About

About NSAA

Promoting healthy lifestyles through Nordic skiing and sustaining community trails year-round.

From the early beginnings of building Anchorage’s trail system and first community races to operating today’s modern snowmaking and grooming equipment and hosting races that draw thousands of participants, the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage is the driver of healthy outdoor activities and cross-country skiing access for all Alaskans and visitors. 

NSAA:

  • Grooms and maintains Anchorage’s world-class trail system through the winter, summer, and all seasons. 
  • Hosts local, statewide, national and international events. 
  • Offers programs that teach and inspire skiers of all skill levels. 

Fueled today by passionate staff, volunteers, members, and community partners and built on a foundation with more than 60 years of history and leadership, NSAA is committed to promoting healthy outdoor activities and lifestyles and protecting Anchorage’s trails for years to come.

Become a Member

Our History

Since the 1960’s NSAA has been dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles through Nordic skiing and sustaining community trails year-round.

The Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage (NSAA) turned 60 years old in 2024.  When the club began as The Nordic Ski Club of Anchorage, there were no dedicated cross country ski trails, no ski jumps, and no biathlon range in Anchorage.  The founders saw a need for organized winter recreation in Anchorage and cross-country skiing seemed a perfect fit.  With their “can-do” frontier spirit and energy the club was born with 40 members in 1964.  

NSAA hosts community events like the Solstice Tree Tour, Ski for Women, Tour of Anchorage, Ski 4 Kids, and the Ski Train that bring fun and festivity to Anchorage and Alaska during the long winter months.

Today the club has a total family/individual membership of over 4,000 and has developed, maintained, and groomed over 160 km of ski trails at Kincaid Park, Hillside Park, Bartlett High School, and Beach Lake Park.  The club has built a ski jump complex at Hillside Park with year-round jumping and a state-of-the-art biathlon range at Kincaid.  NSAA has active club divisions including racing, Junior Nordic, ski jumping, biathlon, and cabins.  Snowmaking at Kincaid and at the ski jumps has also been a recent addition to NSAA’s winter operations.

“On Track” is a book that was written by Alice Knapp to chronicle the organization’s history, the 160 km of ski trails it has built and maintains, the people who made it happen, the club divisions, events, and all the working parts of the club.

All proceeds benefit NSAA’s history project.

History Book

Our Mission

Promoting healthy lifestyles through Nordic skiing and sustaining community trails year-round.

TRAILS

NSAA grooms and maintains over 160km of trails in Anchorage, Eagle River, and Chugiak.  The trail work happens year-round: Grooming in the winter and grading, brushing and clearing in the summer.

PROGRAMS

NSAA Hosts a myriad of programs to enhance the participation in nordic skiing.  Anchorage Junior Nordic is our signature youth program for children ages 6 to 14 and we offer lessons for adults too!

NSAA oversees the Biathlon Range at Kincaid Park and the Karl Eid Ski Jumping Complex.

RACES

NSAA is the host organizer of all Anchorage School District racing for High School and Middle School teams.  We also host our own community fun race series called the AMH Anchorage Cup.  In March, the Tour of Anchorage challenges skiers and snow bikers across 25, 40 and 50km distances on a course that goes point-to-point across town.

EVENTS

NSAA hosts a handful of community events throughout the year.  We kick off the season with a NSAA Ski Swap and a couple weeks later, the Annual Celebration.  In December, the Solstice Tree Tour welcomes all to the ski trails for a festive night of decorated trees and tasty treats.  February brings The Alaska Ski for Women is the nation’s oldest womens-only ski race.  The Ski-4-Kids introduces skiing and other winter activities to over 500 kids each year and makes grants to local schools for ski equipment.

