves in another winter play season, and look forward to seeing everyone again this winter.

Sincerely
Alan Echols
Denali Hwy Trail Club