November 2020
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N OVEMBER 2 0 2 0 , VOL . 2 2 , N O . 2 PHOTO BY ROSIE FRANKOWSKI Anchorage ............. 2 ANCHORAGE: MAT-SU: FAIRBANKS: Eagle River ............ 10 Bursting the “bubble” Snow hitting the ground, Staying active while Fairbanks ............. 13 with family fun groomers getting busy staying safe Girdwood ............. 10 Kachemak ............ 11 Mat-Su. 8 6 8 13 Statewide ............. 7 2 NOVEMBER 2020 203 W. 15th Ave., #204 Anchorage, Alaska, 99501 Phone — 276-7609 Fax — 258-7609 Anchorage Nordic Skier Hotline — 248-6667 [email protected] Newsletter Of The Nordic Skiing Association Of Anchorage, Inc. AROUND THE BOWL BOARD MEMBERS PRESIDENT Joey Caterinichio Solstice Tree Tour: New plans, new trails, VICE PRESIDENT great tree decorating opportunities Sara Miller SECRETARY Celebrate Winter Solstice on the trails with Anchorage’s Josh Niva new favorite holiday tradition: The NSAA Solstice Tree TREASURER Claire LeClair Tour! The fifth annual Solstice Tree Tour on Sunday, De- MEMBERS Tim Stone cember 13, is a one-day-only event that lets attendees walk Chris Seaman the Kincaid Park and Hillside ski trails to enjoy festively Mike Miller Tim Miller decorated trees by local businesses. During COVID-19 Will Earnhart times, we are excited to invite you to a modified and mitigated event, encouraging families to RSVP for one of OFFICE STAFF Haley Johnston, Business Manager two locations: the 2.5k of the Mize Loop at Kincaid Park or Sara Kamahele, Program Manager Randy’s Loop on the Hillside Trails. Check the website for Heather Liller, Office & Program Admin details: anchoragenordicski.com/solstice-tree-tour/. OPERATIONS STAFF Is your business interested in sponsoring a tree? There Craig Norman PHOTO BY MICHAEL DINNEEN Bill Brion are plenty of trees available along Randy’s and Mize loops Ready to race? It’s never too early to get excited about the Jack Cummins for your team to decorate and celebrate all that you love Tour of Anchorage, which arrives on March 7, 2021. Annette Brion Matthew Pauli about winter. Find the sponsorship packet on the website Peter Zug or email Sara Miller at [email protected] to get Tyler Norman involved! TRAILS Mike Miller NSAA Junior Nordic: Back with special plans for special sessions COMMITTEE CHAIRS Registration is open and spots are filling fast! Worried ALASKA SKI FOR WOMEN Molly Mylius about snowfall? First session isn’t always about the snow; sometimes it’s about the camaraderie on the trails and it’s AMH ANCHORAGE CUP always about a little bit of exercise and technique. NSAA Branden Fontana wants to reassure families that they get the same quality Good times and great competition are in the frosty air every BACKCOUNTRY TOURS of fun and coaching from the program regardless of snow- season during the AMH Anchorage Cup. Mary Vavrik fall early in the season. BESH CUPS RACE DIRECTOR The Junior Nordic program will be taking many precau- to gear up for this annual event. Welcome back to the Tour Anson Moxness tions this season to decrease the risk of COVID-19 to ski- of Anchorage Gold Level Sponsor, ConocoPhillips! Learn more about this season’s Tour at anchoragenordicski. BIATHLON ers and coaches. A complete mitigation plan can be found Joey Caterinichio, interim on the Junior Nordic website and will incorporate things com/tour-of-anchorage/. like: face coverings and social distancing of at least 6 feet HIGH SCHOOL RACING AMH Anchorage Cup: Anson Moxness are required; all skiers must complete the daily COVID Runneth over with racing fun assessment prior to each practice; waxing will be done by JUNIOR NORDIC It looks like winter is just around the corner, so you Shannon Donley one person per group to limit touch points; no indoor facili- know it’s almost time for another season of the AMH An- ties will be used; Saturday practice times have changed MIDDLE SCHOOL RACING chorage Cup. With COVID lingering, there’s a little more Diane Moxness to decrease the number of skiers grouped at one practice challenge and uncertainty than usual. But our race com- time; and no shared food or beverage. mittee is working hard to mitigate risks, adapt formats, RACE CHAIRMAN Have questions or want more information about Junior Tim Stone and bring you a full series of races. The results may end Nordic? Visit anchoragenordicski.com/junior-nordic/. up with a bit more of an old-school vibe – interval/wave SCHOLARSHIPS Dan Rosenberg Tour of Anchorage: Start training now! starts, limited facility access, etc. – but we’ll still have fun, Save the date: March 7, 2021, because a mitigated safe racing opportunities for everyone. SKAN 24 Geoff and Cathy Wright version of the Tour of Anchorage is in the works. Due to With the trying times, we do want to say a big thank COVID-19, the event format is pending, but that should not you to AMH for their continued sponsorship and support. SKI 4 KIDS Erin Whitney Witmer stop you from training for the big