Eleven SCUM, all over 70 years old (except for newly retired Dave in center front) with at least one physical or mental handicap, made it up 5 km with 460 m of climb and an equal distance of elevation loss today. Like Alaska Senior Games, we allow youngsters who are at least 50 years old to play with us.
Most of the SCUM aren’t discouraged by a little rain, or cold temperatures, or heat. However, today one of our regulars opted for Planet Fitness over Birch Hill Recreational Area. Here’s what he missed:
Unlike the Seine, water quality remained high on the Birch Bakken in spite of steady rain.
No SCUM took the mud wallowing challenge, but our most gullible member was not with us. No marmots were observed on the trails although some blooming lupines remained. It was the day for seeing and stepping upon the fungus among us.
Today the SCUM opted out of doing the Fort Wainwright alpine hill ascents since several of us plan to do the Golden Heart Trail Run tomorrow. Instead, we ski walked the black and blue loops and finished with some disc golf. However, in honor of the Plastic Free July Challenge, we used a wooden disc. Here is a close up of the disc and Bernardo who ended up tossing the disc the closest to the goal:
SCUM ski walked up Ester Dome on Wednesday when winds were gusting to 40 mph, and today a few SCUM tackled the FWW alpine hill after almost an inch of rain. The three Gramps (all over 71 years old) and Mother SCUM tackled the Fort Wainwright alpine hill that is currently involved in the installation of new snowmaking guns. The recent rains around the excavation on the chair lift trail made for some muddy steps that added as much as 5 pounds to one’s boot,
but all four of us made it to the top intact.
Although wet and muddy, we fared better than one birch tree that we found toppled on the Tower Loop.
Bill Husby, a NSCF trail groomer, supervised us while we removed the tree from the trail. Here’s the after photo:
So, we not only got our endurance workout today, but we also got some strength training, too.
Today’s workout was the usual Wednesday morning SCUM ski walk up Ester Dome Road from St Pat’s to Ullerhaven starting at the Ester Dome bike trails parking lot. We walk down to St. Pat’s as a warmup and then ski walk up Ester Dome Road for 5 km to Ullerhaven; walk back to cars as cool down with vistas that one doesn’t see on the uphill portion. Bernardo, Mike, Tim, Jill, and I did this workout.
However, the “uncoachable” SCUM wanted an adventure so took the trail less traveled.
They did eventually make it back to Ester Dome Road:
Dan said that it was a good change of pace (the search for Cabo trail).
Robert said that it was:
The Birch Hill trails had dried out fairly well before the snow and rain earlier in the week. Today, to avoid muddy conditions on the Tower Direct, we took the Sunnyside and Cliffside trails to access the Fort Wainwright alpine hill. We found dry footing for walking and enjoyable vistas. Also, the mosquitoes haven’t discovered us yet.
Once we reached FWW, we did one ascent under the chair lift. The snow left from the ski jumps had diminished significantly since last week, but the hill was still a steep 840 m uphill.
The SCUM dryland schedule involves ascending Ester Dome on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. (meet at the bike trails parking lot at 1 mile Ester Dome Road) and doing FWW hill ascents on Fridays at 10 a.m. (meeting in South Birch Hill parking lot). We sometimes change up the workouts depending on trail and weather conditions, so be punctual. Today Robert Hannon was 3 minutes late and didn’t get the change of venue so did his first FWW ascent alone. He did join us for our return hike up Cliffside, Sunnyside and Outhouse. The overachieving SCUM also did South Tower–completing the Birch Bakken course.
We welcome all comers and variations in the courses are frequently taken depending upon the schedule and fitness of participants.
The recent chinooks knocked a lot of vegetative debris on the trails and the warm temperatures had compacted the trails. However, last night the groomers worked until about 1:00 a.m. to transform the trails into perfection for the final Town Race of the season and for recreational skiers like the SCUM.
Today we skied Outhouse, Sunnyside and Cliffside to the Fort Wainwright alpine lodge and then skied from this low point on the trails to the high point via Cliffside, Sunnyside, Outhouse, Blue Slot, and South Tower:
We finished by skiing Medevac where we met up with Tom Helmers, head NSCF groomer. We had to take a photo with two of the groomers responsible for our awesome ski. We’ve contributed to the NSCF trails fund because we want the guys to continue their magic through the spring skiing season.
Here’s the URL to make or add to your contribution:
What a difference 60 degrees makes! With temperatures at +23 degrees F, it was a perfect day to do the Military Transect from the Sunnyside and Cliffside trails to the Sonot Connector and White Bear.
Lots of lovely fresh snow surrounded us.
The warmer weather should encourage skiers to register for the 37th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot. With most of the SCUM planning to do the 30 and 50 km courses, you can be assured that we’ll be behind you. We plan to increase our haul of woodels this year over the 12 from last year.
Next Sunday is the final Frank Soos Distance Race, Unpleasantries, which will be classical technique this year. Skiers have a choice of 30 or 10 km distances. You can register here:
Before there was SCUM, there was Team Brain Dead. In the late 80s, when winter temperatures were colder, Team Brain Dead was formed to celebrate those hardy skiers who would continue their workouts regardless of temperature. They had t-shirts made when they ran the 1990 Midnight Sun Run on skis, extending their ski training range from -48 deg F to +68 F deg, a 110 deg range:
Team Brain Dead points are awarded for skis done at temperatures of -30 deg F or colder. One point is awarded for each degree below -30. So today each skier earned 7 points multiplied by the 5 skiers to total 35 TBD points.
We skied Tower Loop, Green Dot, Flat Black, Tommy Knocker Extension, Roller Coaster, White Cub to Zoomer Cutoff, and back to the stadium (or to the Groomer’s garage). Here’s the photo Bill took of the scariest skiers:
And here’s Joanna and Mom (whose claustrophobia prevents her from wearing anything over her nose or mouth):
It was a “strange” day as there was no temperature inversion: it was -37 deg F in the stadium, -40 deg (both F and C) on the top of the Tower Loop, and -31 deg F at the biathlon range.
With the cold temperatures, the corduroy and deep tracks remain pristine except for the abundant birch seed and spruce cones that have been deposited on the trails. Air quality was moderate according to the Purple Air station at Birch Hill, so our workout did more good than harm to our aging carcasses.
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:
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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:
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.
Sonot Kkaazoot 