The Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage has canceled the annual Tour of Anchorage, which was scheduled for March 8.
"With the recent rain and melts, things have gotten a lot dirtier on the trails," said NSAA program manager Tamra Kornfield.
The tour is the largest ski race of the season, typically attracting between 1,700 and 1,800 skiers to the city's trails, according to a race history posted on the NSAA website.
The association made the announcement on Tuesday on its website.
Anchorage has experienced a heat wave that has seen the city hit with record high temperatures and rainfall throughout the month.
Combined with low snowfall totals throughout the winter, the unseasonable conditions have left trails across the city in various stages of skiability.
"On the trails at Hillside and Kincaid, it's icy but there's coverage except the tunnels," she said.
Other trails needed for the Tour's 50-, 40- and 25-kilometer races, however, haven't weathered the conditions as well. Kornfield said trails along the coast – which receive the most sunshine and wind – are in the worst shape.
The cancellation marks the second time organizers have had to scratch the race, which was first held in 1988. The 2003 event was also called off. It's the second year in a row bad weather has forced the NSAA to scramble. In 2014, race officials were forced to shorten the course due to a lack of snow on Anchorage trails.
Kornfield said the nordic ski community is trying to make the best of a bad situation. Rather than the Tour, the association will hold a short race at Kincaid on March 8, followed by a "Beach Party" themed event complete with après ski appetizers.
"It's no fun when you just cancel everything, so we wanted to have a back-up plan," she said.
Kornfield said anyone who has already signed up for this year's Tour will automatically be entered in next year's race. There will be no refunds issued.
On the bright side, Kornfield pointed out that snowmaking at Kincaid Park has allowed some trails there to remain skiable.
"We've been lucky we've had snowmaking," she said. "We're lucky for that. We're just appreciating what we can do each day."
For more information, visit anchoragenordicski.com