FNBP Users Committee

Far North Bicentennial Park Users Committee

This is a group that meets at 6:20pm the first Monday of most months usually at the Campbell Creek Science Center.

The meeting is usually run by John McCleary from the Anchorage Parks & Recreation Division. Doug Ballou from the BLM is usually there, too, to cover issues in Campbell Tract. There are usually 15-20 people representing a variety of park users. The meetings start on time and move along quickly. You can learn alot.

April 27, 2004

Dear Committee Member:

The Far North Bicentennial Park Trail User Committee will conduct their monthly meeting on Monday, May 3, 2004. It will be held at the Campbell Creek Science Center, located on the BLM Campbell Tract at 68^th and Abbott Loop Road beginning at 6:20pm.

May Agenda

n BLM Campbell Tract – Status of summer activities and recap of Scoop the Poop Day event.

n National Trails Day, June 5, 2004 – Wombats Black Bear Trail & Airstrip Bypass trail projects.

n Heritage Land Bank Study for lands adjacent to Abbott Loop Road Extension – Chris Beck

n Trail Use – May Mud- All users are reminded to stay off of the earthen trails until Memorial Day. Please watch for notices at trailheads of the non-paved trail system.

n Bear Signage – Signage will be consistent between AK State Parks, BLM Campbell Tract, US Forest Service, Ft Richardson lands and MOA Parks.

Metal Info Sign – “You are in Bear Country” - General notice to visitors that bears live in area.

Day-Glo Green – Caution – Repeated and abnormal bear activity present that deserves notice.

Day-Glo Red – Warning – Hazardous and dangerous condition exists with incident level high.

n Special Events – Last Call

Don’t forget to join us for our trail spring clean up efforts at the Campbell Tract & Far North Poop-a-rama alias Scoop the Poop Day May 1. Your shovel and efforts would be most appreciated.

The May meeting will be our last meeting until the fall. The next meeting will be tentatively Monday, August 2, 2004. It will be held at the Campbell Creek Science Center on the BLM Campbell Tract at 68^th and Abbott Loop Road and will begin at 6:20pm.

If you have any questions, please call or e-mail us at:

Doug Ballou 267-1245 or dballou@ak.blm.gov

John McCleary 343-4296 or mccleaji@ci.anchorage.ak.us

Sincerely,

John McCleary

Recreation Programs and Park Operation

cc: John Rodda, Acting Division Manager P&R

February 23, 2004

Dear Committee Member:

The Far North Bicentennial Park Trail User Committee will meet Monday, March 1 2004. It will be held at the Campbell Creek Science Center, located on the BLM Campbell Tract at 68^th and Abbott Loop Road beginning at 6:20pm.

March Agenda

n BLM – Status of activities

n Campbell Tract Family Winter Trails Day Report

n National Trails Day Event – June 7, 2004

n Agency Bear Signage Program – BLM, MOA & AK State Parks

n 2004 Parks and Recreation Spring Bond Information

n Status - Tour Anchorage March 7, 2004

n Email addresses for communication enhancements.

n Comments

Our next meeting will be tentatively Monday, April 5, 2004. It will be held at the Campbell Creek Science Center on the BLM Campbell Tract at 68^th and Abbott Loop Road and will begin at 6:20pm.

If you have any questions, please call or e-mail us at:

Doug Ballou 267-1245 or dballou@ak.blm.gov

John McCleary 343-4296 or mccleaji@ci.anchorage.ak.us

Sincerely,

John McCleary

Recreation Programs and Park Operations

cc: John Rodda, Acting Division Manager P&R

January 27, 2004
Dear Committee Member:

The Far North Bicentennial Park Trail User Committee will meet Monday, February 2 2004. It will be held at the Campbell Creek Science Center, located on the BLM Campbell Tract at 68^th and Abbott Loop Road beginning at 6:20pm.

February Agenda

n BLM – Status of activities

n Campbell Tract Family Winter Trails Day – February 14, 2004 - 10a-4pm

n Abbott Loop Extension Project update – Dowl Engineers, Bob Kniefel

n Tour Anchorage March 7, 2004 – PJ Hill

n Draft Parks and Recreation Spring Bond Projects List

n Email addresses for communication enhancements.

n Comments

February is a month when trails use increases. The Alaska Sled Dog Racing Association enters their “Championship” month and the Tour of Anchorage skiers are training with passion. Skiers are reminded to look both ways when crossing sled dog trails!!!!!

Our next meeting will be tentatively Monday, March 1, 2004. It will be held at the Campbell Creek Science Center on the BLM Campbell Tract at 68^th and Abbott Loop Road and will begin at 6:20pm.

