Chugach Magic
Monday, February 24, 2014 at 01:33AM 
Yep, it's as big as it looks. The bottom 200' is obscured by a rock band in the foregroundThere's no hiding the fact that this winter has been somewhat grim in Alaska. We've been high and dry and occasionally oddly warm during the last couple of months. We knew the drought would end eventually and it did in grand fashion this past week. Not all the local ranges got snow, however, and, in my opinion, the Front Range and Western Chugach faired the best. I sampled both offerings this week.
Some after work treats included blower powder on Peak 3 mid week which had me giggling the whole way. Even as Anchorage was wrapped in a gloomy, grey fog, the tips of the Front Range were bathed in blue bird sunshine. I couldn't believe my good fortune popping out of the clouds, alone, with just a few tracks from earlier in the day to contend with. I dropped off the top onto a stable 15 inches and took it to the bottom twice. The storm came in with no wind so the usual slab danger up high was absent. This goodness had me buzzing with anticipation of the weekend menu.
Travels with Sam
Weekend weather looked to be cooperating with clear skies predicted for Sunday. A mixed bag of clouds was on deck for Saturday so we figured rocky chutes would be best in flat light. My phone chimed to life with Sam Inouye getting back from a short vacation in the Wasatch a few hours earlier, Jonesing to ski something. His backyard range, the Talkeetnas, didn't get anything from this last cycle so he was looking to come south with Mat and me. We met in the middle for some Western Chugach perfection.
Sam high in the Newc Couloir, Buck Mountain, GTNP, 2011I've skied a handful of times with Sam, having known him before we both moved to AK for jobs. We shared some great days in the Tetons, snagging descents of the Ford-Stettner on the Grand and the Bubblefun Couloir on the North Face of Buck Mountain. Both are amazing lines and he always seems to bring success to every outing. Saturday was no exception.
Our intitial objectives for this day were a couple of shorter couloirs (1,000') on the approach to some classic Chugach lines every ski mountaineer wants to ski. These shorter runs are excellent but easily overlooked when a long approach and big objectives are in store. We hit two of these, with only an occasional shark to be found on the aprons. But after descending the second and realizing the snow conditions were ripe, we decided to head further up for something big.
Sam enjoying the days warm up runs
Small doesn't mean boring
Mat still shredding on Day 8 for him
Nothing but soft goodness for Sam
Time to move onto the main event
As expected, conditions improved the higher we went and while the sharks on the flats kept nipping at our bases, the looming tenderloin of the valley's offerings kept us moving forward like a seductive siren. We couldn't resist. Standing below the 1,500' couloir it was hard to believe we were actually going to ski it in February.
Trading pulls in the boot pack
Mat and Sam tired of me bombarding them as they negotiate the lipBooting was straight forward with healthy doses of wallowing and even some trenching near the top. A cornice guarded the last few feet and I stuggled to top out and even managed to drop a small section of the lip on Sam's head before finally pulling over. Sorry Sam.
Sam feeling small
Aside from releasing a 5 inch soft slab from the flank of the entrance as I eased into the throat of the line, the rest skied perfectly, with soft snow and manageable slough throughout. We finished with shit-eating grins, incredulous at our good fortune.
Sunday with Mat
In spite of Mat going on his 9th day of skiing, something like 40 hours of exercise, he was still game to get more with conditions as they are and the skies perfect. Some wind came into the ranges last night so we opted to stay local. We were back in the Eagle River area, off to a new zone for me and some unfinished business for Mat.
There were two ladies ahead of us headed up the same drainage and we gladly took over trail duties early into the 6 mile low-angled approach. There were a few recent wind slabs that had pulled out on adjacent slopes which had our hackles up a bit. When the lines finally came into view, close inspection revealed that most of them had shed the unstable burden with lots of debris and days old crowns apparent up high. As we skinned and then booted upward we continually assessed with discussion and hasty pits along the way.
The tops of these couloirs are always sketchy with some recent wind loading from the North. We picked what we thought was the safest line on the two we skied but it still felt creepy each time near the tops. The Backcountry Bomb was in full use and we were able to drop cornices each time without triggering anything catastrophic that would indicate poor assessment on our part. We both felt things were manageable.
See anything you like??We started with the obvious wider line seen above and finished with the skinny, steeper to the left.
Trying out the Billy Goat Plates to good effect in the softer snow
With the lean snow year, I haven't been able to try out my new toys, the Billy Goat Plates. But these past two days have been perfect for them. The lesson learned is that your partners will be happier if everyone has a set. Steps will still be punchy without them but they make breaking trail easier, for sure.
Silly good
Topping out on number 1
Fire in the hole!
The apron was amazing
Prepping another bomb
Stability check
Gravity's little helper
One thing I need to be clear about concerning the use of the Backcountry Bomb is, while it's an effective tool in snow stability assessment and hazard management, it's only one in a quiver of many. The danger for those below is obvious so unleashing this thing must be done with clear slopes below. We had eyes on the only other party in the area all day and knew for certain they were no where nearby.
No place to blow a turn. Mat keeping it together.
Mat
Brian
So, with my trip to Chamonix a little over a week away, I feel like I'm getting some good preparation for the fun I'm going to be having over there. It'll be interesting to see how our local lines compare to the world famous couloirs in the Alps. Stay tuned.
Reader Comments (5)
Brian- what camera are you using whilst touring? I'm still fiddling with the P&S and phone combo.
Thanks- Steve
Hey Steve,
A couple of pro shooters turned me onto the Sony Cyber Shot RX100. 20 mega pixels, Carl Zeiss glass. Tons of options I know nothing about. It has a motor drive that is sweet for skiing shots. Hard to miss the action with that feature. It's still a point and shoot but just this side of a SLR. Great option. I've sold several other friends on it and they're quite happy.
Hey Brian, I just discovered your blog a few weeks ago and I have been enjoying your entries. I will be moving from SLC (ski mountaineering heaven) to Anchorage in June, so I can identify with the initial trepidation your felt upon making the move up north away from the amazing alpine scene in the Rockies. If you have a chance I would appreciate if you could answer a quick question about trailhead access in Alaska. What type of vehicle is needed? Is high ground clearance essential? I am trying to figure out whether to sell my current car (a Subaru WRX with about 6 inches or less of ground clearance), or just take my car with me. Thanks for your help, and keep up the good work with the blog.
Jared,
Awesome to have some more Wasatch brothers up here. Bring it! Looking at your email address I am wondering if you are a doc out of training headed for your first job or maybe a professor. Just curious.
Anyway, if you like to do the sorts of thing I write about be sure to get in touch so we can get out. I'm slowly converting my partners to "randoism" as they like to call it. Be great to have another.
Access is fine for a lot of 2 wheel drive vehicles so your Suby will be fine. Smooth dirt roads with an occasional water rut is all you have here. Small cars are better for the city commute anyway.
Let me know if you need anything else. I'm in Chamonix until May 2.
Brian - Yes, I am finishing up residency at the University of Utah and will be working to build up a Sports/Spine musculoskeletal practice up in Anchorage. I'm probably nowhere near your speed, but I love to get out for epic adventures. Cheers, and have a great time in Chamonix!
-Jared