Alaska Skijoring Pulk Association& 2007-2008 Program & Schedule Alaska Skijoring & Pulk Association Jamie’s Corner A Note from the We will continue to host the popular ski wax President clinic with Fred Raymond. Alaska Skijoring We will continue to put the signs and maps and Pulk Association out at Creamer‟s Field. The trails will be P.0. Box 82843 groomed for multiple use at Creamer‟s and Fairbanks, AK 99708-2843 North Star by our own Pat DeRuyter, Peggy (907) 45-SKIJOR I‟d like to introduce myself as the continuing (907) 457-5456 Raybeck and many other great volunteers. www.sleddog.org/skijor President of the Alaska Skijoring and Pulk We will update the ASPA website to provide Association (ASPA). I‟m Jamie Marschner and additional educational information about we have numerous activities planned this year skijoring. for both beginning and experienced skijorers. We will print a monthly newsletter during the We will sponsor the following activities during season with informative articles about topics the upcoming season: of interest as well as upcoming events and Our Beginners‟ Clinic is scheduled at Alaska results of past events. Feed in December with an on-snow session The Fall General Membership meeting and following at Creamer‟s Field. Pre-register potluck in October will kick off our season. early! Join us for our Spring Membership Meeting Skate Ski Clinics, taught by Joel Buth of and Barbeque in March where we recognize Goldstream Sports, for both beginning and all of our great volunteers! intermediate, will be available to get ASPA It will be a busy fun-filled year! I hope to see Something for members back in shape for skijoring. We you out on the trails or at our many events. Everyone also refer skiers to the Nordic Ski Club for Feel free to contact me or any ASPA Board lessons. member with questions about ASPA or to Training Clinics staffed by ASPA volunteers volunteer for any of the events. will be held at Creamer‟s Field trails. We Where 3 will offer weekly clinics for the beginner and to Go Skijoring Jamie Marschner, President, 458-0462, for the more experienced skijorer with dogs [email protected] who may need socialization or passing skills. 4Trail Etiquette The Creamer‟s Field Fun Races And Safety continue with Andy Warwick as our Race Coordinator and a lot of volunteer helpers are needed for the Being Seen5 in many events. The philosophy of the Dark providing a distance for everyone will continue as will the fun rather than highly competitive format. Relays, 72007/2008 LeMans starts and the Orienteering Event Schedule Race add to the variety. The Race Across the Valley will be 9 coordinated by Sara Elzey and Don Kiely this year and we look forward Related to another set of exciting trails to Websites experience. The Birch Hill Race will again be the 14 premier event of the season with Membership World Cup accreditation and Info participants from around the state 15 joining us at this wonderful venue. Etiquette in The Show „n‟ Go‟s (organized by Moose Country Peggy Raybeck) will continue with day trips on local trails. May not be combined with any other offer or trading credit. 17 The Lee‟s Cabin race will be at the No cash or coupon credit back for purchases totaling less than end of March to take advantage of $3.00. AK Skijoring & Pulk Assoc. Special expires 05/01/08. early spring weather. 2 0 0 7 - 2008 Program & Schedule Something for Everyone ASPA Has Something for Everyone Want to check out the sport before acquiring a dog or investing in 3 equipment? Fall Meeting Attend the Beginners‟ Clinic or come out to any of our events and observe or volunteer to help out. See the ASPA schedule at www.sleddog.org/skijor/events.html. Don’t have a dog? Come to the Beginners‟ Clinic or a Fun Race. A club member will let you take a dog for a spin. Have a dog who likes to run but haven’t tried skijoring yet? Again, the Beginners‟ Clinic is just for you. It‟s amazing how quickly dogs figure this out when they‟ve got other teams to chase after. The trails around Creamer‟s Field, groomed by ASPA, are perfect for your first attempts at skijoring. Visit our website at www.sleddog.org/skijor/start.html for tips on the equipment you‟ll need to get started. Wendell Schiffler, speaker from the Alaska Want to try skijoring for the first time in a more relaxed, one-on-one Trappers Association, at the Fall Membership setting? meeting. Call Jamie Marschner (458-0462) and she‟ll hook you up with an ASPA member who can show you and your dogs the ropes. Want to see your dog totally excited about