The Unpleasantry wasn’t

Posted on March 9, 2025 by Sonot Kkaazoot

SCUM before starting Frank Soos Distance Race #3, the Unpleasantry–*photo by Sarah Jackson*

Thanks to NSCF timer, Claire Ferree, the three SCUM signed up to ski 30 km were allowed to start our ski an hour earlier than the rest of the field. This would allow the timers and course crew to head home before dinner. Unlike the World Championships in Trondheim, our trails were awesomely groomed with a trace of new snow. It was 24 deg and snowing lightly when we started and 28 deg when I finished 3.5 hours later. Although I was the red lantern, I was overjoyed because my longest ski this season before Saturday had been 17 km (1.7 x the White Bear course).

https://zone4.ca/race/2025-03-08/e263c35e/results

Jerome Jackson finished in under 3 hours and Byron was not that far behind him. However, Jerome had Sarah as his support team.

Thanks to FXC Masters Power Lunch and Strength workouts, I was able to ski 30 km without falling. After dislocating my right shoulder before Thanksgiving, I had to skate ski with one pole for weeks with my physical therapist’s warning not to fall. Knowing that I had skied the White Bear loop with one pole made it possible to ski it the third time yesterday when multiple body parts were screaming.

Finishing the Unpleasantry–*photo by Jerome Jackson*

Even at 75 years old, you can refine your ski technique and develop strength to overcome the inevitable slowing down that comes with aging. Thanks, Christina Turman!

Unpleasantries 30 km is Saturday

Posted on March 7, 2025 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Mike Schmoker and Chris Puchner carbo load and taper for World Masters–*photo by Margaret Mannix*

The twice postponed Frank Soos Distance Race #3 Unpleasantries is Saturday, 8 March 2025. Unless you are part of the SCUM travel team in Klosters, participating in Masters World Cup, you should be skiing the Unpleasantries 30 km event.

Fairbanks skiers enjoying the trails in Switzerland–*photo by Mike Schmoker*

Today Colin had groomed the Black loops so we skied them easily in preparation for tomorrow’s 30 km challenge. However, some of the SCUM won’t be participating in Unpleasantries so they did an extra ascent of the Black Funk today.

David slogs up Black Funk as his kick wax doesn’t work

Bill leads Bernardo up Black Funk

Some SCUM failed to show up today at all:

Where’s Dan, who hammered the inverted double omega yesterday? —*photo by Bill Husby*

So, enjoy the beautifully groomed White Bear trails tomorrow as we honor our friend and primordial SCUM, Frank Soos. It’ll be >3.5 hours of unalloyed pleasure.

Sonot Kkaazoot timers needed

Posted on March 4, 2025 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Who wouldn’t want to help out Sonot Kkaazoot race organizer, Bad Bob Baker who has been involved in timing virtually all the major NSCF races this season?

Here’s how:

We need 10 timers for the Sonot Kkaazoot on Saturday, 21 March. Volunteers can work for all or part of the day with the busiest time when the 10 km racers are finishing. Claire Ferree, head timer for the Sonot Kkaazoot will train everyone and Gina Chythlook will have hot beverages and tasty treats to keep you fueled while you work. It’s much warmer now being a timer at Birch Hill than it was during the first three decades of the Sonot Kkaazoot, when the start and finish was on the Chena River.

Please send an email to me at contact@sonotkkaazoot.org if you can help out. We’ll try to work around your availability on race day.

We also need volunteers for other tasks on race day or before. See our volunteers page for specific needs: https://sonotkkaazoot.org/volunteers/

2025 Skiathon Results

Posted on March 3, 2025 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Congratulations to all Skiathon finishers.

From UAF Trails Club website:

https://uaftrailsclub.weebly.com/skiathon.html

Skiathon Results
March 2, 2025
UAF Trail System
20 Kilometer – Classic Technique

Disclaimer: While everyone started together a number skied alternative routes as the course was poorly marked.

Lots of snow, no groundhog

Posted on February 2, 2025 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Wolfman shredding snow down the Black Cross–all photos and videos by Bill Husby

There was at least three inches of new snow atop the firm pistenbully groomed black trails so it was a good day to ski all the downhills. There was no sun this morning, so we saw no shadows.

No guts, no glory. Bernardo and Greg (below) are “dusted with the snow of shame” from the Black Funk and Competition downhills (yeah, Black Funk is supposed to be skied uphill, but the trails needed packing and Bill is a groomer, so we went down then up the Black Funk).

