time to start prepping for winter, see you soon!
Bulletin Board
Jim Davis
We lost another long time Wolf Pack member, friend, and volunteer, Jim Davis, age 75 of Fishhook, Alaska. He died August 2nd, 2024 from a sudden cardiac event. Jim grew up in Pennsylvania in the middle spot of three boys. He spent the majority of his youth exploring the outdoors: backpacking, skiing and canoeing.
Jim graduated from college with a B.S. in Education and then received an additional endorsement in Special Education. During the five years that he taught special education students in Pennsylvania, he also was a volunteer county coordinator for the winter Special Olympics, coordinated a recreational program for cognitively impaired teens and adults, and he was a Boy Scout leader for cognitively impaired youth.
Jim moved to Alaska in 1981 where he found his "Home". He was hired by the Mat-Su Borough School District to teach special education students at Iditarod Elementary School. He and his teaching partner Lucy, had a similar philosophy: to facilitate outdoor activities that were accessible to all students. Lucy and Jim spent many hours/years ensuring that the Mat-Su Special Olympians could participate in downhill skiing. They drove a bus load of athletes to Anchorage after school twice a week for practice or meets, fit each athlete with boots and skis, and secured funding.
Hatcher Pass was the place to be in the 1980's! Jim was part of a group of skiing friends who started the Hatcher Pass Outdoor Club-which held avalanche classes, stocked rescue caches, and telemark skied together. The Snowbird Hut was a particularly favorite spot. Heli in with Soloy, ski the slopes and ski out.
The late 1980's found Jim exploring a new trail when he helped his friend Peter train his dogs to embark on the Iditarod. Yes, Jim got too close to the edge and got sucked into the vortex that comes with running dogs. Jim married Nancy and together they started their own kennel of dogs. Jim completed many mid-distance dog races (Copper Basin 300, Klondike 300, Kobuk 440, Knik 200, Christmas Classic..) and completed the Iditarod in 1992 and 1996. His car license plate says he was the 387th person to complete the Iditarod! Remarkable!
Jim and Nancy built a cabin on Lake Louise and moved their kennel of dogs there most winters to run their dogs on the beautiful groomed trails. Jim was a member of The Wolf Pack-a snow machine club at Lake Louise that grooms the surrounding trails as one of their missions. Jim enjoyed grooming trails, he did it a lot, and was good at it! Jim & Nacy could always be counted on the help out with anything the Wolf Pack needed. He will be dearly missed. Jim thought that Lake Louise Lodge was the best place for beer and friendship.
Jim, after 28 years, retired from a career of working with young people experiencing disabilities When their dogs were getting older Jim wanted to stay involved in dog races because it's joyful to see so many athletes (human and canine) doing what they love. He was a judge on Iditarod for ten years and made many friends along the trail. Jim was also a judge, trail setter, and gopher on many Copper Basin 300 sled dog races over the years.
Jim, Nancy and their friend Jamo spent yearly summer kayak trips exploring Prince William Sound together. Jim found many opportunities to fish with his "partners in crime"- Ed and Peter. They went trout fishing all over Alaska; Iliamna, Yakutat, Byers, Montana Creek.
Jim squeezed a lot out of his amazing adventurous life. Above all, he was a kind and gentle man and an A+ Human. Jim is survived by what he called, "his two best girls" Nancy and Koyuk (a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever), two siblings and their families, an extended family and many awesome friends.
An Open House is planned for September 28th, 2024 at the Chalet at Government Peak Recreation Area anytime between 5-9. In honor of Jim, memorial donations can be made to an amazing start-up to give individuals experiencing disabilities an opportunity to learn to downhill ski at Skeetawk. Please send any donations to "Skeetawk Adaptive Ski Program honoring Jim Davis", Skeetawk Ski Area, PO Box 924,Palmer AK 99645 or donate directly to Adaptive Ski Program
Alaska Long Trail
We encourage our members to review this information and hopefully this will help you make an informed decision. This type of trail dedication could have some significant impacts to those of us who do motorized use of these trails along this route. Please consider signing the petition to stop federal overreach on our loved trails! The trail would dissect an area with a large amount of current motorized access to state and private lands that no doubt would be compromised if the US Congress chose to designate it as a National scenic trail.
If they designate the Alaska Long Trail as a National Scenic trail this will include any connection to trails like Petersville, Willow, South Denali, Big Lake, Eklutna, and Jim Creek. Although this doesn’t touch our Lake Louise trails, it could impact you if you want to ride the trails mentioned above in the future.
CHECK OUT THE LINK BELOW
Trail Courtesy Reminder
We need to be more conscience of other on coming riders on the trails. We've had two complaints of some near misses on the first 3 miles of Tolsona trail of riders meeting on the blind hills and curves. We want to remind people to stay right when going around corners and over hills when there is reduced visibility.
There is also a runway, near the north beach on Lake Louise near the west lake loop and one on Lake Susitna marked with tree limbs. These folks are asking for riders to respect the fact airplanes are landing on them and ask riders not to race down them, or leave trenches with fast starts. Very dangerous for a pilot. Crossing them is fine.
Basic Riding Etiquette Reminders
1. Keep right at all times. Trails have two-way traffic with limited visibility sight lines, often a narrow path though the forest or brush. Pay attention to how tight or wide the trail path is and how far you can see on-coming traffic.
2. A basic rule is to always be able to stop your sled within the distance you can see. Do not overdrive your ability to see what is around the corner, or over the hill.
3. Expect on-coming traffic at all times. Others will be using the same path, coming from the opposite direction. Do not stop directly on the trail, instead, pull off to the side of the trail to allow safe passage for others.
4. Operate your snowmobile only in areas and on land where it is legal to do so. Just because you see tracks going off the trail does not indicate it is safe or legal to do so.
5. Never exceed your own capability or comfort level. Allow your skill and comfort level to grow with your experience and knowledge. While riding a snowmobile can be exhilarating it can also be dangerous, as most any form of recreation is at speed.
6. Do not ride alone. Always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return.
7. Most snowmobile accidents occur at night, with excess speed, and often times on frozen surfaces or with alcohol involved. Safe riders stay sober, avoid frozen surfaces, stay on the designated trail and do not exceed safe speeds.
Help Wanted: Groomer Operators Needed!
We need people to step up and help as operators. Contact Harry Holt if you would like to help. Great opportunity to learn in our new machine!
Special thanks go out to club member, Rob Williams for doing all the needed maintenance on Big Foot this fall. Our plan is to begin first week in January.
Latest News
See 2023-2024 Events page for upcoming events.
About Us
The Wolfpack
Was formed in 1994 by founding member, Tree Farmer, as a way to streamline the area's grooming efforts. The Club's first duties were directed at helping the Copper Basin 300 Sled Dog Race with the Lake Louise portion of their race trails. Our responsibilities grew over the years as more volunteers and members helped the Club grow into a non-profit organization responsible for almost 200 miles of winter trails in the Lake Louise and Copper River area.
Groomer in Action on the Moore Lake Loop Trail