running and share in that excitement? Come to a Fun Race or any other ASPA race. See the ASPA schedule at www.sleddog.org/skijor/events.html. Want to improve your skijoring skills? Attend ASPA clinics through the year and read the “Getting Started” articles at www.sleddog.org/skijor/training.html. Want a relaxed tour with fellow skijorers or an overnight trip to a cabin? Yummy potluck at the Fall Membership Check out the Show „n‟ Go skijor tours. See the ASPA schedule at www.sleddog.org/ meeting. skijor/events.html and the listing of Fairbanks area skijor-friendly trails at www.skijor.org/skijor/trails.html. Above and below: More potluck fun at the Fall Membership meeting. Photos by: Lisa Stuby Where to Go Alaska Skijoring & Pulk Association Skijoring Where to Go Skijoring Chena Lakes Recreation Area: Fairbanks Vicinity 12 miles of groomed mushing and ski trails with 4 loops of 1.5, 4.5, 5.0, 6.7, 9.5, and 12 miles. There are literally hundreds of miles of trails in From the Richardson Highway, turn east on the Alaskan Interior that can be explored with Laurance Road in North Pole. Drive ~3.5 miles dogs. Below is a sampling of available trails. and turn left at the "Lake Park" sign. Follow Some trails are wide and groomed regularly to signs to Mike Agbaba Trailhead. world class standards. Other trails are wild single track that will test your skiing ability and sense of adventure. Goldstream Valley: Before venturing out to explore Maintained by local mushers, these trails are any Fairbanks-area trail, please read narrow in places, but fun, if you are willing to “ASPA's Tips for Good Trail do some double poling behind your dogs. Best Etiquette and Safety with Dogs" on starting points are Ivory Jack's on Goldstream page five. Visit ASPA‟s website at Road and the parking pullout on the east side of www.sleddog.org/skijor/ Ballaine Road at the bottom of the hill. trails.html to find Internet links for all the trails listed below. Two Rivers Nordic Trails: 7.5K of groomed Nordic ski trails that have been opened on a trial Jeff Studdert Trails (ADMA): basis to skijorers. Please pay the daily use fee Located on Farmers Loop Road, ($5) or buy a season pass so skijorers may features 27 miles of trail with continue to use these great trails. options of 1.0 to 27 miles. Groomed Congratulations to the 2007 Alder Award primarily for dog mushing, but White Mountain Recreation Area: winner, Shadow Elzey, and her owner, skijorers are welcome if they yield Miles and miles of backcountry trails Sara Elzey! Shadow has had a 10 year to dog teams and pay the daily use career with over 80 recorded events. maintained for snowmobiling, mushing, and fee ($5) or buy a season pass. skiing by the Bureau of Land Management. The Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl most popular trailhead is at Milepost 28 of the Refuge: Elliot Highway north of Fairbanks. Lee's and The Trailhead is at the Creamer's Farmhouse Moose Creek Cabins are two of the more located on College Road. 2.5 miles of groomed popular destinations. skijoring trails that tie into the 27-mile Alaska Dog Mushers Association (ADMA) Trail Cache Creek off Murphy Dome Road: system. Maps and trail etiquette fliers are Fun loops of four to eighteen miles that begin at posted at the trailhead. Also, a schedule of races Cache Creek Road at Milepost 20 on Murphy originating at Mushers' Hall is posted. Please Dome Road. See the website for a map. check the schedule and make sure you don't venture onto the ADMA trails during the posted race times. 2 0 0 7 - 2008 Program & Schedule Trail Etiquette and Safety ASPA’s Tips Good Trail Etiquette and Safety with Dogs 5 Fun Races The Alaska Skijoring and Pulk Association (ASPA) compiled these tips that work well for ski- jorers when they encounter any trail user. When you start exploring trails with your dog(s), check with the local trail users for trail maps and user rules. Trail travel by multi-users can be easy and fun if some simple etiquette and safety tips are followed by all. Note: the following tips apply to the Fairbanks area’s multi-use trail system. Other trail rules may apply in different regions, so ask before traveling. Every skijorer should be familiar with these trail etiquette and safety tips: Do not skijor on trails maintained for only nordic skiing. In the Fairbanks vicinity, the University, Birch Hill, Salcha and other similarly well-maintained ski trails are not Getting ready for a fun race, open to dogs. handing out bibs. Do skijor on trails maintained for dog teams and other users.