The crew had some good news late last week about the new pump that was recently installed to replace the old one that stopped working.  Our Snowmaking volunteer Tim Brabets explained the details and is hopeful.  “The electrician wired in the new breaker, reconnected the power line to the new pump and wired in the new VFD” (Variable Frequency Driver…which is like the throttle for the pump).  Once the electrician finished, Tim gave things a test and noted that all signs were positive.  He was only able to leave the system on for a few minutes since it was so warm, but all lights indicated “green”…and that’s good!  “Both pumps turned on in addition to one of the high pressure pumps before I had to stop the system.  The well line pressure looked good (100+psi) and the line pressure was good as well (400+psi). ”

This new pump is better matched to the well’s capacity than the old one was and the crew is cautiously optimistic.  “We still need to run the system in cold weather to see if it is working properly, but for now all signs are positive.”          Thanks for all you do Tim!!

While it looks like all the trails have plenty of snow, we’re still in need of several more inches for the optimal grooming conditions.  Lately, the groomers have been grooming with the snow machines in order to conserve what little base we have.  There are only about 2-4 inches of compacted snow on top of an ice layer and to work that little base on a regular basis with the big snow cats would compromise the condition of the trails and possibly turn up dirt and rocks.  Fortunately, the tracks are holding up so the groomers are cleaning up the skate lanes with the snow machines and grooming implements.  These have a much lighter impact and still provide fresh comb.  At Kincaid on the Snow Making Loop, Craig is able to groom with the big snow cat as they’ve been making snow and have a much deeper base to support the big machine.

We’re hoping for more snow to build that base layer on all the trails.  In the meantime, enjoy what we’ve got and have a very Happy New Year!!

The story is a short one…we haven’t made much snow this year.  By November 30 last year, the snowmaking system had been “on” and making snow for 242 hours with several trails completed and skiable.  This season, the process has been slowed due to our relatively warm temperatures.  So far, we’ve been able to run the system for only 48 hours.  Kincaid Park is frequently one of the warmer places in Anchorage due to certain air flow patterns and the fact that it is a point of land between two large bodies of water.  While other areas in and around Anchorage with snowmaking abilities might have cold enough temperatures, Kincaid frequently does not.  Please know that we are constantly monitoring the conditions and we are poised to hit the “big, green button” when they are favorable.

Here we are in the tail end of October and the snow is right on time!  While areas on the Hillside received 3-4″, Kincaid only has 1/8″.  But then Chugiak and Eagle River are reporting 6-10″.  Rarely is the snowfall where you want it every time…but we’re happy to usher in another season and are looking forward to more.  Consequently, there isn’t much grooming going on at Kincaid but we are monitoring the temperature in preparation for snowmaking.  No grooming on the trails on the Hillside, but feel free to buckle in to those trusty rock skis and give it a go if you’re feeling the urge.  A few trails at Beach Lake have been track packed and are a little further along in the base development stage, however, the trails are still officially closed.  We’re hoping for some nice cold temperatures to help freeze the ground so that new snow will adhere.  In the meantime, we hope you’ll join us at the NSAA annual meeting this Sunday, November 4 at the Kincaid Chalet.  Enjoy!

With the success of the U.S. Nationals in our back pocket, the pressure has subsided but there are still plenty of races in the near future.  The High School skiers have a few under their belts already with the next race this Saturday (1/27) at Kincaid.  The Middle School ski season has just begun and the first race is TODAY (1/25) at Kincaid.  Both of those are great for spectators, but if you’d like an opportunity to volunteer, these events always welcome more help.  The AMH Anchorage Cup series will be putting on Pia’s Classic race at Kincaid this Sunday (1/28) followed by a Sprint race and the Sven Johansson both in February.  The 5th and 6th races in the Besh Cup series will be taking place in Fairbanks the first weekend in February and the Biathlon races are ongoing at Kincaid.  Let’s not forget those fun events that everyone loves…Alaska Ski for Women, Ski 4 Kids, TOUR OF ANCHORAGE, Ski Train and SKAN 24 race.  It’s not too late to sign up for most of those citizen races, but if that’s not your cup of tea, why not head out to cheer the skiers on to the finish line?  The atmosphere is energetic, upbeat, positive and fun…and who doesn’t need a little of that these days?!  Enjoy the trails!