HLB approves adding area with short trail to Girdwood parks

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

A small trail that meanders through the woods mostly along a road to Alyeska Hotel could become part of Girdwood's trail network. 

The Winner Creek Extension trail is on land managed by the Heritage Land Bank, a real estate division of the municipality. Its commission voted last week to transfer management of 7.5 acres along Arlberg Rd to Girdwood Parks and Recreation.

The roughly half-mile long trail climbs a hill from its entrance at Verbier Way and drops gently back down to end at the Resort. It also parallels a paved path, on the other side of Arlberg, and Moose Meadows. The 200-foot wide stretch of land is "not suited for development", according to the municipality's real estate department. 

Brian Burnett, a member of Girdwood's Board of Supervisors, gave a short history of the trail. A 10 kilometer nordic ski trail was "punched through" the forest in 1969 for a national ski race at the Alyeska Resort, Burnett said. He said Alyeska eventually vacated the easement with the overgrown trail and built a new trail closer to Arlberg Rd. to "give the trail to the community."

"We're now seeing the evolution of a community trail," Burnett said.

"I would appreciate it if HLB kept this perspective in mind as you are moving forward with additional disposals of public land," he added. "... land managers and developers should be held to a standard that there is no net loss of recreational infrastructure and recreational potential when public land is disposed of."