Iron Dog Safety Challenge

Transcription

f e b r u a r y 2 013
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Volume 23, Number 4
PUB LISHER
John Woodbury
SALES & M AR KETING DIR ECTO R
Jill Tillion
O FFICE M ANAGER
Kevin Hite ASSA President
Kathy Seward
Editor
Snow envy
Andy Hall
Winter testing the patience of even the most mellow riders
I
am writing this column during one of
the most snowless winters I can recall.
Though it started with a good snow dump,
the follow-up has been morose at best. The
cabin got about a foot more, but that disappeared too, thanks to a couple of 40-degree
days. The weather in Southcentral Alaska is
beginning to look a lot like Seattle. With all
the rain drumming on the metal roof of our
cabin, I keep catching myself looking for the
Space Needle whenever I gaze out the window.
Hopefully by the time you see this, winter
will have arrived and the money that you
spent during the holidays on a new sled
or gadget will have proven themselves an
invaluable addition and will actually be able
to see some riding time.
A couple of serious items of note:
Hatcher Pass management plan
By the time this hits the street, the new
Hatcher Pass Management plan will have
been signed off by the Lt. Governor and
will be in effect. Look for new maps to be
available along with lots of changed areas
for access. We had a small net gain in the
new plan, but most important, there are
changes to some of the old boundaries and
open/closed areas. The DNR/Hatcher Pass
website has this information, and the ASSA
will be assisting in distributing maps of the
new management areas.
Anchorage winter snowmobile use
The Alaska State Sno-X Lions Club made
presentations to local community councils, as well as a formal presentation to the
Anchorage Parks and Recreation Commission about utilizing the Jodhpur motocross
area for winter snowmobile use. Jodhpur is
4
a part of Kincaid Park in Anchorage. The
Sno-X group has done an excellent job of
planning and presentation and deserves the
support that the motorized community can
give them. Snowmobile riding in Anchorage has been banned since the 1980s, so this
opportunity is an excellent step forward.
We will have an opportunity
to meet face to face and
develop a plan that we can
take to the Legislature.
Advancement of a snowmobile
program
The third thing in the works is the
ongoing conversation among organized
snowmachine clubs to focus on the advancement of a snowmobile program in
Alaska that represents what snowmobile
riders actually want in return for their
registration dollars. Many items are on the
table, and I hope that before the next issue
of your SnowRider, we as a group will have
had an opportunity to meet face to face and
develop a plan forward that we can take
to the Legislature this session. The current SnowTRAC program has been a good
starting point, but we are at a crossroads
in our state as to what can be done to take
this to the next level in regards to funding,
program direction and achievable goals for
such a program. Keep in touch with your
board of directors and offer assistance or
information as you can.
M ANAGING E d i t o r
Melissa DeVaughn
LAYOUT AND DESIGN
Dean Potter
Gr a p h i c s
Leo Grinberg
ADVE R TISING E X ECUTIVES
Stephanie Ogilvie
Alaska Adventure Media
6921 Brayton Drive, Suite 207
Anchorage , Alaska 99507
(907) 677-2900 • Fax: (907) 677-2901
www.RideAlaska.com
[email protected]
EDITO R IAL CONTACT
John Woodbury
(907) 677-2900
[email protected]
Published by Alaska Adventure Media under exclusive written contract with the Alaska State Snowmobile Association.
The appearance of advertising in this publication does
not constitute endorsement by ASSA or Alaska Adventure
Media of the products or services advertised. Everything
advertised in this publication shall be made available for
purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color,
religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical
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of the purchaser, user or patron.
ADVERTISING RESPONSIBILITY: All advertisements are
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representation that the agency and/or advertiser will
indemnify and save the Editor/Publisher/ agents harmless
for any loss or expense resulting from claims or suits
based upon contents of any violation of right of privacy,
plagiarism and copyright infringement.
Contents of the Alaska SnowRider are not the official
viewpoint of Alaska Adventure Media or their agents.
Alaska SnowRider is the official publication of the Alaska
State Snowmobile Association, P.O. Box 240405, Anchorage, AK, 99524-0405.
Permission in writing from the publisher is required for any
reprint or reproduction of this publication. ASSA and Alaska
Adventure Media reserve the right to revise, edit or reject
any advertisement or editorial.
DEADLINES: All advertisements and news are due by the
10th of each month prior to publication.
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12/19/12 12:46 PM
Bring your bling
Big Lake Winter Fest pairs bedazzled boots
with mighty Mercedes
Helicopter rides are just one of the attractions during the Big Lake Winter Fest.
The Iron Pup race will also be contested during the Big Lake Winter Fest.
