Minus 35 degrees Celsius is roughly minus 31 degrees Fahrenheit. At some point between minus 20C and minus 35C, the Celsius temperature scale hits an acceleration clause where equilibrium is reached with Fahrenheit at minus 40 for both units of pain.
We know that the air gets cold in the Klondike. We’ve been spending November in our neighboring frontier territory every fall for the past seven years. The Yukon feels like a second home to the Seawolves. Occasionally we see some pretty frigid weather, but today was the first time we’ve had to pump the breaks on training because of it.
Seawolf Dawn
Halfway to the mountain I could feel my phone vibrating in the chest pocket of my coaching bibs. I was behind the wheel and didn’t think much of it. Standard to receive and defer a few texts or notifications during a morning commute. I looked up from the temperature reading of -4 F on the dash to see the first hint of dawn breaking over the Yukon River drainage. I kept driving until my phone buzzed again. And again. I could hear Anna and Morten’s phones sounding alarms and pulled the truck to the side of the Alaska Highway.
Temp readings at the top of the chairlift hit minus 35 at 8 am. Rolls Royce jet turbines on airliners might like those conditions. Chairlifts, however? Not so much. Delayed opening. We quickly texted the team with an update. Shelter in place. Standby.
We’re exactly halfway through our first training camp and FIS opener. The group is starting to hit stride. Our coaching staff agreed yesterday that we had a breakthrough GS session, so the news of a surprise day off was unwelcome, even with the extreme cold. Like a freight train building speed between rail points, it takes a lot of energy to start and stop the Seawolf Green Machine. But ski racing is an outdoor sport, and mother nature delivered another reminder of who’s really in charge here.
Keeping it real. Base camp blaze at Mt. Sima.
With ten returning athletes and only two new adds, we’re a veteran lineup. Our recent pickups bring a ton of talent and experience to the team. Carlo Cordone is a transfer from the University of Genoa in Italy, and Dylan Timm is fresh off the British Columbia Provincial Ski Team. After a busy fall prep period of strength and conditioning, everyone here is Seawolf family. It’s a tight unit.
Unscheduled days off can sometimes be a good thing. Student-athletes can get caught up with school. Bodies can rest. Coaches can look ahead to important details of the approaching NCAA tour, and I get to sit down and pen a long overdue update on the ski team.
Coming off one of the most successful seasons in our history, there are a lot of reasons to be bullish about this year. The Nordic side is young and showcased a lot of grit, helping us to a seventh-place finish overall at NCAA Championships. Our Seawolves Alpine group finished fourth in the GS and SL events with five NCAA All Americans and boasted the second-best women’s alpine team in the country.
Podium sweep at the Yukon FIS Aurora Cup.
But each year brings new challenges, and if history has taught me anything – it’s to be measured rather than assured. Focus on the fundamentals and never take anything for granted. So here we are. In the Yukon. Battling some cold temps but making progress on good snow and great terrain. One more training block to go before heading back into Alaska to face final exams in the classroom…and to put this group to the test on race day.
Pit crew at work somewhere near Destruction Bay, Yukon Territory.
Second Home!