How long will it Last? 

It's true, spring is springing. How long will our great skiing last? This year, we're

Setting tracks on the Hillside

working with a good ice lens in the Hillside area, which may allow us to continue to ski into late April or even early May! (Clearly, this is weather dependent, but we can keep our fingers crossed.) However, it's been a low snow year, so Kincaid will probably not fare as well. Eventually, sections of the trail will begin to show dirt, and the groomers will do their best to shovel remaining snow into those areas until the effort becomes too expensive for the return. In other areas, the base may shrink as a whole, and placing tracks may become impossible. We'll remove the tracks and groom the trail as long as possible, but expect the tracks to come out before skiing ends.

Which trail do we think will last the longest at Kincaid? The Jodhpur Loop, which not only has good coverage, but has recently had summer work done on it. The snow base will most likely last the longest there.

Fun facts from previous seasons: 
~ April 30: Last groom in 2010

~ April 15: Last groom in 2009

~ April 23: Last groom in 2008

~ April 20: Last groom in 2007

~ April 21: Last groom in 2006  

A Few of our Amazing Board of Directors!

NSAA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, governed by a seven-member Board of Directors. Half of the Board members are elected each year to a two-year term by the current members at the Annual Meeting in November. Meet three of our board members.

Jeff Scott, President

By day Jeff is the Sales Manager at NC Machinery, the Caterpillar dealer in Anchorage. He grew up in New Hampshire, went to West Point and came to Alaska with his wife Beth on assignment with the army. He learned to ski at Ft. Richardson on wooden skis and his first exposure to NSAA was riding the Ski Train. He developed a deeper interest in the NSAA when Operations Director Ben Powell, a self-described "professional beggar," needed a tractor for trail work and threatened to buy a John Deere if Jeff couldn't help. At this point, Jeff was an avid skier and saw the need for someone with his skill set to join the board. He is drawn to the highly sophisticated mechanical aspects of NSAA's operations, and is continually impressed by the skill set it takes to plan, maintain, and fix this equipment. Jeff loves pondering the big picture, and working with the NSAA Board and staff to figure out what our next steps are as an organization and where we should go from here. We love Jeff's positive fun energy he brings to skiing, mountain biking and board work.

Ellen Toll, Secretary

Ellen got involved with the NSAA through the Anchorage Junior Nordic League somewhere around the year 2000. As Program Director of Junior Nordic, she was instrumental in making the Jr Nordic/NSAA merge happen. Ellen's a recovering attorney but finds much more gratification coordinating a program that teaches over 700 kids to ski each year.
Ellen grew up in Denver, where she was a downhill skier. She started Nordic skiing at Williams College in MA. She competed through college and still participates in the citizen races in Anchorage. Ellen skis 6 days a week and we think it contributes to her friendly demeanor and many smiles. She says Nordic skiing is something she loves to do with her husband and daughter and that she can't imagine a better community of people to work and volunteer with. When asked why she continues to put so much energy in to the Junior Nordic program and NSAA, she replies, "It's fun!" Thanks, Ellen, for the countless hours you spend helping shape the next generation of world class skiers.

Tim Brabets, Treasurer

Tim measures his time with the NSAA in "BG" years, that is, the years "Before Grunts." He moved to Alaska in 1981 and began Nordic skiing and volunteering for the NSAA within a year or so of his arrival. He's a hydrologist for the USGS and grew up near Chicago. He always wanted to come to Alaska, so when a USGS position opened up here, he jumped on it and hasn't looked back. Tim skis regularly, typically at Bartlett or Russian Jack on weekdays, and Kincaid on weekends. He's currently the Treasurer for NSAA, as well as a regular timer for races and the Kincaid score board fixer. Tim has been the Chief of Timing for nearly every major event NSAA has hosted. Tim says he thinks volunteering for NSAA is a great way to give back to the community, and he values the huge amount NSAA does to promote a healthy lifestyle here, from Ski 4 Kids to the major races. When you meet Tim, ask him how timing has changed over the years! He's continually amazed by how we pull it all off, and attributes that to the amazing and dedicated community of volunteers. As one of the most dedicated volunteers, we applaud you, Tim, and hope you'll stick with us through the next 30 years.  

Calling all seniors and college students 

NSAA scholarships due April 1st.   

For over twenty years NSAA has been awarding college scholarships to Anchorage area high school seniors and college students who are actively involved in skiing and excel in school and other activities.

New Scholarships Available

Additional scholarships will be available thanks to the generosity of Elizabeth Tower's family and friends. In addition to NSAA scholarships, three memorial scholarships of $1,000 each honoring Dr. Elizabeth "Betsy" Tower will be awarded this year, one earmarked specifically for an outstanding returning college student. 

