Springtime ride & trail report Big Lake Rd

I just got back from riding my ATV up to the store and back. The trails look fairly good, few very deep puddles, particularly up just before Big Lake where the trail splits off to head up the hill behind Big Lake and goes on ahead toward Fisher's Y.

I did not try the lake in the trail at that point, I did do some exploratory creeping into the water but then decided it was just too deep to risk when I knew it got deeper over where the trails all converge and I was only halfway there at the point I backed out of the water.

Since I was backing up anyway, I went back to the gravel pit across from the post office and dug out the camera, videotaping the trail about halfway back to the Parks Highway, stopping when I hit a section where trucks had torn up the trail at some deep puddles and I needed to put the camera away so I could use both hands on the handlebars. I will try to get that video uploaded to YouTube when I get the time and share it over at AlaskaATV.info I'll post a link here when I get that done.

Su Valley Winter Trail: Big Lake to Denali National Park

I'm sorry for the delay in getting this up, yesterday was a hectic and overly long day of sitting in the optometrist's office waiting for them to see my dad to try and get him some new glasses. By the time I stopped by Wal Mart and got home I did not even want to look at the computer, much less do research on it. I got my work done and went to bed.

But! I really want to look more into this Big Lake to Denali National Park snowmachine trail, so let's see what they have going there.

..... okay.... after much research I have come to a conclusion. Even the snowmachine websites are hush hush on this one. Or do not yet know about it. Hmmm...

Okay, not even the DNR website has anything on this trail yet, ::snickering:: So, back to the Frontiersman and Daily News Websites for more information on the Su Valley Winter Trail... okay, make that to the Frontiersman, since ADN only links to the article in the Frontiersman.

I'm nothing if not persistent. - aka: GOT IT!!!

Here we go folks, the origin of the information for the Susitna Corridor Trail Project can be found at the WACO AK website... look under "trail news". Unfortunately they tell you to "Check the State Parks web site for maps and information." Great advice, but in an hour of looking I am still missing this information, so...

Maybe I didn't get it. While the name keeps changing based on where I look, and there seems to be virtually no information out there on this trail, here is what I can compile...

Su Valley Winter Trail
AKA: Susitna Corridor Trail Project

Length: 120 miles
Location: Susitna Valley
Connecting: Big Lake to Denali National Park
Trail heads:
Big Lake North Shore Recreational Area
Mile 131 Parks Highway Parking Lot
Condition: Groomed, signed, mapped and marked trail
Open to: Snowmachines
Trail Open: March 14th (see below)
Trail map: Trail Map (I will work on a map for Google maps when I have more time, for now this one is only one I can find.)

The official opening for the Su Valley Winter Trail will be March 14th. Riders will gather at the trail heads in both Big Lake and at mile 131, for a 10 a.m. departure for the grand opening dedication ceremony. The dedication is scheduled to be held at 2 p.m. at Ron's Riverboat Lodge at the Susitna Landing.

Big Lake's Chamber of Commerce Secretary Dee Loesche told the Frontiersman that Gov. Sarah Palin is scheduled to be there to cut the ribbon, otherwise there is not much known about possible events that might be scheduled. Although it sounds like there will be vendor demonstrations and maybe maps to be passed out.

The trail has been made possible by funds given, as grants, to the area snowmachine groups and snow machine registration fees that go toward such projects.

Want to help dedicate the trail? Those interested in joining the fun are welcome, according to Loesche, to join in at any of the many access points along the trail.

I will not be on hand, however, I will hopefully be able to send a few spie... err... emmassaries that will let me know what they think of the trail. We'll see how the people with the snowmachines feel about taking a trip, and maybe a camera or two. Those of you that can participate, have fun and ride safe.

Big Lake to Denali snow machine trail

The Big Lake to Denali National Park snow machine trail is set to be dedicated March 14th in a ride along that will start at each end of the 125-mile trail and meet up at the Ron's Riverboat Lodge at 2 p.m. for the official dedication.

I'm running late getting to a appointment right now, so will research this more in depth later tonight and post full details complete with a map of the proposed route so that anyone wishing to ride along for the trail dedication will know where they need to go. So check back this evening for more details.

Big Lake Road trail report

I took my ATV up to the store yesterday, the bike trail is in decent shape, but there are a few areas on it that were of note.

Just before you get to S Southpark Rd headed toward Big Lake, there is a tree downed on the trail. It is easy enough to get over it if you stay to the low side on the thing.

The next area of note is just before getting to S Beaver Lake Rd (the turnoff for Rocky Lake) there is a very large puddle in the middle of the trail. I went to the left (headed toward Big Lake) to get around it, but there is a fallen tree there that makes that a little difficult - the puddle is as deep as it looks when you get a tire off into it, but nothing that is really impassible. I did have to stop after getting through and check that the bag on the front of my ATV was not full of water. The water had splashed right up and over it and I was not sure my camera was safe. It turned out to have a little water in there, but not enough to worry about.

Other than that the trail is in good shape for this time of the year. Much better than the very deep loose-the-atv lakes that were in it last week when I went up to the store. I got some video on the way back (had milk strapped to front so went slow, figured was good time to take video). If any of it turns up decent I'll upload it and share it.