Although some of the SCUM who gathered in the Birch Hill stadium at 10 a.m. today had not been on their skate skis this season, all six of the older SCUM and the young upstarts (Greg and Joanna) successfully skied the White Club, White Bear, and Moilanen Meadows.
One of Norma’s skis says, “Ski Fast, Normi” and she was taking this to heart as she had spent way too much time on her UAF sign language course. Norma loves the section of White Bear between the Sonot Connector and Hilltop so she towed all of us up this hill. I figured that Hilltop might be the last chance to get a photo of all of us together as some of us were definitely lagging behind.
Norma (in pink hat) climbing on a snow mound so she could appear taller than the rest of us at Hilltop Cutoff--photo by Dermot Cole (black hat in lower left corner)
Still smiling after sailing around White Bear and Moilanen Meadows, Norma strolled up the trail to Owen’s hill:
Norma smiling as she leads Dermot and Joanna up to the trail to Owen’s hill
Starting next Sunday, the SCUM coffee pot will be resurrected in the log warm-up hut for post-workout caffeine and warmth. (Thank you, Jerome Jackson). I’ll bring some goodies to buffer the coffee. Wash out your mugs so you can refuel before your drive home.
Early Sunday SCUM after skiing >11 km chasing Norma, Byron, and Greg–photo by Chris Broda
SCUM celebrating skiing out of the Black Abyss–photo by Joanna Fox
Lots of skiers were enjoying the Birch Hill ski trails on Veterans Day, a federal holiday. Classical tracks were being set as we were finishing our tour of black loops (some more than once) and the blue loop.
Thanks to all the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces for us.
At the 35th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot, on the new 50 km course that has a total climb of 1,689 m, no SCUM finished the designated course for the first time in 25 years. Several of the SCUM are seriously geographically challenged, and one SCUM skied 50 km of the Sonot Kkaazoot trails but not as Bad Bob designed the course. A couple of SCUM attempted the 50 km course and were unable to finish it. Seeing as SCUM are rapidly getting older and feebler, we figure that 2023 is going to be our best chance to redeem ourselves.
Although one SCUM was out skiing as early as October 14,
Ray Halderman skiing before trail grooming–photo by Bill Husby
most of us waited until October 23rd, to enjoy our first on snow ski as we posted earlier. The snow from this first major storm created a good base on Birch Hill’s well-maintained trails, but the snow cover was thin, and with use by the Nanooks, high school teams, FXC, and recreational skiers, conditions were challenging for 70-year-old SCUM with their various bionic joints.
Bill Husby discovered that the Noyes Slough provided a great venue for skate skiing so the SCUM practiced their V2 and ski jumping techniques, between and over the beaver dams:
SCUM at beaver dam before the Johansen Expressway bridge–photo by Joanna Fox
Once FXC Masters workouts began, the SCUM realized that we needed hill workouts so Sunnyside and Cliffside trails called us:
Skiing down to Fort Wainwright was the fun part, and we discovered that they are not snowmaking yet on the alpine hill:
Bernardo, Mike, Tim, and me at FWW
but the sun came out, so we had vistas to gaze at while we climbed up Cliffside:
Bernardo and Tim taking a momentary break on their climb up Cliffside
and we celebrated when we made it to the Cliffside gate:
Feeling the burn at the Cliffside gate
From there, the workout became more of a struggle, and Bernardo skied ahead leaving the rest of us to claw our way back up Sunnyside. We were able to see our little hamlet at Powerline cutoff on our return whereas it had been in the clouds on our descent. Mike took some photos on Sunnyside but I think that they are too embarrassing to share.
We managed to ski almost 10 km with 261 m of climb. This represents 15% of the climb and 20% of the distance of the Sonot Kkaazoot—our first small ski toward our goal of finishing the 50 km course on March 25, 2023. However, thanks to the trail groomers, we were skiing on a couple of inches of packed snow in November at temperatures in the mid 20s. It was heavenly even though we were wiped afterwards.
