Matanuska Ice Fest & Hatcher Pass: June 11-12

Two hours up the Glenn Highway from Anchorage lies the terminus of the 27-mile Matanuska Glacier. The ice is only a short 15 minute walk from the car-park and 15 minutes beyond that lies a fantastic Dali-esque playground for the Summer ice climber.

A few eager beavers arrived on Friday night intent on "drinking it blue." Our efforts were rewarded and at the crack of noon, we marched into the blue ice under blue skies. Throughout the day, our numbers grew. Top ropes were quickly set on the shores of a glacial lake. These routes ranged from beginner to slightly over-vertical.

Ice Beach

Obstacle Course

(use the pre-set axes for hand holds without moving any)

More Advanced Routes Higher Up

Beautiful Walk Back to Camp

After a full day of climbing, the real fun began. Dean had managed to rally about 30 folks, 10 bottles of liquor, 2 kegs, and 1 miniature doberman to the campsite closest to the ice. Good food, good friends, good beer, good times. It doesn't get dark this time of year, and the sky began to get brighter by 3 and it was blue by 4. OK, one more....

Day 2 found the number of motivated climbers severely diminished, severely. I counted myself amongst the fallen and after a few hours lounging under a blazing sun, I too joined the exodus. The drive South featured a tense battle between sleep and alertness. This conflict was punctuated with brief moments of swerving and terror. However, alertness eventually won the day with the help of a popular Austrian-based energy drink.

High on sugar and "gawd-knows-what", I decided it would be a fantastic idea to make the short detour to Hatcher Pass for a quick ski. The weather at the Pass was cold and rainy, a sharp contrast from just a few hours ago. Despite ESPN radio's proclamations of "can't miss" and "epic battle", I ascended into the grey. Cue the lousy weather black and white photos:

April Bowl

Not Bad for 2 Broken Boots

It was by far the toughest rally of the year. Sure the conditions were awful, and there was a driving rain, and the cold wind stung my sun burnt face, and aggressive dehydration dominated my soul, and where was I going with this? Shoot, I can't remember.

- U.K.

Pioneer's Part 2

Just wanted to add a little bit more detail about our trip. Let you know what to expect and look for.

Check out the Sun Valley Trekking website and get some info on their Yurt systems.
http://www.svtrek.com/
This shot is from Duncans Ridge. The big peak in the back is the Devils Bedstead.

The Pioneer Mountains is a mountain range in the U.S. state of Idaho, spanning Blaine, Butte and Custer counties.

The ten highest peaks of the range are:
Hyndman Peak 12,009 ft (3,660 m)
Goat Mountain 11,913 ft (3,631 m)
Peak 11887 11,887 ft (3,623 m)
Standhope Peak 11,878 ft (3,620 m)
Devils Bedstead East 11,865 ft (3,616 m)
Brocky Peak 11,839 ft (3,609 m)
Altair Peak 11,825 ft (3,604 m)
Old Hyndman Peak 11,775 ft (3,589 m)
Duncans Peak 11,755 ft (3,583 m)
Pegasus Peak 11,736 ft (3,577 m)

The range is bounded on the west by the Big Wood River, Trail Creek, Summit Creek, and the North Fork Big Lost River, on the north and east by the East Fork Big Lost River, Left Fork Cherry Creek, Cherry Creek, Dry Fork Creek, Saint Louis Canyon, and Champagne Creek, and on the south by the Snake River Plain.

Pioneer Yurt has opportunities for those seeking a touring experience, or when conditions permit, to ski the steep and deep. The mountains surrounding the Pioneer Yurt are ideal for ski mountaineering. Big verticle relief on shapely alpine peaks up to 12,000’ with stunning ascent and descent lines. A ski mountaineer’s nirvana!

The Pioneer Yurt is a 24 ’ diameter yurt that sleeps up to 16 people and has all the comforts you have come to expect from a cozy SVT backcountry hut: full kitchen, bunks with pads, wood and propane stoves, lanterns, library, and a great wood fired Sauna!
We approach Pioneer Yurt via Hyndman Creek off the East Fork of the Big Wood River. The ski into the yurt is roughly 6 miles and gains about 2000’ in elevation. The trip can be done in four to six hours by an average group of skiers. The area around the yurt is closed to snowmobiles before March 15th. Up until March 15, snowmobiles may be used to approach the first 5 miles to the yurt and after March 15th, may be used to get right to the yurt.

If you come in the spring expect water crossings and wet heavy snow in the low elevations on your trek up to the Yurt.

As you can see we didn't have much snow to work with on the first half of the trail.

The crew working their way up the west ridge of Cobb mountain.

We called this peak No Name because on the maps we had it didn't have a name.

It's on the check list for the next trip into the Pioneer's.

Mckenna getting the first track down the Comma Couloir down Cobb.
Axel carving his name in Cobb mountain.
Back on the deck of the Pio Yurt just chilling.

I think this was one moring when we had pancakes. We had cake coma and had to take naps before going out to tour.