day. Take advantage of And further thanks to our co-hosts returning this winter, the world-class trails in and around the Anchorage Bowl including Alaska Winter Stars, APU Nordic Ski Team, and SKI JUMPING Sons of Norway. Karen Compton and Vivienne Murray So go ahead and get excited, do a snow dance, and keep SKI TRAIN an eye out for updates as we get closer to race day. We Travis Taylor look forward to seeing you all out on the trails this winter. SOLSTICE TREE TOUR Learn more at anchoragenordicski.com/amh-anchor- Sara Miller age-cup-series/. TOUR OF ANCHORAGE Turnagain Brewing gives back with Matias Saari October’s Selfless Sundays NSAA OFFICE HOURS Turnagain Brewing is committed to being an active 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and engaged community partner, so every month during BOARD MEETINGS the fall and winter they select a non-profit organization for Fourth Thursday of the month, 6:15 P.M. at BP Energy Center which to raise funds. All tips earned during the Sundays in or NSAA office. Open to all. October were dedicated to NSAA. We are grateful for com- munity partners who have the trails in mind. Thank you to Turnagain Brewing for their continued support of the NSAA mission and the Anchorage community! You can sip and chill year-round at Turnagain Brewing, located at 7920 King St. Check them out at turnagainbrewing.com. See AROUND THE BOWL, Page 3 the ALASKA nordic skier NOVEMBER 2020 ANCHORAGE 3 Joe Meehan, 907-884-2994; [email protected] AROUND THE BOWL the ALASKA Continued from Page 2 Saturday, February 6— Middle Fork Loop, Chugach Mountains; Tour nordic skier leader: Monica O’Keefe, 907-350-5300; [email protected] Thank you for your Pick.Click.Give Monday, February 15 (President’s Day holiday) — Beach Lake ski trails’ donations this season! Tour leader: Ray Cammisa, 907-726-7977; [email protected] EDITOR NSAA couldn’t do what we do without you! The Alaska Friday, February 26 — Friday Night Fun Ski, Alaska Pacific University ski Josh Niva community has various opportunities to elect funds to trails; Tour leader: Karlene Leeper at 907-440-0049; [email protected] [email protected] Saturday, February 27 — AT/Tele tour, Turnagain Pass, Kenai Mountains; non-profit organizations and the Pick.Click.Give. program Tour leader: Zachary Liller, 907-717-3419; [email protected] LAYOUT is one of the most charitable. While applying for your PFD Sunday, March 14 — Center Ridge, Turnagain Pass, Kenai Mountains; Tour online, Alaskans can choose to Pick.Click.Give. in incre- leader: Elizabeth Bluemink, 907-952-3956; [email protected] Kevin Powell ments of $25. All donations are tax deductible and donors Saturday, March 27 — South Fork Eagle River, Chugach Mountains; Tour [email protected] will receive tax documentation from the state once their leader: Mary Vavrik, 907-306-7686; [email protected] donations have been processed. Thank you to all 198 com- Saturday, April 3 — Skookum Glacier, Kenai Mountains; Tour leader: Mary AD REPRESENTATIVE Vavrik, 907-306-7686; [email protected] munity members who dedicated nearly $12,000 in funds to Michele Hansen Saturday-Sunday, April 10-11 — Reed Lakes overnight camping, Hatcher [email protected] the NSAA and the trails this season! Pass, Talkeetna Mountains; Tour leader: Mary Vavrik, 907-306-7686; [email protected] Saturday, April 24 — Crust skiing, location TBD; Tour leader: Zachary LOCAL EDITORS Liller, 907-717-3419; [email protected] ANCHORAGE Learn more at anchoragenordicski.com/programs/ Josh Niva backcountry-tours/. [email protected] NSAA CALENDAR EAGLE RIVER NOVEMBER Barbara Johnson Sunday, November 1 — NSAA Season Kickoff Party! (Virtual) [email protected] TBA – Junior Nordic — Equipment Pickup FAIRBANKS Friday, November 27 — NSAA Backcountry Tour: 22nd annual Turkey Day Eric Troyer Shake-off [email protected] DECEMBER KACHEMAK The dog days of winter have yet to arrive but we’re already Wednesday, December 2 — Junior Nordic Session #1 Starts Mike Gracz barking for backcountry skiing adventures! Check out the TBA —Ski Jumping: Winter Session Starts Turkey Day Shakeoff, hosted by NSAA’s Backcountry Tours [email protected] team, after Thanksgiving, as well as other tours taking place TBA — ASD High School Freestyle Snowball Race – Hillside this season. Saturday, December 12 — Backcountry Tours: Iditarod National Historic JUNEAU Trail, Turnagain Pass, Kenai Mountains Frankie Pillifant NSAA Backcountry Tours: TBA — Biathlon Race #1 [email protected] Kicking off with a Shake-off TBA — ASD High School Lynx Loppet – Kincaid 23rd annual Turkey Day Shake-off — Friday, November 27, Archangel Sunday, December 13 — AMH Anchorage Cup – Freestyle MAT-SU Road, Hatcher Pass; Tour leader: Karlene Leeper, 907-440-0049, Sunday, December 13 — Solstice Tree Tour Ed Strabel [email protected] TBA – Biathlon Race #2 [email protected] Join us for this post-Thanksgiving Shake-off ski and Saturday, December 19 — Besh Cup #1, Kincaid Park SALCHA NSAA’s first tour of the season.