NSAA Staff

Kikkan Randall

Executive Director

Bridget McBride

Program Manager

Matthew Hebard

Events Manager

Ashton Doyle

Office Manager

Art Harmon

Junior Nordic Sport Director

Ida Gullet

Race Director 

Zak Hammil

Jumping Program Director

Kalysta Schmidt

Program Assistant

Grooming and Maintenance Staff:

    • Craig Norman, Head of Operations
    • Annette Brion, Operations Administrator
    • Bill Brion, Groomer
    • Tyler Norman, Operations
    • Matt Pauli, Groomer
    • Chip Schoff, Groomer
    • Drew Fox, Groomer
    • Rebecca Kemmer, Groomer
    • Chance Mitchell, Groomer
    • Scott Parmelee, Groomer
    • Dennis Perry, Groomer

Eric Zinck

Board President
president@anchoragenordicski.com
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Eric Zinck

Board President
president@anchoragenordicski.com
Eric was born and raised in Alaska and has been a Nordic Ski Association member since childhood. Eric skied competitively for Service High School, the University of Alaska, and the U.S. Ski Team. He coached for and is a former board member of Anchorage Junior Nordic. After 33 years as a wealth management advisor at Merrill Lynch, Eric retired to spend more time with his wife traveling, volunteering in the community, and enjoying more time with the grandkids.

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Joey Eski

Vice President
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Joey Eski

Vice President
Joey moved to Alaska in 1997 and has been an active member of the Anchorage Nordic skiing community ever since. Although she didn’t start Nordic skiing until she was a young adult, she fully embraced the sport and still enjoys training and participating in community events and races to this day. She and her husband, Wayne, have three children who have all grown up Nordic skiing and racing having started their young ski journeys in Junior Nordic. When not skiing in Kincaid, you can find Joey and her family in the mountains or on bikes. Joey brings a background in financial accounting and previous nonprofit board experience to this position. She hopes to use her experience to help support NSAA and its many programs and events grow and expand to further promote healthy, active opportunities for our entire community.

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Lauren Berry

Board Member
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Lauren Berry

Board Member
Lauren Berry is a longtime Alaskan, parent of three, and avid outdoorswoman with a professional background in environmental policy, organizational strategy, and community engagement. She is passionate about increasing NSAA’s year-round visibility as a champion of Anchorage's active lifestyle. A recreational skier continually working on her skills, Lauren is excited to serve on the Board, give back to the organization, and connect with the community at upcoming NSAA races and events.

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Barbara Amy

Treasurer
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Barbara Amy

Treasurer
Barbara Amy is SVP and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at NANA Regional Corporation.  She was formerly the CFO at Alaska Railroad where she worked since 2006. She began her career in finance as a securities fraud investigator for the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) in New York City and later in Washington, D.C. She has since spent the past 27 years working in various aspects of corporate finance. She spent several years working as an investment banker, specializing in the transportation sector. She spent several years as a principal in a private equity firm in Chicago before moving to Alaska in 2002. In Alaska, she has pursued roles in corporate finance, working for a native corporation in Anchorage, as a consultant, and finally for the Alaska Railroad. Barbara earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Connecticut, and a master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Chicago. She serves on the Boards of ALPAR and the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, in addition to serving on NSAA's Board. She is the proud mother of a ski jumper and a nordic combined athlete, both of whom have been enrolled in NSAA's ski jumping program for the last six years.

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Scott Broadwell

Board Member
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Scott Broadwell

Board Member
An Anchorage resident since 2006, Scott Broadwell was introduced to skiing by his wife, Christie, sparking a two-decade passion for the sport. Off the trails, he is an attorney specializing in environmental and civil litigation at Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP. After years of enjoying NSAA's top-tier grooming, Scott looks forward to bringing his professional background and enthusiasm to the Board to give back to the local ski community.

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Ed Leonetti

Board Member
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Ed Leonetti

Board Member
Anchorage has been home to Ed Leonetti for over 25 years, shaping his passion for creating vibrant outdoor spaces and serving the community. As Senior Landscape Architect and Project Manager at Coffman Engineers, he leads complex commercial and public projects, ensuring they align with each client’s vision, goals, and budget. Ed is known for fostering collaboration across multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality results. He is also committed to public service, including his volunteer work on the AELS Board to support public safety and professional integrity. Outside of work, Ed embraces Alaska’s outdoors—running, skiing, hiking, biking, camping, hunting, and exploring with his family. He and his wife stay busy supporting their two children, both active skiers in Jr. Nordic and at Dimond High School. After learning how extensively NSAA maintains the trails his family uses, Ed was inspired to join the board and give back to the outdoor community that means so much to him.

