New trail: Tanka's Run
Tanka sniffing some turkeys on the wind and in hot pursuit.
We’re happy to announce a new trail at the Center, and as a result, a new route back to the Center from the west. Tanka’s Run is a trail from Murphy’s West to Fox’s Run/Seeds of Dissent and Little Hosmer Pond.
The new trail is also a remembrance of Tanka, Steve Whelpley’s husky/shepherd mix who sang in Italian and French among other talents. Tanka passed this fall. Tanka came north when Steve started as a GRP Rower and was the first GRP pet. Tanka had been around the Center for almost 15 years, and spent several of those years in and around Gerrie’s, the Center house next to Fox’s Run/Seeds, so the geographic ties to Tanka and his memory are especially strong.
Tanka’s Run links Murphy’s West to Fox’s Run and will offer some form of dog-friendly, off-road, year-round access to the trails at Geri’s.
Tanka’s profile, from west to east. Dramatically exaggerated elevation changes, as net change is only ~72’/23m.
Dog-Friendly
Appropriately, Tanka’s Run will be dog-friendly. With Tanka’s link, leashed dogs and their owners will be able to piece together a pretty significant amount of ski terrain on the west side of Lost Nation Road, from Murphy’s West, Cabin Trail, both lakes, Westside and Hosmer Point.
Year-round
While it’s unclear exactly what form Tanka’s will take in the summer with pasture land, fencing, singletrack and so forth, it’s our intention to maintain the trail for year round traffic in some form - even if it looks a little different to what we ski during the winters.
Changes to Little Hosmer access
The addition of Tanka’s also means the end of road crossing at the Mill Village/Lost Nation intersection. While some skiers will miss the technical challenge of the descent from Murphy’s field into the swamp alongside Mill Village before crossing the road, we feel that many will prefer the layout of the new trail that offers a more approachable challenge.
Pet named trails
Tanka’s Run is another in the list of trails that honor COC pets:
Lemon’s Haunt
Ruthie’s Run
Sam’s Run
Bentley’s
We hope to have enough snow to open Tanka’s soon. Stop by and give it a try!
Tanka stacking wood at Gerrie’s.