Courtesy Big Lake Winter Fest
John Woodbury
By Melissa DeVaughn
I
n the middle of the night, Ina Mueller’s eyes popped open and
she had it: the Bunny Boot Bling competition. What better way to
kick off the second annual Big Lake Winter Fest than with a contest that pays homage to the best-known winter gear Alaska has ever
encountered? Pair it with a bunch of sleek Mercedes-Benzes tooling
around on the ice, and this festival has “high-style” written all over it.
This year’s Big Lake Winter fest coincides with the start of the Iron
Dog snowmachine race, which Mueller, owner of Lakeshore Entertaining and Event Management and festival organizer, said was the
intent. The weekend-long festival not
only celebrates winter, but fills in the
gap between the start of Iron Dog’s two
race classes. Trail-class racers set off
Friday, Feb. 15, and the pro-class racers leave the Feb. 17. That gives festivalgoers an entire day in-between to enjoy
music, food, mini-snowmachine races,
dog sled rides – and bling – on the lake.
“We are just finalizing the plans for
Mercedes,” Mueller said. “They will be
out on the ice, either driving, racing,
we’re not sure yet. Ice driving is very
popular in Europe, and it’s something we’re trying to grow here.”
As for the Bunny Boot Bling thing? That’s just for pure fun, Mueller said. Participants pay $20 to enter the competition, doing their
best to dress up a pair of average Bunny Boots into something fit for
Fifth Avenue.
“I always have to catch myself because I want to say, ‘ladies,’ but
6
there may be some guys out there who want to do this, too,” Mueller
said. “You can paint them, bedazzle them, glue them, just decorate
them anyway you want. You have to wear them, to model them, and
we will have guest judges to award the winners.”
As of mid-January, Mueller said the prizes included contributions
from local such businesses as Alaska Foxy Ladies and Donna’s Corner.
Other new events this year include dog sled races and rides hosted
by Big Lake’s Aurora Dog Mushers Club, fireworks (scheduled for 6
p.m. Feb. 16) and live music by the local band Big Fungus, accompanied by a beer garden (scheduled for 3-6
p.m. Feb. 16).
And don’t fret over getting too cold out
on the lake, Mueller said. The National
Guard is sponsoring a warming tent that
will be available for anyone who wants to
get in from the cold.
A highlight this year should also be the
Kids 120 snowmachine races and Big Lake
Trails, Inc.’s Family Fun Run, both opportunities for families to check out area
trails and, possibly, win prizes.
“We really want it to be a family focused
festival – we really want the kids to be out there,” Mueller said.
More all-ages events include power-drawn wagonsled rides
around the lake, a chili feed and Jayhawk helicopter rides, which
will afford sightseers a bird’s-eye view of the lake and all its activity.
The rides sold out quickly last year, so you might want to hustle to
biglakewinterfest.com and register for a spot right away.
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10/12/12 6:07 PM
INITIALS
DATE
30 th Anniversary Iron Dog seeks snow—and champions
8
John Woodbury
IRON & ICE
IRON DOG PREVIEW
W
By Melissa DeVaughn
ith the 30th anniversary Iron Dog
snowmachine race just a few weeks away,
Alaska was still yet to be buried in snow.
Winter 2012 had delivered little snow
throughout the state, especially in southcentral Alaska, where the state’s premier snowmachine race
gets under way. And Winter 2013 was delivering more of the
same.
Still, said Iron Dog’s executive director Kevin Kastner, the
race will go on. It was canceled in 2003 due to lack of snow,
but that won’t happen this year, Kastner promised.
“Certainly we are watching it daily,” he said in early January, as temperatures hovered in the 20s and nary a snow
cloud lined the sky. “But it’s a little premature to get too
wound up. One thing is for sure, no matter what the conditions, we will make it work. There will be a race. We will find
a patch of snow and that’s where the course will go because
that’s the spirit of this race.”
This year’s Iron Dog promises to be a contest to watch.
With 40 Pro-level teams and nine Trail-level teams racing,
it’s going to get crowded. And the competition is stiff, too.
The Pro teams leave the ice on Big Lake on Feb. 17, while
the Trail class heads out on Feb. 15.
“It’s really a tough call on who’s going to win it,” Kastner
said. “It always is. But the guys that have been doing it for
a long time, they are the ones who are a threat. Iron Dog is
something that requires experience to be successful.”
“The further out we go, the
better the conditions are.”
— CHRIS OLDS, 2010 and 2011 winner
One such success story is Eagle River’s Chris Olds, who
won the 2010 and 2011 Iron Dog with racing partner Tyler
Huntington. Last year, he came close to defending that winning title, racing with new partner Mike Morgan, yet in the
end finished fourth, behind Ski-Doo racers Marc McKenna
and Dusty VanMeter.
Olds said he is geared up and ready to go again this year.
