When Senator Lisa Murkowski joined a group of outdoor recreation advocates on Alaska’s Iditarod National Historic Trail earlier this month, the conversation was about more than just trails. It was an opportunity to demonstrate how investments in recreation can connect communities, support local economies, and expand opportunities to get outside.
Will Taygan, executive director of Chugach Mountain Bike Riders and part of Outdoor Alliance’s third cohort of the Grasstops Collective, helped bring together a coalition of recreation leaders to meet with the Senator on a section of trail that several groups are working to connect and improve.
Outdoor Alliance caught up with Will to hear more about the visit, the growing mountain bike community in Alaska, and what he’s learned about building relationships with lawmakers to advance outdoor recreation.
Read the full interview with CMBR executive director Will Taygan. Originally published by Outdoor Alliance on October 27, 2026, by Tania Lown-Hecht.
