39th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot

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Athabaskan: Sonot (pronounced “SAW NOT”, “springtime”) Kkaazoot (“kah-ZOOT”, “to slide your feet across the snow”)

Saturday, March 21, 2026

Early registration for the 39th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot is live now. Click on the “Register” tab at the top of this webpage.

NO race day registration. NO refunds.

Changing Races: Racers who wish to switch races must do so at the bib pickup on Thursday, March 19 at Birch Hill Ski Center. Participants who switch to a shorter race than originally registered for will not be refunded the difference in registration cost. Participants who switch to a longer race than originally registered for will be responsible for paying the difference in registration cost.

Early bib pick-up and late registration: Thursday, March 19, 2026 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Birch Hill Ski Center (upstairs). Save yourself time waiting in line on race day.

Race Day Bib Pick-up: At Rikka’s Roadhouse from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.

10 km race start at 10:00 a.m.

30 and 50 km race start at 10:15 a.m.

Awards and Dinner: Join us after the race for dinner and awards at 6:00 p.m. Saturday, March 21, 2026 at the Birch Hill Ski Center. Winners of each age group for each distance will receive a beautiful, locally made Woodal (wood medal). Soups, breads, and beverages provided.

Sonot Kkaazoot Race Courses: All races are freestyle events. Classical tracks will be set for all courses. All three races will have the same route for the first 2 km, which starts in the stadium, up the main ramp, out Relay Start Loop, onto the South Tower to the top and back down to the end of Tower, then onto Roller Coaster Bypass to stadium.

10 km course:   After the above start route, the 10 km will head down the White Bear access and out onto the White Bear.  Will follow the White Bear to the Beacon Cutoff, then return via the White Bear, skipping Moilanen Meadows, back to the White Bear Access, finishing the White Bear Access to the stadium, then a hard right following the east side of the stadium and then ski the whole Warm-Up Loop and into the FINISH.

10 km Sonot Kkaazoot course with profile

30 km course:  After the start route as the racers come into the stadium from the Roller Coaster Bypass, they will ski directly across the stadium and down onto the Competition, then out onto the entire North Forty back to the Competition, then down onto the entire Back Hole back to the Competition then finishing the remaining Competition and back into the stadium. Skiers then proceed up the west side of the main ramp and down and around the Blue Loop, then down onto the Outhouse Loop to the Sunnyside. Ski the entire Sunnyside trail (not Cliffside), and back to the Outhouse Loop. Finish the Outhouse Loop then turn left onto the Relay Return to the top of the ramp. Turn right onto the Tower Loop, ski entire Tower Loop followed by Medevac and finishing the Roller Coaster. Ski right down onto the White Bear Access then right onto the White Bear, all of the White Bear including Moilanen Meadows, and the White Bear Access back to the stadium. Turn right and ski along the east side of the stadium, and the entire Warm-Up Loop, and into the FINISH.


Section 1 of 30 and 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot courses with profile
Section 2 for 30 and 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot courses with profile

50 km course:   Ski the 30 km course but after skiing under the bridge, the 2nd lap for the 50 km course will lap around the finish and take a right down on the Competition, then onto the North Forty for a little over a kilometer, then skiers will take the cut-off back onto the Competition, by-passing the Black hole, continuing up the Competition keeping straight and left back to the stadium, then right up the west side of the main ramp, and down the Blue loop, then the Outhouse loop, then  down the Sunnyside and Cliffside, across the base of the Ft. Wainwright Ski Hill just in front of the Ft. Wainwright Ski Lodge, and then turn left up the Sonot Connector all the way back to the White Bear. Turn right onto the outbound White Bear, then ski the rest of the White Bear and Moilanen Meadows and the White Bear Access to the stadium. Turn right and ski along the east side of the stadium. Ski the entire Warm-Up loop then under the bridge and into the FINISH!!!

Section 3 of 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot course with profile

PDF versions of the course maps can be downloaded at the Courses tab above.

Feed Stations will be staffed by the Lathrop, North Pole, and West Valley XC Ski team boosters and are located in the stadium and on the White Bear trail at Sonot Junction. A detailed list can also be downloaded at the Courses tab.

QUESTIONS:  contact@sonotkkaazoot.org

Sonot 2015 start_sm

Photo of the 2015 start by Chris Hemming

Banner photo courtesy of Retrospection Image.