Despite the scant snowfall around town and on heavily used
trails, it only takes a little while to get out into good snow
further into the backcountry, he said. He and Morgan have
been doing most of their training out of Big Lake.
“It’s pretty marginal right now,” he said in early January,
“But out around Finger Lake, the further out we go, the better the conditions are.”
Olds said he is pinning his hopes on another victory this
year, going into the race with realistic expectations. The record number of competitors will make the race more challenging.
9
10
IRON DOG PREVIEW
A 2011 trail class team rests after breaking miles of trail near Poorman.
John Woodbury
“We definitely have a lot of competition,” he said. Still, he
is a trail veteran, and now with a year under his belt with
Morgan, the two have figured out how best to ride together.
“He knows my weaknesses and strengths and I know his,”
he said. “We help each other out.”
The key to a successful race, Olds stressed, is being prepared for anything.
“You have to know you’re going to have a problem and be
ready to deal with it,” said the lifelong Polaris rider, who can
fix his machine in his sleep and knows that time is of the essence if mechanical issues arise. “You go into it knowing that
and react because things can snowball if you don’t.”
Kastner said he thinks this year’s race is a sign that Iron
Dog is alive and well, thriving and on the cusp of reaching
an even larger audience. As the Pro-class racing continues to
grow, he hopes that eventually the Trail-class can one day be
developed into a larger draw.
“There’s a whole lot of room for growth for that level,” he
said. “It’s a bucket list kind of thing.”
Trail-class racers leave Big Lake Feb. 15, two days before
the main race begins. This race allows them to experience
the intensity of the course before leaping into the Pro Class.
Their journey ends in Nome, a course roughly half as long as
that of the pros, who end their race in Fairbanks.
Pro-class racers leave Big Lake Feb. 17, covering 2,031
miles in less than a week. Those first couple of days, Olds
said, are the toughest.
“Heading to Nome is very demanding, physically and
mentally,” he said. “The first day is the toughest, and the secwww.RideAlaska.com • February 2013 • Alaska SnowRider •
11
ond day is the next toughest. But then you get into a routine and
it becomes more of a mental race than a physical one.”
On race day, Big Lake is alive with excitement.
“There’s so much activity,” Kastner said. “The lake just comes
to life with so much happening, almost too much to take in for
many people.”
Spectators can enjoy, among other highlights, a National
Guard flyover, chase planes buzzing off after the racers, throngs
of people, cars, snowmachines and more, he said.
“It’s pretty insane,” Kastner said. “In a good way, and a lot of
fun.”
Racers encounter varying extremes in terrain, including rugged woodland trails, fast-paced river runs, deep mountain passes, over tundra and tussocks, tracts of dirt and even open water
— all while riding at speeds approaching 100 mph. Through it
all, weather, both good and bad, will influence the racers’ progress. Fortunately long, sleepless rides are broken up by checkpoint stops, fueling stations and required layovers.
The first team to Nome will win the Donlin Gold – Gold Rush
Challenge with a payout of $10,000. At the Fairbanks finish,
winners will walk away with a well-deserved $50,000 in prize
money.
Rural racers from Bethel, Kiana, Kotzebue, Noorvik, Tanana
as well as Alaska’s urban areas are signed up. Minnesota, Maine
and even Arizona are sending their best riders. Teams from outside the United States hail from the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Quebec.
SUPERCLAMP REAR
Meet racers at the Donlin Gold
Iron Dog Safety Expo
I
ron Dog’s annual Donlin Gold Safety Expo features
demonstrations on winter safety and the entire lineup
of Iron Dog racers, who will be on-hand for their prerace safety inspection. The event is set for 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Feb. 9 at the Menard Sports Center in Wasilla. It’s free.
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SAFETY MATTERS by Deb McGhan
‘Beyondo’ your worst nightmare
Half-baked weather delivers deadly avalanche
T
Strick family
his winter Alaska has experienced deep-freeze cold followed by dumps of heavy snow followed by a blast of Chinook “Pineapple Express” warm winds followed by … well,
you get the picture. This winter has baked up a lasagna of weather
that adds up to a treacherous snowpack that can bury you in an
instant if you’re not aware.
It was in February of 2006, in similar weather conditions, that
Richard Strick, Jr., of McGrath, experienced just how dangerous
this “lasagna weather” can prove. He and a group of friends set out
by snowmachine, in a blinding snowstorm, to scout the Iditarod
race route through the Alaska Range. Strick, who grew up in Bush
Alaska, thrived on adventure and helping others. He loved getting
out to the places he called “beyondo,” places where he could settle
his soul and find peace in the quiet wilderness.
Despite the many years Strick had traveled this route to conduct
work for the school district and to help friends and neighbors,
this day turned out tragically different. As he led the way through
a narrow slot in the Dalzell Gorge near Pass Fork, the fragile
balance of snow on the slope above let go and buried him under
nearly 10 feet of snow.
