Cross Country Skiing

 

With winter here and a great base of snow on the ground, its time to dust off the skis and hit the trails. Cross Country skiing is one way to explore the trails around Delta Junction.

 

The Delta Nordic Ski Clubpromotes community ski days every month in the winter. These events have taken place all over Delta and are hosted by various residents who enjoy skiing and like to share their favorite ski trails with the rest of the skiing community. If you are like the rest of the club members, a good snowmachine trail is all you need.

 

There are two types of cross-country skiing people will refer too, Classic and Skate. They each require a set of poles, skis, and boots that compliment the technique used.

Classic skiing is the most common. The “classic” technique involves the person striding on the trail as if walking. Skate skiing is more difficult. The “skate” technique is an open diagonal “skate” as if hockey skating.

 

If you have always wanted to try cross-country skiing there are local venues in which you can rent gear and give it a try. The Ft. Greely MWR Outdoor Recreation center has rental gear, if you have privileges to rent from them. In Fairbanks, the REI store and TRAX ski center offer ski rental packages.

 

If you have tried cross-country skiing in the past and are looking to purchase equipment there are options to buy new and used in Fairbanks. If you are looking for new equipment local sport shops in Fairbanks (Goldstream Sports, Raven Sports, Beaver Sports, and REI), all have knowledgeable staff and huge selections to outfit your needs.  

 

The West Valley Ski Team and the Fairbanks Ski Patrol each hold ski swaps in the Fall. The West Valley Ski swap is in late October, and the Fairbanks Ski Patrol ski swap is November 8th from 10am to 4pm at the Pioneer Park. Ski swaps are a great way to buy used equipment or upgrade your current gear.

 

Cross-country skiing can be very refreshing and a great way to get out and exercise. It’s one of the few sports that is low impact for your joints and muscles and gives you a whole body workout.  The sport is considered lifelong, and enjoyed by many due to the flexibility to be completely social or competitive.

 

If you are looking for an adventure or just want to try something new, grab a friend and ski the trails!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trails Bring Communities Out and Together



National Public Lands Day is coming up on September 27th. It is a good day to celebrate trails and dream about new options for enjoying the outdoors. Alaska Trails has been working for ten years to not only build and maintain Alaska’s world-class trails, but to highlight the many benefits trails bring – not just the recreation we all love, but the health, economic and community benefits they bring as well.

 

According to the State Department of Health, Alaskans spend $459 million a year treating the effects of obesity. Almost 40% of adults and 30% of kids in Alaska are obese. Taken together, Alaskans who are overweight and obese, that accounts for 65% of the population! For children, it’s not only bad for their health, but also negatively affects their academic performance.

 

Trails are part of the solution to obesity as they offer a year-round source of activity, often right near your home, school or workplace. Trails give kids and families a place to exercise and enjoy the outdoors. Members of the Delta Junction Trails Association (DJTA) attended the Statewide Trails Conference that Alaska Trails held in April. DJTA is working on a Community Trail Plan, which help build support and secure funding to put the trails on-the-ground.

DJTA is facilitating the planning through public meetings and discussions with key stakeholders. The work group will create a plan with recommendations for design, estimated costs, construction, and maintenance of a community-wide trail system. Alaska Trails will continue to be a partner to this effort, which will be a great resource for the community.

 

Steve Cleary is the Executive Director of Alaska Trails – www.alaska-trails.org

 

Join us at our DJTA Work Group meeting to review items for the Draft of the Delta Junction Community Trail Plan August 28th 5:30-7:00pm Co-Op Extension Conference Room

Trail Talk-August

 

 “What do you want Delta Junction to look like in 10-15 years?”

Delta Junction Trails Association is in the process of drafting the Delta Junction Trail Plan and would like the public to comment on a collection of prospective projects in which the community shows interest.

We asked the community where they wanted to hike, ski, ride, and pedal. The list below shows the results.  Be a part of what’s happening in Delta Junction.  You can go to the website at http://www.deltajunctiontrails.com/.    Find the top 24 prospective trail projects and write a comment, or come to our OPEN HOUSE, August 21st 5-7:30 at the Co-Op Extension Conference Room and check them out. Give us your input! 

