magnum again

     So Magnum today.  Again.  Didn't feel like dealing with the crowds of sunburst and tincan and after a recent first-time visit I thought I would revisit to become more familiar.  Good news of the day: good company, fresh 2-3 at TH and 4-6+ depending on aspect up high, partly to mostly sunny (no flat light), first tracks all around with no one else, balmy temps near 30.  The fresh 2-3 was enough to make that icy crust below it pleasantly ski-able.  Bad news: balmy temps near 30 caused me to sweat a lot (I'm in trouble come spring), exposed to my first avalanche.

     We headed up and skied a warm-up lap followed by a steeper longer run and called it a day.  On the way down to the car we skied over a rollover that was wind loaded and soft slab and it let loose.  Fortunately it was shallow debris, in low consequence terrain, and only part of it ran all the way to the valley floor.  The dogs were swept a little way but got out fine, no one was buried or carried. 

 

     A ski day like today with the sun out and no flat light is so invigorating for myself, it fuels my tired legs up the hill and the stoke of the run makes me repeat.  The fresh, smooth, blankets of powder with skin-tracks running up and ski tracks running down are my self-expression in the backcountry, a leave-no-trace graffiti that is more graceful and eloquent than obnoxious.  At least that's how I see it.   I heard a quote from a skier in the backcountry film festival this evening say he was 'exploring self through the medium of skiing.'  and the backcountry style of this is the best and only way to thoroughly do so.

magnum it is.

     So today my usual people were back in town so we headed out to turnagain as the front range is still bare and we hadn't heard anything on hatcher pass.  After just now seeing The Uptracks' post from yesterday on Hatchers it looks like the snow may have been better there, but maybe later this week I will head that way. 
     The temps were SUPPOSE to be warmer today with a high of 16F but we watched the car temp hover at -4F at the trailhead.  Given yesterdays frigidity we were ready for the cold but hopeful for warmer temps up high.  With chilly temps, calm air, partly sunny skies, and crusty snow conditions we skinned up from the South Magnum parking lot to check out cornbiscuit/magnum depending on which looked better.  We went with magnum as the south slopes of that had a few inches of fresh-and-soft while the northern aspects of cornbiscuit were shallow and wind-buffed. 
     We skinned up the lookers right shoulder of magnum following the skintrack.  Once atop the summit ridge the wind pushed it from cold to bitter.  The whole ridge had a decent size cornice and the slopes below were dotted with remnants of a cornice break as reported on CNFAICs' website.  The rest of the slope looked good, so a wise partner suggested we ski it from there while the sun was holding off the flat light and save high/farther back for next lap.  We did, and it was worth it because at the bottom the clouds rolled in, hopefully they will bear more snow.  I think we saw the jeremy woods skinning up past us.  Then I think I saw him go up Sunburst, Tincan and then Pyramid? 

     Skiing was good on lap 2 despite the flat light we found some steeper stuff that was tracked just enough to provide some contrast but not so much that there was no fresh.  The ride from there to the car was tough: super flat with variable terrain features combined with carve-able crustiness.  Back at the car the temp read 4F.  At least it warmed up. 

     I was pleased with how the Lucy handled the cold.  She is definately a cold-weather dog and has the coat for it.  She looked quite comfortable.  I finally obtained a thermos that keeps my beverages warm and another ski buddy turned me on to beef/chicken broth.  The hot salti-ness hits the spot just before dropping in or after skinning. 

MANitoba. MANitoba.

     So back on Friday we headed out to Manitoba by request of one from our party.  We were looking to just get out and do a mellow-angle tour, anticipating untracked pow given the weather and end-of-the-week status.  Though it is a drive from Anchorage, as long as I can rubber-neck at the beautiful scenery that is Alaska I don't mind it one bit.  Every smooth mountain side looks like the perfect line to ski.  This gets the stoke up for the day on the drive in and keeps me dreaming of days to come on the drive home.