Weather conditions that season had been brutally dry and cold.
Heavy winds had caused wind loading, scouring the remaining
snowpack with crusty slabs and plaguing the area with a deep
freeze that kept the base so dry and frozen, the layers of snow
didn’t bond well.
On Friday, Feb. 10, 2006, it started to snow; a dry, cold, sugary
mix. For the next four days it continued, ultimately dropping several feet of powder. Fresh snow hung precariously on the slopes,
then suddenly, it released, burying Strick.
18
iron dog
iron dog
Richard Strick, Jr., left,
perished in February 2006
after getting caught in an
avalanche while helping
clear trail for the Iditarod
Trail Sled Dog Race. This
year, two of his nephews,
Steffen, center, and Robert,
right, are running Iron Dog
in his honor.
Because he was not wearing an avalanche transceiver, finding Strick became the proverbial, “needle in the haystack” hunt.
Conditions were so dangerous, public safety officials did not allow
rescuers into the area for several days.
“It was the ugliest snow I’ve ever seen,” said Eric Johnson of
Skwentna, who helped with the search. “There was 5 to 7 feet of
sugar. This snow, there was
no consistency to it.”
With the help of his
family and friends, Strick’s
body was recovered,
brought back to McGrath
and prepared, dressed and
buried according to Athabaskan custom, on Feb. 27,
2006.
His family and friends
still ache with missing
him.
This year, cousins Robert and Steffen Strick, Jr.,
are running the Iron Dog
race as rookies in memory of their Uncle Rich. They call themselves Team Strick. Rich’s brothers, Fritz and Steffen, Sr., plan to
fly by plane along the course to keep watch over the younger men.
All this makes mother Sharon a bit nervous.
“This year, with apprehension, I support my two grandsons,”
she wrote in an email. “And with Fritz and Steffen, Sr., flying the
route, I’ll have almost all my male heirs in ‘beyondo’ at once.”
Strick loved getting out
to the places he called
“beyondo,” places where
he could settle his soul
and find peace in the
quiet wilderness.
RIDER
Alaska
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19
SAFETY MATTERS
Safety challenge
will test
survival skills
he Alaska Department
of Public Safety offers free
classes that teach the skills needed
to avoid trouble. More in-depth
training is available through a
network of opportunities through
such organizations as the Alaska
Avalanche Information Center, Alaska
Avalanche School, Chugach Avalanche
Information Center and the North
America Outdoor Institute.
NAOI will present a Wilderness
Safety Challenge game during this
year’s Big Lake Winter Fest and Iron
Dog Race Start, Feb. 16-17. The
game involves six skill stations that
range from packing and preparing to
avalanche safety to ice crossing and
more. Come test your survival skills
20
John Woodbury
T
or learn ways you can Be Snow Smart
so you’ll be prepared for your winter
adventures. Playing gets you a chance
to win great prizes like a 2013 Skidoo
Renegade thanks to BRP/Skidoo and
other great sponsors.
For more information, a schedule
of NAOI courses and to register, go
to BeSnowSmart.org or call 907-3762898.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
MOUNTING & BALANCING & INSTALLATION
RESTUDDING & DESTUDDING
FREE TIRE INSPECTION/REPAIR
USED STUDDED & ALL SEASON TIRES
AUTO REPAIR AND SERVICE
BRAKE SERVICE
NEW TIRES AND RIMS AVAILABLE
Seniors & Military Discounts
licensed & Insured
21
Special Thank you to Iron Dog
Classes for kids
120 Stock / 120 Mod
Sno-Scoot Class
Trophies Given For
1st, 2nd, & 3rd Place
Participation Trophies
Promo Race Bag Per Team
packed with fun treats for your
Iron Pup!
Sign Up’s AMMC Tent 9am -11am
12:15 Be Ready in Pit Area
www.ammcracing.org
$20 Entry Fee Total Per Team
Iron Pup/Adult Team
(120 rider accompanied by adult)
Please email: [email protected]
22
CANTWELL LODGE
Experience a Rider’s Paradise!
• Miles of backcountry riding
* Untouched powder
* Hot food and frosty beverages - always ready
* General store
* Clean, affordable rooms
SNOWMACHINER’S
* Weekly live entertainment (Please call for schedule)
SPECIAL
ALL ROOMS
* Bar and restaurant
W/BREAKFAST
$
/NIGHT*
* Halfway between Anchorage and Fairbanks
35
for the first person and 12
for each additional person
Two Miles off the PARKS Highway
( Based on no more
than 2 per room)
Turn off on the Denali highway (Mile 210 Parks Hwy)
and we are at Mile 136 of the Denali Hwy
$
All this and more at the Cantwell Lodge!
