......Well, .........

     So having signed up for the Tour of Anchorage, a fun local XC-ski race, I've felt obligated to train for it just in case, and therefore turned potential backcountry days to in-town XC ski days.  It looks like the Tour won't be happening, or at least nothing like the 50k I planned for due to lack of snow.  So I decided to scale back XC skiing and re-vamp BC skiing.  

     I'll just say it once: this ski season sucks, and it looks like late May here now, at best, without the corn.  That comment is for context only, mostly for non-locals.

     So I've gotten out a day here and there to find the expected thin and variable conditions.  I've been staying local because the snow farther away isn't really that much better for the time and effort.  A mid-storm Eddies investigation day was pleasant aside from high winds and avy danger.  South Fork Eagle River offered a chalky run off Harp which was the best one out of there, then a highly variable bowl run that left me frustrated with whatever I feel like pointing the finger at.  A peak three outing was hike-to on ice, but surprisingly ski-able up high with good enough visibility.  Despite the relatively poor conditions I find that still I would rather be out there enjoying the mountains, the skiing, the company, the quiet, whatever, than being in town and working or running errands or anything related to urban life and busyness. 

     Today I wasn't working but had in-town urban obligations necessary to keep the ski-life alive on other days off.  I was eyeing the front-range all day and noticed precipitation that looked like snow, then rain, then maybe snow again?  I got home near 4pm and decided that I would hurry to check it out up high near Arctic Valley, opting for potential disappointment(or reward? (hope is not gone)) over wallowing in boredom/regret/annoyance the rest of the evening.  

     I found a slushy and melting road all the way up until the parking lot where 4"+ of fresh moist snow greeted me.  I could work with that.  With no signs of anyone else today I skinned up and chose the most favorable looking slope, knowing sunset would be soon, and raced my butt to the top in hopes of catching that one incredible unset lap on the fresh and un-tracked West-facing slope.  

     My mind was blown.  Here I was grumbling on the inside, then somewhat excited about the 4", then, ironically, I saw the most incredible sunset during my time in AK.  I had just skied that coveted sunset lap mentioned above and was transitioning to do another if light allowed and bam, it hit my eyeballs/mind/soul like a slap in the face.  The purest and most intense sunset colors highlighted the silhouette of purple mountains across the arm, large flakes of the scarce commodity I had sought all winter hazily blended those same colors without hindering the brightness of the sun or losing the crispness of each individual flake falling.  The clouds were coming and going around the mountainsides below and the ghostly shadow of precipitation on the periphery of the skyline made the whole vista all-encompassing.  I stopped skinning for that next lap, it was too good.  My phone died so I couldn't take pics and for the better because they wouldn't have done it any justice.  

     I skied a partial lap down and out, totally satisfied with less than enough vertical, less than deep powder, less than a full day, and Lucy less than exercised, but more than I needed.  

4 dogs, 4 dudes

     A beautiful clear weekend day without work = ski for me.  Our Denali gang got together in the AM for more planning talk, gear testing/discussions and then we headed out for a backcountry tour with the dogs.  Weather was perfect, with the exception of some ridge-top winds picking up near the end of the day. 
     We headed out to the Harp mountain trailhead in the South fork of the Eagle River Valley.  The original goal was to check out the couloirs in hanging valley but the always present indecision of the group dynamic lead to a sampling of various snow conditions.  We started up Harp to about the 3rd saddle and skied some surpisingly good spring corn conditions to the near valley floor, traversing up valley a ways before converting back to skins.
     We skinned back to the hanging valleys and soaked up the amazing views, solitude, great weather and possibilities for both summer and winter backcountry activities.  We then headed north up a gully and gained the ridge-line heading back to Harp summit, but stopped along the way for a powder run down to the valley floor on the Eagle River side. 
     A long, windy traverse with eye-popping views for motivation kept us going to the Harp summit.  From there we encountered variable and wind-blown snow conditions up high which turned into ski-able late-warm-day conditions further down.  It's always nice to ski to the car. 
     It's also nice, now that I am near the end of my ski season, to be fit enough to do longer tours with more vertical without being tired or noticing that it was work.  It makes it much easier to enjoy the views and allows for greater access to things farther out that might not be attainable in the early season.  The snow coverage allows for easier travel and the downhill skiing is a fun alternative to hiking/running down a slope.  Places normally thick with alders and brush in the summer are accessible in the winter. 
     The winds today were cold enough to make me realized I could probably still get frostbite in the end of April, cool but at the same time a slap with reality to get my head in the game.  It also reminds me how rugged the mountain environment is and how out of my control it is.  It adds a challenge and way of looking at them that is much different from the city.  I do appreciate this and look forward to this aspect in light of our Denali attempt.  The energy I get from being in the mountains can't be conveyed by words or pictures.  Every time I try to explain it to someone I feel something like when I am trying to explain something to someone who doesn't speak my language.  It's just inadequate and they only way they'll get it is by getting out there a lot, and I hope they do.  A shared appreciation for the Chugach would be great, but you don't know unless you go.

 

 

 

whatsup harp? it's been awhile.

     So with another sunny/clear/warm day in the forecast I was contemplating today's outing.  I wanted to do something new.  I was flying solo today, had limited time due to AM and PM appointments with the real world, and was a little tired from yesterday.  I didn't want to drive too far either.  I'll save my ideas for later, but I ended up going with Harp mountain.  It's close and if it doesn't look good I could always head to the S. Fork trailhead.  Skier Boyz just wrote a good description of the typical Harp presentation.
     Things looked good but I was doubtful about snow quality.  I found it to be in that awkward stage between spring snow and winter snow.  The skin up went well with amazing views along the approaching ridge, a major selling point for Harp.  The snow ran out/got too hard to skin so I boot-hiked the last 1/4+ to the summit.  Great views and weather were well worth the climb.  This was also my first 5000ft peak on skis in the Chugach, surprisingly enough. 
     I enjoyed the drink and eat, then hiked down a bit to the snowfield lookers' left of the summit.  The summit lines were too rocky/bare to attempt.  I geared up and skied down.  Conditions were variable: 1-2 inches of soft on a hard slab up high, punchy in the middle with a rare pocket of softness, then punchy but skiable the rest to the spring-like conditions in the bottom.  Lucy was being challenging today, frequently getting in my way(maybe she couldn't see and needed 'doggles'.  I hit another rock and took a large surface area out, but no core shot thankfully.
     The line was good though and I would do it again.  I would like to get a summit line next winter as well as explore some of the other bowls from there.  It's an easy ski-out to the car. 


Harp is just right of my start point. elevation 5001.