GPRA Project Roadmap
The Mat-Su Ski Club leads the development of Nordic ski trails and related facilities at Government Peak Recreation Area (GPRA).
While other organizations are involved in creating different types of trails and the Borough continues its broader infrastructure planning, this page focuses specifically on the Mat-Su Ski Club’s completed, current, and future plans for Nordic skiing at GPRA.
Competed Projects:
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The Mat-Su Borough built the Pioneer, Matanuska, and Susitna loops at GPRA, totaling 6 km; the Mat-Su Ski Club assumed grooming and maintenance responsibilities.
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Mat-Su Ski Club led the “Light the Loop” campaign that brought trail lighting to those loops.
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The Mat-Su Ski Club’s “Expand the Peak” project constructed the 5 km of Denali Loop trails to high-level competition standards with volunteer labor and club fundraising.
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The Mat-Su Ski Club built the Flattop and Flattop Access rustic-but-groomed Nordic trails, adding 3 km.
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The Mat-Su Ski Club modified the Matanuska Loop and added the Doublemint link and Backdoor Gap to bring the Matanuska Loop to FIS standards.
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Homologation under FIS International Nordic race standards was granted to several Nordic race courses using the Denali and Matanuska Loops.
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The Mat-Su Ski Club installed a professional-grade race timing facility and rescue sled garage in the Nordic stadium (just in time for the 2024 Arctic Winter Games!). This project almost tripled the permanent work and storage space available at GPRA.
Current Projects:
Trail Expansion Summer 2026
Blueberry Knoll Hiking Trail Reroute
Winter Nordic/Summer Multi-use Trails: - New Winter Nordic trail adjacent to Bold, Waterfall Connector, and Arkose to Marmot.
Year Round Multi-use Trail: Inner Pionner Loop
Estimated Project Cost $30,000
5-Yr Planned Projects:
NORDIC TRAIL CONNECTING THE NEW PARKING LOT DIRECTLY TO THE PIONEER LOOP:
Skiers parking in the new lot have to walk about 250 yards up a steep footpath to access the trails. This project builds about a kilometer of new multi-use non-motorized Nordic ski trail that connects the new lot directly to the Pioneer Loop and the rest of the trail system. This will eliminate an arduous hike from the lot to the trails, and provide a dispersed trail access point when big events are overwhelming the main parking lot. Roughly estimated at $30k, the cost is heavily dependent on the design of the single creek crossing. See a map here.
PIONEER LOOP EXTENSION:
3-7 kilometers of new multi-use non-motorized Nordic ski trail extending eastward from the Pioneer Loop. This project is estimated to cost $75k. See a map here.
STADIUM IMPROVEMENT PHASE III:
Flatten the area north of the Chalet parking lot, expanding into the hillside a bit. This will provide additional flat area for beginners and more congregation space. Importantly, this project will flatten and make easier the beginning (and ending) of the Pioneer Loop, making it a better trail for beginners or less able skiers. $50k.
ALASKA LONG TRAIL:
This is not a Mat-Su Ski Club project but it bears noting. A non-motorized multi-use segment of the Alaska Long Trail is planned to connect GPRA to Skeetawk. https://www.alaska-trails.org/alaska-long-trail
EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE BUILDING:
The Club now maintains an extensive fleet of equipment used to groom and care for trails at GPRA and beyond—including two PistenBullys, three tracked ATVs, two snowmobiles, four drags, and a tractor mower. Currently, this equipment is stored outdoors at volunteers’ homes or at the trailhead during the winter months.
This project will create a secure, efficient facility at GPRA to properly house and maintain our grooming equipment—improving operations, protecting valuable assets, and supporting the long-term sustainability of our trail system.
We’ve partnered with Wolf Architecture of Palmer to bring this vision to life, with design support made possible through a generous grant from the Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation. Estimated project cost: $3 million.
Building designed by Wolf Architecture made possible through generous grant support from the Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation.
Longer Term Projects:
SKIJOR TRAILS:
Winter groomable rustic trails in southeast corner of GPRA. No estimate, but this is envisioned as a low-budget project similar to the Flattop Loop.
SUSITNA LOOP EXPANSION TO THE WEST:
Several kilometers of new trail expanding the Susitna Loop westward. $100k.
TRAIL LIGHTING EXTENSION:
Possible extension of trail lighting in accord with dark sky principles. $500k or more.
SNOWMAKING:
This may become useful or necessary in the future. Expected to cost $2 Million to $10 Million.
BIATHLON RANGE:
This project would depend on the wishes of our ski community. Expected to cost $500k to $2 Million.
Thanks to the many people and organizations that made these projects successful
