A section of the Iditarod National Historic Trail that is a part of the Crow Pass Trail called the ‘Perch’– a scenic area four miles from the Eagle River Nature Center Trailhead, was in desperate need of a reroute due to the Eagle River’s continued erosion of the riverbank and trail. Working with Chugach State Park with funding provided by the Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance, the SCA crew was able to lay a solid foundation for the reroute needed. ​​

​The SCA Leader Team spent two weeks on the Crow Pass Trail clearing an area for a future 1,300 foot trail re-route and working with rocks to create some initial steps for the new section of trail. The crew packed in tools and camped near Icicle Creek, about 5 miles in to the Crow Pass Trail from the Eagle River end.
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Crew members reported they could feel a real sense of connection to such a significant recreational trail for Alaska. They were enthralled by the spectacular views and felt fortunate to give back to this historic and unique place. 

This past Saturday, March 11th we had the opportunity to join The Alaska Zoo at their IditaZoo event! Kids and adults alike got to "race" through the Zoo's checkpoints, meet with real mushers, and visit with some adorable sled dogs. We hosted a table with maps, coloring pages, and information all about the Iditarod National Historic Trail. Many visitors were surprised to learn about the trail's origin as a mail route during the gold rush, while others had visited Mile 0 at Seward and hiked on sections of the Southern Trek! Our table was right next to the Zoo's Checkpoint #3: Kaltag, where visitors learned about how to take care of sled dogs, and drew pictures of what they learned.

On March 4th, the Iditarod Sled Dog Race will kick off with their Ceremonial Start in Anchorage! The Ceremonial Start is a great way to participate in the fun of the Iditarod for a day. Teams start downtown, then travel the 11 miles to the BLM Alaska Campbell Tract Facility. Never been to the restart before? This handy brochure from the BLM will tell you everything you need to know! 

While we are sad we will not be able to join in on the fun for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race Restart, we know they will have a great time in Fairbanks. The ADN had some great advice on if you plan to travel to Fairbanks with your family for the Restart!

Participating in any race activities along the trail? Tag us in your photos! And it is not too late to order an official Iditarod National Historic Trail patch or pin from our online store! Happy racing!

UPDATE 12/5/16: Thank you to everyone that attended our Annual Meeting! We had a wonderful day of hearing from our current partners and some potential new ones. Stay tuned, we have an exciting year ahead!

As a reminder to members, if you can not attend in person, please mail in your ballot!

Not a member yet? It's not to late, join the Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance today, or in person at our Annual meeting!

The Alaska Association for Historic Preservation (AAHP) has announced the state’s Ten Most Endangered Historic Properties for 2016. The list has been announced each year for 25 years, and is intended to bring public awareness to Alaska’s threatened historic properties. Heightened awareness often leads to increased support for the conservation of endangered historic properties, which are assets important to tourism, economic development, and the cultural heritage of Alaska.

This year, for the first time, the Iditarod National Historic Trail was listed as one of the Ten Most Endangered Historic Properties. The Iditarod National Historic Trail is currently under threat from numerous construction, mining, and development projects. Subdivisions, airstrips, roads, railroads and urbanization have all posed a threat to front country sections of the trail. Additionally, pipelines, mining, construction camps, gravel pits, airstrips, and land conveyances and disposals have all posed a threat to the rural nature of the trail. These threats greatly disturb the “isolated, primitive quality of this historical environment that makes the National Historical Iditarod Trail proposal unique. Nowhere in the National Trail System is there such an extensive landscape, so demanding of durability and skill during its winter season travel. On the Iditarod, today’s adventurer can duplicate the experience and challenge of yesteryear.” (1978 Congressional Intent)

     You may have read the exciting news earlier this week in the Alaska Dispatch News about how a section of the Seward Highway near Portage will be getting a pedestrian pathway! We applaud the Chugach National Forest for their dedication and effort to make this happen in conjunction with DOT’s other planned improvements to the Seward Highway. You can read more about the project from the ADN: http://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2016/08/07/a-busy-stretch-of-the-seward-highway-might-be-getting-much-more-pedestrian-friendly/

      This summer has been a complete whirlwind and it is hard to believe that it was just two and a half months ago that I finished my bachelors program and left the south for the last great frontier. These months in Alaska have been productive, eye opening, and fun. In my capacity as intern for the trail I assist Kevin Keeler with day to day activities, fabricate the safety tripods, and travel into the field to work on the cabins. Getting to work in the field has been an absolute treat, especially since the land we are working on is practically inaccessible during the summer.

    
       On our first hitch at the Old Woman and Tripod Flats cabins our team focused on repairing the Old Woman door, improving her foundation, and removing trash. At Tripod Flats I refitted the chimney and helped repair the outhouse. These opportunities in the field have given me a chance to see the Alaskan bush in a manner that most never will. From fishing Dolly Varden out of Old Woman river to tracking moose and beaver, the area is truly wild and beautiful. It is my hope that the work we did out there will positively contribute to the long term health and sustainability of the race and the trail.

       Around Anchorage I have been keeping busy with reorganizing our Conex, manufacturing trail markers, and completing odd jobs around the office. In a week’s time Kevin and I will head back out into the field, this time outside of Flat. We will stage the trail markers for winter time construction, and we will apply protective coating to some of the safety cabins. Our work would not be possible without helicopter support, and the chance to view the world from 500ft up is one I do not take for granted. The time in Alaska has flown by so quickly and soon enough I will have to return to the east coast. But this experience has taught me a great deal and it has really given me clarity over what the next steps will be in my professional life. From the bike trails of Anchorage to the fishing boats of Norton Sound, this has truly been a unique experience.