Petersville Organization Requests Funding to Support Trails, Rescue Operations

Winter trails in the Petersville area attract visitors from across the state, with the majority coming from Anchorage. And there are a lot of them using the trails in winter. Petersville Community NPC, a local group focused on maintaining trails and providing search and rescue services, has applied for funding to better meet the demand of the area’s trails.

The organization has several Sno-Cats to groom trails and respond to calls for help. With no heated storage area, the machines take about 30 minutes to warm up, which delays response time. President of Petersville Community NPC Michele Stevens says the group has applied for a Recreational Trails Program grant through the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to help fund a 40 by 60 foot building. 

The group is requesting $400,000 to help cover the costs. They will match it with 10 percent of their own funds, which they get through donations. The RTP grant is a national program funded by offroad fuel taxes. Motorized and non-motorized trail projects each receive 30 percent of the funds and diversified trail projects receive 40 percent of the funds each year. Projects can range from trail improvements, parking lot repairs, equipment, outreach, and more.

Stevens says not only will the facility allow for a heated storage and maintenance area, but also will provide an upstairs area with community meeting space, an area for search and rescue volunteers, emergency responders, and Troopers, if needed. She says this will enable first responders to better communicate before deploying to the remote Petersville area. 

Previous funding has enabled the group to build the foundation and in-floor heating and to install a septic and well system. Stevens stresses that the building will be energy efficient and environmentally friendly. But the focus will be to provide a response team with equipment that can be ready 24 hours a day.

If funded, the project would start in June 2027, with an expected completion in November.

The public is welcome to provide comments on the application by emailing petersvillecommunitynpc@gmail.com or calling 907.345.9655 by October 19.