Bad Bob writes:

DiFolco/Baker trio finish virtual Sonot 110 km 

Donna DiFolco, Sharon and BAD BOB  Baker complete the Sonot Kkaazoot 40-K…sort of…  We combined a 15 km Sonot course from yesterday with a 25 km course we skied today to complete the SONOT  KKAAZOOT  40 km Virtual  2020…

Here’s how we did it..Yesterday we skied on our home course here at Moose Mountain, which I had just groomed.  It was 15 kilometers worth of soft, beautifully white snow with an uphill section that would make the regular Sonot course seem tame.  Skiing right from our home, we skied up and over the top of Moose Mountain, then continued up and down, mostly up, to the next summit, did a short loop around that top, then headed back down to home, with one little out & back on the way up.  That took us 2 hours and all in the CLASSIC technique.

Today, we arrived at Birch Hill at noon and found possibly the nicest grooming job of the season!! SUNNY, PERFECT TRACKS, AND TEMPS IN THE TEENS.  We choose the SKATING technique today, and although a bit slow, it was ok, when you compare it to the snow speed we all experienced most of this winter.  We chose a course that would take us around a potentially future course that may be in store for FUTURE Sonots.

Part of our course today involved skiing down SUNNYSIDE and CLIFFSIDE, then up the SONOT CONNECTOR.   What we found was Cliffside had only a moose trail down to the Ft. W/W ski lodge, and once we started up the Sonot  Connector, we had to pull off our skis and walk up to the White Bear, as not a single groomer or skier had been down the Connector since the last snow storm.  The snow was about a FOOT deep. For those 2 kilometers we averaged about a 20 minute per/km pace.

Trio who hadn’t read our grooming posts head up Sonot Connector

Once back on top, we continued around the White Bear, Moilanen Meadows, finishing back in the stadium.

Our journey was just shy of 24 km, so we continued on around the Medivac loop to put us over the 25 km mark.  Exhausted and satisfied, we decided to add our Moose Mountain course from yesterday to complete our 40 km Virtural SONOT KKAAZOOT.

Da man, Sonot Kkaazoot race director, Bad Bob Baker

Time for today’s 25 km portion was an amazing 3-ish hours.  SO…our official Virtual Sonot Kkaazoot 40 kilometer finishing times was 5  Hours FLAT!   SO….completing the 40 km virtual Sonot  for SHARON  and I , completes our SONOT  KKAAZOOT   TRI !!  We did the 50, 40, and 20 k’s.  That’s 110 Kilometers of VIRTUAL  KKAAZOOT….

Bad Bob and Mark Ross holding the 2020 Sonot Kkaazoot poster

The 2020 Virtual Sonot Kkaazoot Posters (created by Mark Ross) can be found in the Birch Hill Warm-up Hut, throughout the week.  I believe that that are about 75 copies, one per person please.  Trail donations welcome but not required to obtain one of these posters.

Lisa writes (with blogger’s notes in purple):

This morning (Saturday) I skated a more “normal” 20 km Sonot at Birch Hill.

Lisa had previously skied a virtual 16 km on classical skis and platform snowshoes:

https://sonotkkaazoot.org/2020/03/25/lisa-stubys-16-km-virtual-sonot-on-skis-and-platform-snowshoes/

The weather was cool and breezy and the trails a bit slow, but groomed to a fine corduroy.  After 5.5 miles in 1 hr 8 min, I had to stop and warm my cold toes.  I stopped my GPS watch for the approximately 10 minutes and then started it again and was on my way.  When I finished, my watch was not working.

So I’ve had to guesstimate my time based on the pre-toe warming and my finish time.  So, I assume I took 2.5 hours to ski 21 kilometers and did the course of Blue, Outhouse, Tower Loops, Rollercoaster, White Bear and extension with Moilanen Meadows, and Warm up Loop.

Overall a nice ski and day and saw many smiling faces on the trails.  I’ve enjoyed reading the other Sonot posts.