1.      Quartz Lake Area- Want more ski trails, or bike trails?

2.      Rika’s Information Center-An addition to Big Delta Historical Park

3.      Town Trails-A network of non-motorized trails surrounded by motorized access to town

4.      Delta River Walk Park- A centrally located 33 acre place to enjoy Delta.

5.      Liewer Trail-16 acres of wooded land for skiing, walking, jogging, and enjoying the out of doors. 

6.      Bluff Cabin Trail-Existing multi-use, summer/winter trail, need to harden parts of trail

7.      Delta River Walk South-Travel along the Delta River behind businesses, what a view

8.      Bike Path to Greely-Travel along the highway safely from Delta to Greely

9.      Clearwater River H2O-Travel the Clearwater River to Clearwater Lake or to Rika’s

10.   Delta River Walk North-Travel from Delta to Rika’s and feel the History of our trails 

11.   Lisa Lake-Existing trail to F & G stocked lake with cabin, need to harden parts of that trail

12.   1408-Provide access with sustainable trail for 4 wheelers, hikers, hunters, mountain bikers

13.   Donnelly Dome-Easy access, parking, with sustainable trail to the best views in Delta

14.   Sidewalk Nister (Nistler Walking Path)- Safe access for students/public between the schools

15.   Clearwater Lake- Winter and summer multiuse to provide bird & wetland watching

16.   Old Pipeline- Motorized & non-motorized wide open trail From Nistler Rd north

17.   Clearwater Trail- Restore access to the historic Clearwater trail for motorized and non motorized

18.   Coal Mine-Existing trails multi-use, summer & winter, need to harden parts of trail, heavily used

19.   Donna Lake-Existing multi-use, summer & winter, need to harden parts of trail, heavily used

20.   1402- Provide access with sustainable trail for 4 wheelers, hikers, hunters, mountain bikers

21.   Rainbow Lake- Existing trail to F & G stocked lake, winter access

22.   McCumber Creek-Existing multi-use trail access to Granites for camping, hunting, hiking

23.   Bike Park-Want to see a safe exciting bicycling park, pump park, flow trails? 

24.   J. Fowler Cabin Trails-Network of Forestry trails for multi-use in Shaw Creek area

 

The top 15 have made it into the Delta Community Trail Plan.  Give us your thoughts and ideas! 

Mindy Eggleston

Delta Junction Trails Association

PRESSING WILD FLOWERS


Some of us, when woods walking, need a purpose and a destination.  Pressing
wildflowers can be fun, educational and full of purpose.  In the quest to find
flowers, we observe many other things of nature: trees, bushes, lichen, moss,
rocks, birds, insects, signs of creatures, and sometimes, the creatures
themselves.


Each summer month brings out new flowers to press, ending in the fall with
beautiful leaves. Most wildflowers press well with the exception of fat or juicy
flowers like lupines or flowers with large centers, like roses after the "hip"
has begun to grow.  Don’t forget to press the leaves of the flowers as they add
a variety of color and shape to your future composition.  Some ground cover
plants have striking colors and some of the tiniest flowers can provide the
perfect final detail. Do not press wet flowers, or pull up plants by the roots,
take small scissors.  Do not pick fairy slippers.  They are for the fairies. 



Presses can easily be made from plywood, screws and wing nuts, but I prefer
using fat books as they are faster and easier to use on the trail.   A large
rubber band or bungee can keep it closed while traveling in a backpack.  When
back at home base or traveling, put your book under something heavy like a flat
rock, brick or stack of books.  Sometimes when in the car, I sit on my book! 
After at least two weeks of pressing, your flowers can be used for projects. 



  When on flowerless trails, l like to look for wild edible plants, rocks to
paint, birch paper for paper making, everlasting cotton and grasses, and alder
cones for Christmas!  Use your imagination. 


  Flower, tree and plant identification information can be found at the Public
Library along with pressed flower ideas, and also at the Co-Operative Extension
Service. 


Nancy King


DJTA
Delta Junction Trails Association, with your input, is creating the Delta
Junction Community Trail Plan. Visit us on the web http://www.deltajunctiontrails.com/
or like us on  Facebook Delta Junction Trails Association.  