Realy nice and open space for our crew of seven.

Steph skiing back to the Yurt after a little jump session.

Hyndman Peak, the highest in the range at 12009 feet, was on the list.

Our group spread out and put tracks down all of the four major shots.

This is a great place to come ski. Check it out if you get a chance.

Peace Crossman

Jewell Mountain, June 6, 2011

Jewell Glacier (Girdwood area) condition update:

The skiing is great! The road and trail head are free from snow. I was able to walk to the cabin ruins at the old terminal moraine of the Jewell in hiking shoes. The snow is continuous above this point and looked as if it would link with the Raven. There is 3" of new snow (from Saturday night) above 3,800'. The new snow is slush-puppy quality, but it is white and fast. Last night the temperature dropped to 30°F at 3,500'. This AM (June 7) I skied down to 2,300' with minimal portaging using a network of gullies and questionable decision making.

Ragged Top on the Left

Upper Jewell Mountain

The "50 Hikes in Alaska's Chugach State Park" book has detailed information regarding Jewell Mountain (Hike 46).

- U.K.

Falls Creek: June 5, 2011

I never tour with an ipod, but there is constantly music running through my head. What song would best fit this moment? This sunburst, this send, this booter, this reflection, this sunrise, this wind storm, pealing skins, face shots, ice, powder, crud, slush, wind, rain, whiteout, serene, aggressive, peaceful. Music everywhere. It punctuates and compliments what lays before me. It can be in the background or it can dominate my experience. It may get awfully quiet, but it is always there if I listen for it.

The Noodler tipped me off to a couloir up Falls Creek. His directions were probably excellent, but I wasn't really paying attention. But as fate would have it, I ended up in the recommended shot. It really doesn't come as a surprise, after 12 seasons of touring together he knows my tastes: steep and narrow with a good runout. And when I rounded the bend and looked up into the cirque, I knew this must be the place.

On the Left (Home? Really?)

It looked intrasante. Muy intrasante. Steep. Check. Narrow. Yeah, but maybe too narrow? Good runout. Check. She earned a closer look. No sense turning around without getting all the facts.

From the Bottom

She'd be too narrow to slide-slip, but not overly steep. It was on the shady end of my comfort zone. Regret was not an option. The lower angle approach had completed the transition to summer snow: shallow sun-cups with soft crests. The steeps were a bit softer and I expected that aggressive turns would begin a chain reaction which would conclude with the top 3" of the entire chute being relocated to the runout. Like The Jeffesons, but in reverse.

From the Top

It was time to focus. Get psyched. The crux was about 3' wide and was 150' vertical above the runout. The entire couloir never got wider than 10' and the top layer would be nipping at my heals. I knew what had to be done. With playlist on very temporary pause, the skis accelerated into the fall-line.

The Devil Wants to Eat You

Ski like Satan's after you, boy! Every muscle was working in concert; the walls blurred. The next turn was in sharp focus. "You got this!" The crux was bearing down on me and was in my lap and then over my shoulder and then the runout followed by a very specific crush of music and release of endorphins and adrenaline followed directly by Whitman's barbaric yawp!

And from across the valley, a kindred spirit reciprocated with an enthusiastic yawp of her own.

- U.K.

June 2: McVeigh Creek

McVeigh Creek is a tiny drainage between Arctic Valley and Hiland Road. The Nike site and Gordon Lyon form the upper ridge line of McVeigh.

From the Arctic Valley trailhead, it is a short walk to the former nuclear weapons cache. There are several North Face gullies in this area. From the NW corner of the barbed wire enclosure, I dropped into "Nike #1". The snow was decent for this time of year, albeit a bit slow. My tracks from Tuesday helped with the flat light conditions.

Nike #1

From the bottom I traversed hikers' right to the mid-section of "Nike #2." The booter got progressively steeper eventually maxing out at 52°. The top was thin but quickly transformed into a 400' quarter pipe. Air in. Air out. Repeat.

Nike #2

I worked the run hard. The shores of the tundra closed in. Noodle city, but I refused to surrender. Recently exposed obstacles were becoming more common: willows, rocks, narrow water cuts, 55 gallon drums. The game was getting less and less safe but more and more fun. The snow did end, but I still had some heat, and was able to tundra surf the Big Daddy's about 25' before throwing them on my back.

Clear Skies for the Hike Out

(no artsy black and white necessary)

I tried out the tele-tubby set-up for the first time this year. The results were less than desirable. If you have a strong stomach, give it a shot: Nike #2 (skip to 1:15 for the tundra obstacle course skiing)

- U.K.

