Curry Ridge Riders, Friends of Denali State Park

08/21/2026

GARGANTUIAN DAY for Curry Ridge Riders! 🦍...drumroll, pleeze.....🥁
We've been saving our pennies for this day but it's finally arrived...the start of the new maintenance & repair shelter at MP128, our new headquarters location 👏
Crazy thanks go to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough for the opportunity to make a new stand with a Conditional Use Permit for the lot, Orion Construction for all the insane hours and brainpower to make it come together seamlessly..and of course all our Board Directors who have had many Director meetings and discussions planning this for a long, long, LONG time. 😵‍💫
We simply outgrew our original location in Trapper Creek and it was time to move everything to the new location--but our mailing address P.O. Box 13218, TC 99683 will remain the same. Gobs of gratitude to Directors and volunteers who donated their grunt to get everything moved---you can't imagine what a process its been all the "pieces-parts" and vehicles and drags and...and....but once again we got the kinda people that rock it and a whole lot more just for you because they give an enormous hoot about the South Denali trails ✊ 🏆 🎉 🤗

08/08/2026

UPDATE 8/11/26: **VERY IMPORTANT BELOW ABOUT PROPERTY OWNERS CONTACT INFO!** Several discussions with DNR and now Division of Forestry for Amber Lake Trail improvements. So far we know that widening the trail to the required 10 feet for use of snowcats pulling snow-drag is not an obstacle moving forward, but awaiting decision on how living trees within the trail easement might be handled; several meetings with Forestry about this are forthcoming. Meanwhile FORESTRY HAS ASKED THAT PROPERTY OWNERS PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION. You can send that to [email protected], reason being they want to make sure everyone that owns property along the Amber Lake Trail is IN AGREEMENT for widening and improving the trail. >>>>If you know a property owner along Amber Lake Trail who doesn't do Facebook, is off-grid with communications or isn't aware of the proposed improvement, PLEASE TELL THEM and ask permission to share their contact info for a voting process

UPDATE 8/7/26: Curry Ridge Riders has learned much this week about governments and Amber Lake Trail. The MatSu Borough finally got around to responding that the majority of Amber Lake Trail is not borough, it is state jurisdiction! So start over contacting DNR Permitting Department this week for an understanding what process is required for trail rehabilitation and routine grooming. We were in for a few surprises and you are probably too: DNR no longer waives permitting fees for nonprofits and that means a $240/year mandatory permit fee coming from somewhere anually. Added to that, the current trail as-is easement is prescribed as 5 feet (even if it really isn't now due to overgrowth). To operate snowcats within the easement it would have to be at least 10 feet wide and we'll be learning more about what that will take in a telephonic conference call next week including any additional fees to do so. Unfortunately, this new process of permitting via the state will delay trail-grant applications to help fund the heavy work needed...need to have proof of "landowner approvals" first---but we're on it. Stay tuned.

ORIGINAL POST: Curry Ridge Riders was approached last winter by Amber Lake property owners for inclusion to maintain and groom the Amber Lake Trail in the future inasmuch as trail juncture is just north of MP105 along the Trapper Creek Winter Trail, (aka "Rabbideaux). We are glad to entertain the possibility but much restoration and widening for the trail would be needed to support snowcat/grooming drag operations safely. To that end, we have located a trail improvement grant that would fund rehabilitation costs but the application deadline is coming up fast!

To make this happen for the upcoming winter, we need to hear now from current Amber Lake trail volunteer crewmembers for more information and also need letters of support why CRR should improve and groom Amber Lake Trail, some history of how the trail benefitted their needs over the years including practical use and financial gains for the community to back up the grant application.

If you would like to contact us or contribute to the cause, our hotline/message telephone number is 907-689-7669 (monitored weekly in off-season) or you can email us at: [email protected] (monitored daily) or our postal mail address is P.O. Box 13218, Trapper Creek AK 99683 (1-2 weeks for receipt).

TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN WE NEED TO HEAR FROM INTERESTED PERSON(S) NOW! Please share

08/08/2026

Curry Ridge Riders learned this week of the passing of a legacy-hero: Ronald Colby of Litchfield, Maine. 😔
Rewind to 2019 when we had to scramble with reorganization and a suddenly necessary but modest budget to equip ourselves with snow-grooming equipment for the first time since our charter in 1996. And in time for winter that the South Denali trails would continously be permitted by state and borough governments. Mr. Colby enabled the acquisition for our tracked Chevy Blazer with custom grooming-drag, inspected, made ready and went above and beyond to make sure it was ready for the big journey back to Alaska. All at a time when we needed it most. He understood the urgency of our need and extended himself *far* beyond any expectations.
Godspeed and thank you, Ronald Colby---you will always be remembered and appreciated for what you did for countless of Alaskans since and forever 🤝

08/05/2026

Just because there's no snow, trail management for South Denali trail system and Curry Ridge Riders doesn't know what a vacation is! CRR VP John Butcher and son Drake set out on Chulitna Bluff trail week before last to get some MUCH NEEDED trail overgrowth and unsafe hanging branches under control--thanks guys from all us trail users. 🙌
Our summer is chock full of work including but not limited to grants, machine repairs and maintenance, moving to our new headquarters, budgeting, renewing permissions with government agencies....you name it. 😵‍💫 Trail management never takes a break around here! 😳

07/25/2026

this is happening where the Rabbideaux Creek highway crossing is on the Trapper Creek Winter Trail

Attention Parks Highway drivers! There is a sinkhole developing around MP 110, near the centerline. Be alert to crews and equipment working in the area and potential delays.

