Introduction: Prepared By Bill Spencer PE CE-11408

Transcription

1 Talkeetna Lakes Park Recreational Trails Master Plan Talkeetna, Alaska Draft 10/31/2010 Prepared for the community of Talkeetna and the Matanuska Susitna Borough with funding from Upper Susitna Soil and Water Conservation District Prepared By Bill Spencer PE CE Introduction: The Upper Susitna Soil and Water Conservation District Has contracted with Bill Spencer to develop a Trails Master Plan for the Talkeetna Lakes Park. Talkeetna Lakes Park is a Matanuska Susitna Borough Park located south east of the town of Talkeetna in the Central Susitna Valley. This park is currently largely undeveloped and contains a series of lakes and a small anadromous stream along its eastern side. Terrain is gently to steeply rolling glacial carved topography with mixed forest and often dense undergrowth of rusty menzezia, devils club and alder. Note on use of terms used in this document: In keeping with the conventions established in the Talkeetna Lakes Management Plan, the park known variously as XYZ Lakes, Talkeetna Lakes Park and or Recreation area is referred to in this document as Talkeetna Lakes Park and the individual Lakes within the park are referred to by local convention as Y, X Z, Tigger and Section Line Lakes in order from North to South with Inlet Lake and Heart Lake in the south east corner of the park. (Note that the local convention puts Y Lake north of X Lake which is different than the convention used in the Management Plan.) The name of a smaller lake on the west side just north of the parking area at the junction of Comsat Rd and the Talkeetna Spur Rd. is unknown. The small anadromous stream that traverses the eastern portion of the park is referred to as Beaver Stream from a reference in Shem Pete s Alaska. Background: From a start in early 2000 there have been local efforts to designate the area of XYZ Lakes as park and recreational land and develop a trail system to allow non motorized access to the area. This area, although close to the main population center of the Central Susitna Valley, has been accessible only from the lakes and adjacent marshes due to difficult terrain and dense undergrowth. Some portages and other narrow trails have been cut between the lakes in the past to accommodate mushing, canoe portages, and narrow undeveloped ski trails but no trail system is currently in place. The recent creation of a single track hiking and biking loop has led to increased use of the area but many of the areas of the park are still inaccessible to all but the most stalwart users, particularly in the summer months, again due to dense vegetation. It is the intent of this Trails Master Plan to further the work started in 2000 by the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to provide an area for, and development of, a non motorized, low impact recreation area for the Central Susitna Valley. Previous planning work for the new park includes the Talkeetna Lakes Park Management Plan prepared for the Borough by consultant Agnew::Beck and adopted by the Borough Assembly in April Where ever possible, this Trails Plan adheres to the guidance of the Management Plan and remains true to the publicly vetted mandates put forth in it. Conflicts between the

2 Management Plan and recent or proposed trail alignments are highlighted for further discussion by the community. As a starting point for trails planning the trails guidelines and proposed phasing of the Agnew::Beck Management Plan are listed below: Trail Guidelines Trail Phases Develop limited access, non-motorized, multi-purpose trails. Accommodate a variety of users (skiers, mushers, etc.) This plan expands etc. to include jogging/running, snowshoeing, hiking, mountain biking, canoe portaging and some competitive permutations of the above. Establish new trails in loops that stay within the recreation area so that trails do not encourage motorized incursions along the borders. This author notes that to date there is little evidence of unauthorized motorized access from the newly established trail head in the north west corner of the park, although some 4 wheeler access was found near Tigger Lake. Provide trails wide enough for groomed skate skiing. This is further interpreted later in the report to be 14. Introduce trails in phases over several years. The first phase of parking area, lake access and hiking loop has been completed. Successive phases are the subject of this trails plan. Other key features of the plan include: Desire to maintain moderate use patterns presently found in the park. Desire to minimize vegetation removal and visual impacts of trail development. Maintenance of mushing trails, and the canoe and cabin concession. The Management Plan makes recommendations for a four phased trail development plan and notes the conflict between the wishes to maintain the natural setting of the area and the need for trails to promote healthy use and access. The Management Plan phases are as follows. A copy of the Recommended Trails map is contained as an attachment to this plan for reference. Phase 1 Phase 2 Establish trail Access to X lake dock. (Y lake in the Management Plan) Create a Lake Loop, easy to moderate 14 wide, groomable ski loop around X Lake. Create a Ridge Loop hiking trail, 4-6 feet wide walking and classic ski trail, Create a Z Lake Loop ski trail, this was to be a14 foot wide beginner loop around Z lake. Phase 3 Create an Outer Porcupine Loop hiking trail. This was a moderate to difficult 4-6 feet wide multiuse trail that would cross DOT land north and east of Y Lake and access the area east of the Beaver Stream while looping through the eastern section of the park. Phase 4 Create a Tigger Lake ski trail loop. This was a moderate 14 foot wide loop in the southern portions of the park. Current State of Implementation Since the adoption of