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Heather Ireland

Board Member
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Heather Ireland

Board Member
Heather has enjoyed skiing on Anchorage trails since moving to Alaska 30 years ago. She has given up trying to keep up with her husband, Gary Snyder - teacher and coach at East High School and daughter Marley Ireland, who skis for the University of New Hampshire. She has also given up trying to convince her oldest daughter, Lina, that skiing is fun. Heather serves as Executive Director of Anchorage School Based Health Centers.

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Will Earnhart

Board Member
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Will Earnhart

Board Member
Will has been a part of the Nordic skiing community since 1974. He grew up in Anchorage skiing competitively at Central Junior High and less competitively for Dimond High School. He coached Junior Nordic for the Eagle River Nordic Ski Club when his kids were younger and has completed the Tour of Anchorage a number of times. As a local attorney with Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot specializing in litigation and employment advice, Will likes to assist non-profits like NSAA on legal matters. Will and his wife are proud parents of 2 kids, one of which is a competitive Junior National racer. Will enjoys time outdoors with his family and his Labrador.

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Joel Cladouhus

Board Member
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Joel Cladouhus

Board Member
The NSAA Board of Directors is excited to welcome Joel Cladouhus to the board. Joel grew up in Juneau downhill skiing, and in 2002, his wife-to-be taught him how to skate ski. In 2008, they moved to Anchorage, where recreational cross-country skiing has been an integral part of their family. The Cladouhus family is thankful for the groomed trails, events, and programs provided by NSAA. Joel wanted to get more involved and give back to the organization. Their kids joined Junior Nordic this year, and he is excited to be a coach. Joel says, "It's an honor to be elected to serve on the NSAA board of directors. "

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Committees

NSAA is a diverse and active organization that relies on the generous hearts and skills of volunteers.  To get involved with one of our many Committees, please write to: info@anchoragenordicski.com.

  • FINANCE, AUDIT AND RISK COMMITTEE
  • TRAILS AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
  • SNOWMAKING COMMITTEE
  • SIGNAGE COMMITTEE
  • MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
  • VOLUNTEER RELATIONS COMMITTEE
  • FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE
  • ENDOWMENT COMMITTEE
  • SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE
  • MEMORIAL & HISTORY COMMITTEE
  • SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE
  • RACING & TIMING COMMITTEE
  • FALL FUNDRAISER COMMITTEE
  • SOLSTICE TREE TOUR COMMITTEE
  • SKI FOR WOMEN COMMITTEE
  • SKI-4-KIDS COMMITTEE
  • SKI TRAIN COMMITTEE
  • JUNIOR NORDIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE
  • SKI JUMPING BOOSTERS
  • CABINS COMMITTEE

Bylaws

NSAA Bylaws can be found HERE. (Last revised in April 2025)

Meeting Notices

Meetings are open to public and all are welcome!

Fourth Thursday of the month, 6:30pm at the NSAA Office and via Zoom. If you would like to attend, please email Kikkan at kikkan@anchoragenordicski.com for the monthly link.

Upcoming Meetings

  • Thursday, October 22, 2026
  • Thursday, November 19, 2026
  • Thursday, December 17, 2026
  • Thursday, January 28, 2027
  • Thursday, February 25, 2027
  • Thursday, March 25, 2027

Run for the Board

Interested in joining the NSAA Board of Directors?

The Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage (NSAA) Board of Directors is actively seeking individuals to join our team that are:

  • Motivated, diverse, experienced
  • Passionate about Nordic skiing
  • Have the time and energy to spend 4-6 hours a month to attend meetings, participate in committees, and be an ambassador in our community
  • Eager to help NSAA raise money and continue growing to best serve Anchorage’s Nordic ski and trail user community

We’re especially interested in individuals who:

  • Have been leaders of nonprofit boards before and are ready to bring their skills and insights to another organization
  • Have expertise in accounting or finance, especially nonprofit accounting practices
  • Are experienced fundraisers
  • Have nonprofit management or business management experience

Email us at president@anchoragenordicski.com if you are interested in joining us!

