Up a (falls)creek, no paddles needed

     This stretch of warm-and-sunny has ushered in summertime conditions with haste.  I wanted to get out today and was originally planning on Bird Ridge as I heard it was clear, but I was impatient while driving along the arm and only made it to Falls Creek before impulsively deciding to go up there instead.  The trail was pretty much dry and clear to the valley where only a few soggy spots remained.  There were also a few snow patches to cross on the way up to South Suicide, but overall easy travelling: I could do it in my minimal running shoes and stay dry with a slight attention to foot placement.
     So the plan was to try and make it to the clearing of alders at the base of the valley, but after seeing the lack of snow up to South Suicide I elected to attempt it.  Physically I wasn't ready but I need to get in running/hiking/climbing shape for the summer and might as well have started today.  It went smoother than I planned although I will likely be more sore than I prefer tomorrow.  I also concluded that skiing is officially done: it looked pretty rotten and too narrow even on the shadier routes, at least for me.
     There were the typical goats hanging out up there, but I didn't see any other major wildlife.  The wildflowers are early blooming, the bees were busy, but the greenery has a long way to go.  The creek itself seemed to be quite full and gushing.  This was puzzling to me after a no-go for packrafting due to low water on South Fork 2 days previous.  Views from the top were great and it was evident that the snow was retreating fast all over the Chugach.

The view from South Suicide of the back of North Suicide. I assume that snowy lines like the one pictured running 11 to 5 are ski-able.  Has this one ever been tried?  Too far out? Terrain trap?

I love to views up the Arm.

Note the amazing blue/green of the lake.

S. Suicide to Rainbow

     So last night I was planning on skiing the Goathead couloir today, then I saw a pic of someone who had just skied it last night.  I wanted to do something untracked so I started brainstorming.  Something I haven't done that I could do in half a day: another AM appointment in my way but not too bad because it would allow the snow to soften a bit. 
     South Suicide down into Rainbow.  I had been eyeing this slope for awhile now, catching glimpses of it as I drive down the Seward highway.  Access is limited due to private property in Rainbow, but it always has several large and well-covered bowls that should be low-angle enough for me to feel comfortable skiing by myself. 
     I pulled into Falls Creek, not too busy, some trail runners and a possible hiker or two.  I booted the first 30 minutes until there was consistent snow to start skinning.  Then it was on for another couple thousand feet.  Coming out of the alders into the lower portion of the bowls was great: sunny, clear, calm and warm.  The sun was at my back, uncomfortably warming my bum in my black pants.  I ran into to skiers coming out who skied the upper North facing couloir by Falls Lake. They said it was soft and it looked like it.  Someone also skied an impressive line down one of the couloirs in the first cirque to hikers' right.  Steep.
     I took a few pics and noted the skiable couloirs for a buddy who is interested in skiing them but my goal was South Suicide.  Snow was thin on the Falls Creek drainage side, evenly but thinly covered on the Indian creek drainage side, and perfect for my ski down to Rainbow.  I saw a gully off the summit and checked it out: it had rocks near the bottom.  I like uninterupted flow so after a brief summit visit I descended about 200 feet down to a good start point, took one last look and skied it.
     The snow had just become soft enough, good turns, not too steep but enough to be fun.  Super long run distance wise and pretty good (3000)vertical.  I could have kept going but I was getting tired and knew I had to skin up back into the Falls Creek drainage, so I turned around.  After a tired skin back to the ridge, I skied the Falls Creek drainage down to the alders and booted it to the car: too dangerous to ski given the tired legs and crusty/alder-dense conditions.
     I think this would be an excellent powder stash for when the close stuff gets skied out if there is not wind after a dumping.  It is quite a bit of work to get to though.  I noted a number of nearby lines that would be fun to do if one was camping out up in Falls Creek, including the couloirs but also some farther out runs that probably wouldn't be worth the distance for just that run alone.  On another note, the view from the top is spectacular: mountains as far as the eye can see, peak after peak after peak.  It makes me realize how big my little corner of AK is.
    


Looking down Falls Creek at Turnagain Arm

Looking up Falls Creek at South Suicide.  The slope on the left looks nice for another day.

That's North Suicide.  A few lines I can see for future skiing. Tired Lucy.

Rimey summit of South Suicide.  My drop-in point.