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.

Not snowbirding on the snowbird

     So this weekend was a long one for me and I wanted to hut it and ski untracked/fresh. Given the snow drought, this left few options so Snowbird it was.  I spent a weeknight out there with the goals of solitude, untracked snow and scenery.  There was enough snow to skin the whole way and I thought I made good time to the hut despite feeling that I worked super hard.  It was likely the heavier pack.  There were some old tracks of a small group skiing out, and a different snowshoe group on the glacier.  I had the hut to myself.
     I must have just missed the snowshoe group by a day.  I was quite disappointed in the condition they left the hut: water and ice all over every surface, a large pile of debris in the bottom of the stove that required a project-size effort to clean out, and a lantern left spewing gas into the hut.  Classy, folks.  I spent my night fixing the latter two, gave up and went to bed.

     The evening alpenglow was great, the almost-full moon illuminated the entire basin, and it even snowed 2 inches that night.  The morning brought clear and calm, with alpenglow again and a slight sleepy fog over the passes.  The upper glacier was untracked, so I had the privilege of breaking trail on tired legs but also that of the solitude and untracked snow I was seeking.  I skied a bit and marveled at the view from the top for awhile.  Totally worth it.

     I decided to take advantage of the good weather and make a push for the car.  I was able to ski from the pass to the Reed Lakes trail hitting only 1 rock near the pass.  The ski-outs from Bomber and Snowbird are over some fun terrain, that day was no exception.  The Reed Lakes trial to Archangel TH was slower going than I expected but the sun was out and I didn't see anyone until ~2 miles from the TH.  Though a short one-nighter, it was a good break from the norm.

This is a moulin.

The view from the pass toward the valley.  A good ski out.

Other random thoughts from the weekend: the vertical is squeezed out of a slope when it is earned. Not so much when accessed by lift as evidenced by the wasted vertical in these lines at Arctic Valley. I estimate 25% left to be skied?