Fairbanks Snow Travelers

I have no life nothing but work and more work my only escape is when someone that been out there on a ride puts out a report on how the ride was where you go who did you see who crashed etc.? So help a poor work bound guy and let us know what we miissed out on the ride how it went, you lucky people. The ride to Chat and Mclaren this last weekend please. :(

Guess I should have given a report of the Chatanika ride since I guided it .

We left the lodge around 11:30 Sunday morning and headed up the Red Trail toward the Circle Trail. It was a Beautiful day. Temps on top around 20. Rode the Circle Trail to the Fairbanks Creek Road and up the road two hundred yards to the old Fairbanks Exploration Power Line Trail that provided power to the Fairbanks Creek Camp and Dredge back in the early 30s. Down the trail and west across Bear Creek and to the Chataniaka/Two Rivers Trail just north of Fish Creek. On to Iowa Dome and northwest down into Last Chance Creek and to the Gilmore Dome Trail to Cleary Summit. From Cleary Summit north across the Steese and Margaret's Trail to Chatanika. Margaret's Trail uses the old Davidson Ditch access road that goes down the ridge between Cleary Creek and Little Elderado Creek. We arrived back at the lodge around 4.

It was a great trip. We found a place to play in deep snow at the head of Last Chance Creek, no one got hurt and we didn't have to buy any parts.

Chuck

Chuck Good close in day ride great. How many people? How about the new trail up Captain creek, is it broke all the way thru.
Thanks for the report :D :D :D :D

Last Sunday was a much more pleasant experience than the previous ride. We all meet at Chatanika lodge for breakfast, that was, as always excellent, thank you Shirley. After fueling our bellies, Chuck Johnson joined us and then led us on a great ride on a great day. The sun was up and the temps were in the teens, actually above zero (as I said, a much better day for riding than last week).

We rode from the lodge parking lot down the red trail (or at least I think it was the red trail), for about 5 miles to a turn off to a new section of trails. It started out as a smooth straight away, going up a hill or two as we rode. Then the fun began, going down the same hill, except here we had a narrow twisting ride. This part of the trail was one of those sections were you felt comfortable knowing your brakes were in good shape and grabbed well, or if they didn’t, you were sure wishing they were.

At the bottom of the hill, we headed up again and connected with the Chena Hot Spring Rd. to Chatanika trail (aka Alpha C site trail), about a mile on the Chatanika side from Fish Creek, which was (thankfully) filled with frozen overflow, a nice natural bridge. From here we rode the Alpha C site trail to Iowa Dome and then down hill again in a southwesterly direction to a little creek bed I hadn’t been on before, then around some more hills, and back on to the Chena Hot Spring Rd. to Chatanika trail near Fort Knox.

We went up to Cleary Summit, crossed the Steese Hwy and hit the old railroad bed and rode into Chatanika. Now I have to say, we did make a couple of stops on this ride and played in some nice fields of snow, gravel pits to be exact. Good places to get a heavy trail sled stuck, which I proceeded to do and many thanks to Tony for getting me out.

Of course there was also the stop on the railroad bed that 3 of us made to help Jim dig out of the powder he buried he’s sled in, and I mean buried. Snow was up to the top of the windshield, which ain’t short on his wide track. Of course after John Lubben gave up, I had to ride it out for them, so go ahead John and keep picking on me, here’s your payback…. :D :D

Did the Mclaren trip happen

Chuck says new trail along Steese to Captian creek, then up hill, connects to red trail is in.

Of course there was also the stop on the railroad bed that 3 of us made to help Jim dig out of the powder he buried he’s sled in, and I mean buried. Snow was up to the top of the windshield, which ain’t short on his wide track. Of course after John Lubben gave up, I had to ride it out for them, so go ahead John and keep picking on me, here’s your payback…. Very Happy Very Happy

Well You failed to mention that I dug him out by myself for like 15 mins before you guys showed back up. ))