     I had skied manitoba once last season, parking at the gravel-pit, but tried the parking lot closer to mile 148.  In hindsight I think the gravel pit was a more direct route, but we were pleased to be out none-the-less.  We hopped on the nice trail that crosses some nice bridges and goes by some nice huts.  We followed the well-cleared switch-backing trail a bit too far along the creek and then just cut a trail up to a ridge to the summit before the trail descended to cross the ravine.  Weather was cloudy, calm, with flat light and mild-to-no wind, comfortable temps.  There had been no one before us since the last snow so contrast/perspective was difficult to obtain above tree-line leaving us on the verge of vertigo.

     Once at the top we ate some food, took some pics, one of the dogs decided to pee on my backpack when the whole mountain was available for 2 hours prior.  Fortunately, for a brief period long enough to ski our selected line, the sun broke (as seen in the pics) providing perfect light for our run.  Turnagain delivers fresh, soft, perfect pow time and time again. And then the sun went away, flat light returned, as soon as we were done.  We loved that run so we decided to lap it again, and would have done a third had we no commitments back in Anchorage.  Just like the first, the sun popped out just enough for our run.  We all wanted to do a third and would have a fourth but there will be other days.  We skied the luge-like trail back to the car and found the uptrack we should have taken.  Note to self for next time. 

 

Newby on Tincan

     So finally my ski people are back in town, I am no longer ill and I have some time off work.  With the avy risk decreasing we headed out to Tincan as I had only been once and was looking to redeem that mediocre experience.  Afterall, it is pretty much the most popular Turnagain pass jumpoff point.  Surprisingly, we arrived to an empty parking lot.  What a good way to start the day because although Tincan is popular, we certainly don't hit up the backcountry to ski with the masses.  A friendly face here and there or some company is okay now and then but the solitude is a selling point for me.

     We took the main skintrack up, noticing a fresh 2-4" on some crusty stuff up to 1500' where it turned into the powder we sought.  Both our dogs had seen a lack in exercise so they were bouncing up and down the skin track, just as pleased to be out in the mountains as we were.  Weather: fair visibility, gentle winds above treeline, mostly cloudy with some sun to stave off the flat light.

     We didn't hit the top top but had 2 good runs down to the creek bed before skiing out to the car.  Untracked, mellow ~30degrees, sof and freshness of the right kind was what we were looking for and we found it.  We were planning on saving our legs for tomorrows' planned tour but did an addicts' lap.  We might pay for it tomorrow.  We skied the trees on the way out which was some of the better tree-skiing I have done here, and now I know why it is popular: very accessible and fun terrain.

Well.............

     So the Chugach front range has squat for snow.  Even the gullies haven't filled in yet.  Things are blown and scoured.  There is hardly enough for cross country skiing here in town.  Turnagain is great low-angle from what I hear but the natural and human-triggered avalanches have left me hesitant to head out there.  Though I recently decided to go, it's too late: ski buddies are working and a pineapple express is on the way to add to the cruddy conditions in Anchorage and compound the turnagain snowpack issue.  THIS IS A PROBLEM.  Although Alyeska finally opened chair 6 (minus tram due to high-wind collision with a tower) I moved up here for the skiing and became addicted to backcountry skiing.  Last winter was my first and I guess I got spoiled but this winter, I'm hurting. 
     After moping about last night and swimming in denial I finally gave up and decided to go hiking today.  I have to get into the mountains, simple as that.  It's good for the soul.  I rounded up the dogs and planned to climb the ramp (of course with the hope of finding that lone front range line that is skiable). 
     Weather was not the greatest.  Overcast skies with steady winds, frequent gusts and snow made for a genuine mountain experience.  I couldn't find clear eye protection and went without so my eyeballs were getting pelted with snow.  Of course the skies  temporarily parted, wind died and flat light was gone only after I had headed down to the valley floor from the summit.  Either way it felt good to get out.  I found no lines long enough to justify the 6.5 mile skin.  I haven't reached that level of desperation but it is close.

sorry no pics, it won't let me upload today.