I’ve made my trail donation and received a thank you letter from Chris Puchner, NSCF president, who is working to strengthen his new bionic knee. If you haven’t already, please donate to the NSCF trails fund, because we have fantastic early skiing thanks to our groomers:
The Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks groomers have been busy removing trees downed by recent wind events so that you can enjoy the Birch Hill trails. In the photo below you can see the freshly sawed trunk of a spruce tree that had fallen across the gate to the Sunnyside trail and sprung up after cutting. As you run, hike, or bike on the Birch Hill trails, cross train by hauling or tossing the debris off the trails before ski season.
Remnant of spruce tree (upper right) that had been lying across the Sunnyside gatewayBill and Dan heading up FWW ski hill while Bernard strolls back down
Today the SCUM ended their ski walking workout on the Fort Wainwright alpine hill by returning to the stadium via the Sunnyside trail and encountered remains of a large, downed spruce tree on the Outhouse trail. What better cool down than removing debris from the trail? Volunteer trail clearing as a short diversion from your run or bike will make trails better for skiing in winter.
Injured groomer, Bill Husby (with knee brace), leads SCUM in trail maintenance
Dan, the youngster of the group, moves spruce branch from Outhouse corner
Mike moves tree debris
If the SCUM (average age of today’s volunteers was 70 years old) can pause their workouts to do some trail tidying, won’t you help, too?
Mikes and Mom on Fort Wainwright alpine hill before our third ascent–photo by Mike Mathers
After training days when we’ve had hazardous wildfire smoke, winds, or persistent showers, temperatures this morning ranged from 56 to 64 with sunny skies and the Alaska Range clearly in view as we descended the hill. SCUM, of course had perfectly legitimate excuses of why they couldn’t join us: (e.g., “fair booth duty for the League of Women voters”, “moving stuff in Portland and painting a room”, “meeting up with relatives for breakfast”, “doctor’s appointment”, “simple cold although I tested negative but in abundance of caution”, “duty (work) calls “). Two young runners did two ascents while we were ski walking our first two, but I think our fun factor was higher.
We missed our wayward SCUM but they missed a perfect day as the three of us had a great workout before we went home to jack up a sauna, insulate an attic, and mow a lawn.
Life is good for the retired SCUM.
Heartrate monitor data showing we actually did three ascents
Eight ski walkers on Ester Dome (Jill is not shown because our photographer, Joanna Foxhad to rush back to work)
With blue skies and cooler temperatures, 9 SCUM (and friends) showed up to ski walk up Ester Dome yesterday. One month past the summer solstice, we can feel the approaching ski season. Some of us have been training through the unhealthy smoke, but I felt it wasn’t good to encourage others to follow our example:
Dan and Bill halfway through their 4 FWW ascents for the 4th of July
However, some of us had to be out in the smoke, regardless, and we had company:
Moose don’t need ski poles
Just 8 months to train for the 36th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot. I’m determined to have at least one SCUM finish the 50 km event in 2023.
I think Tim Woster is our best prospect because he’s been doing both weekly SCUM workouts and Christina Turman’s FXC Masters interval workouts this summer. Also, Tim has wisely chosen not to carry rocks up the FWW alpine hill.
With the Birch Hill trails officially open for the “dryland” season, the SCUM and friends gathered at 10 a.m. today for our inaugural climbs of the Fort Wainwright (FWW) alpine hill. On a 60 deg morning, this was by far the largest training group to date. I tried to assemble a group photo, but it was only of the early arrivals:
Early arrivals at Birch Hill
because Dermot Cole pulled into the south Birch Hill parking lot exactly at 10 a.m. Thus, Poles took a second group photo of all nine ski walkers:
Nine ski walkers with poles (except for Dermot) —photo by Bill Husby
And we were off, up the Tower Direct trail to Beacon Road. The FWW alpine hill still had some remnant manmade snow from some of the halfpipe jumps. The hill seemed steeper than it was in September, but most of our group did two ascents in just over 12 minutes a climb. We’ll start increasing the repeats so that we do four hill climbs by the 4th of July.
Part of our group finishing their first ascent past the remnant snow from the halfpipe jumps.
It was a glorious day to be outside. We saw Alaska Fire crew and others on the FWW alpine hill and a large group of hikers on the Birch Hill trails as we were returning to the stadium on the Tower Direct. Some of the trails are still wet in places but it’s pretty easy to avoid them.
