-20 deg F ski on helicopter trails

Posted on January 21, 2024 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Sunrise and SCUM on Black Hawk trail at -20 deg F–*photo by Joanna Fox*

On the day after skiing 20 km with Frank Soos on the Ginger Snap Special course that climbed 30.7 m/km, we needed an easy recovery ski. It was -12 deg F in the stadium, -20 deg in the biathlon range, and -17 deg on the Sonot Connector. So, it was the perfect day for SCUM with tired legs to do the helicopter trails (Blackhawk and Chinook) on Fort Wainwright. In faster conditions, the downhill corners on these trails are dangerous for skiers of SCUM vintage, but today, even tired legs could step around the corners.

Until 20 February 2024, you can follow our route here:

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0d

The “No Y SCUM” were well-dermotized so were taking it easy in the back of the train. Thus, Bill was able to document their skiing fashions:

Joanna with two fluffy jackets–*next three photos by Bill Husby*

Mom in a puffy hoody after spending over 2.5 hours with Frank yesterday

Nothing is better than friends and groomed Birch Hill trails to start off a Sunday morning. If you haven’t already done so, please donate to the Birch Hill Trails fund. All grooming is done by the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks and Fort Wainwright.

https://nordicskicluboffairbanks.wildapricot.org/Donate

Christmas Eve Candy Canes on the Roller Coasters

Posted on December 24, 2023 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Festive SCUM elves at biathlon range–*photo by Joanna Fox*

Although the SCUM can often be naughty rather than nice, on Christmas eve (before dawn), the SCUM were busy decorating the Roller Coaster trail with candy canes. Even if their ornaments were tossed by the wind and broken, they’d still be edible.

Poles and Mom struggle with candy canes and pole straps-*-photo by Joanna Fox*

Poles goes down skiing while carrying a bag of candy canes:

Santa down, but candy canes still fine–*photo by Joanna Fox*

We separated and distributed candy canes through the Roller Coasters:

Bernardo hides a big candy cane full of Hersey kisses-*-photo by Bill Husby*

Thoroughly cold after searching for somewhere to discard our detritus, we headed out the White Bear and had professional lighting for our photos there:

Elves: Jerome, Bill, and Greg at the biathlon range–photo by Joanna Fox

And despite the protests of some of us who were freezing as the temperatures were rapidly dropping, we documented sunrise on the WB:

Sunrise on the White Bear-*-photo by Joanna Fox*

After skiing White Bear and Moilanen Meadows, we encountered a group of young skiers and urged them out onto the Roller Coasters, where some of them found their rewards:

Skier finds candy cane-*-photo by Bill Husby*

One skier found one of the candy canes full of chocolate kisses:

Skier finds Jerome’s candy cane full of Hersey kisses-*-photo by Bill Husby*

Happy Holidays!

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Sonot Kkaazoot

SCUM off the Tower Loop with flashy lights on hats-*-photo by Joanna Fox*

Happy Winter Solstice (tomorrow)! —*photo by Dan Johnson*

The lighted loops were beautifully groomed after our recent snows, but some of us had to test our uphill techniques to get into the frame for the group photo:

Uphill technique used when your right leg and foot has been immobilized for 2 months–*photo by Dan Johnson*

Enjoy the holidays with family and friends. After you have overindulged, remember that the FXC Ski your age in kilometers event will be held Saturday, 30 December.

LOL ornaments that Dan froze his fingers to document

Posted on December 8, 2023 by Sonot Kkaazoot

It was -5 deg F at the stadium thermometer shortly before sunrise today. With the first Frank Soos Distance Race tomorrow, there was poor attendance for today’s workout. The freshest tracks were on the black loops so we headed that direction. LOL #1 was the first ornament that the Friday SCUM located, but no one’s hands were warmed up enough to stop and photograph it. You can see it in yesterday’s post.

It was so cold that I’m not sure if we found LOL #4 before or after we descended Black Baron. Bob Moloney, who was skating today, doesn’t snowplow (like a normal SCUM) but did two acrobatic falls in his descent of Black Baron. We saluted our 80-year-old SCUM with our poles as he finished that trail.

I found LOL #9 as my thumb was being to throb again after temporarily thawing.

Tomorrow’s Frank Soos Distance race will be conducted under Frank’s favorite conditions: cold snow and classical technique. Hope to see you there.

Today’s ornament haul by Poles

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Sonot Kkaazoot

With the ornaments that Poles found on his ski today, the SCUM have found 7 of the 12 LOL ornaments in our first week.

Most of the trails are newly groomed and the temperature inversion is setting up again. Come and join the fun. We’ll be back on the trails tomorrow at 10 a.m. (before sunrise).

