July2004

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Trail Reports - July 2004

CT1-CT2, 6:00 - 8:00 PM, Thursday, July 29,2004. Coastal Trail was heavily used tonight with many walkers, bladers, bikers, etc. Noted a total of 5 dogs that were not on a leash (about average it seems). I assisted with one bike repair and ended up recruiting the owner of the busted bicycle to be a Trail Watch volunteer. Also noted a red mini van with white or grey accent stripes (partial plate EXP) occupied by one white male in the Lyn Ary parking lot by the ball fields. I smiled, made eye contact with the driver, waved and noted the time. He was gone when I returned to the lot about 20 minutes later. Otherwise nothing suspicious to report. No beer drinkin' frisbee golfers observed tonight at the Minn. Drive tunnel or at the head of Chester Creek trail either.
7/27/04, 6-8 a.m., Westchester to Seward Highway. I've been getting up on 3 and 4 hours sleep all summer, doing my trail watch shift and dutifully coming back and filling out this feedback form because that was one of the requirements of the job. But the city has gone from OK to horrible in posting these reports on the Web. I'll continue to patrol because that's what this program is all about, but as for filling out the feedback form and checking back during the week to see if there are any safety issues I should be aware of, I've got better things to do than to waste my time. Sorry, the website was recently transfered to Parks & Rec, updates will be posted on regular basis .............
One or more individuals is/are using a noisy, smelly motorized scooter on the Chester Creek Trail at around 7:30 a.m. and again around 3:30 p.m. weekdays. This person is riding at full throttle and seems to have no regard for the law or safety of others.
Trail Watch on Sunday, July 25 between 2:00 and 4:00 PM, Coastal Trail from Earthquake Park to Westchester Lagoon and Chester Creek Trail from Westchester Lagoon to UAA. Frisbee golfers were again drinking beer in glass bottles and wandering into the trail, not paying attention and generally being a safety hazard. Today it was a group of six college-age white males immediately west of the Minnesota Drive tunnel on the Chester Creek trail. Otherwise the trails were in good shape. I took an extra turn on Chester Creek between Goose Lake and UAA and did not see any problems. A pedestrian flagged me down and reported a homeless camp "on the trail by Cal Worthington". I did not see this today, but assured the pedestrian that would report this also. This should be looked into - I think I recall a previous trail report on this situation. both frisbee golf situation and homeless camp reported
Suspiciously missing swing set in Birch Park: About two weeks ago the two swings in the newly established Birch Park playground for toddlers came off. The swing frame was wrapped with yellow "Caution--Do not enter" tape giving it an offical appearance. I couldn't figure out why the swings had to come down in the "busiest" season of the year, but I never had a close look to see if they were ok. I have been waiting ever since to see them back in place and find the continued missing swings rather suspicious. I'd appreciate if somebody from Parks & Recs could check into the matter and see if those swings were indeed taken down for repair or if they were stolen. The park has a very high frequency these days and kids are waiting for the swings. Thanks.
There's a young kid who has been riding a motorized scooter regularly on the Chester Creek trail. He goes quite fast, 15 mph maybe, and he ignores trail users' pleas to get off the trail. I've seen him the last two Tuesdays on my 6-8 a.m. Trail Watch shift, and a friend told me he saw him on Monday, same time, same location. He's also been seen at about 3:45 p.m. over by UAA. If I had to guess, I'd say he's commuting to work downtown. The last two Tuesdays, I've seen him at about 7:45 a.m. going under the Seward Highway tunnel.
The bike trail just east of Muldoon road, on the south side of the Glenn, just before the first culvert going under the Glenn Highway on-ramp, the trail is extremely overgrown and encroached upon by the bushes/trees along the trail.
7/20/04, 6-8 a.m., Westchester to Seward Highway. Quiet day. Saw about 100 trail users in my two-hour shift, more than half of them bikers. All well behaved. Trash at Moon Park is overflowing, including pieces of a wooden crate someone dumped in the covered picnic area.
Two most frequent comments by trail users this section are: Why doesn't Fish & Game pay regular unanounced visits along this Creek and stop all the blatent poaching/snagging of spawning salmon ? - "They are stealing from all of us" Why doesn't APD make regular and unannounced sweaps of this section and cite and arrest all those in possession of alcohol in a public park, and stop the loitering, camping, ground fires and littering by this same group ?
7/19/04....circa 10 PM. Three apparently inebriated males, loud and voicetrous, along edge of Campbell Creek just West of Piper Salmon viewing platform/bridge...openly using large treble hook to snag spawning Salmon illegally. Snagger so inebriated that he did a head first summer sault into the creek. All this observed by children, passerbyers and another legitimately fishing young man. Calls were placed to Alaska State Troopers and APD offices, requesting their assistance...no one available. The three gentlemen departed to the S.E.into the greenbelt, probably for an illegal camp back in the woods. A quick check of the trail head salmon viewing platform at the end of Folker St. revealed a large quantity of homeless loitering and openly consuming alcohol, sprawled across the platform. Why doesn't APD make regular and unannounced visits to this location, and make some arrests...and clean up this area, returning it to the general public for its intended use ?
Just West of Gambell St. approx. 100yds., near "MM 23" on pavement, and approx. 30 yds. into the vegetation = litter in black plastic bags, etc., visible to trail.
7/13/04, 6-7:30 a.m. -- Regular ambassador shift between Seward Highway and Westchester. Quit 30 minutes early because of another commitment. Quiet morning with only 3 people seen on my first pass, but it picked up considerably after 7 a.m. Saw 50 cyclists, 20 walkers, 19 joggers in the 1 1/2 hours on the trail. Only problem to report is a maintenance issue between Seward Highway and Lake Otis tunnel. Milepost 2.5 has been uprooted and is teetering.
Another nice day and a lot of trail activity last night during my patrol. There is an overflowing garbage can on CT1 opposite the Hannah Cove at the entrance to the railroad underpass. There is also broken glass about 30 feet inside the tunnel from the south end. I picked up the larger pices, but the shards should be swept up. There is also broken glass from a vehicle window at the east end of the Earthquke Park parking lot.
"7/12/04 6:13 AM to 8:30 AM CT 2, CT 1 and Lanie Fleisher trail from MP 0 to Minn Drive. At 7:45 AM while making a second ride along north side of Westchester Lagoon toward Minn Dr , opposite the Trail Watch shack, I encountered three peopple trying to assist a 45 to 50 yr old caucasion woman who could not stand. She was then laid gently to the ground by the passerbys. An estimated 5 minutes previously she repotedly had been walking on the trail and struck by a male cyclist. The cyclist remained at the scene. She reportedly was knocked to the ground and he fell from his bike. She appeared ashen. I had a foil solar blanket to help keep her warm and called 911. Police Officer G Nelson arrived in 5 or ten minutes and the paramedics follwed a few minutes later. She was placed on a stretcher and taken in the paramedics van. The details of the collision were noted by the Police Officer. CT 2 was quiet and orderly. Earthquake Park parking lot at east end had broken auto glass. Some litter, but not extensive.
I would like to comment that the crack repair performed in the past was exceedingly poor. They used a very dry course sealant that was as bad as the crack. They probably used a cold patch, which is worthless. Another issue is where the roots grow under the trail and create dangerous bumps. One particular bad spot is at the curve and subsequent downhill at the North end of the runway at Worenzof.
I would like to see some quality control by the MOA on the contractor. He needs to clean out the crack, compact the soil underneath (or replace it), and put oil at the interface. When large areas are cracked there is usually an underlying problem such as an underground flow of water that freezes in the winter then subsides in the summer leaving large sunken gaping cracks. The only solution for these areas is to replace the sub-base with nfs material and compact it well; a patch will not work and you will be doing it again next year.Thank you for your attention to the bike trail crack issue. I rollerblade and rollerski as well as bike and the cracks affect those modes of transportation than the bikes.