the Management Plan several of the suggested development phases as outlined in the plan have been implemented. These include the following: Establishment of a parking access area. This area has been established off the corner of Comsat and Talkeetna Spur Roads and includes a kiosk, outhouses and gravel parking area. This parking area appears adequate for current use but off site parking will be needed if regional races are hosted within the park. An access trail from the parking area to X Lake for canoe launching and lake access. A single track (4 wide) multiuse trail following the approximate alignment of the Managements Plans Phase 1 Lake Loop Trail. This was originally planned as a 14 wide ski trail but was constructed to a narrower standard that precludes winter grooming for skate skiing. Although not part of the original Management Plan, the Borough has funded detailed LIDAR based mapping for the park. This mapping allows for detailed analysis of the slopes and grades needed for trail design, and can be used as a base for recreational maps of the park. This mapping was used as a base for the accompanying trails map. Portage trail have been constructed between Y and X Lakes, and between Tigger Lake and Z Lake.

3 Trails Master Plan From the good work started by the Management Plan, this Trails Master Plan takes a more detailed look at the current state of trail development, the available terrain, the changing needs of the user groups, and potential conflicts developing within the original plan. It lays out a comprehensive system of trails for non motorized access and recreation in the park and makes recommendations for the phasing of this trail system. Changing Needs and Potential Conflicts: The most obvious omission from the Management Plan is any mention or accommodation of ski competition on the trail systems within the park. While this does not appear to be the appropriate site for a large and elaborate competition venue, there is a demand within the community for a small scale facility to host local and regional racing. To this end this plan contains a 5 kilometer multi loop system and a staging area for competitions. The abandoned landfill site adjacent to the new parking area was chosen for a staging/start area. Some of the existing new growth cotton wood would be cleared to allow room for starts and finishes. This area could be small or large depending on the intended use and the desire to maintain the vegetation buffer with the highway and transfer facility. Generally meters by meters is recommended for regional level competitions and an area of approximately that size is shown on the accompanying graphic. The Management Plan makes mention of connecting ski loops across the lakes both to limit illegal summer access and reduce trail density. Talks with local trail groomers indicate that this may not be a successful idea for trails that are used for competition. This is because of the unpredictability of wind drifting and overflow issues which can render the trails unusable at inopportune times. We recommend here, a system of all weather trails without marsh or lake crossings. The creation of the single track loop around X Lake has taken much of the best and easiest routes that would have accommodated a beginning/intermediate ski loop in this same area. If a ski loop were to be created around X Lake the overlapping of routes along the small isthmus between Y and X Lakes and along the gentler terrain east of X Lake may result in confusion to users and or loss of sections of the single track trail. After talking with numerous users of the existing single track we recommend the preservation of this trail in its current state and moving beginner/intermediate ski trails to other areas of the park. The Management Plan contains trails that make incursions onto the ADOT quarry lands to the north and east of the park. While some use of this area may be possible, our discussions with ADOT personnel showed a reluctance to allow extensive ski trail construction on these lands. Past experience may supports this reluctance. Once public trail use is established in an area, it can be very difficult to displace this use when the land is again needed for its original intent. A small incursion is shown on the proposed I Loop necessary to create a switchback in steep terrain. This incursion will require approval from ADOT prior to construction. Trail Preservation and Development All new trails loops have been laid out in a clover leaf pattern to maximize efficiency of grooming for winter use. With this pattern, trails branch off from one another and return to almost the same point so that grooming can be accomplished in a single pass without the need to back or turn grooming equipment over long dead head trail connections. The one exception is the single track K Loop which is not designed for groomed use. All routes have attempted to search out the best terrain available, avoid marshes and wet areas, make maximum advantage of view sheds and other interesting features and avoid conflicts with established use patterns. Specific routes attempt to follow breaks in the forest to reduce tree cutting and natural breaks in terrain to minimize cut slopes. Alignments contain numerous twists and turns and make use of small terrain features to reduce site distance and provide visual separation even when there is close proximity to adjacent trails. With these points in mind the following trails plan is presented for discussion and approval. Individual recommendations, features, loops and segments are presented in a proposed construction sequence with targeted users and justification. Maintain existing mushing trails around the perimeters and between the lakes. Historic mushing trails are already cut within the park linking the lakes and marshes to create recreational and training areas for dog mushing. This set of existing trails is shown on the accompanying graphic. The perimeter of the lakes is also used for mushing and this use is compatible with the other proposed trails in this plan. No construction of additional mushing trails is proposed although signage and mapping should be done to preserve these use areas. Complete the canoe portage connections. With the completion of the portage between Tigger and Z Lake during 2010 the last remaining portage between the main lakes is between Z lake and X lake. This portage now uses the marsh at the north end of Z lake, connects to the single track trail and follows it west and then north to connect to X

