The mountain bike division of the Juneau Freewheelers Cycle Club is excited to be planning the construction of a mountain bike flow-style trail at Eaglecrest. A flow-style trail is designed for a broad range of rider skill and experience levels, with moderate grades, a smooth trail surface, bermed corners, and lots of twists, turns and rollers to make the trail fun to ride for riders of all skill levels. The trail will be suited to both adults and kids age eight and up with some previous mountain biking experience. This will be the first official trail in Juneau and all of Southeast Alaska specifically designed and built for mountain biking.
Local mountain bikers have worked with Eaglecrest staff and Ptarmigan Ptrails, a professional trail building company in Palmer that specializes in mountain bike trails, to determine the best location, route and design for the trail. The trail will start at the top of the Hooter chairlift and wind its way 1.5 miles down the Sourdough and Ego ski runs and the adjoining trees, ending near the ski club race building near the base of the Ptarmigan chairlift. Riders will access the top of the trail by riding up the existing mountain road and a new service road extension from the base of the Black Bear chairlift to the top of the Hooter chair to be built this summer.
The Freewheelers Cycle Club applied for and has been awarded a $50,000 State Parks Recreational Trails Program grant to fund most of the cost of building the trail. Eaglecrest is supporting the construction of the trail by donating crushed rock from their quarry to build the trail base. A substantial amount of volunteer labor will also help build the trail. We plan to begin trail construction in the mid-June to mid-July time frame, depending on permits and the status of other Eaglecrest summer projects.
The Freewheelers club, in partnership with the Juneau Community Foundation and Trail Mix, Inc., is launching a fundraising campaign to match the State Parks grant and fund the remaining construction costs. Our fundraising goal is to raise $10,000 by June 30. Businesses and individuals that donate $1,000 or more will receive top recognition as lead sponsors of the trail project. Donors of $500 – $999 will be recognized as sponsors. Recognition will include permanent sponsor listing on a trailhead sign, acknowledgements on social media, and other publicity.
For more information on the project, check out the Juneau Freewheelers mountain bike page on Facebook, or contact Jack Kreinheder at: Email: jack.kreinheder@gmail.com. Phone: 209-8088.
