Bummer...

The UAA Ski Team was sad today because it looks like rollerskiing conditions in Anchorage might not be good again until some time in May.

This is what Lukas was dreaming of this morning...

Hatcher Pass offered good skiing as usual this time of year.

Laura:

 Steffi:

 Lutz:

 Maya, Jaime, and Lasse:

If you're interested, there's amateur video at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ck4ap9v4BY 

A little more snow...

Used without permission from Davis Dunlap; Powerline Pass above Anchorage:

Presumably, those are Davis' ski tracks in the snow...

Videos

It seems that the videos I load on this blog never work for more than a few hours, so I guess I'll upload them on Youtube and put the links on this blog.  Here's one from yesterday at Hatcher: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0ySusSItCU

Hatcher Pass

When given the choice, the UAA Ski Team prefers to ski.

Lunch break.

 One-ski skiing.

Nevio

 Nevio again

 Skiing back to the car:

Hatcher Pass:

This is not UAA ski practice.

I couldn't make it to UAA practice for most of the week because I had to go to my "day job" in the Aleutian Islands.  The airline stranded me for a day, but fortunately it was in one of my favorite places on earth - Unalaska. I finally made it back to Anchorage this evening.  The word on the street is that we're going skiing tomorrow.

Tuesday

There won't be many more of these cross-country runs this fall...

The boys comparing beards during a drink break.

Girdwood

This afternoon, we went down to Girdwood to check out the progress on the new Girdwood ski trail system.  I guess it takes hefty bridges to hold up under all the wet snow they get there. Maybe NCAA Nationals will be run on this trail some day???

We found snow at Alyeska - about 18 inches or more at the top of the tram.

Double-Poling and Waffle-Eating

Today we had a two-part workout:  rollerskiing and waffling.  We did a lap around west Anchorage on the multi-use trails which took a little less than three hours for the men and a little over three and a half hours for the women.  We ended up at Andrew and Calisa's house, where we ate all their food and held their baby.

Pre-workout directions and instructions outside the ski room at UAA.

 Lasse, Karina and Maya on the Coastal Trail.

 Laura, Steffi and Jaime.

 Point Woronzof.

 At Kincaid Park.

 A break for refreshments at Campbell Creek. Laura almost fell into this creek.  If she did, we'd have had some more entertaining pictures.

I must have been too busy stuffing my face to take any waffle pictures...

It won't be long now (3)...

This puddle in my driveway has been frozen for three days now.

Some people like mountains

Today we saw some moose, dall sheep, and sunshine.

 Lasse, what's wrong?!?  Is Nevio talking too much again?

Lutz - pondering one of life's many questions...

 

 Laura & Kelsey:

Some people like pictures

If the V.V.T.T. pictures on this website aren't enough to satisfy you, more can be found at:
http://galenjohnston.zenfolio.com/p564211577/h3a33d08#h2fc83fc0

Vicious Verrier Time Trial

By the numbers:
Distance: around 6km+/-
Altitude gain: around 1,000 feet (300 meters) +/-
Time from start to finish:  more than 24 minutes
Percentage of the team that took a wrong turn: 50% +/-

Karina:

 Steffi & Karina:

 Lutz:

 Nevio:

 Laura:

 The Black Knight:

 Lucky:

 Galen of the Mountain:

 Lasse:

 Jaime:

 Jaime again:

 Laura & Nevio:

 Coach:

 Karina & Maya:

 Steffi:

 Steffi: