Turnagain is still soft.

     So I've been to Turnagain pass yesterday and today.  It is the best snow around right now.  I am surprised at how good it is considering it is almost one week old.  Even the week-old tracks are forgiving and not bothersome to ski over.  Both days were spent on the lower slopes of Sunburst, slopes that still had room for fresh tracks despite their popularity and easy access.  The flat lighting wasn't too bad there but was likely worse up high.  I got one sunny run in during a well-times cloud parting this afternoon.  Last night's snow gave less than 2 inches, but hopefully more will come now that we know it is indeed still capable of snowing.


I cut my pre-sunny run skin short to get it while it was bright.

You know you're in AK when a pass is ~1000ft.

Partly sunny views of Penguin ridge from the arm.

    

It's been too long

views from a Tincan tree-run

     So I after seeing some pics on a local webpage of something rarely seen as of recent, I headed down to Turnagain Pass to investigate and take my share of the wealth.  I was not disappointed.  The snow in Turnagain pass had all been obliterated by the unseasonably warm temps and rain, then after the cold returned we were left with an ice base.  Friday(?) yielded a localized and concentrated dumping of light and creamy powder that was relatively unexpected but much appreciated. 


This is national geographic folks.

     Compadre and I headed down for an early start by AK standards and picked Tincan.  Bitter cold at the car we briskly made our way up the traditional route, our stoke growing with the elevation at the snow we were skinning in.  It looked skied out pretty bad until we realized no one had gone much higher than the upper SW bowl.  Our snow assessments said investigate further, and we did.


shadow-shot of the day, skinning, an obviously good sign

     Our investigation yielded incredible results: boot-top light-and-creamy powder on a crusty base, untracked slopes, nobody venturing near our lines despite stable snow findings.  The sun was out, the wind was calm, the day was young.  We did 2 laps on the lower angle upper portion then, feeling confident in the snowpack conditions, did a top-to-bottom of Tincan's south face opposite Todd's run.  It was a little under-filled lower down but ski-able. 
     We then skinned back up then next possible ridge with fewest alders, but not avoiding a bash-n-thrash session.  Concluding a great day with the traditional Tincan tree run, our tired legs carried us back to the road.
     The snowmachine side looked enticing, being closed to the noise-makers and all, but by the end of the day the backcountry folks made it look like Alyeska at noon on a powder day.  Congrats to all who got after it the past 2 days, enjoy it while it's here.  Powder for all.


A visit to the far side



 So sorry about the poor formatting it's beyond my control and skills.  Anyway, Hardcore and I headed out to Hatcher Pass in hopes of skiing some respectable conditions which, to our surprise, were plentiful and totally worthwhile. 
     A cooler-than-recent sunrise start with clear skies and calm weather started the day with promise which thankfully was fulfilled.  We skied a number of great snow(given the situation) runs out in Hatcher Pass' Farside area, including one run down lookers' right near the Pinnacle in soft spring-like snow.
     The day was like a much-needed vacation: relief from the snow-drought of the rest of the area.  I had never seen the views of these mountains that today offered, but I was unsuspecting of their vastness and was reminded again of how rugged and rural things are up here in AK.  You either know what I am talking about or have to come visit.
     We spent a fair amount of time at the top admiring the views, soaking up the warm sun, eating and snapping many photos that will never do it justice.  A revisit is anticipated later this week.  I thought to myself today, "I am living the dream". 



heading up our first run off one of "the farside" couloirs

a lone skinner provides scale near  "the pinnacle" which was our concluding run



when one tops a ridge to views like this, the mind is blown, addiction ensues.

 



Hardcore skis the best around from chugach ress on Vimeo.





note the chest-mane, its fluffy



SuperBowl Sunday Skiing

     So if we had more snow I would have picked a huge bowl to ski in given that it is superbowl Sunday and football is to me like backcountry skiing is to most football fans.  Since the snow could be called scarce and the weather was great I headed to the best place nearby: Hatcher Pass.
     I decided to explore the area given that the lines are relatively unfamiliar to me and the visibility was good.  I headed up to the Rock Garden by the Pinnacle intending to take the low-angle to the far NW corner but after seeing an enticing slope nearby with a bit more grade I skied down and re-routed.  There were several lines flowing down into the Rock Garden that look super fun.  Noted for future use.
     Up the Gold Chord way I went.  Though not going to the top the ski was pretty good considering everything that isn't that great right now.  The sunshine, calm weather and vistas helped.  While skin-ripping I glanced up the High-grade mine and saw some fun terrain.  Though in the shade I skied down to it and skinned up to the area between Birthday Pass and the Lost Coulior. 
     Just as I decided to turn it I popped out of my left ski, accidentally kicked it and watched it slide down the run.  This was a first for me.  An event not unheard-of but definitely a stoke killer, like a kid getting socks for Christmas.  It could have been worse but thankfully it stopped since the skin was still on it, only about 200 vertical below.  I re-did that section and skied out to sun as this run was in the shade being late afternoon.  Come February I do like my sun.
     The legs are behind scheduled fitness level relative to other seasons so I headed back to redo the Gold Chord run as my conclusion and ski it to the car.  All-in-all it was great to get some AT turns in.  There was about 3inches of stale powder on a supportable crust that was better than windboard in the front range or the hike-to terrain in Turnagain.  I also saw a few ideas for the future inspired by a number of already-been-skied lines.  I haven't given up hope on new snow yet. 

beautiful skin track, but not mine

stunner of the day, emerging from the shade

Crust ski in bicentennial