Alaska's open spaces beckon to snowmachiners, but some terrain is better than others. These locations in Southcentral and surrounding regions generally have the best snow and safest riding conditions.
LOCALES
• Big Lake: This is snowmachine central, especially for those who don't want to go far for fun. Flatlanders will like the terrain, but beware the spider web of trials. It's easy to get lost if you don't know where you're going. Bring a map, GPS or other orienteering aid. There often are snowmachine races on the lake in the winter.
• Eureka: Off Mile 128 Glenn Highway. The proprietors of Eureka Lodge maintain more than 165 miles of trail surrounding their property, and snowmachiners love it. Steep mountains, wide-open lakes and trails offer something for everyone. Another 100-plus miles of trail are not regularly groomed, but can offer additional options.
• Lake Louise: Off Mile 160 Glenn Highway. More than 250 miles of trails are groomed by the Lake Louise Snowmachine Club, with another 65 miles under development and 250 miles of ungroomed trails. The location offers hills, flatland and comfortable lodging nearby. Bring a shovel; there's lots of snow here. Dog mushers and their teams can often be found training on the trails, so exercise proper trail etiquette to avoid spooking teams. (www.lakelouisesnowmachineclub.com, 337-4106)
• Copper Country: This area ranges east of Lake Louise all the way to Glennallen, and there are about 90 miles of groomed and 150 miles of ungroomed trails in the area, according to Ron Jones, president of the Lake Louise Snowmachine Club. (www.lakelouisesnowmachineclub.com, 337-4106)
• Hatcher Pass: Excellent nearby snowmachining for most Valley residents, an hour for most Anchorage folks. Beginners should probably get more experience before riding here, and anyone heading to this area must be aware of avalanche danger. (www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/units/summit.htm; 1-907-745-3975 or 1-907-745-2827)
• Nancy Lake State Recreation Area: An alternative to Big Lake for those who want a little more peace and quiet. Off Mile 67.3 Parks Highway. Use of motorized snow vehicles is permitted throughout the recreation area, except for the closed area north of the Parkway, when there is enough snow to protect vegetation. More than 40 miles of maintained trails. (www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/units/nancylk/nancylk.htm; 1-907-745- 3975 or 1-907-495-6273)
• Denali Highway: This 135-mile highway is not plowed or maintained in winter, but it gets enough snowmachine and dog-mushing traffic so that you'll often see tracks. Lodging is available along the way. (www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/fo/gdo.html; 1-907-822-3217)
• Petersville: Petersville Road is off Mile 115 Parks Highway. Good location for those who want variety -- high hills, flat land and plenty of lodging options. The snow gets very deep in the backcountry, so it's important to know how to maneuver in fresh powder. Bring a shovel. The Curry Ridge Riders snowmachine club grooms area trails. (curryridgeriders.com; 689-7669, 1-907-352-3669)
• Valdez: Snowmachining for those who love high-marking. The snow gets deep, and there are lots of extreme riders (Valdez Snowmachine Club; 1-800-553-7275, 1-907-835-2373; www. valdezsnow.com)
• Chugach State Park: Five areas of the park are open to snowmachining when the cover is deep enough. They include Eklutna Lake Valley, Ptarmigan and Peters Creek valleys, Eagle River, South Fork of Campbell Creek and the Bird Creek Trail. Beware of avalanche dangers in many of these locations as well as overflow or thin ice. (www.dnr.state.ak.us, 345-5014)
• Caribou Hills: Located on the Kenai Peninsula and accessed via Kasilof, Ninilchik or Homer. More than a dozen groomed and wide-open trails and countless places without trails. The local club, the Caribou Hills Cabin Hoppers, is based in Ninilchik. Also popular with dog mushers. (www.akchch.org; 1-907-252-3678)
CLUBS
Trail information, group rides, contacts and other information are available from various snowmachine clubs and groups.
• Alaska State Snowmobile Association -- www. aksnow.org; 566-0210.
• Anchorage Snowmobile Club -- www.anchoragesnowmobileclub.com; 566-0272.
• Alaska Motor Mushers -- Club is particularly interested in racing; www.ammcracing.com; 562-0587.
• Caribou Hills Cabin Hoppers -- Kenai Peninsula-oriented club; www. akchch.org; 1-907-252-3678.
• Curry Ridge Riders -- Snowmachine club grooms trails in the Petersville and south Denali areas; curryridgeriders.com; 689-7669 or 1-907-352-3669
• Lake Louise Snowmachine Club -- An established group whose newly purchased trail groomer will create even better trails in the Lake Louise area. The club maintains approximately 250 miles of groomed trails and is working on developing another 65 miles of groomed trail; www.lakelouisesnowmachineclub.com; 337-4106.
• Valdez Snowmachine Club -- Caters, in particular, to extreme riders; www. valdezsnow.com; 1-800-553-7275 or 1-907-835-2373.
Find Melissa DeVaughn online at adn.com/contact/mdevaughn or call 257-4482.
