‘Just like butter’: Anchorage skiers embrace fresh snow at Kincaid Park

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Fresh snow in Anchorage is bringing Nordic skier group to popular trails.

Around midday Wednesday, trails at Kincaid Park were packed with cross-country skiers eager to take advantage of the fresh powder.

Perfect conditions for Nordic skiing

Among those hitting the trails was the Alaska Pacific University Masters Training Group, a group that trains together several days a week.

“I love the snow,” Abby Elbow, one team member, said, adding that being outdoors in winter conditions is what keeps her coming back.

While the APU masters group is meant for the recreational skier who simply wants to get skiing with a group of like-minded winter enthusiasts, the program also features the elite Olympic training program that has accounted for half of the 16-skier team currently racing at the Winter Olympic Games in Italy.

For this dedicated group, fresh snowfall means even better conditions.

“Pretty much anything I’m doing when there’s snow on the ground, I’m happy,” Elbow said.

Wednesday’s weather provided near-perfect skiing conditions, according to those on the trails.

“I think a day like today is kind of hard to beat because it’s relatively warm. There’s fresh snow. It’s gorgeous,” Evie Witten, part of the APU Master’s Group, said.

Elbow described the conditions as “just like butter.”

More than just exercise

For the APU Masters Training Group, cross-country skiing serves a purpose beyond physical fitness.

“Be outside when it’s light out, even though it’s February and we’re getting more and more, still the daytime is so critical for just mental health and staying sane,” Elbow said.

The sentiment was echoed by others who emphasized gratitude for Alaska’s outdoor recreation opportunities.

“I’m motivated to get out just because it gives me energy, and we live in a beautiful state, and we are so lucky to have these Nordic trails in Anchorage,” Witten said. “I just like to take advantage of them.”

The message from those who spent Wednesday on the trails?

You don’t need a major snowstorm to enjoy winter in Alaska — sometimes you just need an excuse to get outside.

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