From the National Weather Service Fairbanks, Fairbanks should be warming up by the weekend with our first 40 deg F day of 2020:
If you venture out in the mornings, expect rocket fast tracks on the downhills! Free speed!
Groomer Tom Helmers was correct in thinking March is usually a low snow month in Fairbanks.
As this National Weather Service Fairbanks graphic shows, March 2020 was snowy:
Thus, the Virtual Sonot skiers, who bemoaned the shoveling and scooping toll, were not being whiners. We did exert considerable effort removing this snow from driveways and paths.
The clouds that gave us all that snow kept the temperatures within normal lows but without the daytime sunshine, our highs were cooler than normal:
So enjoy skiing on that ample snow pack in April as the average temperatures rise dramatically. Remember to keep social distancing on the trails and ski within your abilities. Now is not the time for injuries that will increase the health care burden needlessly.
From Sonot Kkaazoot race director, Bad Bob Baker:
I just got off the River ….. not good…All of these pictures are of different bad spots on the Chena RIVER.. There is no way to avoid getting wet. This overflow extends from one side of the trail to the other. It’s 3 to 6 inches deep.
The section near the Ft. Wainwright bridge is very narrow now, with moving water on each side of the trail. There is no way I can pull my groomer thru most of these areas without getting trapped in the overflow. I took my snowmachine all the way around the 20 km course. Most of the worse areas begin beyond the Hamilton Acres area.
Tonight’s forecast is to stay quite warm, with more snow possible. My experience with these conditions on the Chena River over the past 33 years…is that I will not be groomable until a major weather change..which is not forecast until Thursday at the earliest! SO…at this point, the VIRTUAL SONOT has all moved up to BIRCH HILL.
For those of you who got your virtual SONOT KKAAZOOT in early, good job!!! I think everyone from this point on, can ski whatever VIRTUAL SONOT KKAAZOOT course they can dream up. You just CANNOT include any part of the CHENA RIVER..
THERE WILL BE NO GROOMING OR SKIING ON THE CHENA RIVER……. UNSAFE CONDITIONS
Race Director Bob Baker has deemed the Chena River to be ungroomable so the VIRTUAL SONOT KKAAZOOT has been moved up to Birch Hill.
So get out there and ski any trails or multiple trails on different days. It’s a virtual Sonot Kkaazoot.
Bad Bob Baker, who has 33 years experience grooming the Chena River, warns that the Sonot Kkaaoot course on the Chena River is no longer safe. (Photos will be posted shortly)
Ski trails at Birch Hill Recreation Area until you reach 20, 40, or 50 km (or any other distance). Send us a screen shot of the display from your GPS route, date, and time to us at: contact@sonotkkaazoot.org . We’ll post the virtual 33rd Sonot Kkaazoot times for all three distances. If you ski low tech, send us your time, date, and detailed course description. The main goal is to get out and ski while we can.
Grooming always depends upon Mother Nature.
If you haven’t already signed up for the Sonot Kkaaoot and would like to ski the Virtual Sonot Kkaaoot on groomed trails, please sign up for the Sonot at:
https://register.chronotrack.com/reg/form?kioskID=54564
Proceeds will go to the grooming efforts at Birch Hill and on the Chena River. If you are struggling financially because the coronavirus, go ahead and just ski. But if you can, please donate to the Sonot or the NSCF trails fund.
https://nordicskicluboffairbanks.wildapricot.org/Donate/
Here’s the latest grooming report from Tom Helmers, head NSCF groomer:
Bottom line is the Trail Fund is at its lowest amount. The Board of Directors of the ski club has asked all programs including Grooming to watch expense till this virus thing is straightened out. Word on the street is a fair number of skiers are planning to ski the Virtual Sonot Saturday, so my plan is to do a single pass of the entire trail system in the morning starting with the White Bear. The forecast is calling for some amount of snow pretty much every day for the next week to 10 days.
So please help us out if you possibly can. If not, please enjoy the groomed trails while you can.
Stay healthy!
from race director, Bad Bob Baker at 10:04 a.m. today:
THE weekend is coming..I just talked with TOM and with the wild winds he’s not sure when he’ll groom, but he plans to do what he can, when he can.. and often as possible. Tom also mentioned that there is also a possibility of the administration shutting down the groomers. SO..anything can happen on this VIRTUAL SONOT KKAAZOOT.
From the National Weather Service Fairbanks:
Here’s a weather timeline to help you plan for your virtual Sonot Kkaazoot:
Bad Bob Baker spent the better part of today grooming the Sonot Kkaazoot trail from the start and finish area near the Cushman Street bridge to the Fort Wainwright alpine hill. He also groomed the 20 km turnaround loop and the ditch between the Chena River and Fort Wainwright.
It is springtime so stay alert on the river and ski with a buddy who is 6 feet away from you. Conditions can and will change swiftly. Make sure you have your government identification if you are skiing these trails.
Groomed ramp to the virtual Sonot Kkaazoot start and finish area
Bad Bob grooming the Chena River wide enough for social distancing
Bad Bob plans to groom again on Wednesday morning when he will set a classical track. Enjoy the spring skiing. It is good for your physical and mental well-being during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Chena River portion of the Sonot Kkaazoot trail has been groomed again today and is ready for skiing. Bad Bob Baker reports that it is 20 feet wide (or more) for the entire length.
What’s holding you back? The river ice is more than 2 feet thick and the trail is groomed 20 feet wide? It’s just a little over three weeks until the Sonot Kkaazoot. Register now and avoid future price increases.
Sonot Kkaazoot Race Director, Bad Bob Baker gives the Chena River trail a thumbs up.
Yes, it’s been a cold winter in Interior Alaska. However, the cold nights have thickened the Chena River ice so that the traditional Sonot Kkaazoot start looks VERY promising. With World Masters canceled this year because of the coronavirus, Bad Bob Baker is in town to pack down the abundant new snow so that the river ice will continue to thicken as race day approaches.
From the NWS Fairbanks Facebook page:
Register now for the 33rd Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot. Also, contribute to the Birch Hill trail grooming fund so that we can enjoy skiing on the abundant snow this spring.
Sonot Kkaazoot 