"7/9/04, Downtown to Westchester and Westchester to Seward Highway, 8 to 10 p.m.: Kudos to the pipeline repair crews for finishing quickly; the trail was open all the way to downtown. Busy night on the trail. I stopped to see if I could help when I came across another bicyclist talking to a guy who appeared to be riding a motor scooter on the trail by the lagoon. The bicyclist was obviously questioning the other guy about being on the trail. Turns out, the younger guy was on an electric "bike" that he bought at Schuck's auto store. He claimed that DMV told him it was a bicycle and legal for trails and sidewalks. It did have pedals, but it could also be used without pedaling. He was very polite and indicated the "bike" was his only form of transportation due to a mild case of cerebral palsy, but I informed him that I was pretty sure it wasn't trail legal and that he needed to consult muni people or the APD. After several more minutes of talking, I called the non-emergency dispatch number for a consultation and was advised that the electric scooter was probably in violation. He finally left the trail to ride streets home. I later called to report problems with partying frisbee golfers in the Waterfowl Refuge parking lot. This area appears to be a growing problem and the golfers seem to be gaining a bit of attitude in their relations with other trail users. Two owners of 4X4s had pulled them off the parking lot and left them parked at steep angles in nearby grass and vegetation, which was being severely damaged. Several individuals were drinking from bottles in brown paper bags. APD said they would send a patrol car. I soon arrived back at the lagoon to end my patrol, and witnessed a loud and angry confrontation between a man and woman who were kept apart by the woman's husband. They appeared to be arguing over the feeding of birds or some other animal, but finally went their separate ways before throwing punches and forcing me to call 9-1-1. My 15-year-old son joined me for this patrol and got a very colorful sample of the Trail Watch program."
"7/9/04 6:05 AM to 8:20 AM CT 2 and CT 1 (partial)Trash containers filled to overflowing at Lyn Ary baseball diamond and also at Earthquake Park parking lot. The containers have the covers missing or off. Perhaps some other design is desireable.Parking lot at Postmark Drive was orderly. The gravel surface is just beginning to be rutted. It is not a dangerous condition.Port a potty appears inadequate for the traffic at Westchester Lagoon (next to Trail Watch building). An additional unit would be helpful.There is NO new graffitti or other vandalism noticeable between the parking lot at Postmark Drive and the Lagoon at N Street. The trail is barricaded at the sewage lift station. I rode downtown to the Parkstrip and beyong. I met another Ambassador again and also a San Diego visitor from a cruise ship. Traffic on the trail was lighter than usual. "
"Urgent Repair: Last eve (Jul 6)on the Coastal Trail coming back from Point Woronzof toward town -- noticed that the metal guard post(stopping vehicles from entering the trail) at the gravel parking lot west of Earthquake Park was laying down -- very difficult to see -- almost hit it myself. It is broken off at the cement base, so I moved it off to the side to prevent damage. "
Yesterday, I rode my mountain bike to Kincaid to check on the coastal trail repairs. Asphalt has been put in the cracks in the area around the sewage treatment facility only. And I have an opinion regarding the armbands: I much prefer the green ones. They are more visible, due to their reflective qualities, and more legible. By the time I wrap the yellow one around my arm, one cannot read it!! The vests are perfect.
One area that could use some repair is on the coastal trail downtown. Recently, some pipes were replaced in the drainage ditches (below the railroad tracks) parallel to the trail. The work crews did not leave much shoulder along the trail (in essence, they didn't put the shoulder back the way they found it). The existing shoulder is narrow, and slopes at an angle toward the drainage ditches. A person could fall into the ditch area if he/she lost their balance. This area is between Hannah Cove (at the tunnel below Elderberry Park) and the lookout (where there are blue benches on a knoll) about an eighth of a mile down the trail.
And I don't know who to contact about this problem, perhaps you can direct me to the correct person. During the previous mayorial administration, asphalt and gravel were applied on the shoulders of the trail around the lagoon area. As someone who has run for 25+ years, I would appreciate the dirt being left there because it is kinder to the joints, and not covered by hard or unstable material. I have observed that the gravel washes into the trail, making it hazardous for wheeled travelers.
The trail leading up from Postmark Drive to Pt Woronzoff is virtually one lane going up the hill. Cow Parshnip is everywhere! It is a safety hazard, especially for those cyclists who go fast down the hill. The area could use a good mowing on both sides of the trail.
