Trail Mix, Inc., a nonprofit that maintains Juneau’s trails, has a fairly short season in which to work. The nonprofit suffered a major setback this week when someone stole a large amount of materials that are vital in that work, according to a letter from the organization.
In a letter to the Empire on Tuesday, Trail Mix Board of Directors Doug Scudder wrote that someone stole materials that were being kept at a parking lot on top of Blueberry Hill. Those materials, Scudder wrote, are important in the installation of bridges on the Treadwell Ditch Trail. While the theft hurts the organization financially, Scudder wrote, the timing of this one is also very concerning.
Trail Mix has a very short season to work, Scudder wrote, and this delay will probably push installation of the bridges on the popular trail to next year.
Trail Mix filed a report with the Juneau Police Department on Monday morning, according to a JPD daily dispatch. JPD’s report stated that lumber was stolen from the site, and JPD estimated the lumber’s value at $1,200. JPD Lt. Krag Campbell said there were no further details to report other than the fact that the lumber was reported stolen.
Scudder wrote that the organization doesn’t want to prosecute the thieves, and that they just want to have the materials returned.
“Countless Juneauites have given generously to reap the benefits of our world class trail system,” Scudder wrote. “This act is a theft against the whole community.”
Scudder wrote that asked that anybody with information can contact the organization’s executive director at erik@juneautrails.org.
• Contact reporter Alex McCarthy at 523-2271 or amccarthy@juneauempire.com. Follow him on Twitter at @akmccarthy.