If you have any questions, please call or e-mail us at:

Doug Ballou 267-1245 or dballou@ak.blm.gov
John McCleary 343-4296 or mccleaji@ci.anchorage.ak.us

Sincerely,
John McCleary
Recreation Programs and Park Operations

cc: John Rodda, Acting Division Manager P&R

January 2004 Proposal by Womens Mountain Bike and Tea Society (WOMBATS) Alaska Chapter

Black Bear Trail Restoration

Black Bear is a single track trail in Far North Bicentennial Park which connects the Ridge Loop on the Hillside and, via Moose Meadow trail, the Tour of Anchorage trail in the Campbell Tract area. Over the years, the trail has developed drainage problems, especially where it crosses a small stream and a boggy area.

The purpose of the proposed work is to correct some of the erosion issues. Standing water on parts of the trail after it rains and during break up is common and facilitates erosion. This proposal also addresses a bridge in need of repair. All work would be done within the first 255 feet of where Black Bear trail intersects Moose Meadow trail.

In an effort to retain the intimate character of this trail, along with its technical nature, the trail will not be widened. We plan to use materials found in the area for trail surfaces to keep its natural feel.

1) Upon entering the trail from Moose Meadow, the trail dips down, then back up before leading to the unnamed creek. Standing water in the dip leads to deep mud. Many users go around the mud holes, making the trail wider and increasing erosion.

We plan to use trail-shaping techniques to slope the trail so that water runs off the trail. This involves cutting away the downstream side of the trail and digging a short channel to allow the water to drain away from the trail. The surface would be built up on the upstream side. Geo-textile fabric would be placed on the surface, and covered with gravel or pit run. A soil layer would be placed over the gravel followed by a layer of sorted pit run. The area will then be compacted.

2) Farther down the trail, there is a plank bridge measuring three feet wide and 19 feet in length. The bridge is deteriorating, but is in character with the rest of the trail. Two boards had collapsed as of the fall of 2003. Where the bridge meets the ground on the far end, there is a drop of about three inches, caused by erosion, including soil compaction.

We will replace the broken boards with treated wood, inspect others and replace them as necessary. In addition, we will loosen the soil on the far side of the bridge, add pit run or gravel, followed by compaction.

3) After the bridge, there is a second mud hole, but no area for it to drain.

We propose using gravel (E1 grade) to fill in the surface of the trail, followed by compaction. This will prevent the kind of erosion seen over the years on other parts of the FNBP trails. If further evaluation necessitates, we will use geo-textile fabric for this area also.

4) Another 114 feet down the trail, there is another dip in the trail which fills with water and doesn’t drain, similar to the first area.

We propose reshaping the trail in this area to allow water to flow off the trail, then digging a channel down slope for the water to drain away from the area. The same techniques as used in the first area would be applied to this site to facilitate drainage.

January 6, 2003

Dear Committee Member:

The Far North Bicentennial Park Trail User Committee meeting scheduled for Monday, January 5, 2004 has been postponed one week. The January meeting will be held Monday, January 12. It will be held at the Campbell Creek Science Center, located on the BLM Campbell Tract at 68^th and Abbott Loop Road beginning at 6:20pm.

January Agenda

n Winter & Spring 2003-2004 park use schedule

n BLM Campbell Tract updates

n February Winter Trails Day Project Report

n AWWU Phase 4 Loop project status – Roberta Piper, AWWU

n Black Bear Trail Rehab Volunteer Project – Wombats Alaska Chapter

n Planned 2004 Forest and Fire Management Projects – Sue Rodman, AFD

n Trail Use status

n Comments

After the holidays, trails use traditionally increases. Veteran park users are asked to be our park ambassadors directing new users to appropriate use areas on the trails. Our next meeting will be tentatively Monday, February 2, 2004. It will be held at the Campbell Creek Science Center on the BLM Campbell Tract at 68^th and Abbott Loop Road and will begin at 6:20pm.

If you have any questions, please call or e-mail us at:

Doug Ballou 267-1245 or dballou@ak.blm.gov

John McCleary 343-4296 or mccleaji@ci.anchorage.ak.us

Happy winter trails,

John McCleary

Recreation Programs and Park Operations

cc: John Rodda, Acting Manager, Parks and Recreation

October 28, 2003

Dear Committee Member:

The Far North Bicentennial Park Trail User Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, Monday, November 3, 2003. It will be held at the Campbell Creek Science Center, located on the BLM Campbell Tract at 68^th and Abbott Loop Road beginning at 6:20pm.