SCUM take on LOL ornament challenge

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Most of the active SCUM are in their eighth or ninth decade on the planet and carry hardware within their carcasses rather than earning it in races. However, we have accepted the challenge of the LOL and have started searching for their 12 ornaments of Christmas. We will only indicate the number of the ornaments we find UNLESS there is no number visible.

LOL ornament on the Blue Loop that matches the ornament on Byron’s nose–*all* *photos by Joanna Fox*

The SCUM hope that skiers enjoy the newly groomed trails on Saturday at the first of the Frank Soos Distance Races. It begins at 11 a.m. and will be 7.5 or 15 km classical technique. Many of the SCUM will be participating so you won’t be last. Here’s the URL for online registration:

Frank Soos Memorial Distance Series #1

SCUM reenactment on Sunnyside

Posted on December 1, 2023 by Sonot Kkaazoot

SCUM celebrate 1 December on Sunnyside trail–*photo by Corrine Leistikow*

SCUM on Sunnyside later in the season-*-photo in Eric Troyer’s files*

Today some of the SCUM didn’t make it down the Sunnyside although we headed out the Outhouse loop with them. No Hawaiian shirts were worn today.

Thanks for the reminder of Frank and Pat, who have left us for warmer locations.

Post Thanksgiving SCUM ski

Posted on November 26, 2023 by Sonot Kkaazoot

After 8 weeks of immobility in a cast from toes to knee, it felt SOOO good to be skiing again. On my second outing of the season, the SCUM waited for me on the Tower loop:

SCUM (everyone was skating today except Poles whose classic skis have skied in the World Cup and Olympic races)–*photo by Joanna Fox*

Conditions were FAST today but when I fell, I was even faster getting up. However, when Bob fell, he didn’t take time to remove the telltale snow:

Bob after Medevac–*photo by Dan Johnson*

As I crutched inside for two months, I never expected to be skating in late November in temperatures hovering above freezing. Thanks to the groomers for making the trails skiable for a 74-year-old skier with a fractured 5th metatarsal.

“No more leaves” on Outhouse Loop

Posted on October 23, 2023 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Outhouse Trail after grooming this morning–*photo by Bill Husby*

Thanks to yesterday’s >3 inches of snowfall and Bill Husby’s grooming work this morning, the leaves on the Outhouse Loop are gone!

Enjoy! Don’t forget to contribute to the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks grooming fund. We want to keep Bill (and all the groomers) busy.

https://nordicskicluboffairbanks.wildapricot.org/Donate

Post-Equinox Marathon Training

Posted on September 30, 2023 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Some SCUM successfully finished their Equinox Marathon (half) challenge:

Robert Hannon finishes his Equinox Half Marathon–*photo by Joanna Fox*

as did a couple of my FXC Masters teammates. Here, Norma is smiling in spite of her tumble on the trails in front of Robert (who then finished before her).

Norma, Sue, and Darren finish Equinox Half Marathon–*photo by Joanna Fox*

My Equinox Marathon Day was spent checking the online results of my friends and training buddies while keeping my surgical foot above my hips

My surgical foot with its “rebar” reinforced fifth metatarsal

because 4 days before the Equinox Marathon, I tripped on one of only two steps at my house. I momentarily landed on the top of my right foot, fracturing my fifth metatarsal. I had foot surgery 15 hours before the Equinox Marathon.

I’m non weight bearing for 6 weeks so the SCUM came to my rescue today to help remove leaves from my house’s gutters:

Supposedly, out-of-shape Bernardo did most of the climbing. The rationale was that he was the lightest of the SCUM so would be the easiest to catch if he fell:

Bernardo doing his ladder training–*photo by Joanna Fox*

SCUM work party on a glorious but chilly fall day

Robert clings to his purple leaf scoops as he steadies the ladder being stabilized by a foam pad wedge.

Robert used his prize leaf scoops to fill Joanna’s garden cart with birch leaves:

and then hauling the leaves over to the composting area:

Mom directing Robert where to dump the leaves–*photo by Joanna Fox*

Robert, Bernardo, and Joanna made quick work of the leaves in my yard today. Hopefully we’ll get another sunny (or at least dry day) after the predicted snow and rain on Sunday and Monday. Only about half of the trees in my neighborhood have lost their leaves in spite of several days of hard frost conditions.

It’s tough not being able to weight bear on one foot. However, my friends have definitely helped me with activities of daily living in Fairbanks.

Sonot Kkaazoot

Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks' annual spring ski marathon

Author Archives: Sonot Kkaazoot