The Black Prospect

I can honestly say that this past week has been the best week of skiing this year.  I somehow managed to ski 4 out of the last 7 days.  After three days in a row enjoying the plentiful powder of the South Fork (usually i'm saying boilerplate windslab), Breal and Seff joined me on a Hatcher Pass slog fest.

The day started out pretty cold, 5F at the Indy lot, but the sun was shining - Mr. Cody sportin' his drool full circle.

Our objective was to ski the west face of Gold Cord, and then head up to Friendship Pass.  With some sketchy conditions, we bailed on the Gold Cord attempt due to collapsing weak layers and shooting cracks.  And it was probably a good choice, lots of fat pillows on the west face when we toured through.

We headed up to Friendship Pass instead to check out the conditions.  Breal snoopin' and poopin'.

Breal slashing the Black Prospect.  Although I don't think this is the exact line through the mining claim, I would call this line and adjoining lines by this name.  There are a bunch of micro terrain features, chutes, spines and the like.  This funnels into Dogsled Pass.

Seff contemplates what he is about to do.

The slashfest ensues...

We skied to the valley floor, and then back up over the pass - a nice long run back to the cars.

And what would a ski outing with a couple of Mick's (myself included) be without an Irish Car Bomb?

Here's are tour map.  Many options skiing in and around the Black Prospect.  But if you have a sno-go, its super easy.  Brrraapppp!  Brrraapppp!

I extend my sincere condolences to Meesh - for missing the powder pursuits and working like a 9-to-5'er like the rest of us.

This has been one hell of a run.  Cold smoke in April!  I've got the CrossFit Level 1 cert next weekend, and then to the cabin for some work.  I'll update as I can.  Ski fast and take chances!

April Powder....Brings May Corn

WOW! Mother Nature and Ullr blessed the Eagle River valley with two back to back sizeable storms.  20" on Saturday night, and 10" Sunday night.  And the best part about this is that it stayed cold for the last couple of days, -2F when I pulled into work this morning.

A dogz life...

As the Snobomb would say, "that's alotta fuggin snow."  Almost shoulder deep on dogface.

I've skied the last three days in a row and it did not suck.  I played it safe in the South Fork trees, east facing shoulders of the North Bowl ridge, and finally the lookers left bowl of the Two Bowls drainage.

Despite these late season dumps, this has honestly been the best snow i've skied all year.

Face shots for everyone!

This weekend promises blue bird days, cool temps and powder skiing.  I've got some objectives in mind - it may require another bottle of water and an extra sandwich.

Ski safe, ski fast, take chances!

And I guess there's a new avy forecast for the Chugach Front and Eagle River.  You can find it here.

April Fools Update

March skiing sucked in Alaska....April Fools!

Just the opposite, as an east coaster would say "it was wicked pissah".

Dang, i've got a lot of updating to do.  I apologize, to be quite honest, for being down right lazy.  I've been getting after that March powder, visits to the cabin, the Last Great Race, and celebrating.

As part of the Iditarod weekend, we all met in Hatcher Pass for some skiing on Saturday.  I made the reverse commute from Talkeetna and met the crew.  We headed up Pk 4068 and skied a lap in Wimp Bowl, and then skied Lodge Run (north face of 4068).  Here are some pics of those powder pursuits:

Its all about the Uptrack.

Seff enjoys the slash fest.

The CD killin' it with the DPS's!

Gnarly Gnicki proves there are no wimps in Wimp Bowl.  Notice the contrails 3 turns back. #maching

Picture of the Year!

Heading home.

Lodge Run.....check.

Yours truly and LB - needing a chiropractor after wrecking that spine :)

We all retired to the cabin where the festivities commenced.  What would an apres ski be without the shot ski?!?!

(L to R): Birdcage, The Shrink, HD, Seff

$10 gets you a musher.  If your musher comes in first, you win the pot.  We picked from the favorites: Meg had a repeat of last year with Aliy Zirkle, and I had veteran Martin Buser.  Things looked good.

The group is stoked.  Bring on the Harlem Shake.

The ladies enjoying the Vitamin D (L to R): Em, HD, The Shrink, Dirty Diana, C-Lo, Gnarly Gnicki.

The Shrink gives well wishes and a high-five to Aliy Zirkle....second place two years in a row.

In mid-March I decided to go off the beaten path and ski the Willow side of Hatcher Pass.  Seff rallied and we enjoyed the sun, views, wind hammered alpine, and creamy tree skiing.  Meanwhile everything that was white got skied in Southcentral Alaska.  Wolverine, Big Chief, Captains Chair, SOD, Carpathian (NF), Silvertip, Twin Peaks...and the list goes on.

And I even got credit for a first descent!  First turns on "LB's Run" in Talkeetna. Yes it counts as a ski day.

Meesh and I met the HYT crew at Porcupine Meadows for some storm skiing.  HP reportedly received 23" fresh that day.  We skied about a foot.

Anchorage was also greeted with a late March refresh with as much as 15" in town, and 18" on the Hillside.  We skied the trees in the South Fork.  Mr. Cody chases Meesh's shadow.

Bout the only other news is that the CrossFit Open is almost done - featuring a fierce competition between me and my brother-in-law.  I'm 11 points in the lead going into the final workout (13.5).  And Syracuse (my alma mater) made the Final Four.  Go 'Cuse!

"March in Alaska is the reward for December in Alaska" --SF