MILEPOST 210 PARKS HIGHWAY
Under new management!
RESERVE YOUR COZY ROOM TODAY
for the best riding experience in Alaska!
Call 907-768-2300 or Tory @ 907-687-7901
23
BRIEFS
Freestyle riders
seek Anchorage
training grounds
A public hearing is set for Feb. 14 to
hear more about a contested proposal to
open snowmachining in a motocross area
of Kincaid Park. More than 200 people –
mostly in support of the measure – attended a Jan. 10 meeting at the Spenard
Recreation Center, where the proposal was
introduced. It would open up about 15
acres in the Jodhpur area of Kincaid Park
for certain hours of the day, Wednesdays
through Sundays. The proposal is similar
to a motorized allotment at Eklutna Lake,
during which motorized vehicles have
certain hours they can enjoy the multiuse
trails in the north Anchorage Alaska State
Parks area.
The Alaska State Sno-X Lions Club is
behind the proposal, which it claims will
allow riders to ride close to home and
introduce their children to the sport in a
cost-effective and safe way. Dane Fergu-
Snowcross racers battle for the lead during the Alyeska Motor Madness event. The Alaska State Sno-X Lions Club
is seeking to open an area of Kincaid Park for snowcross racing, and a public meeting is slated for Feb. 14 at the
Spenard Rec Center. Patti Balzarini/Freestyle Foto
son, president of the Sno-X group and an
X Games gold medalist, said the area isn’t
perfect – more acreage would be ideal – but
it’s a start for those trying to introduce
and train young people in freestyle riding,
which involves jumps and tricks in a semicontrolled environment.
Remember: The Landing is the place to come
for the Iditarod restart
24
“I think we did a good job explaining to
them what freestyle is and showing them
the need for this winter recreation activity
in the municipality because there are a lot
of people in this town who have snowmachines,” Ferguson said.
Opponents of the proposal include the
25
26
BRIEFS
cross-country skiing community, which
spends thousands of dollars a year grooming trails that are adjacent to Jodhpur, and
neighboring homeowners, who are worried
about the noise that winter snowmachine
activity could bring to their area.
“The board put in comments on (the
proposal) that we don’t think it’s the right
location,” said Diane Moxness, executive
director for the Nordic Skiing Association
of Anchorage. “We’re all in favor for snowmachiners having some place to be, we just
don’t think this is the place.”
Eventually, Ferguson said, it would be
best to create a 100- to 200-acre riding location, perhaps at the Anchorage Landfill at
Hiland, or another more remote location.
The key, though, is that something is better
than nothing at all. Right now, he said, sled
riders have to travel great distances to find
training grounds, often putting themselves
at risk to avalanches and other backcountry
dangers.
The Anchorage Parks and
Recreation Commission meets
at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 14 at the
Spenard Recreation Center. For
details, contact 343-4355 or
[email protected].
At the February Parks and Recreation
Commission meeting, which will be held
at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 14 at Spenard Recreation
Center, both Ferguson and Moxness said
they hope there will be supporters to represent their groups’ views. Ferguson said he is
confident that riders will respect boundaries
and prove to be good riding neighbors. The
Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage, in
a letter written by its board president, Jeff
Scott, said it is worried about past history, in
which trails have been destroyed by snowmachines entering areas off limits to sleds.
At the January meeting, the city did not
take a position on the issue, but that could
change during this month’s meeting. If
it supports the measure, the Anchorage
Assembly will have to approve it. Even if it
is a short-term approval, it could give the
Sno-X riders somewhere to ride while they
pursue a more suitable location.
“We’d start off with a kid snow-cross
setup and then maybe set up a little snowcross freestyle ramp,” Ferguson said. “We
could make it work.”
Balzarini brothers in the lead, open class. FREESYTLEFOTO
Vintage Snowmachine Club posts race results
The Mat-Su Vintage Snowmachine Racing Club and Ice Racing Alaska
hosted a balmy 43-degree-day race Dec. 30 at Mat-Su Resort. There were 62
racers and 83 entries in stock class and mod class. The results are as follows:
IRA IRA PRO 100-percent payout
with $200 added
1) 88, Al Palma, Jr.; 2) 18,
Mike Estes; 3) 151, Tony
Hardwick
IRA Semi-Pro 1) 47, Cassi Ewing; 2) 74,
Anatuci
VINTAGE 0-500cc Twin Fan-FA/0-340
Liquid
1) 11, Robby Schachle; 2)
240, Devin, Schachle; 3)
216, Michael Hardy
Womens
1) 220, Kelcy Schachle; 2)
164, Michelle Downey
Juniors <400cc Fan-FA
1) 66, Brad Klein; 2) 776,
Kade Parker; 3) 773,
Vincent Coverdell
Any Single Cyl 0-250cc
Twin Fan-FA
1) 772, Lucas Parker; 2) 303,
Crazy Larry Cummings; 3)
772, Luke Coverdell
Over 45
1) 55, Chuck Balzarini; 2)
166, Donnie Bull; 3) Craig
Clayton
Safety week
stresses important
snowmachining
reminders
Somebody in Michigan declared Jan.
