Tag Archives: Chena River break-up

End of Virtual 20 km on Chena River

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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!!!
Bad BOB   Sonot Kkaazoot  Race Director..
1724 sm wet start1715 sm1712 sn1717 wet bridge1711 smDo not ski on Chena River

2014 Sonot Kaazoot (Tuesday morning update)

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If the Sonot Kkaazoot were to be held today, river ski conditions would be awesome. The Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks groomers were out today with drags and Ginzu. After their work, skiing on the river is fantastic:

2014_Sonot_Chena River_T-4

Unfortunately, there is a narrow spot on the river near Fort Wainwright in the center of the river channel, which the groomers will monitor on a day-to-day basis. Thus, the Sonot Kkaazoot organizers still hope to safely conduct the race on Saturday using the Chena River. However, we cannot control the weather. So, as indicated on the entry form, if the race is unsafe on Saturday morning, we will move to Birch Hill and delay the start until 10:30 a.m.

Groomers will go out again Wednesday morning and if the river still appears solid, we will have a snow shoveling work party Wednesday evening to put snow under the highway bridges where there is currently ice and gravel.

The groomers have dragged the ditch on Fort Wainwright, and it’s ready if the river is:

Sonot 2014_FWW ditch_sm

 

Sorry that we can’t control the weather and river break-up. However, skiers are a resilient bunch. The 2014 Sonot Kkaazoot will take place this Saturday, however, the course will need to remain in the “to be determined” status until Saturday morning around 6:30 a.m. when groomers set the classical tracks on the river.