Feb/Mar 2009, Chugach Alaska Powder!!!!
3/15/09
US elsewhere
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Day #1 - Arrive in Girdwood around noon... hit Turnagain pass around 2pm. Climb Sunburst under overcast skies, and freezing wind. Clouds seem heavy with snow.
Day # 2 - Spend the day at Alyeska resort in Girdwood... best lift service experience of my life. Skied North America's longest and most continuous double black diamond: Christmas Chute. Not the Christmas where everyone gets presents and turkey... no, this is the kind of Christmas where the tree catches fire and burns the house down: a 2400 foot, 40 degree, underwear soiling couloir.
Day #3 - Back to Sunburst for a longer tour, and extensive pit session. Findings show 3 inches of new snow on a Q1 shear crust. Below that, unstable layers at 3 feet and 6 feet... but column testing indicates consolidation throughout snowpack... let's ski!!!
Day #4 - Hire Chugach Powder guides for a full day of powder. It snows hard all day long... flat light... but skiing is amazing nonetheless.
Day #5 - Second day with Chugach Powder Guides... it has snowed all night long. This may have been the most perfect ski day of my entire life: 12,000 feet skied in knee deep light fluffy powder, under bluebird skies.
Day #6 - Back to the real world again.
Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZM7cgWTp8E
Day # 2 - Spend the day at Alyeska resort in Girdwood... best lift service experience of my life. Skied North America's longest and most continuous double black diamond: Christmas Chute. Not the Christmas where everyone gets presents and turkey... no, this is the kind of Christmas where the tree catches fire and burns the house down: a 2400 foot, 40 degree, underwear soiling couloir.
Day #3 - Back to Sunburst for a longer tour, and extensive pit session. Findings show 3 inches of new snow on a Q1 shear crust. Below that, unstable layers at 3 feet and 6 feet... but column testing indicates consolidation throughout snowpack... let's ski!!!
Day #4 - Hire Chugach Powder guides for a full day of powder. It snows hard all day long... flat light... but skiing is amazing nonetheless.
Day #5 - Second day with Chugach Powder Guides... it has snowed all night long. This may have been the most perfect ski day of my entire life: 12,000 feet skied in knee deep light fluffy powder, under bluebird skies.
Day #6 - Back to the real world again.
Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZM7cgWTp8E
Looked like a fun trip- nice video!
author=hypermartyr link=topic=12532.msg52334#msg52334 date=1236156788]
Day # 2 - Spend the day at Alyeska resort in Girdwood... best lift service experience of my life. Skied North America's longest and most continuous double black diamond: Christmas Chute. Not the Christmas where everyone gets presents and turkey... no, this is the kind of Christmas where the tree catches fire and burns the house down: a 2400 foot, 40 degree, underwear soiling couloir.
You mean like this run...
I love that run, that was the best runs of our trip in December! One does not want to cross their tips at the top of that run, but once you get past the choke your home free all the way to the Gondola.
Was anything else open like the New Years Chute or further over open?
Yep, that's the one!
I want Christmas to come again...
'Twas the drop into Christmas
when all through the chute.
Not a sound could be heard
not even a shout.
The passes were hung
on our jackets with care.
In hopes that Ski Patrol
would not be there!
The skiiers were nestled
all snug in their boards.
While visions of sugar-snow
danced in their gourds.
With Ry on his teles,
and me riding randy.
We contemplated
some sweet Christmas candy!
(ok... better quit before I am banned from TAY)
when all through the chute.
Not a sound could be heard
not even a shout.
The passes were hung
on our jackets with care.
In hopes that Ski Patrol
would not be there!
The skiiers were nestled
all snug in their boards.
While visions of sugar-snow
danced in their gourds.
With Ry on his teles,
and me riding randy.
We contemplated
some sweet Christmas candy!
(ok... better quit before I am banned from TAY)
Very cool, looks like a great trip.
Thanks for posting the video - I miss that place and it was nice to have some of my memories stirred.
cheers
Thanks for posting the video - I miss that place and it was nice to have some of my memories stirred.
cheers
I hear ya... I already miss Alaska, and it has only been a few days!
I used to peer over the ropeline into that area when I skied there in Junior High....but it was permanently closed terrain back then. Glad you got to ski it! It's a great line. Someday I'll get back there. I hope you tried the cinnamon rolls at the Alyeska Bakery! Best in the world.
I would love to try the cinnamon rolls, but unfortunately I am gluten free. Just rice cakes and melted snow for me.
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