Early registration ends Saturday, 28 February

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Although it seems that overtraining has been confined to snow shoveling, sandwiched between cold temperatures, the 39th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot is just a month away. This means that early registration ends this Saturday, 28 February 2026 at 11:59 p.m.

So click on the “register” tab at the top of this page and sign up now. You’ll save some money that you can use for fuel for your snow blower or for yourself, if you are limited to human-powered snow removal.

Lots of snow, more adventures for the groomers

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SCUM joined by gold medal, Owen, on our military transect from Sunnyside to Sonot Connector–all photos by Greg Kahoe (the kid)

The snow storms keep coming so the groomers’ work is unending. However, when the snows stop (and we catch up with our shoveling), temperatures plunge so skate skiing hasn’t been feasible for SCUM.

Today we plodded on our classical skis with 3 inches of new snow in the tracks that were set just Friday. On Sunnyside and Cliffside, one had to be careful to stay on the packed trail as the snow on the edges was deep. Sarah discovered that the hard way on one of the downhill switchbacks on Sunnyside.

Heading up from the Fort Wainwright ski chalet, we had to search for the classical tracks that Bill had set Friday afternoon. When Jeff found them, we headed up the Sonot Connector,

Practicing our tucks on the Sonot Connector as we search for Bill’s tracks

where we met up with Bill and Jerome coming from the opposite direction.

Meeting up with groomer, Bill, and his flip up goggles

Bill then told us of his adventure in the deep snow while setting tracks on the Sonot Connector when his snowmachine tipped and sunk sideways into the deeper snow while drag managed to the keep him upright. After a quick call to Brian, the head groomer, they had a come along to move Bill’s gear back on the more solid snow.

However, today, all the new snow had concealed the site of the mishap. Stay tuned, with 9 to 15 inches of additional snow predicted, groomers will need to be even more careful out on the trails.

Please consider increasing your donation to the NSCF trails fund. With over 6 feet of snow on the ground, we could have wonderful spring skiing, if the trail fund holds up.

https://nordicskicluboffairbanks.wildapricot.org/Donate

World Masters, Day 2 (Hanley wins second silver medal)

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Day 2: Owen 5 km, Bruce and Chris 10 km, all classic. 20 degrees and hard fast tracks… Bad Bob & Sharon skate this afternoon with temps around 38.

Sharon in her way to 5th place in M8 15 km FS yesterday–all photos from Bob and Sharon Baker
Calling all FXC Masters!
Owen gunning for another World Masters podium in 5 km CL race for M11 skiers–He won a second silver medal!
Chris inches his way ahead of World Masters skiers in M9 10 km CL event
Look at the glorious setting for this year’s World Masters

Report from Bob and Sharon Baker at World Masters, day 1

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It’s Bad Bob’s Birthday and he got to race the 15km free on a beautiful day, sunny and 38 degrees with fast snow.

Birthday boy, Bad Bob Baker on day 1 of World Masters–All photos from Bob and Sharon Baker

Owen had the race of the day collecting a silver medal in the 10km classic M11, Sharon placed 5th in the M8 15km free, Bad Bob placed 27th in the M8 15km free, Bruce finished his 15km free in the M9 while Chris completed his M9 classic. 

Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks president, Chris Puchner heads out for his 15-km classic race
Bruce Jamieson skiing his 15 km freestyle race

Fun day for all..

The entire Fairbanks group

Bakers arrive in Sappada, Italy for World Masters

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Bad Bob and Sharon Baker at World Masters in Sappada, Italy–all photos from the Bakers

From Bad Bob:

 “. . all of us Fairbanksans skied the race course today. After a major snow storm yesterday and a 5 hour bus ride from Venice that normally take 2 1/2 hours, we all arrived safely. 37 degrees and fast snow greeted us on our first ski outing.  1st race happens Saturday.”

Hopefully, Bad Bob, Sharon, Bruce, Owen, and Chris will send us updates when they have a free moment.