Eric Troyer displaced me as Sonot Kkaazoot caboose this year, and now I think he’d be a perfect replacement for me as the Sonot Kkaazoot blogger. He’s a far superior storyteller and makes me seriously question why I am working on an MFA in creative writing.
Here’s the URL to Eric’s 35th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot, alternative 50 km:
When the SCUM group started 25 years ago as an uncoachable group of men, mostly over 40 years old, the final exam was to ski the 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot. This year, 25 years older, slower, and perhaps, wiser, none of the SCUM finished the 50 km course yesterday.
The new 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot course had an additional 20 km of hilly Birch Hill trails instead of the flat Chena River. After a La Nina winter of unusually cold weather, abundant snowfall and record rainfall, those of us who remained in Fairbanks all winter, had spent more time shoveling and scooping snow than skate skiing.
Yet, the 35th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot was held under glorious spring weather so all of us, 10- and 30-km Sonot Kkaazoot skiers and volunteers were sore and exhausted today before our post-Sonot workout.
Still dealing with Sonot Kkaazoot organization duties, I was late for today’s workout and hoped that the group would have left without me. Alas, they were still in the stadium discussing whether predator-prey ratios in the ocean are mathematically determined. Some SCUM don’t understand the meaning of retirement.
I headed off down the White Cub and White Bear toward the Sonot Connector that none of us skied on race day.
SCUM rest on the White Bear on the morning after the Sonot Kkaazoot–photo by Joanna Fox
Joanna falls on White Bear trying to demonstrate how a high school skier tried to slow her down during the Sonot —photo by Bill Husby
The Sonot Connector descent was exhilarating and the views from the FWW alpine hill were stunning.
Dermot, Bill, and Susan look out to the Alaska Range–photo by Joanna Fox
However, the real SCUM antics surfaced when they discovered a new avalanche patch on the Cliffside trail and in their delusional states from yesterday’s Sonot, thought they saw a body near the bottom of the avalanche requiring investigation.
All that remains of some poor SCUM in an avalanche on Cliffside trail–photo by Joanna Fox
First Joanna skied toward the avalanche and fell, so Carl attempted to rescue her. but decided against it.
Carl attempts to rescue Joanna–video by Bill Husby
Then Dermot tried to approach the avalanche on foot.
Dermot attempts to approach avalanche on foot–photo by Joanna Fox
and discovers the SCUM hat belonging to Susan that he propped up on his ski pole:
Susan’s SCUM hat--photo by Bill Husby
before discovering how tiring walking in deep snow can be:
Dermot rescues Susan’s hat–video by Joanna Fox
Sufficiently recovered, the SCUM skied up until they found a snowy patch that they thought might be suitable for snow angels. Robert demonstrates a face down snow angel:
Robert attempts snow angel in early morning crust–video by Joanna Fox
Amazingly, we eventually finished our military transit from White Bear to Sunnyside and back to the stadium in under 2 hours on the morning after the Sonot when trails were icy and fast. All bets are off on whether I would have been found with my hat in the Cliffside avalanche today if I had attempted section 3 of the 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot.
Thanks to everyone who volunteered for or participated in the 35th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot. The trails were awesome and the spirit of everyone on them was fantastic. Enjoy spring skiing.
Bad Bob and Sharon Baker, and Donna DiFolco skied in World Masters in Canmore last week. What a glorious setting! Notice Bad Bob wore his 30th anniversary Sonot Kkaazoot hat while skiing the 30 km FS race: World Masters are a great event for sharpening your training for the Sonot Kkaazoot.
Bad Bob Baker racing his 30 km CL race at World Masters–photo by Sharon Baker
Sharon Baker skiing at World Masters–photo by Bob Baker
Donna DiFolco tucking for her fast downhills at World Masters–photo by Bob Baker
Happy DeVoe Sisters–photo by Bob Baker
Bad Bob Baker, Sonot Kkaazoot organizer–photo by Sharon Baker
Bad Bob in action–photo by Sharon Baker
Now that Bad Bob is back in Fairbanks, he’d like you to know that we still need volunteers to help assure a smoothly run 35th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot.
Sonot Kkaazoot 