4 lake. The new proposed connection would eliminate the marsh area and utilize the proposed ski trail east of the current route. This would shorten the portage and eliminate the trail impact to the marsh. Short spurs to the water edge are shown off the proposed F Loop ski trail to complete this connection. Create a beginning to intermediate skate ski and summer multiuse loop in the southern areas of the park (E, F, & G Loops). This area currently has no loop trails. A recreational loop in this area fits in well to the larger park plan without creating significant conflicts with current use patterns, and would provide an easy series of skate ski loops offering beginning to intermediate terrain. As shown on the accompanying graphic the first loop (E Loop) branches off the proposed sprint A Loop and threads between X Lake and the private land on the west. A Loop would be constructed concurrently to provide connection to the parking area. E Loop is easier beginning terrain, touches the high points along the west side of X Lake for views, and crosses the canoe cabins access trail in two locations. It contains a short connection directly to the Talkeetna Spur Road to allow access to Talkeetna Nordic Ski Club land on the west side of the road. This connection will be necessary in the event that a grooming, maintenance and storage facility is established on this land in the future. The trail touches the single track near the existing park bench location on X Lake to allow trail users to gain access to this amenity. F Loop provides the aforementioned portage connection between X and Z Lakes and circumnavigates Z Lake taking in the views and terrain along the lake shore. This loop is also gentle but contains more terrain than E Loop. It is forced to cross existing trails at several locations and runs parallel to the existing single track for a portion along the north end of Z Lake. Trails could be combined in this area but have been shown separated based on perceived preference of the public. The furthest east loop (G Loop) accesses the hillier terrain along the Bartlett Hills after crossing Beaver Stream. This loop offers spectacular views from the highpoints, along Inlet and Heart Lakes and contains more demanding terrain for those wanting more than an easy stroll in the park. It will require 4 low bridges ranging in span from feet. The stream crossing sites have been chosen to avoid wetlands and minimize spans but will require ADF&G fish habitat permits. The use of clear span wood timber bridges should make these permits relatively easy to obtain. As shown and flagged this loop is close if not over the boundary of the park. CIRI should be contacted before construction to verify the boundary location and/or to obtain permission for a small incursion onto their property. This recreational system should be developed concurrently with the competitive trails as funds become available. J Loop is not included at this level of development. It offers mostly beginner level terrain and will be discussed later in the development sequence. Create competition ski loops (A, B, C, & D Loops). The narrow areas west of X Lake appears to be the most suitable places for this system. Areas to the south of X Lake lack sufficient terrain and the areas east of X Lake are too far from the chosen start area to make the compact series of short loops needed for regional racing. Although this system will not meet the International Ski Federation homologation standards for total climb and hill placement, the numerous 5-7 meter vertical climbs will provide sufficient challenging terrain for good regional competitions. As shown, this system is composed of a 1.2 kilometer (includes a full traverse of the stadium) sprint loop (A Loop), with 3 additional expanding loops (B, C, & D) to create a 5.8 kilometer, flexible and challenging competition and recreational venue. As conceived these loops make relatively intense use of the narrow lake peninsulas and road impacted areas to keep wide, high density trails confined to the area directly around the parking area. Some of these trails are going to be visible from the lakes but every effort was made to screen them from view and reduce earthwork scars in higher visibility areas. These are mostly intermediate terrain with more challenging climbs and descent than the recreational loops to the south. A Loop will serve a dual purpose of competition loop and connection to the recreational system. As such it should be constructed to allow beginning skiers safe access to the larger trail system. Create a start area on the old landfill. This and the previous trails will create a compact competition network for regional racing. Although somewhat limited in location and access to the parks terrain, it will allow the ski club to begin using the facility for competitions. As proposed the start area would be approximately 50m x 170m. Starts would be mostly to the north and finishes would be to the south. A bypass lane for multiple lap races could be placed within the perimeter of the stadium or outside the stadium area. Trail routing at the north end will be critical and must allow sufficient room for mass starts and multiple finish lanes.

