Early registration for the 39th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot is open
Reply
Monthly Archives: January 2026
SCUM shred half foot deep powder on Black Loops after finding LOL ornament #2
After having to brave a half foot of ungroomed powder on the black loops to locate LOL ornament #2, our LAST of the 12, the SCUM decided to shred all the black downhills. In the process we also did some trail maintenance–moving downed trees from the trails. Most of us fell (Greg and Mom, 4 times), but the video below records the best one. Click on the full screen icon on the lower far right of the image to appreciate the moment more fully.
Here are Greg Kahoe’s photos of Bill leading us on our first shedding adventure:
Here is a photo gallery provided by Pam of our fun on the black loops:
Sometimes you have to discard your training plans to have a little fun.
It took 2.5 hours and 10 km, but SCUM found the 3 LOL ornaments today
It was -14 deg F when we started and -16 deg F when we finished 2.5 hours later. However, the SCUM persevered and found 3 LOL ornaments. I thought that finished our tally of all 12 LOL ornaments, but it looks like we are still missing one.
The first ornament, LOL ornament #9 was spotted by Bill Husby on a trail that we had all skied multiple times during the holidays without seeing it.
After skiing Sunnyside through deep powder, we returned to our quest for LOL ornaments and Mike Schmoker found LOL #11:
With cold toes and thumbs among his fellow SCUM, Mike spotted LOL ornament #1.
After finding LOL ornament #1, Jerome did some trail breaking through the entire winter’s snowpack to allow us to take a short cut back to the Birch Hill stadium. Even taking this short cut (and the groomer’s ramp instead of the rest of the WB access), we skied over 10 km. Jerome had already skied before we arrived so he probably skied 12 to 15 km.
Unfortunately, it appears that the SCUM missed LOL ornament #2, so maybe we’ll find it on Sunday. Sorry, guys! Mom found out when she added our haul today to our prior tally.
A huge thanks to Pam Laker, who took a break for organizing volunteers and volunteer care for tomorrow’s Town Race, to join us. She took photos when Mom’s thumb wouldn’t stay warm.
Warm weather SCUM
Temperatures were almost 20 deg warmer than Sunday, so SCUM skied through 2 inches of ungroomed snow. Bring it on.
Happy New Year
Although December had 12 days with temperatures below -40 deg F at the airport and January has continued that trend, the SCUM workouts have been no colder than -25 deg F in the stadium, although temperatures dropped much colder on lower lying trails. Descending the Warmup Loop (not an accurate descriptor today) at the end of our workout, I developed a severe ice cream headache that didn’t resolve even on the uphill sections. It was definitely below -25 deg on Wake Up Loop.
Today the thermometer on the building said -19 deg F when we started and -12 when we finished. We managed to ski 10 km (all but about 1 km on pistenbully tracks) in a little more than 90 minutes. This is not bad considering that 3 of us are well over 70 years old and the kid among us had gotten her second shingles vaccine earlier in the week.
Here’s Bernardo and Mom gliding down the stadium hill with the full moon over our heads:
Although just two years ago, the SCUM skied on a -37 deg F Sunday, we’re getting soft in our old age. If it’s colder than -25 deg F at Birch Hill at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, we’ll cancel our workout and make up the kilometers on Tuesday:
However, if the inversion holds, skiing above the ice fog is good for the mind and body.
Sonot Kkaazoot 