The Tripod, April 2020

The Tripod Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance, PO Box 2323, Seward AK 99664 http://www.Iditarod100.org IditarodHTA@gmail.com The Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance is an equal opportunity program provider and employer. April 2020 The Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance promotes public awareness of the Iditarod Historic Trail and its gold rush and Alaska Native heritage by encouraging education programs and historical research, assisting in the protection, improvement, maintenance and marking of the Trail and developing partnerships that foster stewardship commitments and support. Partnership for the National Trails System seeks new executive director The Partnership for the National Trails System seeks a dynamic, entrepreneurial and visionary Executive Director to build on the organization’s 27-year legacy of accomplishments and guide its work to the next level of success.

The Partnership is the only nationwide, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the extraordinary value of America’s National Scenic and Historic Trails. It envisions a world-class system of National Scenic and Historic Trails that preserves natural and cultural values and provides recreational benefits for all. The Partnership’s mission is to empower, inspire and strengthen public and private partners to develop, preserve, promote and sustain the National Scenic and Historic Trails. It connects 34-member trail organizations, eight affiliates and five federal agency partners to serve as a collective voice for the over 55,000 miles of trails within the National Trails System.

The Partnership’s major activities and signature programs include: •The annual Hike the Hill® multi-day action aimed at increasing congressional and federal agency leader awareness and adequate funding of the National Trails System; •An annual multi-agency Land and Water Conservation Fund collaboration; •Multi-Year Action Plan for National Scenic and Historic Trail management; •National Trails System Gap Analysis and Corridor Projection Project; •Monthly webinars and biennial convenings for members of the National Trails community; •Apprentice and internship programs to introduce young adults to the National Trails System; and •Publication of the Pathways Across America quarterly publication. The ideal candidate will demonstrate excellent leadership, fundraising and partnership building skills. The anticipated start date for the position is Fall 2020.

For more information visit www.pnts.org. Trails Move People In 2018 American Trails created the Trails Move People (TMP) coalition to bring together a diverse cross section of the organized trails community. Currently the coalition includes the following organizations: American Council of Snowmobile Associations, American Hiking Society, American Trails, American Motorcyclist Association, Applied Trails Research, Back Country Horsemen of America, International Mountain Bicycling Association, National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance, Partnership for The National Trails System, Professional Trailbuilders Association, Rails-To-Trails Conservancy, Tread Lightly!. Though each of the individual organizations have some of their own priorities, this coalition represents the shared goals that are important to all outdoor recreation users.

Trails Move People uses collaboration, communication and education to ensure that the benefits of trails are rightly considered by recreationists, industry, decision-makers and the 1 The Tripod April 2020 general public. We already know that outdoor recreation has a massive positive impact on our nation’s economy and that much of the impact is generated via trails. The member organizations of Trails Move People represent millions of Americans who spend their time, money and energy to get out on trails for fun and to volunteer. Trails Move People hopes to elevate the recognition of trails by developing funding and research resources so that everyone irrespective of geography, mode of recreation, socio-economic status, or experience will have access to more and better trail opportunities and in turn more fulfilling personal experiences. Why is this important?

Put simply, our voices are stronger together than they are apart. When there is an equestrian trail in danger of being closed, rather than having only the equestrians fighting for that trail, if the hikers, cyclists, off-highway vehicle users, and others amplified those voices they would be more likely to be heard. When an off-highway vehicle trail is fighting for more funding, if all trail users joined that fight, that plea would be more likely to be heard. This is true for all trail user types, for all trails, and at all levels, whether it be a city town hall or the halls of congress.

From the past… “Iditarod Pioneer” April 3, 1915 MARCH SURE WENT OUT LIKE A LION In keeping with the extraordinary weather conditions prevailing throughout the winter, the closing days of the month of March were signalized by a spell of soft weather which seriously threatened to put an abrupt end to travel over the winter trails and to bring about a breakup that would have been unprecedented in the annals of Interior Alaska. Reports reached here of streams overflowing, causing great inconvenience to travelers, in some instances water to a depth of two or three feet flowing over the ice. Clarence White, who came up from Bear creek, in the Kuskokwim country, on Saturday last, reports that he was compelled to build a raft to get his sled and dogs across Little El Dorado creek, and it was reported that the mail carriers were having serious difficulties on the other side of Takotna.

On Sunday a slight change was experienced, and the wind veered to the north and brought freezing weather. By this time the snow had almost gone from the trail, and wheeled vehicles came into use. Toward Moore creek, where there had been more snow than in the vicinity of Iditarod, conditions were not so bad, but the trail has been what the mushers term as “tough.” Some anxiety was expressed about the large number of persons who are known to be on the way to Iditarod over the trail from Seward. If the weather should turn warm again there will be much difficulty experienced in negotiating the various streams with the trail crosses. While the indications all pointed for a time to an early break up, there were few, especially among the old timers, who believed that was due so early in the spring.

And yet the wise ones hint at certain sure indications that that momentous event in Northern Latitudes is close at hand. Last Saturday a flock of robins was seen on the trail between Iditarod and Flat City, and it is said to be an almost infallible sign that no more severe weather may be expected. However, the old-timers shake their heads and quote the old saying to the effect that “one swallow does not make a summer.” But somewhat of a damper was put up on the talk of an early break-up by Tuesday, when a northerly gale sprang up which chilled the pedestrian to the marrow and put the fuel question uppermost in the minds of the people. For more than forty-eight hours the cold wind prevailed, and March went out in a blaze of glory, according to the old saying that “when March comes in like a lamb it goes out like a lion.” Statewide Trails Conference goes virtual.

Alaska Trails has decided to cancel the in-person annual 2020 Statewide Trails Conference scheduled for April 23-25 in Anchorage and is switching to a virtual conference that will be delivered through a series of webinars. Check its web page for up to date information: alaska_trails.org