Sorry for the late post (misplaced password and all of that)! Today’s weather is perfect for a trail tour, snow, not so much. Trail options are limited – so today’s tour will be on the Goldstream Trails as planned last week. Meet at a little before 1 PM at the pull-out on Ballaine Road.

These are multi-use trails – one to two dogs that are comfortable encountering walkers, skiers, snow machiners, mushers, fat bikers and who knows what else are recommended; no loose dogs, please. Trails are flat and relatively wide. Hope to see you out there.

There was some talk among the ASPA board about trying to reschedule the Chena Lakes race to this coming Sunday, Feb 23. If indeed that happens, there will be NO trail tour.

However, if the race is not rescheduled, I will lead a trail tour – starting at 1:00 PM. Meet at the pull-out/snow machine launch/winter trail crossing on Nordale Road (just before the Little Chena River bridge, if you are coming from Chena Hot Springs). We will attempt to do the tour that was scheduled for January 26th and cancelled because of icy conditions. See the Facebook and website postings for January 26th for complete description of the proposed tour. In short, it’s a dog sled/snow machine trail that is flat, and is suitable for narrow skate skiing and one to two dogs (in slow snow conditions you will be happier with two dogs).

Temperature cut-off is -10 at 11:30 AM; since this trail system is low-lying, we will use the airport temperature at 11:30 as the cut-off. I skijored this trail last weekend at these colder temperatures and it was a total slog with one dog. However, here is hoping that we have warmer temperatures.

Trail tours are free for ASPA members; nonmembers pay a $5 penalty fee. Minimum temperature is -10 degrees at 11:30 AM; since this trail system is low-lying, we will use the airport temperature at 11:30 as the cut-off.

For further information or questions, call Mara Bacsujlaky at 347-9687 or mbacsujlaky@acsalaska.net

REMEMBER: If an announcement goes out that there is a rescheduled Chena Lakes race, the trail tour is cancelled, as Tansy and I will be out at Chena Lakes.

Having just done a trial ski jor on Goldstream valley trails – I have decided that leading a trail tour tomorrow would not be fun, and could possibly be even a little hairy/dangerous.  Trails are rock hard, icy, and difficult to control dogs on.  Therefore, tomorrow’s tour is cancelled.  We will do the Nordale trail in late February.

This Sunday’s trail tour (January 26) will be on the lovely and well-maintained trail system near the Little Chena River – part of the Yukon Quest-North Pole-Two Rivers winter trail system. If you have never explored these trails, now is your chance to do so.

Meet at the pull-out/snow machine launch/winter trail crossing on Nordale Road at 1:00 PM. If you are coming from Chena Hot Springs Road, this pull out will be on your left, about 1.5 miles (give or take) from the CHRS/Nordale Rd intersection (If you cross the Little Chena River on Nordale, you have gone too far). This is a big pull out, so there will be plenty of room to park; it also has not been well cleared by DOT this year, so there are some small berms to bump over to get to the packed down area.

The trail tour will be a loop, with options for further out and back exploration beyond the turn around for the loop, for those with fast dogs and/or more than one dog. Trail is largely through woods and abandoned sloughs of the Little Chena, with about 1/4 of the trail along a powerline. It is wide, flat and suitable for two-dog skijoring. There are a few narrow, twisty spots on the inbound part of the loop, and in one section there is a downed tree near the trail that will require some fast foot work if you are skiing with two dogs. Otherwise, this is a tour that is well-suited for two-dog/faster skijorers.

Estimated time to do the loop is 1 hour at Tansy-dog speed (moderate, single dog skijoring). The area is heavily frequented by moose and long distance teams, as well as snow machiners.

Trail tours are free for ASPA members; nonmembers pay a $5 penalty fee. Minimum temperature is -10 degrees at 11:30 AM; since this trail system is low-lying, we will use the airport temperature at 11:30 as the cut-off.

For further information or questions, call Mara Bacsujlaky at 347-9687 or mbacsujlaky@acsalaska.net

This week’s trail tour continues the Goldstream Valley trail exploration by taking to the trails south of Ballaine Road.  Join us this Sunday, December 22 at 1:00 PM.  We will meet in the parking lot of Ivory Jack’s, and head out on the dog mushing trail that parallels Goldstream and O’Brien Creek roads until heading into the woods.  Trail tour will be mostly an out and back on level ground.  Most of the trails are wide enough for narrow skate skiing – occasional double poling will be necessary.  Trail is in good, solid shape, unless we get new snow. Post-tour food and beverage enjoyment at Ivory Jack’s is also a possibility.  

A trail tour is non-competitive and highly social with emphasis on fun.

ASPA members free; nonmembers $5. Membership forms available on site. Minimum temperature is -10 degrees at 11:30 am (call 458-3745 ext 1113).

Contact Mara Bacsujlaky at 347-9687 or mbacsujlaky@acsalaska.net for more info. Trail tours are planned for most weekends throughout the winter; check Facebook, e-mail, www.alaskaskijoring.org or the hotline (457-5456) for details.