UAF Skarland Trail System Management Plan
UAF Trails 1999 User Survey Results
March 2, 2000
Comments on UAF Trails in General - 47 people commented
Snowmobile and bicycle access critical.
Looks great!! Does the computer track who send a survey? Can one person submit several surveys. I don't see a winter pedestrian trail to Smith Lake being used unless it is groomed. Given the choice of post holing down a trail or walking on the hard ski trail... Combine the two paths from SRC to W ridge. A boardwalk around Ballaine Lake will eliminate all nesting water fowl. I oppose it.
I am extremely impressed with the amount of effort that has gone into this draft plan. It reflects a lot of time and thought. I believe the trail system is one of the most positive aspects of the UAF campus and am glad to see that you are willing to work to improve and protect the trails!!!
I feel quite strongly about dogs being allowed in winter, but not for skijoring. Owners should be responsible for them. Make that clear.
I have some fairly extensive comments, but would prefer to send them separately via E-mail (It's hard to see what you're writing in these little boxes).
Parking is a problem. I like the idea of selling parking tickets and using the cash to offset grooming costs.
30 ft. is way too wide for skate trails. 12-16 ft. is fine. 30 ft. removes curves and, leaves too much slash and berms, and lowers the scenic appeal.
Provide for snowmachine access and trail use
I'd like to see better maintenance of existing trails. At least get them mowed before it snows. I'd be willing to ride a mower an even contribute $$ to get them upgraded so they're better for skiing.
When I first got here in the 60's, I used the trails a lot more than I do now for running, biking and skiing. Among other things I ran the Equinox Marathon 3-4 times in the late 60's--early 70's. So while my current usage may imply I have no experience in what may desirable in trails, I don't think that is the case.
Additional comments: 1. Campus security or fire dept do NOT have Snomachines, although they are available by mutual aid after request. Consider having maintenance snogo available for emergency use building a storage site near a trail head may facilitate this. Coordinate with fire dept for rescue equipment such as sleds. 2. Trail Lighting. Good, however consider indirect to eliminate glare, lessen light pollution, and add to natural outdoor experience. Check out Sunriver Oregon model. 3. Trail barriers against motor vehicles. An essential! Be sure to include keyed gates where appropriate for snow groomer and emergency equipment. 4. Consider how and cost of enforcement of rules such as trail use and when considering parking decals. 5. Consistent and standardized trail signage would go a long way in improving current trails and there use. 6. Of the trail project priorities listed, new access trails especially interface trails from campus(such as the proposed ridge trail from the rec center and maybe one from the museum) would increase user participation and promote a pedestrian campus. Remember the trails are just not a private ski club. If that is to be, then run it like a private ski club. 7. Keep up the hard work.
Maintaining the ski trails requires whacking back the alders and willows in the late fall when wetlands are frozen and won't be disturbed but before the snow falls. If the University could make available their bushwacker vehicle this could be done relatively easily by volunteers. This winter, although the trails have been groomed, the large number of willows and alders make it difficult to ski and difficult to keep other non ski users off.
It's a shame you don't tell mushers which trails are groomed, and that dogs are so strictly prohibited.
Allow Skijoring
Too bad the water lilies are gone from Ballaine Lake. Try to protect it from further damage. Keep people away from Smith Lake unless it's frozen.
I do not want the trail system developed like to the point where it looks like a tourist trail. Part of why I enjoy the trail system is its undeveloped state. For this reason I generally oppose additional huts, board walks, trash systems. If a few are added at discrete locations, I would not complain (and realistically, probably end up using them), however it would be very disappointing if I lost the ability to feel like I'm on a TRAIL and not in a theme park. The only things I feel are currently lacking are multi-use trails (for any single-mammal-powered form of transportation) and better signage for trail identification.
How about some maps at the trail heads?
I would like to see better trail grooming in the winter. The trails are heavily used and they get packed down and slick unless the snow is churned up and re-groomed. The tracks can be especially treacherous. And people walking on the trails screws up the skiing and sometimes there's no grooming to get rid of these bumps and ruts for a long time. I also don't see the need to spend money on building new trails. Better to spend on use and improvement of existing ones, i.e. Put more lights in for winter skiing.
Please do not enlarge any more nordic trails into skating trails
I use the trails mainly for skiing in winter (classic and skate), and don't want to see any motorized vehicles there, except for necessary maintenance and research.
The trails are very nice now. Don't really want more development. An effort should be made to keep cars off. Further Development will reduce wildlife.
The UAF trails currently block mushers and other users from getting around the perimeter of campus and from commuting to the university. Trails for multi-use commuters and for getting around the perimeter of the university from Farmers Loop and Sheep Creek would be hugely appreciated.
I am strongly in favor of allowing dogs on the UAF trail system.
I have several comments... but first, but the winter trail prohibitions section of the survey is not working correctly--you cannot select an opinion on both horses and dogs (or bikers and runners)--the survey automatically deselects when you choose from the next section. So, my votes (for winter)are: neutral for horses, strongly disagree for dogs, disagree for bikes, and strongly disagree for runners. I feel very strongly that runners and people walking their dogs SHOULD be allowed on the trails in the winter time. There are few outlets in the winter, and when classes are busy and stress runs high, everyone needs to get out. Where I used to live the trail system was shared by all. The trails were divided into ski and runner lanes, so that classic and skate skiers had one side of the trail that was groomed, and runners, dog walkers and snowshoers used the other side of the trail. I don't see why there can't be a 3 foot wide lane to one side of the trails for pedestrian use. I also feel very strongly that something needs to be done about dog shit around campus and on the trails--since that is the main reason why dogs are prohibited and no one likes to see or smell it. In crowded parks with high dog use in the lower 48, there are signs prohibiting dog shit, with plastic bag dispensers and trash cans, so it is very easy to clean up after your pet. I think UAF should invest in those ASAP. It wouldn't be difficult to place one trash can at each trail head for this purpose. Last comment-- I think UAF needs to pay more attention to its student bike commuting population. The road between upper and lower campus does not even have a bike lane so it is dangerous enough in the summer, but in the winter it is deathly. There should be bike lanes on ALL of the roads around campus. I also feel that if bikes are going to be prohibited on any ski trails (especially the commuter trails between sheep creek and campus), then an alternative bike route is a MUST. A lot of students ride from Goldstream Valley in the winter, and the corner around the experimental farm on sheep creek is very dangerous.
Include; do not exclude!
The trails are great. I agree on making a path where bikers can commute guilt-free. I commuted for years by bike and skis. I always felt bad for the pieces of trail I took my bike on in winter and I never quite felt welcome cutting through the farm. I hope you can help fix this. I also commuted to school with my dog sometimes to take her home in the car I left on campus sometimes. I hope that we continue to be lenient on the handful of people who occasionally bring their well behaved dogs on the trails:)
more lights please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! longer lighted ski trails would be great!!!!!
there should definitely be more trails for walking and dog walking in the winter. They are the only trails close to the university and if you don't have a car, that is pretty much it for outdoor recreation
First of all, I want to express my highest appreciation for providing this excellent trail system. Considering the millions of acres open to snow machine and other motorized vehicle use, I do have a very hard time maintaining an open mind and trying not to get upset about snow machines on the trails in the winter as well as four-wheelers etc. in the summer. Therefore, I strongly support the latest efforts to restrict access for snow machines. As this past weekend proved, there are still numerous access points which are being found and used by snow machiners. As indicated above, I also agree with prohibiting pedestrians, runners, and dogs on the groomed trails in the winter. They probably don't realize that they actually are destroying the few miles of groomed trails we have in Fairbanks (as opposed to the virtually unlimited dog sled trail system, where walking, running, skijoring is no problem). To educate pedestrians and keep them of the groomed trails, it may help if more and better visible sign at the trail heads would be posted, emphasizing non-skiers to please be considerate. On a different note, I would like to ask you whether you can possible give me advice in regards of the trail-use just east of Ballaine Lake. The bike path, running between campus and the cutoff of Ballaine and Farmers Loop, is a very frequently used commuter path for a growing number of students, summer AND winter. The use of the trail for bicyclists and pedestrians after the first snow fall, however, has become, and I am not exaggerating, a sometimes life-threatening experience. Snow machines, going up to 60 mph abuse the bike path in the most irresponsible manner. Although room off to the side exist, most of the snow machines use the path, potentially causing serious or even fatal injuries, as it has happened in other communities, and, due to the power tracks, make a use of the path by bicycles impossible. Therefore, bicycles, and even pedestrians, are forced to use the shoulder of Ballaine Road, which is often icy and because of the removed snow. Conflicts with vehicles on the road are plentiful. (Having enjoyed riding their snow machine the night before, they probably wonder why the bicycles don't use the bike path...) I am usually not a strong proponent of total restriction or banning, however, in this case I would like to ask you if you could provide me with any advice that would help a growing number of students for a safe commute to and from school. Thank you very much,
No motorized vehicles except for maintenance and emergencies. Only skiing allowed on groomed trails. Ungroomed open for all non motorized uses. Directional signs would be nice, if not signs then topographic maps, so one can figure out where they are.