Since the 1960’s NSAA has been dedicated to maintaining trails year-round and promoting all forms of Nordic skiing as a healthy lifestyle.

The Alaska Nordic Skier Newsletter

The Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage publishes a newsletter called the “Alaska Nordic Skier”. It is a state-wide publication representing the Nordic ski clubs of Anchorage, Eagle River, Fairbanks, Girdwood, Homer, Juneau, Salcha, Seward, Soldotna, Kenai, Talkeetna, and Valdez. The Nordic Skier has a wealth of information, articles, tips, calendars and much more each month! The newsletter is available electronically or a paper version mailed via USPS.

While most Alaskans have swapped out their skis for bikes and trail shoes, some hardy skiers just won’t let go and were still going strong entering May – on the packed and popular Kincaid Park loop, across fresh snow, sweet groom and occasional crust at Hatcher Pass, on touring skis gliding over the last packed snow in the higher elevations.

Snow is dusting mountaintops in regions of our state, while the fall rain will soon turn to the white stuff in other places. No matter AK locale, the season of cross-country skiing is around the corner, and the first issue Alaska Nordic Skier has all the news you need to be ready! From membership reminders, summer training and trail work recaps, to save the dates for upcoming gear swaps, annual meetings, events and programs across Alaska this season, the October issue has you covered, and includes:

  • Sweaty summer work creates wonderful winter trails
  • Need new or new-to-you skis? Get to a gear swap
  • Summer sun keeps skiers training in the off-season
  • Ready to register your kiddos for Junior Nordic?
  • Alaska’s clubs rely on their members — renew or join today!
  • Plan ahead for participating, volunteering at this season’s events and programs
  • And more!

Click here to read the October issue of the Alaska Nordic Skier! Thanks for an amazing season of stories and images! See you in the fall!

Click here to read the October issue of the Alaska Nordic Skier!

Find more issues of the Alaska Nordic Skier, and learn how to connect with Alaska’s ski community, on the newsletter archive page.

2024-2025 Trails Report

When the going gets tough, skiers get going—together. This past winter tested us with rain, warmth, and scarce snow, but the Anchorage ski community rose to the challenge. Thanks to your support, NSAA kept skiing alive all season long—hosting nearly every program and event, including the U.S. National Championships at Kincaid Park. Over 200 volunteers came together to make it happen, proving once again the strength and spirit of our community.
Volunteers are the heart of NSAA. From snowmaking to timing, grooming to mascot duty, your dedication turned challenges into triumphs. The snowmaking loop at Kincaid became a hub of connection and joy—where skiers of all ages and backgrounds shared the trail and lifted each other up.
As we reflect on this remarkable season, we’re filled with pride and gratitude—and ready for what’s next. Whatever winter brings, we know we’ll meet it with determination, together. 
Click the cover image to read our 2024–2025 Trails Report and relive all the highlights of last season.

Volunteer

Click here to learn more about volunteering with NSAA.

Advocacy

Alert: SOS – Save Our Skiing 

Why Cutting Skiing Harms Students

Accessibility and Equity

Eliminating school skiing programs will disproportionately impact students who need them most. Many families cannot afford private club skiing. High school Nordic skiing is a “no-cut” sport that welcomes athletes of all ability levels, including beginners.

A Lifetime Health Skill

Skiing is a low-impact, lifelong fitness activity. There is no comparable opportunity that replaces the skill development and health benefits provided by the school-based program.

Academic and Life Skills Benefits

Participation in skiing supports academic performance and builds critical life skills: discipline, commitment, goal-setting, resilience, teamwork, and time management.

Giving Back to the Community

High school skiers are leaders in the Anchorage ski community. In 2024 alone, 48 high school athletes served as Junior Nordic Coaches in local “learn to ski” programs, giving back to the next generation.