Above are some of the happy sounds and faces seen on groomed trails at Birch Hill Recreation Area on Easter Sunday. An absolutely fun ski for all.
SCUM enjoy Easter grooming
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Author Archives: Sonot Kkaazoot
Two inches of wet new snow greet SCUM
Some SCUM missed the grooming yesterday as one of us needed to file her income taxes. However, two inches of fresh snow covered the icy trails, so we enjoyed a day that looked more like Christmas than approaching Easter and Passover.
A busload of kindergarteners and first graders arrived on skis (no poles needed) as we were leaving, excited to have fresh snow approaching some of their knees.
Enjoy the spring skiing. Today’s snowfall has definitely extended the season.
Donate to the NSCF trail fund please. https://nordicskicluboffairbanks.wildapricot.org/Donate
SCUM Foolery
With the post-Sonot Kkaazoot fatigue lingering in our weathered bodies, the SCUM decided to enjoy the sunshine, scenery, and each other’s company while skiing the White Bear and Moilanen Meadows today.
Here is the entire gang at the bottom of Heartrate Hill:
Below are photos and videos of the SCUM foolery. In between the photo and videos, I managed to get 1:12 of low level 1 training.
Moilanen Meadows looked prime for spring snow angels:
The SCUM encountered wildlife on our ski including an early rising honey badger:
Enjoy spring skiing. Contribute to the NSCF grooming fund for continued skiing under warm inviting conditions for the next generation of SCUM:
Stress relief from snow wallowing
This post was actually assembled after a SCUM workout on 16 February 2025 at UAF. However, I was lacking enough brain cells then to figure out how to embed a large video that was a key part of this post. Now with my MFA thesis defense postponed until Fall 2025 and training for and assisting with the organization of the 38th Sonot Kkaazoot finished, here is a look back to 16 February 2025
Joanna earned the right for a finish line collapse after setting a new segment record for the Double Theta today in -3 deg F chill.
After our approximately 2.5 km time trial chasing the youngest skier among us (and the most stressed this week), our bodies were fatigued but our minds were more relaxed, so our judgement was slightly impaired.
Somewhere on the t-field, the decision was made to wallow in the untracked snow. While in other areas of America, winter swimming in frozen lakes becomes an extreme sport, snow wallowing requires just taking the path less traveled.
Bill started out the challenge on the T-field:
Following Bill’s leadership, Dan accepted the challenge in the middle of the potato field:
Only to be outdone by Joanna, who was ready to really take a dive:
View from the back of the pack
The photo taken of the SCUM BEFORE the start of the 38th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot:
and AFTER:
A huge thank you to the SCUM who didn’t race but volunteered for timing the Sonot Kkaazoot. Next season will mark 30 years of SCUM.
30/50 km start
30 and 50 finishers
Dramatic finish to women’s 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot
After 50 km and 2 hours and 41 minutes of skiing, the women’s 50 km finish was determined by 0.5 sec
Just moments before, Astrid made her move:
38th Sonot Kkaazoot results are posted
On the results page (at top of website), there is the URL to the results on Zone4. Please let me know if you see any errors before we finalize results.
Email: contact@sonotkkaazoot.org
Woodels are awarded to the top three skiers in each age category for each distance. Please come to the Awards Ceremony (at 6 p.m.) so that you can get your woodel. If you cannot make the awards ceremony, please ask a friend or coach to pick up your award for you.
Have a great ski
As of 0530 on race day, the trails are groomed, temperature is 24 deg in the stadium and 4 deg at Fort Wainwright.
Have a great ski and we’ll see you at the awards ceremony and dinner at 6 p.m. in the Birch Hill Recreation Center.
Sonot Kkaazoot 