MP 12.4 parking lot (first big one after Gate Lake)
RSVP requested via text or phone call to 907-242-0808 for this ride with group-text updates the day before–please have current club membership. Early season usually requires intermediate skill level for variable conditions. Get out and practice your carving skills! We’ll ride some swamps that may have deeper snow trolling around the Petersville and South Denali areas. Spare belt, folding shovel and extra gas jug onboard is highly recommended. Casual group ride of 40-50 miles total just looking for plain fun.
Be ready to ride at 10:30am from the FIRST BIG parking lot located at MP11.8 of the Petersville Road; a little over a mile after passing the sign for Gate Creek Cabins (Gate Creek about MP10.4) and then long s-curve, lot is on the right side. This ride leader drives a dark grey older Jeep Cherokee pulling a single-place trailer.
Nothing overly technical but expect varying early-season conditions with potential overflow in the creeks etc. Bring a sack-lunch but we may make a brief stop at Forks Roadhouse later in the afternoon, time and space-permitting. Covid-sensitive practices such as social distancing will be observed during this ride; however, bring your own optional breathing mask if you wish to join us indoors for this quick stop (or remain outside).
Petersville Road turnoff is MP 114.5 on the Park Highway at Trapper Creek, the only 4-way flashing overhead signal light (14 miles north of Talkeetna Spur junction). Turn left/west onto Petersville Road, some mile markers are snow-covered so notice your odometer leaving the Parks Highway. Caution in the corners for fast-moving vehicles taking the inside edge…also allow extra time for cautious driving on P’ville Road. From Anchorage, allow 2.5 hours minimum in dry-road driving conditions.
PLEASE REGISTER YOUR SLED WITH THE STATE OF ALASKA to ride on state lands! If you need to register it’s $5 per year and that goes toward grooming the winter trail system known as “Snowtrac”. Here’s the link to register your snowmachine:
http://doa.alaska.gov/dmv/reg/snow.htm
just about all club rides are on public state lands which require registration. The money goes toward trail grooming anyway.