2010-2011 Snowfall in Cascadia

2010-2011 has been deep, real deep. Big snow from Mammoth up to Canada and pushing into Utah. There is an interesting thread on TAY with a bunch of snowfall totals and records as of June 1. Most interesting though is the fact the snow isn't melting! No surprise to anyone in the Pacific SE. Check it:
DEEPSNOW

Valdez Summit to Sound Challenge: May 29

Saturday: beautiful. Sunday: socked in. Monday: Bluebird. So obviously race day was Sunday. This is the first year of the Summit to Sound Challenge. There are 4 legs:

1. Rando race at Thompson Pass (Little Odyssey) or nordic race at the pass
2. Road bike 28 miles from the pass to the ocean
3. Kayak 3 miles across Valdez Narrows into town
4. 5K run through town

At race time the fog was thick at the pass. After a one hour delay, the rando portion was cancelled. It would be a triathlon for the teams (or individuals) that had registered in this division. The nordic portion would still take place. This was bull shit; I had come to race and I was going to race. It was billed as an adventure race, and what better way to have an adventure, then to engage in an activity without the proper training or equipment. Four stubborn / dim alpinists defected into the nordic division. Again my Valdez alpine dreams were transformed into a nordic junk show.

Not Ideal Equipment for a 3K Skate

Nordic skiers were released in groups of four and I quickly saw the folly in my critical thinking path, but I finished strong. The Team Head Mistress / flair coordinator was up. Celina hopped on a borrowed bike and disappeared into the fog. The course descends 2,500' feet in about 18 miles. The next 10 are flat. The Head Mistress had a few tricks in her back pocket. She had made friends on the course and formed a team of 3 to improve efficiency.

Wet Roads and Flat Light

The hand off at the put-in went flawlessly. Dean hopped into his borrowed equipment and set off into a cold grey Pacific.

Insert Eddie Vedder Mandolin Song Here

Dean arrived on the Coast Guard beach and John was ready to go. He was our best hope, but he admitted his running shoes came from Wal-Mart. Despite this fact, he made excellent time, advancing the team several positions.

It was now time for the portion of the race our team was best equipped for: salmon fillets and beer. Our grit and skill really shown through and other teams were clearly intimidated. Despite our aggressive nature, new friends were everywhere. The hospitality of Valdez was evident.

A Sharp Looking Team

New friend, Kitty, put us up for the weekend stumbling distance from the finish line. The warm dry house was secondary to the trampoline in the back yard. The next day she brought us out to the local crag out by the airport where she promptly led a 5.9+ sport route.

"Look at me! I'm on the top rope!"

Even though this was the 1st Summit to Sea, it went off without a hitch. It is a testament to the hard work of the race organizers and volunteers. Our team finished 4th out of 9 in the Nordic division; pretty good considering 3 of us did not own the proper equipment for our chosen disciplines.

Check APRN for an alternative account.

-Drew Peacock

Pioneer Mountain Yurt Trip Part 1

Once and a while you have to learn the hard way.

This is the start of a five day yurt trip to Idaho's Pioneer Mountains.

You Might think sleds make skiing easier.

Could have just walk right over that tree and had running shoes on for the mile of dirt and rocks that made the sleds run a little hot.

But once you get up to the peaks the mountains make all your trouble's go away.

This is looking down that north chute. On the right in thed picture above.

We where on are way to the Comma chute on Cobb mountain so we passed up that north chute.

This is a little freerider zone we found we could lap with the sleds.

All of the sleds on this trip had a roll or two. Some hit trees and some hit rocks.

Lunch!

This is the north chute of Cobb. We had our sights set on this so even with the firm conditions some of us still wanted to ski it.

A good family meal after a long day.

Just a quick update will add more info and picks soon.

Peace Crossman.

Check out the trailing arms on this sled. Hurricane ties a hammer an a nail to get there lag bolts into the aluminium to brace where they both broke.

Real Time Expedition Tracking Test; Owyhee River

A few of us are heading up to Oregon today to run the Lower Owyhee River. This will be a 5 day river trip in the Eastern Oregon Desert. With this being an interesting and remote river trip, it seems like a good opportunity to test out our SPOT Beacon shared page for tracking future ski expeditions. Satellite location updates should be posted the the following page between Monday evening 5/23/11 and Friday 5/27/11. http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0Jf9PzZyTpSzVJZFtqEZfD4YOhg8bhaAT

Adam M. Lawton

The End of Winter

I know, I know most of y'all still have gobs of snow. You make sure to let me know this 6 times a day. I get it.

I have officially accepted winter is over as of today. Sub-par (shitty) conditions and a 2-mile stroll to the snow persuaded me. The approaches are longer, the overnight lows are higher, the objectives are peppered with rockfall, the trees are budding, and it isn't getting dark. This by no means the end of the ski season, just a different mindset. Time to tune the bike, hike a ridge, sit on a deck, expose my war-werried shins to the light.

It was an amazing year. I am so fortunate to be able to share so many adventures with so many awesome people. So here are some of my favorite photos from the last 8 months that remind me how much beauty exists in the mountains.

I encourage all the Boyz to go through photos and put up some of your hidden gems.

- Andrzej

Alpenglow on the Equator

October

Cornwallis Storming Suicide Chute

January

Kid Buffalo in Silver Fork

January

The Wind Sculpted Slopes of Turnagain Pass

February

Portage Glacier and Portage Lake

March

Cordova Glacier

April