Hikers are giving good reviews to the Battery Point trail following completion of its reconstruction late last month.
“It’s a great improvement,” said trail runner Celeste Grimes, who tried out the new surface last weekend. “My average pace probably improved by one minute a mile because I didn’t have roots and mud and water to deal with.”
Grimes ran the trail monthly last summer and said the improvements are especially noticeable near the trail’s beachfront end, where a new route takes users parallel to the beach, eliminating a section that was thick with raised roots.
“It was really bad there. It was almost an ankle-breaker. That’s not an issue any more,” Grimes said.
A $48,000 federal grant and the labor of parks employees Dallas Anderson and Andrew Althauser, experienced trail-builders who worked for Juneau’s Trail Mix, finished the project, adding gravel and building switchbacks, bridges and steps. Years of heavy use, including by tour companies, had turned many sections into a muddy bog.
“I’m really pleased with the work they did,” said park ranger Travis Russell. “They both know much more about trail-building than I do. They’re a huge asset.”
Russell said hikers are stopping him on the street and leaving notes in appreciation. One left on the white board outside his office reads, “Everyone and their dog appreciates you.”
There won’t be any formal rededication of the trail, he said. Anderson and Althauser are “two guys who like to work hard and lay low.”
Russell said he would pursue additional funds to harden and better define the new beachside section next year.