Alyeska Resort squeezed out one more weekend of their healthy '05-'06 season. On Saturday, June 3rd Simon Evans and I arrived at the tram at aleisurely 1:30pm. We missed the sunny skies in the morning as we were greeted with gray-bird, but we still couldn't complain--we were skiing lift served in June.
Despite thethe milky light, visibility was good and the skiing was smooth and forgiving. Due to the warm temps the change in snowpack was drastic compared to last week. The melt was actually creating new lines and features that weren't around last week--slivers of snow to straight line, bottleneck chokes, technical linking of snow patches, dirt patches and bushes to gap, and even the kickers and cat tracks made for some fun jumps. -Jason Scheben
Alyeska's Big Easy ski and snowboard camp is slated for early summer. Go to alyeskaresort.com for details and dates.
6/15 - Powder's Uber Guide in 2000 named Mount Mendel's right couloir one of America's ugliest faces. In 1980 Chris Landry was the first to ski the ice couloir, which in 1965 supposedly caused Yvon Chouinard to go home, redesign his ice axes, and change the future of ice climbing. Not until El Nino's 1998 record snowfall were tracks laid down the Mendel again, this time by America's father of steep skiing, Andrew McLean.
Two previous attempts at skiing the couloir had fired my drive to make turns down the 13,691-foot peak. After a five-hour drive and six-hour tour the previous week I was turned around by a late season Sierra storm. But I was able to see the shot and knew it was good to go. I couldn't wait to get back.
Last weekend I met Glen Poulsen and Andrew Parkhill at the North Lake trailhead to try again. Glen had to work on Sunday so he took off early, while Andrew and I packed in gear for the night. When we made it to the Lamarck col at 13,000 ft. we stared right at Mendel's prize. To the left is Mount Darwin, a great ski from 13,830 ft. (Landry and McLean which skied this as a warm up by). I was staring at Mendel when I noticed Glen's tracks in the shot I was aiming for. After congratulating Glen he was off to work, while Andrew and I set out to ski the Mendel.
We set up a quick camp, unloaded our heavy packs and headed up to the apron of the couloir. Warm temps made for easy skinning and we made it all the way to the base of the couloir. The bottom ice bulge was in good shape and we set off. The relentless pitch didn't let up, but good snow made for easy booting. Crampons and ice axes we all we needed.
Halfway up, the snow was in our faces and it looked to be getting steeper up higher. Not the longest shot but really steep and narrow, about 800 ft. in the couloir and another 1000ft. to camp.
The descent started about 15 ft. from the top. Things narrowed and the snow changed to ice. With enough room to set my 183 Gotomas across the couloir, I changed from crampons to skis and studied the line down--it was wide enough that turns had to be made in a sequence so as not to be facing right and having to turn right. Some precise turns up high and some slipping through the ice bulge and we were on the apron ripping bigger turns.
Down on the apron Andrew and I stared up at three sets of tracks. Glen, Andrew and I had done it. We were excited to be done with such an intense run, and we set up camp with a view of our ski. Glen was probably at the car by now and Andrew and I were hanging out with the marmots, ready to cap of a great weekend by skiing Darwin the next day. -Kip Garre
Photos by Jon Kleinman
TGR hosted the Saturday benefit, which drew hundreds of supports to a Jackson Hole park to party for Marc-Andre Belliveau and raise money for his medical and rehabilitation costs. He hadn't planned to come to the party, but then surprised everyone by traveling about 10 hours from Quebec City – where he is undergoing rehab – to Wyoming for the event. The party raised more than $18,000 for Belliveau.
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5/27 - On Saturday May 27th Simon Evans and I slashed the never ending spring corn at Alyeska Ski Resort, located in Girdwood 30 miles south of Anchorage. Girdwood and the surrounding areas have been experiencing record breaking temperatures for this time of year and today was no exception. The forecast predicted not a cloud in site. It was one of those perfect spring skiing days- t-shirt, lasting deep snowpack, smooth snow, and that flavor in the air only late season skiing can bring. It's refreshing to be skiing while most are in summer mode--no crowds, no powder panic, hero corn snow, mid-mountain barbequing, and drinking cold beers. Alyeska, who's season snowfall total hit 710", is still boasting a healthy 145" at the summit. On Memorial day the skiing and conditions couldn't have been better. People were even catching the last chair at 5pm. The resort will be open next weekend, June 3rd and 4th. Check out alyeskaresort.com for updated conditions. - Jason Scheben
Here are a few photos from the decent Kevin Hjertass and I made on the North East face on Mt. Victoria a couple day ago. Two beautiful days. Perfect snow and weather conditions allowed us to climb and ski the 2000-foot face, with a about 6000ft of gained elevation and a top elevation around 11000ft. I have dreamed of this line for years. It was absolutely an indescribable experience an is one of the greatest ski descents I have been able to accomplish. SO STOKED! -Eric Hjorleifson