In case the Birch Hill weather station gets overloaded with hits, the temperature at the Birch Hill stadium at 6:00 a.m. was +15.4 deg F and calm.
6:00 a.m. report: +15.4 deg at Birch Hill
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Sunshine and newly groomed trails await skiers
Over a foot of new snow has fallen on Birch Hill trails this week, but skiers arriving at Birch Hill today will find all the trails (with the exception of White Bear where the Army is currently conducting their Arctic Winter Games) were groomed and tracked this morning.
The newly fallen and windblown snow has made for difficult grooming conditions on less used trails with tight uphill corners like those on the new Sunnyside trail. Undaunted, after grooming this morning, Bill Husby went out on skis to further refine the trails.
With an overabundance of snow this winter coupled with wind events that make trail maintenance more time intensive, please make an additional contribution to trail fund so we’ll have fabulous trails to enjoy on sunny spring days like today:
http://nordicskicluboffairbanks.wildapricot.org/Donate
If you plan to ski in any of the Sonot Kkaazoot events on March 24, it’s time to put in those training kilometers. The Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks groomers are making it easy for us.
World Masters 30/40 km Classical Races
Results from today’s 15/30/45 km classical races at the Masters World Cup were delayed as officials revised courses to work around a train that parked on the tracks blocking the intended race course. Only two Interior Alaska skiers participated, Bob Baker was 12th in the revised 40 km CL event for the M6 age category with a time of 2:30:09, and Owen Hanley, was 18th in the 30 km CL event for M9 skiers with a time of 1:50:06. Congratulations to both of you.
Here’s the FasterSkier.com story of the train snafu complete with photo and quote from Bob Baker:
http://fasterskier.com/fsarticle/masters-world-cup-day-5-train-snafu/
From Sharon Baker, “Here is Bob at the high point of the course for the 3rd time. Looking strong.”
All photos by Sharon Baker
“Descending from the high point,”
nearing the bottom to complete his 3rd lap. One more to go.
Had great kick the whole way.”
-25 deg F ski on the North Classical trails
With the 31st Sonot Kkaazoot only 2 months away, skiers not on the World Masters travel team, needed to ski today. Although the North Classical trails had been groomed and set on Monday, steady flurries of 80 grit snow (falling at temperatures from the mid negative teens to the -25 deg F) made for a lovely specific strength workout.
Lots of low hanging limbs and branches after the freezing rain followed by a foot of snow this week
Finally sunshine reaching through the black spruce. —Photo by Bill Husby
Bill Husby, expert groomer and classical skier shows how to get it done.
Dermot emerging from the end of the Classical Bear Trail near the end of our ski.
We had a lovely ski (and Dermot took some videos that we hope to post later). We saw only 3 civilian skiers during our hour and 45 minute outing. A group of Army skiers on their white rockets were gathered near the stadium, but most of the tracks observed were animal made.
For skiers contemplating doing the 50 km classical Sonot Kkaazoot, be forewarned, this year will likely be the last time a separate classical Sonot event is offered. You can always classical ski, but starting in 2019, you’ll start and be timed together with all the other skiers. So if you’re a classical skier, sign up for the 50 km classical Sonot Kkaazoot soon.
Fairbanks skiers in World Masters 7.5 km CL race
Bob Baker, Sharon Baker, Chris Puchner, and Owen Hanley ski the 7.5 km CL race on Monday, 22 January at World Masters. All four skiers are key race organizers for the Sonot Kkaazoot as members of the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks.
All photos from Skinnyskier.com (https://www.skinnyski.com/result.asp?Id=43873)
Bruce Jamieson conquers World Masters 7.5 km FS in blizzard
As mentioned earlier, conditions at World Masters yesterday were beyond challenging. They got 10″ of snow within 12 hours–much of it during the 7.5 km FS race.