5 The old landfill site would be cleared, leveled, and seeded. The area contains several groundwater monitoring wells that would have to be avoided but initial mapping indicates that this should be possible. Borough engineers should be contacted to research the methods used in closing this land fill and to avoid any damage or risk to the facility and users. Create intermediate and advanced loops on the ridge east of X Lake (H&I Loops). These loops constitute the most challenging and interesting terrain in the park and gives access to the best views. Although originally conceived for competition, they are too far from the start area to serve this purpose and are now proposed as recreational loops with intermediate to advanced terrain, This loop system would be accessed off the recreational trails south of X Lake to avoid conflicts with the existing single track trail north of X Lake. The system skirts 3 identified possible archeological sites and attempts to minimize visual impacts from the lake and conflicts with the existing single track trail. These loops have been planned and GPSed but not flagged. Although removed from the more compact competition venue these loops could supply Olympic quality terrain for longer racing loops. Perhaps more importantly, they will supply training terrain for local skiers with Olympic or World Cup aspirations. These loops will contain terrain and challenges on par with any racing venue in the world. Because of the extreme terrain, construction of these loops will require the rerouting of a short segment of the single track trail near the intersection of the two loops. This reroute may actually enhance the single track trail, giving it a nice view of the Beaver Stream valley and allowing the wider ski trail to join back on itself at the only available connection point. In the event that construction of these more challenging multiuse trails is postponed, some consideration should be given to extending the single track loop to the top of this prominent ridge to take advantage of the spectacular views from the highpoints. This hilltop is truly one of the gems of the park and should be accessible without bushwhacking uphill through 300 meters of thick Devils Club. Create a single track along east side of park (K Loop). This area has the most remote feeling and contains many interesting features (beaver ponds, abrupt canyons, small streams and large glacial erratic). A single track trail would be low impact and give access to this unique corner of the park. As shown, a short portion of the route extends onto CIRI land. They have been approached and may be amenable to this small encroachment. If not, the route would be changed to stay entirely within the Borough property. An additional ski width loop could also be extended into this terrain but because of the steep side hills and the length of the other proposed ski width loops; we feel that a single track trail is more appropriate in this area. This loop is presented in concept only and has not been laid out on the ground. Create an additional loop in the south west corner of the park (J Loop). Once access and parking issues at Section Line Lake are resolved, this loop will provide a connection to a second trail head at the southern end of the park by making a loop around Tigger Lake. While this area of the park is relatively gentle, this loop contains numerous mild terrain features and nice vistas of the lake and marshes. It will provide access to the larger trail system from an already established access point along Whigmi Road TRAIL WIDTHS The Management Plan has a good discussion of trail width but competition use has not been addressed. As such the following is presented as an independent discussion of trail widths for further dialogue: Trail widths are always a topic of discussion especially as they relate to visual impacts vs. grooming and competition use. Widths are dictated by both the requirements of current and anticipated grooming equipment, the requirements of shared use of the system by both classic and skating skiers and the ability of skiers to overtake and pass each other safely without entanglement especially during competitions. Generally summer uses do not have the same width requirements and winter ski use dictates the required width of trails. Skate skiers need approximately 8 feet of tread width and may need more on uphill sections, classic tracks require a minimum of 4 feet. When trail are too narrow the skate skiers tend to skate over the classic tracks on uphill sections, ruining the tracks and requiring more frequent grooming. This can lead to additional grooming expense, deteriorated trail conditions and conflicts between users. In racing situations two skate skiers require feet to pass on uphill sections without interference. Grooming equipment comes in all sizes but the following are guidelines: Snow machine or tracked quads pulled drags and groomers.-- Commonly the groomers are 4-6 in width and require multiple passes to set adequate classic and skate lanes. This option is commonly the cheapest, requires the least maintenance and the least experienced and trained grooming crews. It also offers the most flexibility for grooming narrower trails. Cons are exposure of groomers to all types of inclement weather, softer and more variable groomed surface and the longer grooming times needed for multiple passes. Small Snow Cats--Require a minimum trail width of 12. This can be the most expensive option due to

