a new long trail in the making

[AK Granola]

This is exciting!

https://www.alaskapublic.org/2021/05/21/senate-agrees-to-fund-alaska-long-trail-project/

It will take forever to get it off the ground, even if the governor agrees to it. Things are looking good though. I’m trying to convince the powers and planners that be to end the trail at the Bus. Bus 142 that is. Could be a big draw!

Hope my fellow Alaskans aren’t cringing at this point. Just trying to be entrepreneurial here.

[obx hiker]

If bus 142 is what I think it is I’d like to see it.

[AK Granola]

I mean, it’s a broken down bus. But sure, don’t let me discourage you or anyone!

[obx hiker]

I cheated.

But I’m not gonna let ’em catch me no.

Not gonna let ’em catch the midnight rider

[Tom B]

A nuts and bolts question;

What is multiuse in this case?

Foot traffic only, horses, snowmobiles, bicycles, motorcycles, ORVs, jeeps, logging trucks?

 

[Luke Schmidt]

Not sure what I think. It looks like the more scenic parts already have trails or routes. Building trails through swamps will only attract a few thru hikers. I wonder how much impact it would have either way.

 

[Jerry Adams]

Bus 142?

Ahhh… the Krakauer book.  Funny that this would be a tourist attraction

[AK Granola]

I think the long trail phenom is hot right now, and Alaska is always hot (so to speak). Visitors to the trail won’t spend enough to make up for lost oil revenue, but they could be a boost to local economies near the trail. I’d like to see it be popular enough but not “Wild” popular. It’s expensive too, so I imagine it won’t get the same traffic as the AT or PCT where costs can be low.

I’ve done a number of the individual hikes that would be connected to make the longer trail. I would probably do the whole thing in sections. That stretch from Healy to Nenana….even I would break down and listen to music along the way. Oof.

Multi-use usually means anything goes in Alaska, but some of these sections will have restriction to non-motorized. I hope they keep it that way. There are so many places for motorized recreation up here; we don’t need to ruin the few that aren’t open to them.

 

[AK Granola]

Jerry, Bus 142 was a shrine before it got moved. It will be so again.

[Jerry Adams]

They moved it?

I think it’s original location would be a dangerous attractant to inexperienced people, based on what happened in the book.

[AK Granola]

Yeah, the National Guard choppered it out of there. It will be on display at the Museum of the North in Fairbanks, some time soon.

[David Thomas]

There are a lot of things our Governor doesn’t like – the court system, public broadcasting, women’s health, and, it turns out:

Trails.

This afternoon his line-item vetoes came out and he zero’ed out funding for every proposed section of the trail, despite the budget with $13.2M for projects in every region along the way having gotten through the State House and Senate.

[AK Granola]

Yeah, Dunleavy also rejected the Alaska Library Catalog – the tool that allows communities of all sizes to borrow materials from each other, thereby maximizing public dollars statewide. He also rejected renewing funds for statewide databases. Penny wise pound foolish.

At least we still have great trails! Some day the long trail will happen. Unless we burn up first!

[John S.]

Fairbanks 142 would make it more interesting for sure.

[Luke Schmidt]

I have mixed feelings. On the one hand trails are nice. I would probably use it. On the other hand… a lot of our tourists are older folks renting RVs or SUVs and going on a road trip. Great! Alaska gets the tourist dollars without the backcountry crowds. I kinda like not seeing tons of people when I get off the beaten path. Maybe we should keep most of Alaska trailless. If you can’t navigate that maybe you should stick to the lower 48 or places like the Kenai. There are plenty of options for people to get their feet wet. Once they take off the training wheels they can appreciate the trailless areas of the Alaska Range or Brooks Range.

[AK Granola]

Luke, much of the Alaska long trail already exists, for example, the Crow pass trail, the Kesugi ridge trail, etc. The long trail concept simply connects them. It does build a few additional trail routes, especially in places like Healy to Nenana – I can’t imagine walking that without some kind of trail. There is also already a trail from Fairbanks to Nenana, although it’s hard to navigate since no one “owns” or manages it. That would have to be improved.

If it did go through, the Brooks range and the Alaska range will still be there, social trails only.

[David Thomas]

I certainly have appreciated the “Great Walks” in New Zealand, even though I’m being a total (hiking) tourist on those trails and staying in those huts.  It makes it accessible to active older people and young families.  And we spend money on restaurants, lodgings and attractions when we get off the trail.  Those options were part of what brought us there the first time and were an even bigger part of what brought us back.

I don’t worry about getting away from people – even along the “John Muir Highway” in the California Sierra, all you have to do is go over the lowest ridge into the next valley and you’ll have it all to yourself.  Even more so in Alaska – use whatever trails are there to get above the brush line but then you can just follow ridgelines forever – just you, the mountain goats and the Dall sheep.

Yes, Alaska tourists are pretty old, rich and white.  You have to be to afford that motorhome, airfare and summer prices.  Or they’re super adventurous and prepared for the wilderness.  What about the middle ground?  People not pursuing “Type 3 fun” but not dead yet?  With school-age kids.  Or toddlers?  Or with some skills but not vast experience yet?

We have world-class terrain and scenery – duh.  What we lack are the amenities that allow many people to step a little ways off the road system in the way that one easily can in the 49-state national parks, forests, and thru-hiking trails.  I’d love to see a hut system in place – a staffed, enclosed hut every 10 miles so vastly more people could plan on a trip, rain or shine, meet like-minded travelers each evening as they prepare their meals and provide a market for private services aimed at those travelers (shuttles, resupplies, hostels in more remote areas, etc).

[AK Granola]

Ooh, I’d volunteer in an Alaskan trail hut! Sounds great. Part of my retirement plan – some years from now…

[David Thomas]

I’ve bumped into senior citizens at national parks like GCNP who rotated around doing seasonal work – working in a gift shop or some such – in return for minimum wage and room and board in a spectacular setting.  They’d have glowing recommendations from their previous postings thereby getting preference, do it as a working vacation for a month or two, and have all their time off right in Yellowstone or on the South Rim.

[Philip Tschersich]

Maybe inching forward towards realization? From the Alaska Beacon:

Proponents of Alaska Long Trail pitch 14 projects as steps toward ambitious 500-mile goal

The trail’s website

 

[AK Granola]

Progress of a sort for the Alaska Long Trail. And Bus 142 is well on its way to being put on formal display. If you happen to be in Fairbanks, you can go see it now in the engineering building at UAF, in the high bay.

Before y’all hop on an airplane to hike the long trail, realize this is still on paper only, that help is a long ways away for most of it, and you’re really and truly on your own in most places in Alaska. I’m sure most of you know that, but we do get folks now and then who think there are “rangers” out there to help. That is rarely the case outside Denali. You set foot on most trails, and no one will come along looking for you. Be prepared!

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