Repurposed Eric Troyer photo with Eric, Mike, Pat, and Dave (L to R)

On March 18, Eric Buetow and Dave Prusak skied the virtual 20 km Sonot Kkaazoot on the traditional Chena River course that runs in front of the Buetow home.

https://sonotkkaazoot.org/2020/03/19/prusak-and-buetow-finish-virtual-20-km/

Today, Eric writes:

Pat Reinhard, Mike Schmoker, Dave Prusak and I did a grand tour—minus Sunnyside—at a proudly SCUM-ish pace with multiple stops for conversation, reveling in the wonderful trail conditions, enjoying virtual feed stations, and waiting for the now 1 1/2-armed Prusak.

No photos because my phone died, but just wanted to get on the board. Total time for Eric: 4:10.

We’ll put the Eric on the board for 40 km and Pat, Mike, and Dave on for 27 km. 

Anna writes:

Mark Winford’s virtual Sonot results.  20 K.  March 28.  Skied all of Outhouse, Sunnyside, Relay, down to East ramp, up to and all of Tower, Roller-coaster Bypass, White Bear, and Moilanen Meadows.  Time 1:35.22.  Age 50.  Incredibly beautiful, sunny day. Seventeen degrees.

After skiing the 20 km traditional Sonot Kkaazoot on 19 March,

Poles and Thumper finish virtual 20 km

Bill Husby skied a creative route 50 km Sonot on 21 March:

Bill Husby skis 50 km virtual Sonot, just needs 40 km now

Today, in glorious sunshine, Bill skied a virtual 40 km, thus, completing his grand slam of all three Sonot Kkaazoot distances:

In between his three virtual Sonot Kkaazoot distance skis, Bill has groomed trails and skied casually with us mortals. Congratulations, Poles!

Maria Taylor writes:

I completed the 20 k Sonot!  I skied mostly with my family at Birch Hill.  We had a great day and enjoyed plenty of tasty snacks!

Peter Delamere writes:

Peter Delamere skied with Hannah Delamere and Hjelle Personius from UAF to Birch Hill.  Hannah and Hjelle skied 27 km (just to BH).

Peter skied 40 km with a few additional km at BH.

It would be great if we could link UAF and BH via Creamers (especially if the river is not suitable).  Crossing Farmers Loop near Ballaine was trivial. The Steese and Farmers Loop intersection is not so easy.  If only we had an overpass….  Not sure about times. Started at 11:30 ended at 3:30.

Joanna writes:

Here’s a short video clip for Joanna’s ski today:

.

And here are the routes, times and temperatures for her 4 installments:

.Looks like Joanna will be ready to take on the 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot in 2021.

Forest Wagner, UAS faculty member, who is working remotely from his father’s house in Fairbanks writes:

Although I didn’t document myself through GPS or photos, I did participate in the virtual Sonot today.  Starting at 10 a.m. (4 deg. F) I skate skied the black loops (cold), then everything near and including the outhouse (cold, windy, but sunny), including the sunnyside loop, not recommended but sunny!, then the tower and coasters down through the White Bear, including Moilanen Meadows, and concluding with the Warm Up.  Finished my ski at 1:02 p.m. (11 deg. F) right as the glide was getting good!

I imagined I would ski the White Bear a couple more times, but decided to call it complete as described.  I skied everything that was groomed, or groomed recently, and had a great outing.  Although I signed up for the 50, I suppose what I skied is probably more 20-25ish.  Thanks for all of the effort getting and keeping the trails in shape and for the good vibes in this challenging time.

Best, and hats off to all of you,

Thanks, Forest. 

Forest is also working on an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Arctic & Northern Studies focusing on endurance sports.  He writes:

I am running a survey about what motivates winter marathoners and ultra participants. I am particularly interested in the perceived psychological effects of climate change on winter people, like how we feel in winter when it is lacking in cold or snow– not a problem this year, thankfully.  The project is non-commercial research approved by the UAF Institutional Review Board.

Forest is one of my fellow classmates in our grad Images of the North class and his father was a former SCUM, so I attest to the legitimacy of his survey.

A informational flier with a link to the 5-minute survey is below. Download the PDF version to get a direct URL to the survey.

Trail Time Flier2.20.20