August 27, 2020 – Montana Cr. Update
JNSC Members,
First we apologize for yet another email. This has been a bit challenging to keep on top of this situation and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee decision making process.
Important – if off road vehicles get the green light for winter operation on Montana Cr. Road –
We will lose our ski trail.
The decision on whether to keep motorized users off the Montana Cr. Ski trail in the winter has been put off yet another month. CBJ Parks and Rec. has decided to issue a request for comments. Information from CBJ can be found here.
https://beta.juneau.org/parks-recreation/project-list/entry/67218
The new deadline is September 30. So please if you have not sent in comments please do so and tell your skier friends that may not be members. Below is the address to the new comment form for you to use.
https://beta.juneau.org/parks-recreation/project-comments
Please also send us a copy of your comments to jnski.org
Points to assist you in your comments are listed below:
– If you just want to be short and sweet – just say you want the road to be closed to motorized users from Nov 1 to May 1.
– JNSC spends hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars grooming (156 days and over 835 hours last season) the road beyond the gate for non motorized users.
– A single motorized user can destroy the groomed trail by creating deep ruts which are not only hazardous but take many hours for volunteer groomers to remove.
– JNSC has provided volunteer grooming on Montana Cr. road for the past 15 years providing thousands of skier days to the public in the only reliably snow covered area at sea level.
– Motorized users are incompatible with skiers, snow-shoers, and hikers on the narrow roadway with numerous blind curves.
– Youth skiers spend many days and evenings skiing and training on this ski trail from beginning skiers to older ski team racers.
– JNSC volunteers helped to coordinate and provide labor to repair the bridge across Montana Cr. in addition to annually keeping the road clear of brush, fallen trees, and landslides.
– ORVs create an exclusive use zone around them just by their operation thereby excluding non-motorized users.
If you want to add anything further go for it. We look forward to reading your comments.
Thanks for your help,
JNSC Board
jnski.org
