28Oct 2023 by Neyman, Jenny

Membership rates increase Nov. 1

Membership revenue is a huge chunk of Tsalteshi’s annual operational budget, helping us pay for everything from trail grooming to toilet paper for the outhouse. Tsalteshi Trails Association is a nonprofit organization, not part of a municipal parks department. Our budget is covered through memberships, donations and grants. Costs have steadily increased over the last five years — fuel, equipment maintenance, insurance, even that toilet paper costs more these days. Tsalteshi is facing a growing deficit in our operational budget if we don’t make up the difference. Our board spent a lot of time crunching numbers and decided it’s time to adjust membership rates. (We also spent a lot of time trying to figure out the last time rates were changed and it’s been so long no one could remember…

28Oct 2023 by Neyman, Jenny

Help stop bike trails modifications

Maintenance/grooming, Safety

We need your help! We’re seeing a steep increase in unauthorized trail modifications lately — people putting in shortcuts, jumps and extra features — primarily off our singletrack trails. We get that our trails might seem a little bland for riders looking for a spicier experience. But this is not the way to get more challenging features at Tsalteshi. All trail construction has to go through a design process that includes safety, layout with other trails, sustainability (erosion control and ongoing maintenance) and approval by our board, insurance underwriters and our landlord, the Kenai Peninsula Borough. Renegade trail mods have been a problem throughout the history of the trails but it’s getting really out of hand lately — people doing dirt work, using saws, building structures, etc. We remove them…

27Oct 2023 by Neyman, Jenny

Tsalteshi Track Patch

Events

Show your Tsalteshi pride with a new Tsalteshi Track Patch every year! Participate in at least three activities in one year — a running event, a biking event, a skiing event or volunteering at Tsalteshi — to earn your 3.5x3.5-inch patch in December. For example, you ran (or walked) one Salmon Run race, you rode the Tsalteshi Gauntlet bike event and you coached Sprockets. Or you skied the Tour of Tsalteshi, you rode in one Soldotna Cycle Series race and you ran/walked in Race Like an Animal. Or you coached youth ski, you skied in the Ski for Women and ran the Zombie Run. Patches are free but you must be a TTA member to qualify. Show off your TTA pride and earn a new patch every year! Want to…

05Oct 2023 by Neyman, Jenny

Survey says…

Documents, Events, General, Maintenance/grooming, Tsalteshi Ski Trails, TTA Board of Directors

TTA survey spring 2023 Thank you to everyone who completed our trail user survey this spring. You gave our Board of Directors a lot to discuss. The survey provides important information about our users, what you value about the trails, areas we could do better and what you’d like to see in the years ahead. We are factoring your responses into our current operations, programming, priorities and areas of growth in the future. In reviewing survey results, several themes emerged: Projects We’re with you — we would love to do ALL THE THINGS!!! As a nonprofit organization, Tsalteshi must seek grants and raise our own funds for any developments we pursue. And we have to balance long-term sustainability with desired improvements. The last thing we want is to spend too…

04Sep 2023 by Neyman, Jenny

Spook Night station sponsors needed

Events

Join us Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023! This fun family event is a favorite on the trails and we need sponsors for our trick-or-treat stations to make it happen. Sponsors can be a business, organization, school group, club, family, group of friends, etc. Tsalteshi Trick-or-Treat Trail Sponsor Information: We are asking sponsors to provide: Candy or some other “treat” for ages 10 and under. (It’s tough to predict how many but in nice weather we’ve had 250+.) Decorations for approximately 10 x 10-foot area. More area is available if you wish, just let us know. Some sort of quick “trick” for the kids to do to get their “treat.” Volunteers to run the trick, hand out treats and check to see if kids have registered by looking for an orange-and-white wristband.…

23Jun 2023 by Neyman, Jenny

Hit the Trails, summer weekly events

Events

Join Tsalteshi every Monday this summer at 6 p.m., June 26-Aug. 28, for weekly guided hikes, workshops and informational topics. If you've ever wanted to get to know the trails but don't want to explore alone, this is your chance! Get to know the trails, other trail users and maybe even a thing or two about nature. Events are free and open to the public. No registration required, just meet us at 6 p.m. on the trails. Hikes last about an hour (though you're free to leave anytime). Dress for the weather and wear comfortable footwear for walking. We'll bring bear spray and bug spray (but you might want to bring your own... the mosquitoes are getting voracious!) June 26 — Slikok Trails trash pickup. Our beloved eagles keep bringing…

09Jun 2023 by Neyman, Jenny

Tsalteshi survey results

TTA Board of Directors

Full survey results here: TTA survey spring 2023 Thank you!!!! To everyone who filled out our survey, we appreciate learning more about our trail users and the improvements they’d like to see to Tsalteshi Trails. Our Board of Directors is reviewing the results and will factor your responses into decisions in the months and years to come. For now, we can answer a few of the questions/suggestions/responses: E-Bikes: Class 1 (pedal-assist) e-bikes ARE allowed on the trails. The TTA Board felt that allowing e-bikes was a way to increase accessibility on the trails. Come ride and enjoy! (Note: Class 1 ONLY are allowed, not Class 2 or 3.) Winter grooming app: For the 32 people who said they didn’t know we have a winter grooming app, sorry we didn’t…

26May 2023 by Neyman, Jenny

Moose alert

Safety

** 6/24: Moose charged a walker with leashed dogs near the Wolverine (K-Beach) trailhead around 2:30 p.m. **6/20: Mama with two calves spotted by Spaghetti Bowl (the Bear-Goat-Wolverine-Mosquito junction) around 6:30 p.m.. Riders gave her lots of space and she didn't react aggressively. Another mama with one calf spotted at the junction of Squirrel and Owl around 5:30 p.m. Again, riders gave her lots of space and she didn't seem aggressive. **6/19: Mama and calf seen near Motoboto entrance on Slikok singletrack trails. **6/15: Cow moose spotted near the Wolverine trailhead around 3:30 p.m. **6/8: Cow with one calf on Fox around 3 p.m., on the hillside below the water tower. Peacefully munching (please give her lots of space so she can continue snacking in peace). **6/7: Mama moose charged…

12May 2023 by Neyman, Jenny

Trail users, we want to hear from you!

TTA Board of Directors

The Tsalteshi Trails Board of Directors wants information and feedback from our community. Please take our short survey. It should only take 10-15 minutes. Open to everyone who uses Tsalteshi, no matter how little or how often: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2Y5MJNN Please contact us at info@tsalteshi.org if you have any questions about the survey. Thanks!

14Dec 2022 by Neyman, Jenny

TTA Board voting open through Dec. 18

TTA Board of Directors

Tsalteshi Trails Association has two seats open on its Board of Directors for the 2023-2024 term. Below are board candidate bios, as well as information about our current and retiring/resigning board members. If you are a member in good standing with TTA, you should have gotten an email link to our online voting poll. The poll is open through Dec. 18. If you did not receive a link to the poll, please contact us at info@tsalteshi.org. 2023 Tsalteshi Trails Association Board of Directors candidates: Tony Doyle, Soldotna Skills: Maintenance/facilities operations, construction and building design. I have operated my own business, first as a general contracting design/build business from 1983 to 1996, and currently as a building designer from 1996 to the present. I also own rental property that I have…