April 18, 2008, Alaska Mountain

Chris and I headed up Gold Creek hoping to ride the big SE face of Alaska in some powder, but didn't want to drop into 2k+ of steeps with absolutely no vis, so settled for gullies off the SW side of the summit where there were more trees for depth perception.  This was a nice run in it's own right from the summit at 5700 down to the valley bottom at 3100; the snow conditions were a little bit of fast, sluffy powder over a firm-ish base.  No mank, but debris from old slides under cliffs, which was easily avoided since everything up there is so wide open.  Ski crampons were necessary for both of us on the uphill due to the lack of bond of the new snow to the old resulting in annoying slippage.  We were able to tour all the way to the summit, with one section of steep booting around 4500 ft between some cliffs (this was a wallowfest that tried to steal the stoke). Snowed pretty much all day, and NUKING at times in the afternoon.

Not really good weather for taking pics, but here are some anyway.

Lots of junk on the approach.


Skinning the summit ridge.


This was the best (and only) view of the day that taunted us for about 8.786543987 seconds.


Dumping on the way out.  Sat. and Sun. should be good!