Snow and Trails Conditions

UPDATE FRIDAY 1/11 4:25pm: The REI Frosty Freestyle course is in awesome shape! The course is covered in 4-12 inches of dense hard snow. We walked the entire course and did not sink in.It's night and day better than the snow we had last year. The snow is a bit dirty from some melt and there is a little dirt that fell off the spreader, but that dirt is on top, not coming up from underneath. Right now, I would be comfortable using my A-pair of race skis. I'll wax up an A-pair and B-pair for tomorrow. Fischer Ski/Swix Wax guru Mike Wagnar has been providing advice on the best grooming strategy for the race course.

Please DO NOT ski on the course tonight. We need to let the snow set overnight. The kids race will start at 9:30am, the 5k race at 10:30, and the 15k race at 11:30am. We may shorten the 15k race to 12k, which is 10 laps around the course, simply because counting laps is a pain for some skiers (like me).

UPDATE FRIDAY 1/11 8:19am: So far so good! The rain we had over night was so cold that it has not melted as much snow as I thought. Bucks Run is still very well covered with a nice ice top layer. We will leave the ice until Saturday morning to help preserve the base in the warm temps in the next 24hrs. Race Director and Head of Course will evaluate conditions this afternoon and make a final call.

Thanks to everyones support during this trying week.

- Adam Haberkorn

UPDATE THURSDAY 1/10: Lots of people out skiing yesterday, but we expect the rain to make the main Frosty and Krazy Klassic courses unusable. That means we are officially moving to a multilap race format using the Buck's Run man-made snow trail. Buck's Run is a kilometer long trail and has 16 inches of dense packed snow protected by trees. There is additional man-made snow that will be put on the trail today. Yesterday's warm weather didn't impact the trail at all - it was hard and fast! Check out our Facebook page for photos!

UPDATE TUESDAY 1/8: Worried about the warming trend this week? The race course has 11" of snow that's been packed hard, and Adam is planning on leaving it as hard as possible (i.e., minimize grooming that would loosen the snow and make it melt faster).

The dedicated man-made snow trail not only has 11 inches of natural snow but another 4-8" of dense man-made snow under it. Adam has also been making a huge snow pile over the past couple weeks to fill in low spots.

Last year, we had 1" of natural snow and still held the race because of the snow we made, so we are way ahead in the snow department this year!

Go Frosty! Go Krazy Klassic!

Race Weekend Schedule

Snowmaking!

Huron Meadows Metropark has purchased outright the snow gun they leased two weeks before last year's Frosty Freestyle. The snow gun saved the Frosty and Krazy Klassic last year, and Huron Meadows had the only groomed skiing all season in southeast Michigan last season.

With a year of experience under the belt - and the ability to make snow much earlier than two weeks before the race, expect the Frosty Freestyle and Krazy Klassic to run even if Mother Nature pulls a few tricks.

REI Frosty Freestyle

Saturday's Frosty Freestyle will have skate and classic divisions for both the 5K and the 15K race. Choose your technique and distance! Want a challenge? Do the 15K! A little unsure or want a shorter distance? Do the 5K! The Frosty is a FABULOUS beginner's race!

This year we also offer shorter distance races for kids 11 and younger: the SELCRA Kid's Frosty Race presented by Green Oak Village Place Mall.

The Frosty Freestyle entry fee includes lunch, chip timing, age group awards, goodie bags, feeds on the race course, door prizes, and a T-shirt (for those 12 and older) or a medal (kids 11 and under). This is the BIG RACE!

Food and Frosty Beverages
Lunch will be provided for all racers. Non-racers may buy lunch for a nominal fee. A frosty beer or two may be purchased from the Metropark at the XC Ski Center counter.

The race features mass start waves: Kids 11 and under start at 9:00am, then at 10:30am the 15k Men go, floowed by the 15k Women, 5k Men, and 5k Women every 3 minutes.