November Agenda

n News from Campbell Tract – Doug Ballou

n BLM Administrative Area Planning Efforts Update – June Bailey

n Abbott Loop Community Park Status Report – The site is in winter shut down mode. For project timeline for 2004 and information call David Gardner of PM&E at 343-8127

n Tour of Anchorage and Hillside trail system rehab projects status – Nordic Ski Club

n Special Events – Fall & Winter 2003/04 – Last call!

n Please respect trail users and have all pets on a leash.

All trail users are reminded to help report illegal motorized trail use by calling 786-8500. The Anchorage Police Department needs your information for evaluation and response purposes.

The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for Monday, December 1. It will be held at the Campbell Creek Science Center on the BLM Campbell Tract at 68^th and Abbott Loop Road beginning at 6:20pm. If you have any questions, please call or e-mail us at:

Doug Ballou 267-1245 or dballou@ak.blm.gov

John McCleary 343-4296 or mcclearyji@muni.org

Thinking of Snow,

John McCleary

Recreation Programs and Park Operations

cc: Carolyn Bloom Acting Parks and Recreation

September 30,2003

Dear Committee Member:

The Far North Bicentennial Park Trail Users Committee meeting scheduled for Monday, October 6, 2003 has been cancelled. The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for Monday, November 3. It will be held at the Campbell Creek Science Center on the BLM Campbell Tract at 68^th and Abbott Loop Road beginning at 6:20pm.

v BLM will be hosting an open house on October 15 starting at 6:30p concerning the Administrative building complex renovation/replacement options.

v The Abbott Loop trail and trailhead closure continues to be in place as summer like weather continues. The closures are generally when the contractor is working, Monday – Saturday 7a-7pm. The trail and trailhead is open when the contractor is not working. Please respect work site safety - Do not use when the contractor is on site.

v Off Leash Dog Exercise Area/Corridor connector project –North Bivouac Trailhead to the North Gas Line Trail has been established. Thank You’s to Bud Rice, Bruce Talbot, Anchorage Unleashed and NASSPA volunteers

v The Nordic Ski Club is planning some work to flatten the ruts on the Tudor end of the Tour trail. If you are interested in helping contact Gordon Wetzel 346-1334.

v The Alaska Recreation and Park Association and Alaska Statewide Trails conferences will be held Oct 15-18 at the Hilton and Egan Convention Center. Registration and program information can be found at the conference site www.alaskarpa.org

v On October 20^th at 6:30pm there will be a meeting to discuss what the 2004 budget may look like for Parks and Recreation, proposed fee increases and the upcoming spring bond theme and projects. The meeting place is yet to be determined.

v Trails are fragile due to muddy conditions. Please use respectfully.

If you have any questions, please call or e-mail us at:

Doug Ballou 267-1245 or dballou@ak.blm.gov

John McCleary 343-4296 or mccleaji@ci.anchorage.ak.us

Sincerely,

John McCleary

Recreation Programs and Park Operations

Cc: Carolyn Bloom, Acting Parks and Recreation Manager

August 27,20003

Dear Committee Member:

The Far North Bicentennial Park Trail Users Committee will meet on

Monday, September 8, 2003. It will be held at the Campbell Creek Science Center on the BLM Campbell Tract at 68^th and Abbott Loop Road beginning at 6:20pm. The meeting is being held on the second Monday of the month due to the Labor Day holiday.

August Agenda

n News from Campbell Tract – National Public Lands Day – September 20,2003

- Public Lands Day Project - Moose Track Trail - call for volunteers.

- Moose Track Trail ADA improvement project status

n Update on Abbott Loop Road trail head closure – The trail and trailhead closure has been modified to the times when the contractor is working generally Monday – Saturday 7a-7pm. The trail and trailhead is open when the contractor is not working. Work is scheduled through much of September. Please respect work site safety - Do not use when the contractor is on site.

n Abbott Loop Extension Road Project Presentation – Dowl Engineers-Bob Kniefel

n Off Leash Dog Exercise Area/Corridor connector project –North Bivouac Trailhead to the North Gas Line Trail – Jim Barr

n Tour of Anchorage and Hillside trail system rehab projects status

n Special Events – Fall & Winter 2003/04 – Second call!

n Please respect trail users and have all pets on a leash.

The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for Monday, October 6. It will be held at the Campbell Creek Science Center on the BLM Campbell Tract at 68^th and Abbott Loop Road beginning at 6:20pm. If you have any questions, please call or e-mail us at: