A: "Closed for summer." That’s right! The City of Soldotna is hard at work on parts of the Fox trail on a water tower project. Please avoid the Fox trail this summer, and tell your friends to do the same. The City has been kind enough to work closely with the Tsalteshi Trails Association to reconfigure the existing Fox trail upon completion, which is estimated to be near the end of summer. We will post updates as we have them!

Summer rules OK, we cry “uncle” — Mother Nature seems determined to breakup with winter early this year. As of April 11, Tsalteshi is switching to summer rules (traditionally we make the switch April 15). That means the trails are now open to bikes (helmets, please!), runners, hikers and dog-walkers (keep dogs on a leash or under voice control, please!). BUT, until the trails dry out and firm up, please observe the following: Parking at Wolverine Trailhead off K-Beach: Please park only on the gravel pad. DO NOT park near the gate. That area is not supported by gravel, and vehicles will cause ruts, bigger puddles and further erosion, and might eventually get swamped altogether. Bikes and strollers: Please avoid leaving ruts in the trails as much as possible. Until things firm…

Reeling from the effects of a most bizarre winter, it is the decision of the Tsalteshi Trails Association to cancel the 10th Annual Ski for Women, scheduled for this Sunday, March 16. The later season snowfall expected never really materialized, and the trails will likely be marginal for skiing at best. We feel very fortunate to have had such good and more or less consistent skiing this season despite the difficult weather. This is in no small way thanks to the mighty efforts of our grooming crew par excellence. We now will set our sights on Saturday, April 19, when the first ever Choose Your Weapon race takes place at Tsalteshi. Since summer rules will be in effect, you can get around this 10k+ race however you see fit, so…

New snow has breathed new life into the Tsalteshi Trails. After successful (and blisteringly fast) school races, now it's YOUR TURN. Sign up at right for the first ever FUZZY PREDATOR 11k. Every trail named after a fuzzy predator is on the menu. However, given current conditions, some trails aren't skiable, so we're renaming Goat "Chupacabra" and including that. Probable course: Wolf, Bear, Wolverine, Chupacabra (Goat) and Coyote. Also please note that there are no classic tracks set as yet, but the trails are in very good condition for classic skiing despite their absence. And as usual, the skate skiing is ridiculously good. Sign up today! Tsalteshi Trails Association members: use promo code TTAMEMBER for a $5 registration discount. 10 am race day registration, 11 am start. Sunday, February 23rd!

Attention ladies (and drag-racing guys): Ski for Women — scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 2 — is being postponed. As much as we hate to do so, we feel the best way to maximize the fun of this event is to wait for better conditions. We're hoping to hold it in March. In the meantime, groomers are working to keep the trails skiable. So get out and go, and cross your fingers for more snow!

Happy New Year! With more snow on the way and the Tsalteshi Trails at their skiable best, it's time to start thinking racing! This year, Tsalteshi is featuring community-wide races every Sunday in February, starting with the 10th Annual Ski for Women, and culminating in the brand new Fuzzy Predator 11K - a perfect tuneup for those wanting to ski the Tour of Anchorage. Take a look and register for our upcoming events! www.tsalteshi.org/events Want to show your love for Tsalteshi? You can do that easily by donating a portion of your permanent fund to the Tsalteshi Trails Association! Register online at pfd.alaska.gov, and find Tsalteshi in the Pick, Click, Give option! Already filed? You can change your Pick, Click, Give contributions via the same link! Remember to check out our Facebook…

This snow accumulation means summer trail rules have taken a vacation. We’ll be posting reminders of our winter rules to encourage safe, fun trails use by all. First off, vehicles are not allowed on the trails in the winter — not even bikes, as we are not equipped to groom for tire ruts. Motorized vehicles — trucks, snowmachines, four-wheelers, etc. — are strictly prohibited in every season, unless operated by our groomers or otherwise allowed for trails work. Not only can they cause significant damage to groomed trails, they pose a serious danger to trails users. If you see someone driving on the trails, please report it to tsalteshi@yahoo.com with as much information as possible — description of the vehicle and driver, when, on which loops, where they entered and…

TTA users: Tsalteshi Trails continues to experience increased use, and while it's great to see more people out enjoying outdoor fitness and recreation, more people on the trails can mean more potential for conflicts. Gone are the days of expecting to head out and not see another car in the lot or person in the woods. For the trails to be enjoyable to all, all users need to demonstrate courtesy, responsibility and a sense of safety for ourselves and others. For those recreating with their four-legged friends, please be mindful of your dog's behavior while using Tsalteshi Trails. Tsalteshi has a "leash or voice control" policy when it comes to dogs on the trail system in the spring, summer and fall (dogs are not allowed on the trails during winter).…

            A soggy good time was had Oct. 27th during Tsalteshi Trails Association’s third annual Spook Night. Community and municipal organizations as well as businesses sponsored activity stations along our trick-or-treat trail, and about 120 kids came out with their families to enjoy the fun in the pouring rain. After costume judging for kids, adults and dogs, our 5-kilometer Zombie Run lurched into motion with 19 entries, complete with a volunteer zombie scare crew. Once the sun started to go down, hot beverages and chili were available to help warm up.             The Tsalteshi Trails Association would like to thank our Spook Night volunteers: TTA Board, Bill Holt, Tammy Goggia, Lindsay Jester, Linda Tannehill, Carmen Stephl, Cathy Carrow, Laura Pillifant and Jeff Fox, the Scary Soldotna High…

Our Third annual Tsalteshi Trails Fundraiser!  We have a costume contest, 1K trick or treat trail for kids 10 and under, and a 5K race for everyone else.  Come on out, have fun and support your local trail system. Sign up using the event links at right, see the flyer below for details!