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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. The Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance promotes awareness of the Iditarod 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. Alaska Long Trail included in governor’s bond bill Governor Mike Dunleavy’s list of infrastructure projects for a $356 million general obligation bond bill includes $13.2 million for the Alaska Long Trail. The Alaska State Legislature must approve the bond package, so changes may be made during that process.
If the legislature approves the package, then it goes to the voters. The Alaska Long Trail is a relatively recent idea, but it has struck a chord with many interest groups and community leaders. The Alaska Long Trail would create a continuous trail from Seward to Fairbanks by connecting existing trails with new trail segments. Plans are still being worked out, but ideas being discussed include multiple trails and routes in some areas to accommodate a variety of trail users over all seasons. The project has the potential to give a big boost to the visitor industry by creating an iconic adventure similar to other long trails, such as the Appalachian and Pacific Crest trails in the Lower 48, the Great Trail (aka the Trans-Canada Trail), and the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
The Alaska Long Trail also has the possibility of integrating with the Trans-Alaska Trail, a project to turn the Trans-Alaska Pipeline access pad into a trail from Valdez to Deadhorse. Archives move update U. S. District Court Judge John Coughenour signed a preliminary injunction on February 14 to stop the sale of the National Archive property in Seattle. Coughenour said the feds could have avoided a “public relations disaster” if they had “displayed some sensitivity” to how the closure affected the Northwest. Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said, “Unless the federal government formally reveres course, at some point we will be asking for a final decision on the merits of the case.” Ferguson’s office, along with 29 tribes and other groups filed a lawsuit January 4 seeking to declare the sale illegal.
But that lawsuit could take a while to wind its way through the courts, prompting the request for the preliminary injunction. Ferguson said about Coughenour’s decision. “I hope these agencies have gotten the memo that their conduct is not acceptable and is illegal.”. Virtual Statewide Trails Conference April 14-16 Alaska Trails is excited to once again host its annual Trails Conference, which provides trail users and 1 The Tripod March 2021 the wider public a statewide opportunity for training and networking with trail professionals. While the roof we will gather under will be virtual this year, we are still grateful for your attendance.
New and exciting for 2021: The Alaska Long Trail – a progress update and how you can help; Leave No Trace Hot Spot Program – coming to Alaska in 2021; Trail Mapping from the USGS National Digital Trails Project; and Alaska Trails’ continued focus on the Economic Benefits of Trails. For more information go to Alaska_Trails.org Race Across Alaska Winter Challenge There are 1056 participants in the Race Across Alaska Winter Challenge. You can check on the leader board daily at www.raawc.com/Race/AK /Anchorage/AlaskaChallenge. From the past… “Iditarod Pioneer” April 17, 1915, page 3 MORE COMPREHENSIVE ORDINANCE The discussion of the dog nuisance at Wednesday night council meeting has been the means of unearthing an ordinance of much wider scope than the one that was read to the city fathers.
Under its provisions it is unlawful to allow an unmuzzled dog to be at large within the corporate limits of Iditarod between the first day of May and the first day of October of each year. The ordinance is numbered 37, and is entitled “An ordinance for the capture, sale and destruction of dogs running at large within the corporate limits of the town of Iditarod.” Section 1 provides that dogs more than six weeks old shall not be allowed at large unless muzzled. Section 2 provides for the appointment of a poundmaster and prescribes his duties. Sections 3 and following sections provide for the fees of the poundmaster and how they be collected. In the case of failure to pay pound charges the animal impounded is to be sold or killed, after notices have been posted.
The ordinance was passed and approved May 5, 1912, and became effective on that date, “Iditarod Pioneer” April 17, 1915 p 4 BYERS’ CRUSADE ON DOGS BRINGING GOOD RESULTS The enforcement of the ordinance in First Avenue, Iditarod regard to dogs running at large, which was entrusted to Chief of Police Byers by the council, is already having its effects, and the number of animals to be seen on the streets has considerably diminished. As a consequence, the daily mix-ups on First avenue, in which sometimes scores of mongrel dogs were engaged, endangering pedestrians and inflicting damage on store windows, has been lacking. The improvement has been so marked as to arouse approving comments from even the opponents of the enforcement of the ordinance and there is little likelihood of a return to the old disagreeable regime. 2