13-19 International Snowmobile Safety
Week, but here in Alaska, we recognize two
things:
It is called a Snowmachine; and
Every week in the winter should be a
safety week.
Alaska is one of the best places in the
country for snowmachining and although
we only boast 61,000 registered snowma-
0-340cc Twin Fan-FA
1) 266, Chris Schachle; 2)
232, James Schachle; 3)
300, Craig Clayton
IFS Open 1) 296, Gary Smith; 2) 303,
Larry Cummings; 3) 366,
Michael Bennett
OPEN 600cc
1) 11, Robby Schachle; 2)
216, Michael Hardy; 3) 240,
Devin Schachle; 4) 223,
Ryan Wolfe
chines in our state (vs. Michigan’s 216,144),
we still have more snowmachiners per
capita than Michigan – and and any other
state, for that matter.
Which brings us to the point of this
safety week promotion. The International
Snowmobile Manufacturers Association
features a “Safe Riders! Campaign” that
aims to eliminate snowmachine accidents.
The key points of their campaign stress the
importance of not drinking and driving;
checking ice and avalanche conditions before heading out; slowing down when night
riding; staying on trails and off of roads;
and never riding alone. The association
provides more tips, free posters and safety
awareness materials at its website, www.
snowmobile.org.
27
BRIEFS
Trek Over the Top gears
up for annual run
The popular Trek Over the Top Snowmachine run from Tok to Dawson City,
Yukon, is set for Feb. 28-March 3 and again
March 7-10. The event, which costs $525 per
person, includes 200 miles of groomed trail,
three nights accommodation, meals, gas
at the halfay point, licensed gambling and
entertainment, and a chance for cash and
door prizes. For more details, go to www.
trekoverthetop.com.
WOW ride to take over
Caribou Hills
The 2013 Way Out Women snowmachine ride is set for Feb. 23 starting from
Freddie’s Roadhouse at Mile 16 of the
Caribou Hills on the Kenai Peninsula. The
annual event is a popular snowmachine
ride to benefit cancer patients on the Kenai
www.RideAlaska.com
www.RideAlaska.com
www.RideAlaska.com
Peninsula. Join as individuals or as a team
and enjoy the beauty of the Kenai Peninsula’s extensive trail system. For more details,
go to www.givingheals.org.
LaVallee named one of
50 most influential in
action sports
Polaris snocross racer and snowmachine freestyle star Levi LaVallee has been
named one of the 50 Most Influential People
in Action Sports on the ESPN X Games website (espn.go.com/action/xgames). He put his
name into the action sports record book on
New Year’s Eve 2011 when he soared across
the San Diego Bay on a Polaris snowmachine
and set a motorsports distance jump record
of 412 feet.
LaVallee has won seven X Games medals
in multiple snowmachine disciplines, including snocross racing, Speed and Style, Best
Trick, Hillcross, Knock Out and freestyle.
Looking for Great Alaskan
photos for your business,
website, or brochure?
Check out AlaskaStock.com,
your largest hometown
photo resource!
www.RideAlaska.com
www.RideAlaska.com
907.276.1343
28
THEATRE ARTISTS UNITED PRESENTS
JESUS CHRIST
SUPERSTAR
TIM RICE
Music by ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER
lyrics by
March
8-17,2013
Directed by SHELLY WOZNIAK Music Direction by STEVEN ALVAREZ
Choreography by KRISTEN VIERTAHLER
Tickets: 263-ARTS or www.Centertix.net
AT T H E A L AS K A C E N T E R FO R T H E P E R FO R M I N G A RT S, SY D N E Y L AU R E N C E T H E AT R E
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is presented through and exclusive arrangement with R & H Theatricals and Two Knights Rights Limited. www.rnh.com
29
STATEWIDE CLUBS
Alaska State Snowmobile Association
Officers
President & Southcentral Rep.