Bernardo and Greg dusted with the snow of shame

Latest SCUM to be “dusted with the snow of shame”–*photo by Bill Husby on 2/5/25*

Bill had so much fun packing the trails and setting tracks with his skis, he swapped hats and decided to pack the Sunnyside and Cliffside trails using one of their machines:

He saw lots of animal tracks while traveling down the sunlit Cliffside trail. Could some of them belong to a groundhog?

At least on the Cliffside trail, the sun was out, so a groundhog could see his shadow.

With the 4 to 5 inches of new snow on the Sunnyside and Cliffside trails since they were last groomed, I think the ice storm remnants will be well buried before the Gingersnap Special, the Frank Soos Distance Race #2 scheduled for Sunday, 9 February 2025 at 11:00 a.m. Homemade gingersnaps (Frank’s favorite) will be available if you ski either race or volunteer to help out.

Ski tomorrow or no shadow

Posted on February 1, 2025 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Tomorrow is Ground Hog Day, so if the Sunnyside Marmot is to see his shadow, we need to be out there skiing.

Here comes the sun–video by Bill Husby

Early registration for the 38th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot is open

Posted on January 24, 2025 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Scroll up to: https://sonotkkaazoot.org/ and you’ll find the URL to the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks Zone 4 registration system. Early registration through 28 February is your best deal.

Rat ponds escaped chinook debris today

Posted on January 12, 2025 by Sonot Kkaazoot

SCUM take a water break and selfie on Rat Ponds–photos by Bill Husby

When you’re a PistenBully guru, you know your ski trails under all conditions, so Bill Husby and the SCUM Rat Pack hit the Rat Ponds this morning:

PistenBully guru, Bill Husby inspects Rat Ponds grooming

Sunrise was spectacular (and warm)::

Byron was on the lookout for FNSB Parks and Rec trail signs in the springlike weather

Bill comfortable without his PistenBully ski hat

and even Bill shed his hat. He definitely approved of the classical tracks on the Rat Ponds.

Wolfman JACKson leads Dan, Byron, and Bill across Rat Ponds this morning—video by Bill Husby

Seen on the Birch Hill trails today

Posted on January 5, 2025 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Silverback Dermot and Silverback Wolfman JACKson–*photos by Joanna Fox*

Wolfman JACKson is emulating Dermot lately when it comes to dressing for SCUM workouts. The Silverback twins, shown above, had dermotized so that they wouldn’t get cold waiting for the slower SCUM.

SCUM enjoying Bill’s PistenBully groomed White Bear trails

Travis Kulp had groomed the White Bear and Moilanen Meadows with the PistenBully Friday night and with the 2025 U.S. National XC Ski Championships taking place in Anchorage this weekend, we had the awesome trails virtually to ourselves on Sunday.

Dan admiring the corduroy on Moilanen Meadows

Some SCUM take the path less traveled around corners like Dan Johnson, above.

It was a treat to have firm, fast tracks set by the PistenBully and allowed to set up overnight without having to be racing.

Happy 2025!

Posted on January 1, 2025 by Sonot Kkaazoot

SCUM and friends before sunrise on New Year’s Day

On the first day of 2025, we had much to celebrate. Bill Husby, SCUM groomer and classical skier par excellence, was back from his medical tests and consultations in Seattle. We missed his spirit and his quality grooming. In his honor, one of the other groomers had packed and tracked the North and South Classical only trails yesterday.

So after skiing the Tower and Medevac on firm PistenBully tracks, we headed out the White Bear to the helicopter trails on Fort Wainwright off the Sonot Connector. With 46 inches of snow this winter at the airport. where the snow depth currently is 22 inches, we are not suffering from the snow drought that Anchorage currently has. Birch Hill has received more snow and retained more of what has fallen than the airport so even though the Blackhawk trail had been packed and groomed several times this winter, the tracks and pole line was still pretty soft.

Bill's back on the helicopter trails — Bill, Dan, and Don on the Blackhawk trail–*photos by Joanna Fox*

Being a wily skier, Bill chose not to lead us on the Blackhawk trail. Instead, Mike Mathers was voted that honor. Former firefighter, Mike was so much faster than the rest of the SCUM that we only saw the evidence of his headfirst tumble: the divot in the snow at the side of the trail and his snow-covered hat: