Athabaskan: Sonot (pronounced “SAW NOT”, “springtime”) Kkaazoot (“kah-ZOOT”, “to slide your feet across the snow”)
Saturday, March 21, 2026
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Thanks to Cyrus Freeman and Alex Morris stepping forward to be race directors for the 39th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot, we will be opening registration in mid-January 2026. Bad Bob and Sharon Baker are sharing their collective race organization wisdom with these young men so this year’s Sonot Kkaazoot will be great. With our abundant December snowfalls and cold temperatures, this is the motivation we need to get out and train when trails are chilly and glide is less than optimal.
Sonot Kkaazoot Race Courses: All races are freestyle events. Classical tracks will be set for all courses. All three races will have the same route for the first 2 km, which starts in the stadium, up the main ramp, out Relay Start Loop, onto the South Tower to the top and back down to the end of Tower, then onto Roller Coaster Bypass to stadium.
10 km course: After the above start route, the 10 km will head down the White Bear access and out onto the White Bear. Will follow the White Bear to the Beacon Cutoff, then return via the White Bear, skipping Moilanen Meadows, back to the White Bear Access, finishing the White Bear Access to the stadium, then a hard right following the east side of the stadium and then ski the whole Warm-Up Loop and into the FINISH.
30 km course: After the start route as the racers come into the stadium from the Roller Coaster Bypass, they will ski directly across the stadium and down onto the Competition, then out onto the entire North Forty back to the Competition, then down onto the entire Back Hole back to the Competition then finishing the remaining Competition and back into the stadium. Skiers then proceed up the west side of the main ramp and down and around the Blue Loop, then down onto the Outhouse Loop to the Sunnyside. Ski the entire Sunnyside trail (not Cliffside), and back to the Outhouse Loop. Finish the Outhouse Loop then turn left onto the Relay Return to the top of the ramp. Turn right onto the Tower Loop, ski entire Tower Loop followed by Medevac and finishing the Roller Coaster. Ski right down onto the White Bear Access then right onto the White Bear, all of the White Bear including Moilanen Meadows, and the White Bear Access back to the stadium. Turn right and ski along the east side of the stadium, and the entire Warm-Up Loop, and into the FINISH.
Section 1 of 30 and 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot courses with profile
50 km course: Ski the 30 km course but after skiing under the bridge, the 2nd lap for the 50 km course will lap around the finish and take a right down on the Competition, then onto the North Forty for a little over a kilometer, then skiers will take the cut-off back onto the Competition, by-passing the Black hole, continuing up the Competition keeping straight and left back to the stadium, then right up the west side of the main ramp, and down the Blue loop, then the Outhouse loop, then down the Sunnyside and Cliffside, across the base of the Ft. Wainwright Ski Hill just in front of the Ft. Wainwright Ski Lodge, and then turn left up the Sonot Connector all the way back to the White Bear. Turn right onto the outbound White Bear, then ski the rest of the White Bear and Moilanen Meadows and the White Bear Access to the stadium. Turn right and ski along the east side of the stadium. Ski the entire Warm-Up loop then under the bridge and into the FINISH!!!
PDF versions of the course maps can be downloaded at the Courses tab above.
Feed Stations will be staffed by the Lathrop, North Pole, and West Valley XC Ski team boosters and are located in the stadium and on the White Bear trail at Sonot Junction. A detailed list can also be downloaded at the Courses tab.
QUESTIONS: contact@sonotkkaazoot.org
Photo of the 2015 start by Chris Hemming
Banner photo courtesy of Retrospection Image.
Sonot Kkaazoot 