Nothing beats the beauty of Lake Louise.

The Lake Louise area, with its cabins and trails, is a year-round haven for outdoor enthusiasts, longtime residents, and seasonal visitors to the area. Preserving and expanding safe trail access to this area is not only good for the local economy but also for the health of the thousands of Mat-Su residents who frequent Lake Louise for skiing, hiking, fat tire biking, fishing, and other activities. This becomes especially important during winter months when we’re all tempted to spend more of our time indoors to fend off cabin fever. In addition to recreational use, the trails in the area are also popular among mushers, utilizing the trails to train their dogs for fun and competition. With a wide variety of uses, keeping the trails maintained and accessible in the Lake Louise and Copper Basin area is just one of the responsibilities assumed by the Lake Louise Snowmachine Club.

Beyond recreational uses, it’s essential for these trails to be in good order so that in times of medical emergencies, safe and speedy access for medical evacuation can be accomplished.  

This is where the Lake Louise Snowmachine Club comes in. 

The club’s number one priority is to mark and maintain a roughly 350-mile multi-use winter trail system in the Lake Louise area, including Tolsona, Eureka, and Tyrone Lake. Specifically, Crosswind Trail, Tolsona Trail, Eureka Trail, Moore Lake Loop, and other side trails are the main focus of the Lake Louise Snowmachine Club. For 30 years, the club relied on two pieces of trail grooming sno-cats, affectionately known as “Tucker” and “Bigfoot,” to ensure these multi-use trails were well-maintained. In 2023, both machines were reaching the end of their lifecycle, and to continue to ensure groomed trails, new equipment was in urgent need.   

Mat-Su Health Foundation believes that access to safe and reliable trails is important to the health of our borough. 

When we were approached with the opportunity to support the Lake Louise Snowmachine Club’s Project Wolf Tracks to help purchase a new PistenBully snow groomer, we were delighted to collaborate. The new groomer was integral in ensuring that this important trail system stays maintained well into the future. As a result of MSHF funding and additional fundraising efforts, the club was able to purchase and transport the new groomer to Alaska, taking possession of their groomer in December of 2023.

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“Since getting our PistenBully, we’ve been able to better address the maintenance and conditions of our many trails. Recreators, including snowmachiners, hikers, skiers, bikers and mushers, rely on these well-groomed trails, ensuring that locals and visitors are able to experience all the area has to offer. The new groomer has been an invaluable asset to our club and our community, providing a much safer and faster conduit for emergency personnel to respond to an incident or condition that threatens life or safety. “ -Pete Probasco, President, Lake Louise Snowmachine Club

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We are proud of this partnership, which we believe speaks to one of the reasons Mat-Su is such a special place to live. Thanks to the dedicated work of the Lake Louise Snowmachine Club’s 200+ members/volunteers and a brand new PistenBully, we look forward to seeing residents and visitors alike enjoying all our beautiful home has to offer now and into the future.

To learn more about the Lake Louise Snowmachine Club, the trail system, and how to become a club member, visit lakelouisesnowmachineclub.com.