Kevin Hite, Anchorage
522-6373
Vice President
Vacant
Treasurer
Brant Grifka, Eagle River
694-3458
Committees
ASSA Convention
& Trade Show
522-6373
Membership
Cindy Hite, Anchorage
522-6373
Board Members
Public Relations
Vacant
Central Representative
Glenn Swan, Eagle River
694-8747
Alaska Snow Rider
Steve Wilhelmi, Anchorage
567-3215
Western Representative
Vacant
Southeast Representative
Vacant
Raffle
522-6373
Interior Representative
Stephen E. Enochs, Fairbanks
452-5845
Access Chair
Joe Gauna, Anchorage
243-6776
Kenai Peninsula Representative
Vacant
contact
Industry Representative
Bruce Friend, Anchorage
349-8575
Business Representative
Nick Olzenak, Anchorage
277-1741
ASSA Hotline: 566-0210
ASSA Hotline Toll Free:
1-888-825-7669
ASSA Web Site:
www.aksnow.org
ALASKA MOTOR MUSHERS
PO Box 871753 • Wasilla, AK, 99687
Fax: 376-7966
President: Wayne Devore
FAIRBANKS SNOW TRAVELERS
P.O. Box 80053
Fairbanks, AK 99708-0053
479-4933
ALASKA TRAILBLAZERS
P.O. Box 36 • Tok, AK 99780
883-7669
JUNEAU SNOWMOBILE CLUB
P.O. Box 32882 • Juneau, AK 99803
723-8948
ANCHORAGE SNOWMOBILE CLUB
P.O. Box 232196 • Anchorage, AK 99523
Hotline: 566-0272
anchoragesnowmobileclub.com
KODIAK SNO BRUINS
Box 3492 • Kodiak, AK 99615
486-3828
AURORA INTERNATIONAL INC.
P.O. Box 520581 • Big Lake, AK 99652
892-6372
LAKE LOUISE SNOWMACHINE CLUB
HC01 Box 1684B
Glennallen, AK 99588
Corky Mathews, 250-2098
CARIBOU HILLS CABIN HOPPERS
P.O. Box 375 • Clam Gulch, AK 99568
252-1782
MAT-SU MOTOR MUSHERS
P.O. Box 876135
Wasilla, AK 99687-6224
CHEECHAKO SKI BENDERS
P.O. Box 834 • Kenai, AK 99611
283-7664
Mat-Su Vintage Snowmachine
Racers Club
Email: [email protected]
Web site: matsuvintageracers.com
President: Craig Clayton, 232-7518
CHILKAT SNOWBURNERS INC.
P.O. Box 870 • Haines, AK 99827
Diane Lapham, 766-2503
COPPER COUNTRY
SNOWMOBILE CLUB
HC 01 Box 300 • Gakona, AK 99586
822-3440
CURRY RIDGE RIDERS
P.O. Box 13218 • Trapper Creek, AK 99683
Hotline: 689-7669 or 352-3669
President: Randy Crosby
e-mail: [email protected]
website: www.curryridgeriders.com
DELTA SNOW SEEKERS
P.O. Box 137
Delta Junction, AK 99737
Tom Waggoner, 895-4196
NORTHERN LIGHTS
SNOWMOBILE CLUB
2039 B Coman Dr.
Eielson AFB, AK 99702
David Lemelind, 372-2016
RESURRECTION SNOW RIDERS
P.O. Box 2132 • Seward, AK 99664
224-3537
Snomads, Inc.
P. O. Box 3646 • Homer, AK, 99603
[email protected]
www.snomadsonline.org
VALDEZ SNOWMACHINE CLUB
P.O. Box 3689 • Valdez, AK 99686
Laura Sax, 835-2373
SURVIVE TO RIDE AGAIN!
Powder Keg has once again listened to your input and now offers
a new “Life Kit” storage box. The new lid design will allow our
lightweight, all-aluminum shovel to snap onto the top of the lid
and be locked in place by a rotating aluminum disk. This new lid
also has a 16” folding saw, a LED flashlight and a complete fire
starting kit built right in.
Powder Keg took special efforts to keep a smooth-shaped exterior with no hang-up points that could snag a rider or his clothing.
As with all Powder Keg boxes and fuel kegs, these new items are
built to last so you can expect to keep them to move from sled to
sled over the years!
You can now order your favorite low-profile storage box with
your choice of the original lid or the new “Life Kit” lid. Fits many
models of Ski-Doo, Polaris and Arctic Cat sleds! The new Life Kit
box comes complete with the shovel, folding saw, LED flashlight,
fire-starter kit and all installation hardware for just $34400
(888) 758-7307 | WWW.POWDERKEGLLC.COM/LIFEKIT
30
31
ALASKA STATE SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION
P.O. BOX 240405, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 99524-0405
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
ANCHORAGE, AK
PERMIT 936
A S S A 2 0 1 2 - 1 3 M E M BER S H I P F O R M
Alaska
Snowmobile
Alaska State
State Snowmobile
Association
Association
PURPOSE
AND OBJECTIVES
PURPOSE AND
OBJECTIVES
2011-2012
Goals
2012-2013Goals
Goals
2011-2012
To
To encourage
theencourage
formation of the
clubsformation
statewide andof clubs statewide and
goal for this season is The
increasing
#1 goal for this season is increasing
promote good
Sportsmanship,
and responsible safeThe
promote
goodsafe
Sportsmanship,
and#1responsible
well asour member numbers as well as
use of snowmobiles
use of snowmobilesboth our member numbers as both
participating clubs around Alaska. We will
participating clubs around Alaska. We will
Sponsor enactment of favorable regulations
beregulations
actively pursuing new board members
Sponsor
of favorable
concerning ownership
andenactment
use of snowmobiles
be actively pursuing new board members
represent a wide range of snowmobile
concerning ownership and use ofwho
snowmobiles
who represent a wide range of snowmobile
activities and regions.