For current traffic updates, check https://511.alaska.gov

07/24/2026

07/18/2026

Selling snow grooming drag. Asking 3000 OBO
Measurements are

Hitch to bed is 4 1/2’
Bed is 16’
Width is 74”
Also have aluminum diamond plate tool box to replace current steel one.
12 V electric hydraulic power unit with controls. Could easily be converted to a wireless system.

Drop us a line [email protected] or leave a message on the CRR Hotline 907-689-7669 for more

07/17/2026

If you're going to be anywhere near Trapper Creek this Saturday, it's time for the Annual Trapper Creek Fireweed Festival July 18th this year! 🥳 Milepost 115.2 in lovely downtown Trapper Creek at the Community Center Park--- they'll be plenty of signs on the approach along the Parks Highway.

Food, fun and frolicing vendors along with tradespeople a-plenty with local talent and music performers gracing centerstage. Everything from goat yoga to dunk tanks and a whole lot more variety. The annual big raffle and blind auction with some handsome offerings including donated goods and services by assorted southcentral Alaska vendors and retailers. Rain or shine

Proceeds from the event support the good volunteer work of the Trapper Creek Community Services Organization...why not support the community that supports your South Denali winter trail system? 😉

07/02/2026

is everyone getting excited about the BIGGEST holiday weekend of the summer? We sure are! 🥳
Reminder to think of SAFETY no matter what you do for excitement--it's really easy to get wrapped up in the fun of the moment and forget you want to make it back home in one piece. Calculate the risk and mitigate with a plan to get back. Like: tell someone else where you're hiking or camping. Don't depend on a cell phone to communicate emergency calls in remote areas, if there's a trail nearby have one of those cheap pea-whistles like referees use to call attention and it might even scare off a bear or moose if you don't have bear spray or a handgun at your side. Don't forget the sunblock or the rain poncho....most sporting goods stores sell a folded-flat "emergency rain poncho" that'll fit inside your pocket! As for mosquitoes, if you don't like repellent or thermacells, peppermint and/or lavender essential oils in a small spray bottle (travel size) works wonders for insect pests but only last 30-45mins per application (careful not to spray in eyes 🫣). Smart to have a small empty gas jug in your vehicle because being a holiday weekend, some remote gas stops could be closed forcing you to drive farther praying to make it to the next oasis. Nothing worse than running out of gas then the next open station sells a small "gas jug" for $30--and it may not even be rated for fuel use at all...(last thing you want is microplastics clogging up your fuel system!) And always check your spare tire if driving far--you'd be shocked to realize how much air leaks out naturally over a long time..nothing worse than putting the spare on and finding out you can't drive more than 20mph because the tire bead may dislodge off the rim. And a smaller onboard fire extinguisher rated for fuel is always a great asset when out in the middle of nowhere and your gas hose decides to make a departure all over your hot exhaust manifold 😱
There's plenty more tips to be sure, but lets hear from YOU to chime in the comments below with some of your tips for contingencies on this long holiday weekend in the outdoors that will help others prepare what to include for a SAFE HOLIDAY 😉

(from your safety-minded magicians at Curry Ridge Riders 😁)

06/29/2026

We're about to start the process of moving to a new headquarters at MP128 and we need the kind of community support for which we serve. Please consider a donation now to help us make our required grant cash match for a modest shelter structure to maintain and repair these hungry machines!

Curry Ridge Riders Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit organization and registered charity organization under the Alaska Department of Law. Donation receipts are available upon request.

Curry Ridge Riders has grown tremendously to provide the kind of public service necessary you have come to expect of us and for the future of the South Denali Winter Trails!

Founded in 1996 as a 501c4 to advocate a need and volunteerism to maintain these trails across Borough and State public lands, we have grown into a 501c3 in 2018 purchasing the vehicles, tools and drags to do the job right. Fast forward to today, our heroic effort to provide a service fleet that of four completely rebuilt and working snowcats, three snow-grooming drags and an SUV with it's own smaller grooming drag. We sure have come a LONG way...but we are still without a headquarters building where we can fix, maintain and even store these machines. That's where the Matanuska-Susitna Borough came to our aid with a Conditional Use Permit for a small parcel of land near MP128 on the Parks Highway and next we must construct a climate-controlled place to make a stand to effect the necessary procedures for this equipment. The gravel, utility and gates are already installed under the skillful direction of Curry Ridge Riders, but to create a climate-controlled environment where we can fix and maintain needy machines will require funding to construct a small sheltered building with connex storage capabilities for tools and parts and other support equipment. That's where you come in....we in the process of applying for a foundation grant but a cash-match is required and every penny counts toward the goal to meet this need.

Please consider the difference your donation will make to enable our ability for the future of these ever-so-valuable winter trails that afford an oasis in an otherwise privatized southcentrail Alaska. Your donations are tax-deductible and a receipt can be provided upon request.

Fee free to reach out to us if you have any questions, suggestions or comments by calling our Telephone Hotline 907-689-7669 where we'll get back to you pronto. As well, you can drop us an email at: [email protected]

And THANK YOU for caring about the South Denali Winter Trails!