Girdwood Trails Committee
Minutes of Regular Meeting
7 pm, Old Library Building
Tuesday, March 7, 2006

The meeting was called to order at 7:15 pm by Chair Dario Martinez.  Kate
Sandberg acted as Secretary for the meeting.   No one present had a key to the building, so the abbreviated meeting was held outside the Old Library Building.  

Present: Dario Martinez, Kate Sandberg, Carolyn Brodin, Andy Morrison, Carl Skustad, and guest Dean Knapp from Eagle River.

Approval of Minutes
Minutes of February 7, 2006, will be approved at the next regular meeting.

Old Business
1.  Nissman Memorial Update—Carl reported that the Memorial will begin to be erected in four weeks.  It is scheduled to be finished on time, and all preliminary work is completed.

2. Trails Issues—Carl will meet with Larry Daniels to discuss options for improving the summer mud situation on the Winner Creek Trail. He has been working on the issue and needs 100 yards of gravel to fix the problem.  However, moving that amount of gravel to the back of the trail is problematic, and other options such as treads and planking may have to be used to mend drainage problems.  He will report again in April.

3.  Winter Use and Grooming Issues—Carl said that there are no current issues and that grooming is going well.

4.  Alaska Community Forestry Grant—Carl mentioned that Alison Rein has submitted a $3,000 application.  The specifics were unavailable.

5.  Anchorage Pedestrian Plan—Kate said that she and Alison went to the local meeting for the Anchorage Pedestrian Plan. Lori Schanche, MOA Project Management & Engineering Sr. Landscape Architect, was there to hear concerns.  Kate and Alison told her about the dangers for pedestrians who cross the Alyeska Highway at Hightower, the ice overflow problems on the bike path to the school, and the Alyeska Highway bike path repair problems.  Lori is project manager for the bridge repair and helped collect data for the Alaska’s Trail Initiative grant.  She is aware of the bike path needs and suggested that we call Samantha Carroll for funding ideas or put the funding request in a bond.

New Business
No new business items could be addressed at this meeting. All items will be carried over to April.

Other Business
1.  Invasive Plants Action--Kate mentioned that Jonnie Lazarus had contacted her about taking action against invasive species in the Girdwood Valley.  Jonnie is working with Betty Charnon and others to make a concentrated effort in diminishing the orange hawkweed, thistle, and species that could irrevocably damage the Valley’s meadows and woodlands.  The orange hawkweed is particularly difficult to eradicate.  

Jonnie will offer a two-night community school class this May and will distribute information packets to Trails Committee members.  She requests that Committee members pull invasive plants along trails as they walk and hike this summer.

2.  Pack Raft Letter of Non-objection--Andy Morrison, local swift water guide, requests a letter of non-objection from the Trails Committee for a pack rafting business from above the confluence of Winner and Glacier Creeks (tram area) to just above the airport. He is currently applying for a permit.  He plans for hotel guests and others to walk with pack rafts or to park on Crow Creek Road and walk in to the tram area.  Customers will float to the AWWU well area and walk via trails to the hotel. 

Committee members raised questions about the impact on the area, and these and other questions will be addressed at the next meeting.
 
3.  Lower Glacier Creek Dangers--Andy mentioned that the lower half of Glacier Creek, from the airport down, is quite dangerous.  There are stumps and old trees in the water which make floating dangerous.

In particular there are five large cottonwoods that fell during last month’s large storm and now overhang the creek.  These trees are just below the camping area and could form dams that flood the ground and/or damage the flow of the creek in a major rainstorm.  He volunteered to talk to Norm Starkey who works for AK Fish and Game about these trees.

4.  Eagle River Guest--Dean Knapp from Eagle River attended the meeting to learn about the Girdwood Trails Committee.  He is interested in forming a similar committee in Eagle River. He reported that Eagle River citizens are interested in building a path the length of their valley and that the location is currently being debated. 

As a member of Alaska Mountain Rescue, Dean was interested in meeting those who work on the south end of the Crow Pass Trail.  He also mentioned that citizens are developing a swift water rescue unit, and he will contact Andy Morrison about this.  Kate gave him a contact list and will send him a trails map.  She has his contact information.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 pm.

NEXT MEETING IS APRIL 4, 2006