Cooperate with Public Land Use Regulatory
Agencies whileCooperate
reserving thewith
right to
opposeLand Use Regulatory
activities and regions.
Public
regulations deemed
unfair
or
not
in
the
best
Agencies while reserving the right
to will
oppose
ASSA
be participating in legal and
interests
of our members
regulations
deemed unfair or not
in
the
best
advisory boards that seek to develop
ASSAawill be participating in legal and
interests
our members
statewide trails system.
Maintain a legislative committee
to serve of
members
advisory boards that seek to develop a
statewide
P.O. BOX 240405
Anchorage, AK 99524-0405
P.O. BOX 240405
Anchorage,
AK 99524-0405
1-888-8AK-SNOW
(1-888-825-7669)
566-0210
1-888-8AK-SNOW
(1-888-825-7669)
566-0210
President
Kevin Hite
www.aksnow.org
President
Kevin Hite
statewide trails system.
Maintain a legislative committee to serve members
We will also continue to be the main legal
resource and information clearinghouse for
We will also continue to be the main legal
the ongoing battle
Support the use of snowmobiles pertaining
to anfor statewide access for
Support local search and rescue efforts
motorized winter recreation inresource
Alaska andand information clearinghouse for
individual's livelihood.
will develop constituent relationships
that battle for statewide access for
the ongoing
Recognize competition as an important part of
benefit
our
organization.
Supportand
local
search
recreational Snowmobiling
support
such and rescue efforts
motorized winter recreation in Alaska and
Support the use of snowmobiles pertaining
to an
statewide
individual's livelihood.
competition.
will develop constituent relationships that
ASSA will
continue
Recognize competition as an important
part
of to monitor and offer
The Associationrecreational
treasures the natural
beauty of
benefit our organization.
Snowmobiling
and input
support
such
to the
Sno-Trac Board concerning
Alaska and values its natural resources; therefore
the allocation of Point of Sale Revenues.
we will promote the protection of thecompetition.
environment
ASSA will continue to monitor
from irrevocable harm.
The Association treasures the natural beauty of
Alaska and values its natural resources; therefore
we will promote the protection of the environment
from irrevocable harm.
and offer
input to the Sno-Trac Board concerning
the allocation of Point of Sale Revenues.
The Alaska State Snowmobile Association is not liable for personal Insurance. Therefore, I hereby release and discharge ASSA, its agents, and /or officers from any and all claims,
demands, actions, judgements and executions which the below signed now have or may have in the future for themselves or for the below signed heirs, executors, administrators or assign
for any and all personal injuries and property damage which have been caused by or may arise out of the participation of myself or my family in any ASSA Sponsored event. I, the belowsigned, hereby acknowledge that have read this release and understand all of its terms. I execute it voluntarily with full knowledge of its significance.
www.aksnow.org
Signature
Date:
Recreational Snowmobiling is being threatened in Alaska. T o retain access to your favorite places to ride and in order to represent snowmobilers' rights on statewide issues in
Juneau, we need your support. We encourage every Alaskan Snowmobiler to:
•
•
•
Join Your Local Club- Be represented on Local Issues
Join your State Association- Be represented on State Issues
Register your snowmobile-it's the Law. These are the only numbers Federal, State and Local governmental officials will use for funding and access issues.
An ASSA membership provides each Alaskan Snowmobiler with:
•
•
•
•
A subscription to the Nationally acclaimed Alaskan Snow Rider!
Eligibility for membership with Denali Alaska Federal Credit Union (Financing for that Snowmobile or Tow Vehicle!)
Insurance privileges through American Income Life
Representation on Statewide issues.
New Membership
Renewal Membership
Name: ______________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________
City: ___________________State: _____________Zip: _____________
Phone: __________________E-Mail___________________________
____Regular Membership-$20 per Season (October 1—Sept 30)
____Family Membership- (up to 4 People)- $35 per year
____Snowmobile Club-$50 Per Year
____ASSA Business Membership-$100 per Year

Iron Dog Safety Challenge

Transcription

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