The Delta Junction Trails Association is
passionate about working with our community to make Delta Junction renowned
across the state for our biking, skiing, hiking, OHVing, horseback riding, snow
machining and, yes, even paddling trails. 
 
Alaska Trails, an Alaskan non-profit trails
advocacy and education organization, shares this vision for Delta Junction and
for all of Alaska - to have the best trails in the world. 
To help get people the information and training they need to make this
vision a reality, Alaska Trails hosts a biannual statewide trails conference
bringing together professionals, non-profits, and trail enthusiasts to promote
sustainable trails systems for all trail users.  The 2014 conference was held April
24-26 in Anchorage. Mindy Eggleston
and Judy Hicks were enthusiastic participants, eager to apply what they learned
to Delta’s ongoing trail planning.  
 
The conference offered a full schedule of
workshops on a range of topics: trail design and layout; trail construction and
maintenance; advocacy and funding; partnerships; and health. 
A common theme throughout the conference was that trails offer the best
community amenity for the least amount of cost.  Trails benefit communities by improving
physical and mental health, adding economic opportunities, and increasing
property values.

 Keynote speaker, Troy Duffin, a nationally
known trail builder and president of Alpine Trails Inc., described how trail
development in Park City, Utah, led the one season ski resort town to become a
vibrant 4-season tourist destination. 
Park City, now recognized as having one of the best trail systems in the
world, provides a great quality of life for local residents. 
Mr. Duffin encouraged Alaskans to envision what a system of sustainable
trails could do for Alaska.  He
commented that local projects are governed by the people who show up. He
recommended we participate in our local planning projects and community
meetings.

Delta Junction has what many communities
want—trails that connect people with their local history. 
Historic trails such as the Fairbanks-Valdez Trails and the WAMCAT trail
crossed through Delta.  Two
historic roadhouses educate tourists about Delta’s trails history. 
Horseback riders, cyclists, hikers, skiers, 4-w heelers, dog mushers,
paddlers, snow machiners recreate on a network of trails in our area.  Many of our trails tell the story of how they were originally created to get people and materials from one place to
another.  

Let’s be inspired. 
There are many enthusiastic Alaskans encouraging trails as Safe Routes to
School, trails connecting people to cultures like the Sitka Sea Walk, trails to
protect our outdoor lifestyle, trails like the Iditarod Historic Trail building
community cooperation among different trail users. 
Let’s ride this wave of enthusiasm and come together to plan world class
trails as a focal point of Delta Junction, enhancing our quality of life for
years to come.

 
Celebrate National Trails Day, Saturday June 7, with the Delta
Junction Trails Association. 
“Rendezvous
  at Rika’s,” a fun family afternoon & evening offering;  Art In
  The Park, Face Painting, Geocaching and Orienteering, Nature Walks, Live Music,
  BBQ Brisket Dinner with roasted vegetables, potatoes & dessert- catered by
Chocolate Gypsy.  Dinner Tickets: Adults $25.00 Children
12 & under $12.00 / Toddlers Free. Tickets on sale at Smiling Moose, Delta
Jct. or contact Ellie Mason 895-5362, Ellen Clark 895-5155 or Carol Austin
895-4449.  See you
there!


  

The sun is shining, the snow is melting, and spring is here. It’s
time to get out on the trails, right? Well actually wrong, it’s the opposite and
here’s why. Soils throughout the Interior pose a particular problem for
maintenance, being pre-dominantly thick layers of loessial silt.  This
silt, even when it includes a high proportion of rock or gravel, loses all
cohesion when its moisture content approaches saturation level, a condition
achieved every spring, during this frozen to thawed phase. 
As the upper layer thaws, snowmelt is trapped in it above the still
frozen zone, and until thaw has occurred at depth and sufficient moisture has
drained and evaporated out of it, the soil has no structural resistance to
traffic. 



So before jumping on your ATV, horse, or bike here are some
  guidelines. The tread must first become snow-free, then thaw, then lose enough
  of the snow and melt water to achieve at least a moderate level of structural
  integrity.  My observations have
been that once the ground thaws 12 inches, the water is able to drain
sufficiently to allow for sustainable use. During breakup, Alaska State Parks
has a four-week closure on its multiple-use trails in the Chena River State
Recreation Area.  The closure
normally runs from April 20th to the Thursday before
Memorial Weekend.  This should give
you a pretty good idea when trails dry out sufficiently, although each year is
different.  Last year we had
to wait until June 6th to
open.