Here are some photos of Bruce Jamieson, Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks (NSCF) board member and Sonot Kkaazoot volunteer, taken by former NSCF skier, Dave Edic,
Photos by Dave Edic
Older Masters skiers suffered longer in the blizzard than the younger, faster skiers. We salute the great ski performances of all the Fairbanks skiers yesterday. Enjoy your rest day.
Chythlook and Flaharty win gold and silver in blizzard at World Masters 7.5 km FS
Bad Bob Baker, Sonot Kkaazoot originator, course chief, and major organizer, has a new role today, as proud dad of World Masters Gold Medalist, Gina Chythlook, F2, in the 7.5 km freestyle race with a time of 24:32.5 and Silver Medalist, Davya Flaharty, F1, in a time of 24.50.7. It was both snowing and blowing as this photo shows:
Davya Flaharty (bib 106) leads older sister, Gina Chythlook (bib 202) in blizzard during 7.5 km FS at World Masters--photo by Sharon Baker
Bob’s son-in-law, Tyson Flaharty, M1, was 5th in a time of 19:38.4.
Bruce Jamieson, former Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks President and current Board Member, was 36th in the M8 event, with a time of 35:01.3.
Congratulations to all our Fairbanks World Masters skiers who prevailed in blizzard conditions in Minneapolis today.
World Masters 7.5 km CL Results
At World Masters today in the 7.5 km CL events, Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks skiers were challenged by windy conditions in early stages of a snow storm that added leaf matter to their sticky kick wax
Bob Baker, 19th in M6 event with time of 25.11.6.
Chris Puchner, 21st in M7 event at 29:48.8
Owen Hanley, 18th in M9 event at 30:35.3.
All three of these skiers are key members of the Sonot Kkaazoot organizing group.
Sharon Baker, long time Sonot Kkaazoot volunteer, was 6th in her F6 event with a time of 28.38.4. Sharon described the bottoms of her skis after the event as looking like “a long, wet, twisted blob of tissue!!”
Hang tough! And major kudos for your great skis.
Fairbanks skiers medal at 15/30 km freestyle races at World Masters
Sunday’s races at Masters World Cup in Minneapolis were 15/30 km freestyle events. Results for some Fairbanks skiers include:
Photo from Sinnyski.com (https://www.skinnyski.com/result.asp?Id=43840)
Tyson Flaharty, (above) 3rd overall and 2nd American in the M1 event for the 30 km freestyle race with a time of 1:10.45.
Bruce Jamieson, a M8 skier in the 15 km freestyle event, finished 33rd with a time of 49:59.3.
Davya Flaharty, was second overall in the F1 event for the 15 km freestyle with a time of 39:30.3.
Gina Chythlook, a F2 skier, was 2nd overall in a time of 41:03.6 for 15 km.
Photo from Skinnyski.com (https://www.skinnyski.com/result.asp?Id=43840)
Sharon Baker (above, mother to Davya and Gina), a F6 skier, was 4th overall and 3rd American with a time of 46:10.0 for 15 km.
Great job!
Skiing on Sonot Kkaazoot course is great
Although October was exceptionally wet, temperatures were also unusually warm so snow was late in coming to the Fairbanks area. However, after one false start, the snowpack on the Jim Whisenhant cross country ski trails at Birch Hill Recreation Area and on Fort Wainwright trails is great for both classical and free technique skiing. Thanks to a lot of volunteer brushing work done this fall on the White Bear trail, skate and classical skiing are great. Unfortunately, our fitness isn’t quite in the same shape yet. Here’s what coronary bypass looked like a week ago:
Yesterday we skied from the Sunnyside Trail to Fort Wainwright, where we found that the Army was busily enhancing snow cover on the alpine ski hill making for unusual skiing conditions up the ski slope to the base of the Sonot Connector. However, the classical tracks on the Sonot Connector and White Bear were awesome.
Take a break from snow shoveling and scooping to enjoy the ski trails!
The 31st annual Sonot Kkaazoot just 4 months away.
