AK 2011 TR

[UTskiHokie]

So now that the ski season in the Wasatch is finally winding down, I was reminded that it's about time I posted a TR from my trip to Alaska this March. It seems like just yesterday I was on here trying to research where to go and what guides to use. Based on a lot of great info from maggots and even more input from friends that have gone with them, we chose to head to Cordova with Points North.

Despite less then epic conditions leading up to our trip, Points North did not fail to deliver. After a crazy dry spell, we got a quick refresh right before we got there, plenty of blue, then another decent refresh while we were there. The weather got a little grey on us for a while, but Quinner and the guys were able to come through and get us up.

I have to say, I was a little concerned heading up there with no backup plan (snow cat), but now that I have been, I can see why that really isnt that big of a deal. The terrain we went to ski, wasn't cat terrain, it was heli terrain. And it was eye-opening.

I headed up there with my buddy Eric, and got paired with a couple of great guys from down under. Worked out well cause they ripped. We were the first group out everyday, and usually one of the last back in at the end. We definitely got our share of skiing in.

Here are some pictures and videos, but really you have to get up there and see AK for yourself. As some told me on the tram one day before I headed up there. "It's just a whole new game up there." It was. Everything is just a totally different scale.

The guides were awesome (Thanks Tucker). They took us to some killer terrain, gave us the guidance we needed, but let us "read and run" the whole week. When we weren't skiing, they kept us busy. We went for a glacier tour (which was awesome), did a ski tour up Mt. Eyak, and anything else we wanted to do.

The best part was the whole atmosphere of the trip. We wanted something that was more of a lodge kinda feel. This was it. It was a great group of guys up there and I feel like I made friends that I will hopefully ski with again. I might even have to make it up to Squaw at some point.

Now for some pictures and video...

[UTskiHokie]

And a video...
http://player.vimeo.com/video/22635772
http://player.vimeo.com/video/24691088

[benk]

awesome photos! I spent 2 months in Sitka working and can't wait to go back with my skis.

some help with your video..

[McScrundle]

Nice TR. I was up there the week before, and that little refresh at the end of the week was all we got. But it was still such a fun time, those nuts from oz were some of the funniest guys I've met.

[CarveMan]

Were the aussies brothers called Morris & Ben by any chance?

[UTskiHokie]

There were a bunch of Aussies there the week we were up there. The two brothers we got to ski with were Sven and Anton. Or Sventon for those that couldn't figure out who was who.

Benk,
So how did ya do that with the videos?

[PointsNorth]

Thanks for posting Will!

The crazy thing is that the little refresh you see here barely covered the "super hard pack blower"... It was a crazy season in Alaska until the 2nd week of April this year. Conditions were such that 20 degrees felt like 60! Falling was not an option....

Thanks for your good words and we look forward to seeing you guys again in Alaska when it is truly AK blower!

Morris and Ben were part of the Aussi crew. Great guys!

Quinner
PNH

[Imz]

Definitely an amazing place; I've lucked out with the conditions the couple times I've been up, but I'm sure it was a hoot.