If traffic is allowed too soon, the tread will churn and deeply
rut, which slows the drainage process and leaves the tread prone to
  re-saturation during summer rains. 
Trails in flatlands, where no tread is excavated, can handle some
early-season traffic because that traffic runs on a vegetative root mat
overlying the silt. However, once the root mat wears through, the saturated-silt
problem is immediately apparent and more serious, since drying is much
slower.


Achieving a balance between resource conservation and recreation
use is what good trail design and construction is all about. 
Allowing trails to drain without significant disturbance for a short time
will assure good trails for all users the rest of the
year.



Brooks Ludwig is the park superintendent
for the Northern Area of the Alaska Division of Parks and Outdoor
Recreation

Delta Junction Trail Association’s vision is “A community wide trail system that will provide a place for year-round outdoor recreational activities and trail opportunities for people of all ages, abilities, income, and trail interests in the Delta area.” As part of this vision, DJTA started a recurring column In the Delta Wind, Trail Talk, reflecting stories and advice from experienced trail users in the Delta Junction area.

ATV LOADING AND UNLOADING GENERAL SAFETY TIPS
Published in the Delta Wind - March 27,2014

Greetings from the friendly staff at Delta Powersports, your local dealer for off road fun!  While we are thrilled that you are preparing to hit the trails with your toys this summer, we must repeat the popular phrase ignored by some and underestimated by most:  SAFETY FIRST.  A failure to observe the basic duties of a responsible rider could place you or a loved one at great risk. 

There are lengthy lists of protocols and practices that should be considered while operating a recreational vehicle, and today we will discuss just one aspect…the surprisingly under-rated task of loading and unloading your ATV or side by side.  Naturally, the first rule that applies here is to use what is known as your common sense.  However, we have witnessed many excited powersport enthusiasts ignore these concerns, as they possess a strong disdain for this so called ‘common sense,’ or this ‘sense’ seems to be completely undeveloped.  Allow us to outline some of the basics.

Park on a surface as close to level as possible.  Whether you are unloading form the bed of your truck or from a trailer, parking on various slopes will only complicate the process by adding unwanted angles.  It is more difficult to ensure good stability on your ramps if they are fighting a sideways slope, as well as the intended slope from the tailgate to the ground.  Many riders will back up to a bank or a hill of some sort to help minimize the angle they are dealing with.  If there is no such place available, seeking out the least rough terrain for parking is the first step to maximizing your safety. 

Make sure your ramps are long enough to work well.  The longer the ramps are the shallower the angle the vehicle must traverse in the unloading and loading process.  Ramps that are too short, may also increase the chances of a vehicle becoming high centered or hanging up on the skid plate as it leaves the truck bed and rolls downward on the ramps.  Many people use wooden planks or other homemade jigs in the place of commercial loading ramps.  Whatever the case, make certain that your ramps are capable of holding more weight by a large margin, than the listed weight of your machine.  If your loading ramps do not anchor to the trailer or tailgate via safety straps or pins, you must make the best effort to ensure the ramps cannot move away from the trailer or tailgate during the loading and unloading action.  If ATV tires should spin during this transition, a ramp may kick away from its perch, resulting in most likely in a rollover sideways or backwards.  Injury would be probable.  Never use unsecured ramps.

Use a trailer if you have one to use.  Trailer beds are generally lower than the average tailgate, and as a result, increase your chances of loading and unloading safely.

Don’t suddenly change gears while on the ramps, and don’t blip the throttle or surprise the brakes.  Any sudden movement transferred to the tires could result in the disruption of the ramps.  If you need to use 4x4, it is important to place the transmission in 4x4 before you start.  If you must ride the machine, sit down if possible and take it slow.  Avoid sudden moves while on the ramps.  If you hit the brakes or an obstacle while standing, you may be jostled forward and into the throttle, resulting in loss of control, increasing you chances of injury.  Line yourself up with the ramps prior to placing your wheels on them to avoid needing to turn the ATV while on the ramps. 