I also hope that because of the Trail Watch program, our presence will deter any incidents on the trail. Thank you for helping to organize it and for taking care of the maintenance issues!
Foot bridge 100 yards east of Minnesotta on Cmpbell Creek. Second report. Hand rail is missing and needs to be replaced. Also, the new decorative light post east of C street that looks like a fish lure has been damaged by vandals.
Vagrants are sleeping under the overpass at 15th avenue and A Street (under the east side of the overpass.) They evidently throw their garbage and bottles down the embankment from their camp and the result is litter and broken glass onto the bike trail. This is a main bike route to downtown and there is no trail on the other side of A Street, so bikers are forced to ride through the litter and glass. This has resulted in more than one flat tire for bikers through the area. Additionally, this illegal camp blights the area such that late night travel through the area seems risky. The woods and staircase and the nearby properties are negatively impacted. Routine police patrols of the area under the overpass where the vagrants sleep would solve this problem quickly. Thank you for your help in this matter.
Motorized use of the trail has become a regular practice. I have called the police numerous times in the past couple weeks to report a motorcycle speeding down the trail, but the motorized use of the trail continues. Tonight, again, a motorized scooter has gone back and forth along this section of the trail. Someone from the Anchorage Police Department needs to be stationed on this section of the trail on a regular basis to catch these lawbreakers.
CT1- CT2, Thursday 7/8/04, 6:00 -8:00 PM. Notified APD of a motorized scooter traveling northbound on the Coastal Trail around the Westchester Lagoon and on towards the Chester Creek Trail. I originally saw the rider at the bottom of the hill heading towards downtown, but did not see him riding it until I took a turn through the lagoon. Rider was a white male, late teens with longer brown hair. He was accompanied by another white male on a mountain bike. CT-1 has a closed segment at the moment due to pipeline maintenance. Notices of trail closures are in place, but the barricade north of the lagoon was moved aside so I put that back in place. MUCH better compliance with the leash law tonight - I only saw one dog off the leash on a pretty busy night on the trail. Broken car window glass was present in the Earthquake park lot (don't leave any valuables in your car at that spot!). Otherwise, the trail is in good shape. No wildlife sitings and no suspicious activity.
Another nice day and a lot of trail activity last night during my patrol. There is an overflowing garbage can on CT1 opposite the Hannah Cove at the entrance to the railroad underpass. There is also broken glass about 30 feet inside the tunnel from the south end. I picked up the larger pices, but the shards should be swept up. There is also broken glass from a vehicle window at the east end of the Earthquke Park parking lot.
Just West of Gambell St. approx. 100yds., near "MM 23" on pavement, and approx. 30 yds. into the vegetation = litter in black plastic bags, etc., visible to trail.
Inebriates always hanging out at the trailhead - Salmon viewing platform at end of Folker St.( South of Taco Bell ). Continually in open view possession of, and active consumption of alcohol. Hanging out there all hours of the day and night (park supposedly closed @ 11PM). Never see P.D. enforce the rules at this location regarding alcohol, or littering, or after hours enforcement - Why not ??? Very poor PR for Trail Users, would be park users, kids, & residents alike. Hanging out in bushes, camping, illegal fires continually, poaching spawning salmon unabashedly, and without reproach. No enforcement from appropriate authorities. Why ?
911 was called about 8 p.m. Wednesday after encountering a car on a section of trail between Manor House condos and the Village condos off Reka Drive. Car had driven from the Russian Jack Park/Goose Lake trail onto the connector. Male caucausian driver in his late teens/early 20s with car full of people asked for directions off the trail; when I pulled out a cell phone to call 911, he backed up the trail and went down an embankment to the Manor House parking lot to escape. No front license plate on the car, a purple Corolla-style vehicle.
7/6/04 2:15 PM to 3:50 PM Campbell Creek Trail from New Seward Highway to Northwood & returnNo new graffitti added since last week. Only graffitti is red paint stenciled letters/symbols at tunnels at Intl Airport Road and Old Seward Highway. No new damage from that reported previously.I gave a trail watch card to an adult who lives near Arctic Blvd and uses trail every day. He and his wife will consider registering for Trail Watch. Taku Lake grounds was full of kids fishing and swimming. Yearling moose next to trail. King Salmon are in the stream.
7/6/04, 6-8 a.m. ambassador shift, Seward Highway to Westchester. Bikers, joggers and walkers who use Coastal Trail from downtown should take note. The Coastal Trail is scheduled to be closed at Elderberry park from today through July 10, effectively cutting off access to the Coastal Trail from downtown. There are signs all along the trail, telling of a Pipeline Inspection project that will close the tunnel at Elderberry. I spoke to a worker at the tunnel, and he said crews are going to be working around the clock to get the work done as soon as possible. He expects a lot of complaints, but there doesn't appear to be an easy alternative. I looked for an alternate route around the project and couldn't find one. There's the Inlet on the left and a mud bog on the right. A posted map along the trail shows an alternate route that goes through downtown and won't make many people happy. As for my trail watch shift, it was a busy day. I counted 105 trail users in my 2-hour shift, mostly runners and bikers, with a scattering of walkers. Garbage can on Westchester side of Minnesota tunnel was overflowing with weekend trash, and there was still a mess in the covered picnic area at Moon Park. One homeless guy waking up and fighting off mosquitos on a little side trail past a bridge over the creek at Sullivan. In the "no justice in this world" department, I cleaned up a shattered beer bottle from the trail near the Seward Highway tunnel at the start of my shift. Two hours later at the end of my shift, all puffed up with civic pride, I looked down to discover I had a flat. And I picked a tiny sliver of glass out of my tire. Just not my day, I guess.
"7/5/04 CT2 assignment 5:50 AM to 8:15 AMEntered trail at Lyn Ary, thence to Earthquake Park, parking lot and parking overlook at Postmark Drive. All were locations were orderly except for a few beer cans strewn about on tidal flat (bottom of bluff) at Lyn AryI then cycled to the Westchester Lagoon, Lanie Fleisher trail to Minn and then back and on the 3rd Ave downtown. No new graffitti and no messes. All is quiet on the western front.Entire trail in excellent shape. The trail users appear to be responding favorably to speedy maintenance.Met another Ambassador on trail.
CT-1 and CT-2, 6:00AM to 8:00 AM, Sunday July 4, 2004. I second the earlier trail watch comment about the need for an animal control partrol on the Coastal Trail between Elderbury park and Earthquake park. On what was an otherwise uneventful patrol early this morning, I observed at least 5 people walking dogs off-leash. All the dogs were well-behaved, but it was still hair-raising. I came into the tunnel under the train tracks at Elderbury park from 3rd Ave at 6:00 AM this morning and met a woman coming the other way with two unleashed dogs at the far end of the tunnel. She saw me and attempted to gather her dogs as another biker appoached from the south towards the tunnel. Fortunately we were all going slow enough so that no one went over trying to avoid a dog, but I hate to think about this kind of scenario on a nice evening with the commuters and roller bladers blazing through here. Ohterwise nothing to report. No moose sited and the trail is in good shape. Garbage cans in Lyn Ary need to be emptied, though.
Saturday, July 3,2004. Two Trail Watchers started out from Muldoon at 11:00, past Chenny Lake, through Russian Jack Park to Goose Lake, down the Chester Creek trail to Westchester Lagoon. From there we went to Earthquake Park, Pt W, to the Kincade Park Chalet. We then returned on the same route. Total milage was about 35 and took slightly over 4 hours. Spotted an eagle at Kincade and a bull moose just off the trail east of where the end of the North/South runway passes over the trail. Along the trail we found an abandoned child's bike (blue, minus the seat) on the trail opposite of East High School, and a white SUV (mid 80's GMC, I think)off the road to the south of the driveway into the Pt Woronsof parking area. It looks like the SUV might have driven off the road and went front end first into a small gulley. AK Plate number was ENE522. We provided some assistance to two groups of trail users and encountered 4 other trail watchers along our route. Noticed a number of cracks that may need repair in Kincade Park between the airport's East/West runway and Pt W. They were going down the middle of the trail.
