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August 17, 2009

Department of Natural Resources

RE: Hatcher Pass Management Plan Revision

Dear Ms Jarvis,

The Willow Trail Committee (WTC) wishes to thank you for your presentation at our June Willow Area Community Organization (WACO) meeting and your invitation to attend your recent scoping meetings. Since WACO boundaries overlap with the Hatcher Pass Management Area, the management plan revision is important to us.

At recent WACO and WTC meetings, members in attendance discussed recreation, trail location, current uses and conditions. Many of us have seen a large increased popularity of the Hatcher Pass area by users including:

For this reason, members of WACO and the WTC would like to make these recommendations for future management of the Willow Mountain, Lucky Shot Ridge/Baldy North and Willow Creek/Craigie Creek Units of the Hatcher Pass Management Plan.

Willow Fishhook Road Improvements

We wish for the plan revision to include the recommendation not to pave the road from the Independence Mine Road to the western boundary. It is our view that improvements of the Willow Fishhook Road be made in the way of smoother surface, widening and pullouts but feel pavement would lead to faster traffic and would take away from the natural and historical character of the area.

Campgrounds and Public Use Cabins

It is also our recommendation that campgrounds be developed along the Willow Fishhook Road. At present, campers with tents and RV’s have been camping at pull outs, gravel pits and sand bars along the creek. There are no facilities to accommodate these users such as toilets, trash cans or fire rings. As a result heavy use can create a safety and sanitary issues.

Fortunately, the many gravel areas along the creek would be good locations for designated camping areas and often are already being used for campsites. These sites are located between mile 26 and mile 30.2 of Willow Fishhook Rd. and are located in the Lucky Shot/Baldy North Unit and the Willow Creek/Craigie Creek Units. Another concept that has been popular in other Alaskan backcountry areas are public use cabins. The committee feels that cabins or huts, at appropriate locations, would be of great recreational value for the public. The cabins could be road accessible, located along Willow Creek or on designated trails in the Craigie, Purches or Peter Creek areas. It is important that they be located where the accompanying trails are hardened and sustainable.

Trailheads

With the many trails extending from the road to the backcountry, WACO feels that trailheads with parking areas for off loading and information kiosks are becoming necessary. On a given summer weekend four wheelers are running directly on the road creating a safety concern. In addition, many vehicles with trailers are often parking along the shoulder of the road. Parking areas at trailheads would be a good step in keeping all vehicles off the roadway.

We recommend summer trailheads be located at the beginning of these trails:

Currently, winter road maintenance ends near mile 32.3 Willow Fishhook Road. There is no trailhead for winter users at the site making it difficult for dog mushers to launch their teams and snowmachines to unload. We recommend that either a winter parking area be built at the winter access gate or the gate be located at mile 32.7 near the Last Chance Coffee House, a privately owned business providing winter parking.

Sustainable Trails

It is in the best interest of public recreation to have sustainable trails. Trails that are built on this principle will:

1. protect natural resources,
2. provide better access to backcountry areas and
3. minimize the need for ongoing trail maintenance.

The committee has identified popular and historic summer trails within the area on the accompanying map. Currently, these trails are used for hunting and general recreation by both motorized and non motorized users, including ATV’s, large 4x4’s, hikers and mountain bikers. Unfortunately, many of these trails and trail segments will find widespread “braiding” and “pioneering” off the original trail due to rutting and erosion in the wetlands and steep terrain.

Keeping historic recreational use and sustainable trail principles in mind, WACO supports a trail policy that:

1. emphasizes multi-use trails in the Willow Mountain, Willow Creek/Craigie Creek and Lucky Shot/Baldy North Units.
2. establishes an off-road vehicle policy that designates specific trails for off-road motorized use. Developing looped systems or specific destination points such as public use cabins would help in this regard.
3. use signage at trailhead kiosks and along the trail to encourage proper trail use.

Certainly, the subject of restricting motorized use to certain trails will be controversial but the committee feels that this is the right step in addressing natural resource protection, trail mitigation and to achieve trail sustainability. The existing management plan already addresses designating trails for off-road vehicle on pages (HPMP, 153-154). Our recommendation is to retain and strengthen this policy in the revision. Increasing pressure on trail use by larger and more powerful off road vehicles reaching farther into the backcountry will impact trails for all users.

Management Oversight and Enforcement

With the high level of use and with the perception by some of an area that is not managed , members of our community have observed a “wild west” mentality regarding the use of the area. This includes trail damage, litter, and sanitary issues as described above, but also includes tree cutting, shooting of firearms, and ATV travel through the length of anadromous streams.

To address this perception and to properly maintain our proposed facilities, we recommend that Alaska State Parks and Outdoor Recreation be adequately funded for an active role in management of the Willow Mountain, Willow Creek/Craigie Creek and Lucky Shot/Baldy North Units.

The Willow Area Community Organization wishes, again, to thank you for this opportunity to comment. We look forward to contributing further during the next planning phase.
Sincerely,
Steve Charles, chair
Willow Trail Committee