Take the music out of your ears if needed, and make sure you have a good visual of your surroundings before attempting to use the ramps.  If something should go wrong and an accident is eminent, it is best if possible to minimize personal injury by jumping away from the machine and letting it fall without you on it.  Do not try to prevent damage to the machine at the risk of your own well being.

Check your ramps twice.  Don’t be in a rush.  Don’t get lazy and overlook the necessity of simple things like safety straps and parking brakes.  If you are not familiar with the machines you are handling, ask someone for help.  And even if you are familiar, use you common sense and you’ll be fine.  Have fun and as always, safety first.

Group working to protect local trails
Published in the Delta Wind - February 27,2014

Have you heard of or seen us at some of the local events last year? We are a grass roots group of trail
users in the Delta Junction Area dedicated to improving and protecting the variety of trails around Delta and creating new ones. We have been soliciting public input and working on creating a Community Trail Plan. The Delta Junction Community Trail Plan is important for all trail users in our community to ensure preservation and access to our local trails.  The Vision of this project is to create a community-wide trail system that will provide a place for year-round outdoor
recreational activities and trail opportunities for people of all ages, abilities, income, and trail interests in the Delta area.
 Just Imagine;
A sustainable trail up Donnelly Dome       
“Delta River Walk Trail” with fabulous views of the mountains along the Delta River         
A Nature Trail right next to Delta High School!       
And more……Whatever our community wants.
 In addition to working on trails, we have been hosting community events to encourage people to get out and be active.  We will also be writing a series of articles here in the Delta Wind entitled “Trail Talk” which will feature a variety of topics relating to trails, outdoor activities, equipment and updates on our projects. 
If you are a trapper, runner, musher, biker, skier, ATV’er, snowmachiner/snowmobiler, walker, snowshoer, equestrian rider, skijorer, dirt biker, hiker, mud trucker, recreationalist of any kind that utilizes some part or form of a trail, we need your input and assistance in creating the Delta Junction Community Trail Plan. This is Your Trail Plan. Are you interested in sharing your ideas, writing articles, helping with membership, outreach, grant writing, trail work, events?  Come to our next monthly Work Group meeting, February 27th 5:30-7:00pm at the CoOp Extension conference room Jarvis Building.   
Help us with this exciting project for all trail users in the Delta area!   
March 8th-“Celebrate the Sun with DJTA” Quartz Lake=Skiing, Ice Fishing, Bon Fire, Ski Joring Demo! Snow Shoeing,  Come Join the Fun! For more info;
Follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/DeltaJunctionTrails) or visit our new website deltajunctiontrails.com and support us by becoming a member!  

Happy Trails……
Mindy Eggleston, DJTA Chair
907-322-4644


 

 Sharing the trails
Published in the Delta Wind - January 23, 2014

 Here we are in darkest days of winter but that does not mean Alaskans are holed up inside waiting for spring, many feel that this is the best time of year time to get out and explore our local trails. 
A good snow pack opens up miles and miles of country that is less accessible at other times of the year.  Delta Junction is surrounded by incredibly vast wilderness, which attracts a diverse group of trail users. There are snow machiners, skiers, dog mushers, skijors, hikers, and even some bikers out there enjoying the snow and trails.  
 
Winter is also trapping season in Alaska and many trail users like to bring their dogs along for a hike, ski or ride. Pet owners often worry that their dog could be caught in a trap. While this is definitely possible it is good to know that trappers do not want to catch your dog for many reasons; many trappers are pet lovers themselves, harming pets gives trappers a bad name and catching a dog means that they will not catch anything else. There are things you can do to reduce the possibility of your pet getting caught and the best way is to become more familiar with trapping. 
 
The Delta Trails Association will be teaming up with a couple local trappers to host a workshop designed to teach non-trappers about trapping regulations, how to recognize a trap line and how to release a pet from a trap.  We will be showing a 30- minute video produced by the Alaska Trappers Association which addresses concerns about dogs getting into traps and participants will have the
chance to get a hands on demonstration on how to operate and remove several different types of traps. 
 
Our hope is that by helping non-trappers to better understand trapping that we can alleviate some concerns and make winter trail use safer and more enjoyable for everyone.
 
Please join us at 5:00 on January 27th at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game office here in Delta Junction.  If you have any questions call 895-5362.
 
Delta Junction Trails
Association