I know, I know, but it's easier in winter

     So it is easier in winter with colder temps and less daylight to blog.  That being said, since the last post we have been up to more of the same: weekend over-nighters, trying new trails, mountain biking local single-track, trail running, and just now ramping up the packrafting.  Nothing extravagant or super-huge, but it is Alaska so it's still pretty dang scenic.

     I've been making it a point to do new things, even if simple or nearby.  For example, there are a number of excellent trails to run around lower Girdwood including the Beaver Pond trail and the historic Iditarod trail that parallels crow creek mine road: super quiet, soft trail, flow-ey, with trickling waterfalls and streams throughout.  

     I also discovered instagram and have a feed: andy.ress.  This allows me to post my favorite pic of the day without having to write about it because pics are better than words, although seeing in person is even better yet.  

Johnson Pass mountain biking: encountered cowparsnip and it could have been better, but could have been worse.  Wildflowers and views were excellent.  Some hardcore Minnesotan bit it on a slippery downhill, likely separating his shoulder/fracturing ribs but walked out 5+ miles: hard and crusty old guy.  We safely made the whole trip and even found a ride back to the trailhead/car albeit some bumps/bruises/scrapes(ask Sarah what her legs look like).  

Bird Ridge Hill Climb: it's been on the list for awhile, now done.  Close enough to goal for satisfaction but could be improved.  I was ahead of an Olympian for ~35 minutes, obviously that didn't last.

Sarah got a new mountain bike(nicer than mine) so we've been hitting up the single-tracks at Kinkaid and Hillside.

We booked the Crow Pass Cabin(six months ago) for a weekend in July.  It's hard to reserve and had been on the list for some time.  The weather sucked(strong winds/rain/poor visibility) so we bailed after 2 days/1 night.  I was bitter about the lost opportunity to base out of there and bag local peaks, show Sarah the Jewel and Milk glaciers, the money out the window for the last 2 nights, but the rest of the weekend farther west had better weather so we redeemed the weekend.

Redemption: Sarah climbed her 2nd 5000ft peak without planning on it(+some peer pressure), which involved scrambling and exposure, but a great view of the Chugach.  We also Packrafted a creek on my list for some time, and I'd call it a success.

Ran/explored several sections of the national historic iditarod trail which was better than expected with the exception of the Johnson Pass to Eddies turnout due to the lack of bridges.  I saw a bear on the Beaver Pond Trail, a mother/baby moose combo on the Girdwood section of the NHIT.

Climbed Mt Williwaw, the highest in the Front Range and my 2nd attempt due to poor weather on the first.  Only a few more to go, maybe even this summer/fall?  Camped out at Walrus Lakes that night: I highly recommend it.  

Watched the notorious Mt Marathon race (after seeing the film 3220), which involved Killian Jornet and his GF shattering previous records with apparent ease.  

Summer has been great so far and has more to come.  But I still like skiing and winter best.

Yes, it's still ski season

     So yesterday Hardcore and I headed out for a front range tour with the dogs.  The weather started out mostly sunny with clouds threatening overcastedness from the west.  Temps have been trending high 20s in the AM to mid 30s by afternoon.  We started at Glen Alps and headed up the gully to the ballfield.  The goal was to investigate a line I had seen off the back of O'Malley not too long ago: a lookers' dog-leg right down to Black Lake.  This was an Andy-expedition.
     We skied a thin and rock infested slope down to Black Lake and then headed up the other side.  Too steep and crusty to skin down low, we started booting.  We attempted to skin again after gaining the ridge, but encountered variable and slippery snow, ultimately booting all the way up the backside of O'Malley.  We decided to ski the hopefully soft south side of it instead of returning the way we came. 
     The view from the top of O'malley was great: Williwa, Elliot, Koktoya, the Wedge and other front range peaks.  We scoped out several gullies down and found most to be melted out, all but two.  The one we chose was crusty but carvable the first half and soft melting the bottom.  Overall a good long run.  Ill do this one again next season as well as the couloir down the back that we booted up for a bit.
     Hardcore was up for more so we skirted the ridge that hides hidden lake and skinned up the Wedge to attempt a line that had been on my list all season.  My legs were tired, but we were already out there with a mostly downhill ride to the car.  Just as we were approaching the top of the Wedge the clouds moved in.  This line starts as a bowl and funnels to a chute spilling south into the Powerline Pass drainage. 
     I took a more conservative angled slope while Hardcore steeped it down the crusty in flat light.  It softened up about half way down, much like O'malley.  We elected to do a little down-climbing over a small rocky area after choosing the less-than-obvious route.  Good training we tell ourselves.  A nice mellow and soft ending, we skied the apron to the valley floor and side-hilled/poled it as far as we could before skinning back to the parking lot.
     Wildlife seen yesterday included Hardcore and ground squirrels braving the snow.  I learned I should start carrying some glop-stopper stuff for snow-temperature changes in the spring.  I had gloppage going on at our farthest out point and no thank you anymore, it could have been miserable skinning.  Another repeat lesson was to bring more food and water.  On our way back it started flurrying snow but we also saw 2 rainbows, not a double, but 2 seperate ones.
     On a side note, we were passing a duo of a backcountry skier and border.  After a brief and friendly chat he informed me I was skiing 'women's skis'.  He told me he didn't mean any offense of course.  Dumb comment of the day if you ask me, with no opportunity for redemption.  So all you out there skiing the BD Justice, give yourself a good masculinity check, hide your skirt, and try to grow some facial hair.  If he were upwind I would have farted in his general direction. 

Hardcore eating




The line off Elliot for next season

O'Malley Line





The Wedge is the left high-point on the near ridge.  Also visible
are the Suicides and Ptarmigan.



O'malleys' Back Alley

     So I had a number of ideas of what to ski today, mostly local stuff because driving to turnagain gets old and the raincrust going on there is less than enticing.  I checked the weather info and stations to eliminate options and reduce my challenges with indecision.  We headed out to glen alps to ski the gulley that leads to the ballfield.  Weather looked less than promising.  Flat light, high 20s/low30s, steady wind increasing in speed with elevation, snowing on and off, and of course the unchanged bare snow conditions in the front range. 
     After reaching the saddle we went up the ridge a little bit and skied a short stint down into the ballfield and continued down the mellow run which, for a lack of knowing its' proper name if it has one, we called O'malleys' Back Alley.  The short stint offered some steeper terrain that wasn't too slabby, windloaded or bare.  The Alley was a smooth and mellow backcountry "groomer".  The gulley walls offered perpective and contrast and the depth sheltered us from the wind and blowing snow.  It was chubby enough to arc some turns.  Overall, better than expected.   We lapped this combo thrice and called it a day.  The gulley from the ballfield was surprisingly soft.

     Free-streaming thoughts of the day:  I can feel my legs improving in both strength and endurance, which equals more backcountry skiing.  Bonus.  I need to bring more food and water with me so I can take advantage of this improvement and ski more.  I really appreciate, and would recommend to any backcountry traveller, always having eye protection from wind/snow/sun/debris.  Life-saver today.  Due to my high rate of losing/breaking glasses I picked up some $4 safety glasses as seen above: cheaper, stronger and I feel less guilty when they're gone.