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Volunteers report major trail work and fundraising; board and parks flag outhouse, map and safety gaps
Summary
Friends and volunteers reported extensive summer trail work, a Graceridge Race fundraiser that raised about $4,600, and site maintenance including cleaning a badly damaged outhouse; caretakers reported ~7,333 logged visitors at the Evelyn site, and staff described SAR activity and a beach closure after a military flare washup.
Volunteers, Friends of Kachemak Bay State Park and caretakers described substantial summer trail maintenance, fundraising and on‑the‑ground needs and urged the advisory board to prioritize trail‑condition mapping and outhouse maintenance.
Kathy, chair of Friends of Kachemak Bay State Park, summarized a season of volunteer projects across Glacier Spit, Grace Ridge and the Saddle Trailhead and said the Graceridge Race fundraiser brought in about $4,600. Kathy and other volunteers organized chainsaw training, cabin removal work at the Saddle Trailhead and frequent brushing and trail clearing efforts.
Caretakers at the Evelyn Recreation Site reported trail counter data from May 27 to Aug 18 logging about 7,333 counts for that period (down from about 8,600 the prior year) and requested a vault toilet to replace a failing outhouse, bridge repairs and additional park benches for visitor comfort and accessibility.
Board members and staff discussed persistent problems with publicly posted trail maps and visitor information that still show trails that are currently impassable. Several members urged more visible trail‑condition warnings on the park website and suggested a weekly trail report overlay to reduce risky visitor expectations. One member recounted directing an inbound visitor away from an impassable route to prevent a dangerous crossing.
Park operations staff reported search‑and‑rescue incidents are not uncommon and described plans for focused SAR training with local response partners next spring. Staff also detailed a military flare washup on a popular beach that temporarily closed the area for about 45 minutes while responders secured the device.
Board members agreed to convene a trails‑focused meeting to address trail maps, outhouse strategy and volunteer leader capacity, and to look for options to fund or staff regular maintenance for high‑use facilities.
