so much is going on all at once

     So I had two days off work following the Tour of Anchorage and needed to both backcountry ski and get in some winter camping practice in.  Ski-buddy had recently been out by Twin Peaks in turnagain pass and gave stunning reviews.  We elected to do an over-nighter and check out the area.  I wanted to test out my home-made pulk, some winter camping theory and my gear. 

     We got an afternoon start, geared up with the dogs and skinned in to a central area in the valley and set-up camp.  We did a shorter ski that evening with dusky skies, warm temps, calm weather and pretty good snow off a lower shoulder of Twin Peaks: a good way to end a day and start the outing.  After eating some dinner we hit the sack as it was dark and had nothing to do but get rested for our skiing tomorrow when we planned to ski from the summit proper.  Lucy did very well sleeping outside, she didn't want the pad/spare bag we brought for the dogs and was in good spirits every time I checked on her.  As seen in the pic I gave her a fleece, but she wanted nothing to do with it.


     The gear testing went well and I can conclude: canister style fuel and stoves don't work well in cold, my sleeping bag is warm and is good warm storage at night, have water in bottom of pot when starting to melt snow, weight the pulk in the front and keep center-of-gravity low, drink way more water.

     The next morning we woke up, melted some more snow, ate breakfast, geared up and started the skinning.  Weather was PERFECT: warm, sunny, calm.  Snow was a little wind-crusted on the lower couple hundred of feet but quickly softened with elevation gain and sun.  We skinned and skinned, or so it seemed.  I was dying, sweating, dead tired legs.  I had a unique experience in that I was bonking hardcore.  Not even my ski-stoke was helping.  What the heck?!? Of all days???  Yea, that's what was going through my mind.  I guess is it was not because of lack of food, but more likely a combination of dehydration and the cumulative fatigue of the Tour and skiing yesterday.  This rarely happens to such a degree.  I remember feeling better at the end of the Climbathon than today. 

     We did make it thanks to Ski-buddy trail-trailbreaking the steeper and deeper.  The summit was too rimey to ski so we stopped a bit below.  No loss though.  We enjoyed a 3000ft+ descent on an ontouched, mostly even-grade slope with fabulous snow, sunny skies, and reeped the benefits of every step up......so worth it.  Thanfully the legs came through for me.  I must say it is my "Line of the Year" which isn't necessarily gnarly, just all around good as judged by me.  You can't get that at a resort.
     After skiing down to camp we packed up and skied out to the car.  Just in time, again, as we noticed two parties skinning up various slopes around us.  The early morning start payed in our favor.  Then of course there was the traditional stop at the Girdwood Tesoro for Jalepeno-cheddar corndogs and a dewski for the ride home.  Bam, what a day.