I don't recommend making Smith Lake more accessible in the summer. Boardwalks would only bring in more traffic and wreck it as a resting place for waterfowl. The trails in general are my favorite part of going to UAF. I would love to see more trails to skijor on and more information on associated trails, like the Skarland system (I have yet to find a map of those.)
Skijoring should be allowed!
I have done a fair amount of trail work, and have experience with extensive boardwalk trails. They are VERY Hazardous!! There are several famous stretches of trail (esp. Ballaine Lake) that are pretty wet through most of the spring and summer. As a runner, I would hate to see the trail become boardwalk, I would trade wet feet for a broken ankle. I think there are some other trail improvements that could be considered for those areas (gravel and cribbing..) I would also hate to see the "use of wet areas without boardwalks prohibited" as that would block use of many routes.
I think maps with distances would be a great idea.
Maintaining and improving the surfaces of the current trails should be a priority over making new trails. Better grooming facilities and grooming equipment and more grooming personnel should be a priority
Again, the commuter trail would be my highest priority. A dog lot where skijorers could keep dogs during the day would be a good thing-- perhaps managed by a campus mushing group. Anything that reduces the amount of motorized commuting (esp. in winter) is a good thing.
Overall a great resource for students and community. Long live responsible dog owners!!
Before we build any more trails, we MUST maintain those we have. Many of the bike trails on or around campus are so rutted that they are practically un-ridable, especially if you are commuting and want to make time. E.g., along Sheep Creek Road and the trail above the farm (cutoff from Sheep Creek to West Ridge). The paved bike trail between Alumni Drive and Taku parking lot washed out well over a year ago, and nothing has been done to repair it. Also, many trails get so boggy in summer they are unusable. My highest priority is to fix what we have.
I feel pretty strongly about being able to take dogs (not for mushing) onto the trails. If you want elitist trails, GO TO BIRCH HILL!!!
Have some organized events.
I think right now the trails are maintained (albeit very nicely!) for a select group of users: skiers. I think other users such as walkers, runners, and skijorers should have access to them as well. A lot of people can't ski or don't have the equipment, but still like to get out and walk in the winter.
Someone told me the other day that runners are not allowed on UAF trails that have been groomed. Is that true? I run 5 days a week and enjoy seeing foxes and trees while I run. It doesn't seem fair that I should be restricted to run on paved trails that border the noisy roads if I want to run near campus.
Not everyone is a skier. Having exclusive skiing trails is an unfair use of UAF money. I never ski on the trails in the winter, so the only use they get from me is illegal walking. If I could take my dog, I would use them. Maybe the trails could be groomed and allow walkers only on the left side or something.
Please keep access from the Natural Sciences building open, and keep the area behind the natural sciences building from being developed.
The trails are very worth maintaining in the winter for skiing and an asset to UAF.
I think you should try to use the trails as a great utensil in preventing Seasonal Affective Disorder - allow as many people to use them as possible. Right now I feel like I can't get out - I don't have a pair of skis/binding/poles/boots and in order to get anywhere I would have to use at least one of the groomed trails for a couple hundred yards before getting to a smaller trail... I think all the skiers can use Birch Hill as well, and the trail system here by the university should serve as much of the university community as possible, not just the skiers. Since I assume you have a limited budget, I would suggest designating some current trails as multi-use and/or creating some multi-use trails, leveling-off the current "commuter trail" which slopes down, perhaps finishing off that ski trail which is already cut so the skiers are happy, and making some trail from the SRC to the west ridge (I didn't understand the difference between the two trail options you had listed, but I see a lot of people jogging/running there as well as by the farm).
The trail system is awesome, I hope it can be maintained in and improved to keep it that way!
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