As Mat-Su grows, borough officials look to update Government Peak plan – and they need your help

What you need to know:

• Mat-Su Borough officials are asking residents to weigh in on the future of the Government Peak Recreation Area by taking a survey or attending an open house this week.
• Feedback will help shape an updated management plan for the area, which is scheduled for release in March.
• The borough’s population has grown by 20,000 since the last plan update for the Government Peak Recreation Area in 2017.

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PALMER — The results of a new survey on how Mat-Su residents use a popular borough recreation area will help determine future changes — and officials are urging the public to weigh in.

The Government Peak Recreation Area near Hatcher Pass sees about 40,000 visits each year to its skiing, hiking and biking trails. A Matanuska-Susitna Borough-owned chalet is also available for rentals, and the south side of the parking lot hosts a popular sledding hill.

A brief, two-page planning update for the 1,420-acre site was last created by the borough in 2017, but the full management plan is more than a decade old, according to borough documents.

Since then, the region’s population has grown by more than 20,000 people — making it time to take a closer look at how the area is used today and what changes could make it more appealing to both locals and tourists, borough officials said.

“Our recreation numbers are going through the roof — they just keep multiplying and getting bigger,” said Jillian Morrissey, the borough’s community development director. “It just seems like a really good time to have a bigger conversation about what GPRA is. It’s one of our largest recreation areas, and we want to make sure that we are serving residents the way that they want to be served.”

The 28-question survey, which asks Mat-Su residents how they use the area and what changes they’d like to see, is open through the end of the month, Morrissey said. About 600 people have taken the survey so far, she said.

An open house for the project is scheduled for Wednesday evening at the Government Peak Chalet was postponed due to a power outage. A new date has not yet been announced.

Survey results and open house feedback will help guide an updated plan for the area, which could remove some of the recommendations included in 2017 — such as a disc golf course — and add others, like new ski trails, officials said. The plan is expected to be finalized this spring.

The borough currently manages the recreation area, with borough staff, contractors and volunteers handling maintenance. The Mat-Su Ski Club grooms and maintains nearly five miles of ski trails, while the Valley Mountain Bikers and Hikers group performs seasonal upkeep on a network of single-track cycling and hiking paths. A contractor facilitates rentals of the chalet, which is closed for regular public use.

Although partnerships with the Mat-Su Ski Club and Valley Mountain Bikers and Hikers are expected to continue, Morrissey said her office is planning changes to the chalet’s use starting in early 2027.

Instead of contracting the building primarily for private rentals, the borough will shift focus to keeping it open as a public warming area, with any rentals managed directly by the borough, Morrissey said.

“We’re in a different time and place now,” she said. “We’re really excited about making the chalet a community center again. We’re going to establish routine hours so people can count on things.”

Chalet bookings through the borough for 2027 will open in late 2026, she said.

-- Contact Amy Bushatz at contact@matsusentinel.com