SCUM recover from Gingersnap Special

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SCUM adventure: skiing the Classical Bear backwards–photo by Greg Kahoe

With temperatures at Birch Hill this morning still below 0 deg F, the SCUM showed up for their workout with classical skis. Our aging bodies were still recovering from the Frank Soos Distance Race #2 (10 and 20 km freestyle) that followed 6 weeks of extremely cold conditions that precluded geezers from skate skiing. Although the temperature in the Birch HIll stadium was 5 deg on race day, for the SCUM, whose technique isn’t terribly efficient, skating 20 km was challenging, and we felt the hurt during and after the race.

So today after skiing the firm hard tracks on the Flat Black trails, we decided to give ourselves a break and have an adventure for the rest of our workout. We skied out White Cub and White Bear to the Sonot Cutoff and then onto the Northside Classical trails. We skied Aurora Run and then skied Classical Bear backwards:

SCUM head out Classical Bear from Aurora Run–photo by Greg Kahoe
Don skiing on Classical Bear–photo by Dan Johnson

Fun is an important aspect of training. Our adventure was fun and only one SCUM acquired the snow of shame on the single track, whereas two of us fell on the groomed trails.

19th annual Sonot Kkaazoot training class has begun

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After roughly 6 weeks where temperatures were below the -15 deg F cutoff for FXC Masters classes, temperatures warmed up for the start of Kristen Rozell’s 19th annual Sonot Kkaazoot Training Class. By the low number of entrants in the 20 km Frank Soos Distance Race #2 and the hurting bodies resting during the race, the extended cold spell has taken a toll on skier training. If you need motivation to get back into the groove, Kristen’s class still has 8 slots open and 8 weeks of training remaining. The class meets Tuesdays from 5:45 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.

Here is the URL to the registration site:

https://nordicskicluboffairbanks.wildapricot.org/event-6504045?fbclid=IwY2xjawPlFtxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeIsp1k3a08uChROf-R1T6_T74Qfj6xqfweE6J8R5l7437-DRAspzG5rPPAcI_aem_355c2g1ajFVSszstC-vUtg

Kristen’s class will definitely prepare you to successfully ski the 30 or 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot.

Frank Soos Distance Race #2 is next Saturday

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After six weeks of classical skiing with minimal glide while temperatures and newly fallen snow remained bitterly cold, skiers have been given roughly 10 days to train for the 10 and 20 km Frank Soos Distance Race #2. You can read specifics of this event and register here:

https://www.nscfairbanks.org/programs/races/distance-series/distance-series-2/

https://zone4.ca/event/2025/ZqeYmP/

The Gingersnap Special involves many of the intermediate blue loops at Birch Hill Recreation Area so the SCUM wanted to see if they could leisurely skate 10 km today. However, the dramatic warm up in temperatures came with intense winds leaving the trails littered with debris and snow and ice globules dropped from the trees. So the SCUM had to work a little harder than planned and some of us fell when our skis encountered materials not compatible with our glide waxes.

SCUM take a rest break while skiing the Sunnyside trail section of the Gingersnap Special race course–photo by Pam Laker

After finishing our tour of the 10 km race course today, we knew that we’d be able to ski 20 km on Saturday when the trails will have newly laid corduroy on them. Join us in honoring our friend, Frank, whose spirit will be accompanying us. We need this 20 km test. The 39th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot is just 2 months away.

56 deg warmup in just two days

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SCUM at the bottom of the Blue loop descent–photos by Pam Laker

Skiing with glide and on skate skis for the first time since 2 December 2025, meant that the SCUM felt like it was October. It was +35 deg when we headed out today at 10:30 a.m. This was a 56 deg temperature swing from Wednesday when several of us skied at -21 deg with 1″ of snow in the set tracks.

After skiing South Tower and the Blue loop, we had shed even more clothes:

Trying to remember the skate ski pointers from the Thanksgiving Camp

We could hardly recognize Jerome without his mask and walrus-like “snotsickle”. Shedding layers made all of us look thinner than last week.

Hopefully, the NSCF groomers will be able to work their magic and grind up the snow/ice/debris globules that have fallen onto the trails after this storm ends. After having both of our FXC Masters Ski Power Lunch sessions canceled this week due to cold temperatures, it was a novel treat to be overheating even without chemical hand and toe warmers.

On Sunday, we hope to ski enough kilometers to be prepared for next weekend’s Frank Soos Distance Race #2, the Ginger Snap Special, 10 or 20 km freestyle. This is one of the stepping stones to the Sonot Kkaazoot on 21 March 2026.