Frosty Freestyle Registration
$29 for pre-registered skiers, age 16+
$39 day-of event registration, age 16+
$15 for kids 12-15 (pre or day of)
$10 kids under 11 (pre or day of)

• Registration form (Cash or check only)
• Online registration (Credit card)

We will also have pre-registration the evening before the race at REI Ann Arbor from 6pm-8pm.

Cash or check only at REI and on race day - we don't have a way to do credit cards.

Awards
Awards will be immediately following the races, in the XC Ski Center. "So what can I win?"

• Frosty award, ages 11 and below
• Frosty award, ages 12-20
• Frosty award, 21 & older

Priority Health Krazy Klassic

Sunday's Krazy Klassic has one distance: 12k, classic skiing only. The Krazy Klassic fee includes age group awards only.

The Krazy Klassic is an interval start race: two skiers will start every 15 seconds, and do three laps around a 4k loop.

Krazy Klassic Registration
$20 for each skier, day of race registration only (no pre-registration). Cash or check only.

Like the Frosty, age-class awards go three-deep for both men and women.

Kids (& Adults):
Learn to Ski and Race!

Want you and/or your child to learn how to cross-country ski and then participate in an actual race? SELCRA (Southeastern Livingston County Recreation Authority), Team NordicSkiRacer and Team Priority Health join the REI Frosty Freestyle Cross-Country Ski at Huron Meadows for the 2nd Annual SELCRA Kids Learn to Ski and Frosty Race for ages 5 - 11 year olds!

In the three weeks leading up to the race, three classes will be held to teach the children the basic techniques of cross-country skiing. These techniques include diagonal stride, turning, stopping, and how to fall and get up. After the three classes, they get to put these new skills to the test in our Kids Frosty Race (kids) or the Frosty Freestyle (adults). Ski equipment rentals are included.

Spots are limited - register online: Kids, Adults. See you at the race! Cost ($65) includes the three classes, ski rental, and entry into the REI Frosty Freestyle. Classes be held indoors at Huron Meadows if it's not frosty enough outside. Members of the Team NordicSkiRacer and Team Priority Health will instruct.

Kids/Adults Learn to
Ski and race schedule:

Wed, Dec 12, 2012, 6:00 - 7:30pm (classroom)
Wed, Dec 19, 2012, 6:00 - 7:30pm (on snow)
Wed, Jan 9, 2013, 6:00 - 7:30pm (on snow)
Sat, Jan 12, 2013, 9:30am (kids), 10:30am (adults): Frosty Freestyle Race!

All classes start from the Huron Meadows Metropark Ski Center.

In case you were wondering...

Michigan Cup Points
The  15k Frosty and Krazy Klassic events qualify for Michigan Cup Senior points. Classic and Skate results from the Frosty Freestyle will be combined for "Freestyle" Michigan Cup Points.

("Freestyle" means you can ski the race using either skating or classic ski technique.)

We're Endorsed!
The Frosty Freestyle and Krazy Klassic are endorsed by the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports.

Where
The races will run on the frosty Huron Meadows Metropark ski trails. Huron Meadows is located just south of Brighton, Michigan, conveniently near the I-96 / US-23 interchange.

NOTE: Huron Meadows Metropark requires $5 day pass in addition to the race registration. Annual passes are available to $25 ($15 for seniors) and provide access to all 13 Huron-Clinton Metroparks. A bargain at any price!

In-depth Technique Lessons (Classroom)

What happens if it's not Frosty?
This is southeast Michigan and snow is not always reliable. If January 12 is not frosty enough for a race, the event will be moved to a make-up date (TBD). If there still not enough snow on that date, we'll hold a running race. Be assured, we have several frosty tricks up our sleeves to ensure we have snow on the course, including our own snow making equipment!

Proceeds
All proceeds from the race will be donated to the Huron Clinton Metroparks for cross country skiing-related capital or operational expenses. In the last three years, $6,933 was donated to support cross country skiing including money used to buy a fleet of rental skate skis. Let's thank the Metroparks for the awesome job they have done promoting cross country skiing at Huron Meadows!