SCUM on the Tower Loop at -12 deg F–photo by Joanna Fox
It was a chilly and somewhat breezy day at Birch Hill this Sunday, but we had a decent turnout. Glide was somewhat compromised in cold and newly fallen snow, but we prevailed, and the SCUM were able to locate LOL ornament #7:
Joanna and Byron in front on LOL ornament #7–photo by Joanna Fox
Best holiday dress award goes to Byron Broda–photo by Joanna Fox
This means we’ve found 2 ornaments in two weeks. We need to up our game but once the groomers catch up with all the snow dumped this week, perhaps we can do better.
The SCUM will be decorating Birch Hill trails with candy canes soon. So, keep your eyes open as you ski this week.
SCUM travel team and friends–photo by David Prusak
To avoid “biting the dust” (see post from earlier today), the SCUM travel team moved their workout to UAF today to avoid the speed bump SCUM. Several of the skiers shown here will be heading to the Masters World Cup in Klosters, Switzerland on March 8 – 16, 2025 along with other Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks Masters skiers.
SCUM after fresh snow and relief from -20 deg F temperatures in Fairbanks--photo by Mike Mathers
**Over 9 km of newly groomed and set tracks on lighted loops, which were groomed overnight.
**Temperatures at 10 a.m. AST of +2 deg F after temperatures at Fairbanks International Airport reached -29 deg F at 10:01 a.m. yesterday. Thanks to the inversion, Birch Hill only dropped to about -14 deg F.
**The friendship and company of 10 SCUM enjoying well-groomed trails and balmy temperatures.
**All the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks staff and volunteers who help our community enjoy winter outdoors with lessons, tours, training groups, races, and other fun events. They keep us healthy, happy, and at times, slightly sore or tired–but motivated for more.
P.S. Although SCUM may not be fast, two of the skiers in the photo above are skiing on skis that once belonged to World Cup nordic skiers!
Today, Mike Schmoker, Sonot Kkaazoot woodel guru was back in town after several weeks spent high altitude trekking in Peru. As he was the only SCUM showing up for our Wednesday Ester Dome ascent, I let him choose the route. Given that temperatures were around 30 deg with 12 to 18 mph SW winds, we opted to take the single-track trail up Ester Dome to Henderson Road.
Mike’s groomed track this morning
The wind protection was marvelous, but Mike’s high elevation acclimation made his pace rival that of Bernardo.
The clouds lifted and blue skies turned the trails magical
And unlike the SCUM mother, who is geographically challenged, Mike had a map in his head that mirrored those posted on the trail.
Mike finds the map
Unlike Bill’s maps that are sketched in the snow, Mike’s map was printed, sealed in plastic and posted on the trails.
Mike and I were both smiling through out hike:
Smiling Mike enjoying views of the valley
Mike’s fitness was again demonstrated when he fell but was too quick getting up for me to get a photo of his tumble:
Site of Mike’s first fall of the winter season.
If the National Weather Service is correct, we should be skiing soon. However, in the meantime, some of the trails less traveled will make for fun SCUM adventure workouts.
No rain, no bugs, just SCUM headed up Ester Dome today–photo by Eric Buetow
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:
Goggles were suggested but optional on the Birch Bakken today
Carl looks skyward for inspiration and fresh water
Birch Bakken from lap 1 to 2 on map was 3.97 km with 195 m of climb
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:
Bernardo, was the champion disc golfer among the SCUM
Robert putts
Carl’s new orange Hoka shoes don’t assist his disc golf swing
Mike Mathers, professional photographer, disrupting my attempt at getting a group photo.
Bernardo getting a SCUM salute for his mastery of the Dan Johnson disc toss
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,
Mother SCUM and three Gramps (all over 70 years old) at bottom of the chair lift–all photos by Carl Hemming
but all four of us made it to the top intact.
Rain-soaked SCUM at the top of the FWW alpine hill
Although wet and muddy, we fared better than one birch tree that we found toppled on the Tower Loop.
SCUM move birch tree off the Tower loop
Bill Husby, a NSCF trail groomer, supervised us while we removed the tree from the trail. Here’s the after photo:
Toppled birch tree moved off the trail
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.
The start of the trail less taken–all photos and videos by Bill Husby
Well-marked trailhead of Dermot’s recommended bypass route
Adventure leader and his trophy find
Bill takes over as adventure leader, these are his SCUM flock
This way folks, smile!
Is this a fun trail? (Notice that they aren’t using their ski poles)
They did eventually make it back to Ester Dome Road:
Dermot and Bill finished the adventure, but where is Dan and Robert
Dan said that it was a good change of pace (the search for Cabo trail).
SCUM pause to gaze at the mountains on a lovely spring day
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.
Mike, Dan, and Bernardo ski walk up the FWW alpine hill
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.