6 limited availability of small snow cats on the used market but offers the best flexibility for a variety of trails and show conditions. A snow cat can create a suitable groomed ski trail with minimal passes in all but the most severe conditions. Snow cats are more complex and require trained grooming and maintenance personnel. Small snow cats may require multiple passes on wider trails but can groom an adequate recreational skate and classic lane (although some what crowded) in a single pass. Large Snow Cats--Require a minimum trail width of 16. These can be less expensive than small snow cats because of good availability of used equipment surplused by alpine ski areas. This used equipment, while cheaper will require more maintenance. These large cats can provide single pass grooming up to feet with a generous skate and classic lane. Competition venues vary widely from as narrow as 16 feet to as wide as 30 feet dependent on the style (classic or skate) and type (mass start, sprint, pursuit, or individual start) of event. The national and international governing bodies for competitive skiing regulates these widths and they change periodically as the competition environment evolves. Recreational trails have no such regulated specifications and widths are dictated by maintenance requirements and public preference. This designer has a bias toward narrower trails that preserve the natural setting, and makes the following recommendations and justifications: Competition trails should be minimum feet wide based on the needs for potential grooming by large snow cats (which could be trucked to the site for an important competition) and the needs for racers to pass without interference. Uphill sections can be slightly wider especially early in the course and downhill sections can be narrower because passing is easier on downhills when the skis are running parallel. The dedicated sprint loop in this system is the first part of the racing and recreational loops and all uphills on this loop should be 24 allowing 3 racers to negotiate the track side by side. This loop is approximately 1.2 kilometers and is situated closely around the proposed start area. It will see the heaviest use, be used by beginner skiers with limited agility, and provide connections to the other systems as well as a training and development area for youth skiing. The rest of the competition network should be 20 feet wide on uphill sections and 16 feet wide on downhills. Recreational trails should be as narrow as possible while allowing grooming of both a classic track and a skate lane without conflict. This will allow for eventual grooming by a small snow cat if and when the area has the need and resources. 12 feet is recommended as the minimum tread width and clearance between trees. As the severity of the terrain increases wider trails should be considered to provide skiers a wider margin of safety. The table under Phasing Sequence later in this report contains recommendations for individual trail width as a starting point for community discussions. Other Comments and Considerations As depicted the total trail system includes a 5.8 kilometer competition venue, 7.8 kilometers of beginner recreational trails, 13.2 kilometers of intermediate to advanced recreational and 4 kilometers of new single track. The total will be approximate 27 kilometers of wider trails and 9 kilometers of single track including those already constructed. By way of comparison Anchorage s Kincaid Park contains approximately kilometers of ski and bike trails and an extensive, although unquantified, single track network in a similarly sized park The accompanying graphic shows the proposed trails as solid lined and the existing trails as dotted. Loops are lettered and the lengths in kilometers are given. Also shown are streams and lake names as used in this report, possible archeological sites as identified by the Matanuska Susitna Borough, and view points and other interesting features. The whole system is intended to be used clockwise and except for the single track (which is not groomed) will be groomable in one pass for efficiency. Possible archeological sites are shown on the graphic in red and when the trails are finalized for construction the Borough archeologist will want to take a final pass along the alignments. Phasing Sequence The following is a suggested construction sequence and trail widths based on the desire to create a balanced system for all users. This sequence will be discussed and modified as community needs and desires dictate: Cumulative Distance Loop Trail Width (ft) (Kilometers) A Loop

7 B Loop E Loop F Loop C Loop G Loop D Loop H Loop I Loop J Loop K Loop 4 4 (Single Track) Other Amenities The following is a list of features still under consideration for inclusion in the park: Biathlon Range, originally considered as a training only range this facility seemed appropriate if there was demand for it. This facility would likely find a location on the east side of X Lake with a solid hillside backdrop and away from the parking and access areas. A facility of this type will ultimately require a storage building for targets and controlled access for safety. Combined canoe and foot accessible picnic table areas. These are to provide areas along the lake shores that could be visited both summer and winter from water or land. Planning for these will concentrate traffic and lower dispersed impacts along the lake margins. All these systems contain numerous sites suitable for this type of use and several possible locations are shown on the attached mapping. Picking good sites will be an easy task as the loops expand into the park. Park bench locations with panoramic view sheds. Selected locations to rest tired feet and take in the parks spectacular views. Again all the loops were routed to take maximum advantage of view points and these sites are numerous and will be obvious once the trails are constructed. Several potential sites are shown Appendix A Talkeetna Lakes Park Management Plan Improvements Map from the 2004 Management Plan