Anderson Cabin Jan 31 to Feb 4
"Shoulda been here last week", you inevitably hear from the smug local bastard that skied 1.2m of -10C blower pow the week before freezing levels hit 10,000 ft and then arctic outflows hit. "The biking was so amazing last week, too bad about the low pressure and 6 more days of rain in the forecast". "The wind was so great last week, doesn't look like enough to get a kite off the ground this week, you may want to go snorkling instead of kite boarding".
Yeah, should have been here last week... Well, last week, we were there. It snowed 1.2 metres (4 ft) the previous 4 days at similar elevation, it snowed 20 cms the day we climbed in there, and another 20 the next day all at about -2 or -3C, just below freezing for you illiterate yanks. Then it cooled off to about -8C and snowed another 30cms. It was bomber, blower, and all ours.
We joked about it and toasted that very fact numerous times with various libations - scotch, schnapps, sneaky petes (look it up), wine and beer. Oh yes my friends, the guys and gals that were there "last week" were supplied. But, I get ahead of myself here. First you need more information. "Where, what, is this Anderson Cabin you speak of garyfromterrace?!”
“Tell us, tell us more” you implore!” OK, ok I'll tell you - but quit yelling. Fuck, there's no need for exclamation marks!
So, Anderson cabin (the original one) was the brainchild of a number of adventurous Terrace families over 50 years ago. They wanted a little cabin in the wilderness that wasn't too, too hard to access. They also must have been very avid (and intelligent) skierfolk as they plunked that little fella in some of the most varied and amazing terrain packed into a relatively small area that I've had the pleasure to experience in my wanderings around these parts. With a Herculean effort (and what must have been many, many trips up the mountain) they erected a comfie little cabin and would head to it in winter and summer, eventually others caught wind of the location, and the original families were happy to share their cozy alpine hut with all.
Sadly, after a number of years the Anderson became more and more rustic and required more and more upkeep, and eventually the little fella was just a bit too far gone. In the meantime our local backcountry society was looking for a worthy project to further its mandate of promoting and protecting non-motorized activities (like backcountry skiing), and a rebuild of the Anderson Cabin appeared to be an excellent fit. Permits were applied for, avalanche assessments were made and fundraising efforts were focused.
MRBS (Mount Remo Backcountry Society) members and passionate local back-country skiers (along with heli-companies and local merchants and suppliers) worked hundreds and hundreds of hours to build the new Anderson cabin and the results are breathtaking.
But it's all about the skiing for you isn't it? You single-minded selfish son of a bitch. Well let me tell you, ya should have been here last week...
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Two hours into the six hour approach. Someone is still happy. 5.5 hours into the approach with headlamps on, not so much. The missus had done bigger days, but not too many.
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Of our 3 ski days (not including the day to walk in, and another to ski out) we only had one with visibility. But what a day it was, a beautiful alpine run called "Under the big top" was our destination.
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Mrs garyfromterrace enjoying the ride.
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This is Mark. Mark had the brilliant idea of heli-ing in all of our extra gear, sleeping stuff, food and booze if/when we could get a window. We had huge storms earlier in the week, and I basically was on-call from the pilot. We got extremely lucky and had about an hour window to fly three days before we were scheduled to go in. The pilot convinced the engineer to fly with us and help us hump our shit into the hut, quickly (as the window was not expected to be a long one). I broke trail through waist deep snow and we ferried the stuff in. Within 10 minutes we were back in the chopper, and heading home.
Good thing too, 30 minutes later the vis crapped out, the snow started falling and the next flight window would be 4 days later. The pilot said a few times that we were brilliant, flying our crap in ahead of time, given the flight conditions expected. Although I corrected him the first time that it was Mark's idea, I figured I'd let him keep considering me a genius. Am I a bad person?
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This is Bill. He's from Hazelton and slays big lines in the Roche De Boule with a hardy group of skiers in the middle of nowhere. Bill writes and sings his own songs, plays guitar and banjo, makes his own beer and other booze and lives off grid raising hops and sheep and llamas and stuff. He's cooler than me and you and also skis better than me and you too. Well 'cept for Z-bo, mofro and alkasqualik.
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This is Meredith. She's one of the founding directors of MMC and was chairman of the board for years. Smart and nice, that sums up Mer. So great to share a hut with folks you really like.
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This is Andreas. We've been friends for 29 years. Our ski adventures include ski touring in Norway, Switzerland, some first descents in the Howsen Range, and skiing refrozen mank past ice climbers off the highest mountain in Czech Republic. He got me a job ski instructing in Austria, skiing for promotional vids for a ski area he worked at and an after hours snowcat ride to skin up in the dark to a tin can mountain hut perched on a cliff on the Austrian/Italian border. He's from Heidelberg and decided last minute to ditch his planned trip to a buddie's hut in Montafon, Austria because the snow there sucked and he flew to Terrace. It did not suck at the Anderson Cabin. Andreas makes good decisions.
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Yep, good idea buddy.
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My wifey getting a face shot. Sorry, can you say that here? Yeah, cool, thanks.
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Mrs GfT did manage to get an inordinate number of photos here. Well, it's because she sleeps with me. Sorry, that's just the way the world works.
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Andreas again.
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Bill again.