The NSAA Board voted to make additional scholarships available by matching the generous donation of Dr. Tower's family. The Elizabeth Tower Scholarship Fund will be administered with the NSAA Scholarship fund.    

How to Apply

This year's scholarship applications are due April 1^st. Please encourage NSAA families with high school seniors or current college students to consider applying. Application and scholarship criteria are available online or request a paper copy from NSAA, 203 W. 15^th Ave, #204 Anchorage, AK 99501.

Meet our #1 grooming volunteer!

NSAA has hundreds of committed volunteers, but only a few that come close to Matt Pauli. He's our "go to" guy for national and USSA-sanctioned races, newly retired adopt-a-road coordinator AND volunteer groomer. He is such a dedicated groomer that for vacation this fall he took a 5 hour tour of the Pisten Bully factory in Germany.  His newest puppy, "Springvail Trail Blazing Bully," is nicknamed Pisten.

Matt was born in Brooklyn but moved to Alaska in 1971. He began skiing young and was a competitive high school racer. He  joined NSAA during high school, and continued his membership when his racing days came to a close. He says that although he lost the passion for competing, he still wanted to be involved in the organization. His first volunteer job was as "Chief of Race Security" for the 1983 World Cup, where he slept in the timing building and guarded "all the stuff." Matt began grooming for NSAA as a volunteer over ten years ago. He started by packing early season trails with the snow machine. About 2 years ago he was finally given the wheel of the big cat and now spends about 10 hours a week grooming for NSAA. Trail grooming, he says, is how he's setting himself up for retirement.

Matt's "other job," as he puts it, is as a Compliance Officer for OSHA, where he is a Certified Industrial Hygienist. Matt's also big in to ski race officiating, and spends a lot of time as Chief of Competition or Chief of Course for NSAA, USSA, FIS, or CCAK. This year he served as Technical Delegate (TD) for the US Nationals in ME and Assistant TD in Kazakstan. If he's not working or volunteering, Matt's likely to be performing QC on the trails (skiing), or spending time with his wife, Rebecca (former Executive Director of NSAA), and their three pups.  

NSAA has been a big part of his life and Matt is happy to give back. He says he and Rebecca are "fortunate to have NSAA, and fortunate to be able to throw ourselves at it." He's impressed by the success of a local organization in Anchorage and thinks NSAA is a great model for non-profits. "If you look at the success of organizations in Anchorage, we are it," he says.

Why we like Matt: "He's the definition of the energizer bunny," says Diane Moxness, NSAA's Executive Director. "Even after working a full week with some officiating thrown in, Matt will happily show up to groom the Hillside in the middle of the night. He's amazing!" In addition, we like Matt because he has the patience to put in the time it takes to become a qualified groomer, a very long process.  

Fun Facts about this year's Tour

~ 1665 Registered skiers

~ 1486 Finishers

~ 52% (772) did the 25K

~ 28% (420) did the 40K

~ 20% (294) did the 50K

~ 40% Women - 60% Men

~ Youngest participants: two  8 year olds

~ Oldest Participants: two 77 year olds

~ 6,144 Fig Newtons consumed at feed stations

~ 6 Timing chips lost by race participants

~ 250 Pizzas consumed at Kincaid (arriving every 30 minutes throughout race day)

~ 5 snow cats, 5 snowmachines and 12 machine operators groomed 50K

~ 80 Individuals + 8 high school groups + 3 Boy Scout troops = Awesome volunteers

Check out the great Tour video  by the Alaska Teen Media Institute.

Thank you producers Avia Hirsch, Ishmael Streevel, and Robert Stormo. 

Check out great Tour photos available for sale by photographer Michael Dinneen.

Thank you to the Bear Tooth Theatre of a great awards celebration.

Save the date for the 25th Tour of Anchorage - March 4, 2012 

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We left you hanging last time, so this month we're giving you 2! 

Loose something? 

NSAA office has boxes full of lost & found items from Jr. Nordic, races, Fast & Female, and the Ski Train. CHECK HERE to see the lists, then stop by our office to pick up your item. Best to call first, we're moving to our limited spring time hours (ie more skiing, less officing).

NSAA Office - 276-7609

203 W. 15th Ave, #204 (15th & C Street - Upstairs from the Camera Repair Shop) 

Sugar Snow 

We need your support (ie. cash)!   

We also take checks, credit card and online payments.

(Great skiing takes great money!)  

Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage

203 W. 15th Ave, #204 Anchorage, AK 99501

AnchorageNordicSki dot COM
907-276-7609