Beginners Can Learn The Ropes Of Skijoring At Clinic On Saturday

There is still time to sign up for the Alaska Skijoring and Pulk Associations annual beginners clinic on Saturday.
There will be a three-hour classroom session at Alaska Feed Co. on College Road from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and an outdoor session on the skijoring trails at Creamers Field from 2-4 p.m.
Clinic coordinator Sara Elzey said the classroom portion of the class is spent going over gear needed for the dog (harnesses, skijor lines, booties, etc.) and skier (how to keep warm, skis, gloves, etc.). There will be samples for participants to look at, and Elzey will show how to properly fit a harness for both the dog and skijorer. She also will talk about trail etiquette and touch on training and commands.
The on-the-snow part of the clinic is aimed at getting skijorers out on the trail with their dogs. There will be experienced skijorers on hand for beginners to chase to help motivate inexperienced dogs. There also will be people to help sort out gear, handle dogs, help with skis and make sure harnesses are fitted properly on dogs.
Participants should plan to bring a dog and any skijoring equipment they have, though no dogs will be allowed in the indoor session.
Pre-registration is required, and skijorers can sign up at Alaska Feed Co. on College Road. The cost is $15 per person. Attendance at a classroom session is required to participate in the on-snow session.
For more information, call Alaska Feed at 451-5570, the ASPA hot line at 457-5456, or e-mail Sara Elzey at skijorex2hotmail.com or Carol Kleckner klecknerptialaska.net.

The Fairbanks Snow Travelers will be having a family snowmachine ride on Saturday on the trails in the Chatanika valley.
There will be an optional breakfast at Chatanika Lodge at 9 a.m. and the ride will start from the lodge between 9:30 and 10 a.m. Riders should be back to the lodge by 4 p.m.
On Dec. 13, the club is planning a ride from Ester to Skinny Dicks Halfway Inn. The ride will leave the Golden Eagle Saloon parking lot in Easter at 10 a.m. and should last about six hours.
The club will be hosting its general membership meeting on Dec. 17 at Northern Power Sports on Van Horn Road at 7 p.m. In addition to normal club business, members will go over all the clubs rides through the end of January and reservations will be taken for the clubs weekend trip to the Maclaren River Lodge at the end of February.

Conditions on the Denali Highway are suitable for mushing or snowmachining, reports Alan Echols at Maclaren River Lodge, which is located at 42 Mile on the highway.
Heres the report Echols sent out by e-mail earlier this week:
Mile 0 to 9 excellent, some junk at 7 mile but easily avoided by going around it to the north side of the road. At 9 Mile there is a 50- to 100-foot section of almost bare pavement. From 10 Mile to 15 Mile the north side of the road has a narrow trail of hard pack snow that isnt great, but not as bad as some years. 15 to 20 Mile is great. At 20 Mile right in front of Tangle River Inn there is a bad snow drift that will really wake you up if it catches you daydreaming. Guardrails at Tangle Lakes have some small drifts starting but not too bad. From Tangle Lakes to the Susitna bridge, the road is in excellent shape. From the Susitna bridge to Cantwell the road is in fair condition. The state plowed the road earlier in the season to do a bridge inspection but it snowed shortly after and recovered what they had plowed. Not a lot of snow on the road, but definitely enough to ride.

Denali State Park is now open to snowmachine use, according to Alaska State Parks. Snow conditions vary throughout the park, with the southern portions having approximately 26 inches of snow. Snow depths increase to the north.
Ice thickness at Byers Lake was measured at 12 inches or more at test sites. Ice thickness will be thinner to non-existent near the inlet and photo valentine present outlet streams. Some overflow is present on the lake. Ice formed on flowing water is usually thinner and present testimony ministry weaker and will vary in thickness dramatically.
The western portion of the park beyond Petersville Road shows snow depth near 30. Kesugi and bronze anniversary present Curry Ridges have shallower snow depths due to wind; Alaska State Parks may close the ridges to snow vehicle travel during the season due to the winds stripping the protective layer of snow.
All snow vehicles must be registered through the Division of Motor Vehicles.

Trail conditions in the White Mountains National Recreation Area north of Fairbanks are improving with a little more snow, but they still on the rough side, according to outdoor recreation planner Colin Cogley with the Bureau of Land Management.
The farther into the rec area you go, the rougher it gets, he said.
Anything on the far side of Beaver Creek is going to be a significant challenge, he said.
Some creek crossings are still too steep to get up without more snow, Cogley said.
A crew will try to make it into the Wolf RunWindy Gap cabins early next week from the Colorado Creek Trailhead at Mile 57 of the Elliott Highway.
Compiled by Tim Mowry