I have the 6 P.M. to 8 P.M. Friday night CT1 and CH1 trailwatch. About 6:45 P.M. on 2 July I came upon a group of people giving first aid to a middle aged woman that had went over the handlebars at the north end of Westchester Lagoon just prior to going thru the tunnel under L St. I had to flag down the Ambulance because they were unsure of where they needed to come to. After the ambulance crew arrived, all the other bicyclers that were giving aid left, and I stayed with the four teenage girls that were riding with the victim. The victim was taken to the hospital and I stayed with the girls until their father showed up with a pick-up truck to take them home. I stayed with them until 8 P.M. when they got their ride home. I did not get to cover the area from Westchester Lagoon to Seward Highway because staying with the girls. I don't know the outcome of the hospital visit, but the teenaged girls seem to be doing fine as they used my cell phone to stay in touch with their father as he was trying to pick them up.
"7/2/04, Downtown to Westchester and Westchester to A Street from 8 to 10 p.m.: Relatively quiet night on the trail, presumably thanks to overcast skies and the holiday weekend. Helped two women riding a tandem on the Coastal Trail when they asked for help with shifting. A little coaching got them on their way. Parks and Rec has notices up at several area parks warning of a TEMPORARY COASTAL TRAIL CLOSURE from July 6 to July 10. The trail will be closed at Elderberry Park during pipeline work and their are small detour maps available in vinyl envelopes posted along area trails."
"7/2/04 6:10 AM to 8:20 AM CT 1ntered trail at Lyn Ary to Lagoon, Lanie Fleisher trail to Minnesota, thence to downtown two loops and return to Lyn AryLyn Ary at the trail had litter, tipped trash barrel and trash can tossed over bluff. I picked up litter at two trash containers. While I was on CT 1 another trail watcher or concerned citizen retreived the trash container and litter from below the bluff.No new graffitti witnessed. Trail in excellent shape.I came upon native person on a bike talking to another under the west end of the 3rd & H Street trail bridge. The cycler responded that he did not need help and he was unsure if the other person needed help. The cycler quickly left the scene on 3rd Ave. I then rode down the road parellel to the bridge and spotted what looked to be a prone person. I called APD and reported what I had witnessed. APD did not need me to stay at the site. When I rode by the site later there appeared to be nobody under the bridge.The trail users were in friendly mood today. Trail directions given to a fellow from Iceland and to a lost soul sitting on a curb in Tyrnagain community.Another Trail Watcher and I crossed paths today."
CT-1 and CT-2, Thursday, July 1, 2004. Scheduled Ambasador Trail Watch from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. M.A.D.D. had a sponsored walk along the Coastal Trail from Lyn Ary to Earthquake Park tonight. Many walkers were participating as well as the usual traffic of bikers, roller bladers and bird watchers. There were musicians along the trail serenading the walkers and events at Lyn Ary. Nice night to be out despite the overcast and nothing suspicious to report. I patrolled my full two hours due to the heavy use but no assistance was needed. Got more than my fare share of "thank you's" from the walkers, so I am passing those on the other volunteers.
On July 1, 2004, at approximately 5:30 p.m., a young lad on a silver bicycle was using a peashooter and rocks and shooting at the birds in the pond. He had white-blond hair, a pink complextion, wore a black tank top and black shorts. He had a black with yellow backpack.
"7/1/04 3:15 to 4:45 PM Campbell Creek Trail from New Seward Highway to Northwood & return Bogus Parks & Rec computer generated posters stating this was a designaated graffitti wall were in tunnel at Intl and also at Old Seward underpasses. They wre ripped down.On both of the above tunnels was multiple red spray painted (with a stencil) with seven letters or symbols. The privately owned constr module next to the trail, previosly with graffitti was in the process of being overpainted.A man & woman who are frequent users on the trail adv that the graffitti people are doing their deed at night.The King Salmon are moving upstream. The Sitka roses are in full bloom. Nothing else witnessed.

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