Can I ski with you?

It took a bit longer than expected but my carpathians got buried this week!
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3519747_n.jpg
and so did everything elsehttp://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5432395_n.jpg

my ukrainien bro got it too.http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4953178_n.jpg

for last 2 days its been hard not to get a face full of snow.Teeps Bill and Nicky seem stoked about it.http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5043473_n.jpghttp://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._8038258_n.jpghttp://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3230434_n.jpg

^^^ Nice one, Snow Walker! Good to see you guys getting the goods!

Sometimes when the going gets rough you gotta make it snow. Like Santa's little helpers we have been bombing around on sleds for 12 hour days doing the Lord's work ;) By Lord I mean Ullr...

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Snow making central. "We need snow here, here annnnd here."

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Choose your ride,

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Drag that hose,

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Point the gun,

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Pull the trigger,

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Hey Brad, are you wet?

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No? That is good. Don't nuke the lift line!

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Don't nuke the trees!

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Vesna getting after the pow ---

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Randoms dropping in from above

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Looking serious

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Preparing to shred

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Shredding

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Steep roll

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To the car

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Wanted: one snow maker for elusive and icy ridge. payment in sick turns and good herb, are you in?
Got out to look at transformer and some other alpine spots yesterday but got turned away by a wind fucked alpine. can't wait to hit this spot again.http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5759879_n.jpg
we decided to bail on the alpine and drop into the nest for the first time this season. once hairdoo plowed the boot pack in we were set to rally the pow.http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._1226883_n.jpg
bill, feeling like he never left http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._7558289_n.jpg
hairdoo in a cloudhttp://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2172235_n.jpg
the long rangers keepin' me afloathttp://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._6984429_n.jpg
pow turns for everyone!,well maybe not everyone, but we definatly got ours.http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3973211_n.jpghttp://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4836597_n.jpg

a hundred words and maybe like 20 photos could of really described finding snow dogs like we did, but i think this sums it up.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._7468563_n.jpg
the snow walker enjoying the ride down.

Oh Transformer Ridge how I miss thee! I don't know, bluebird wind buffed is a strong contender against the sloppy pow. The cornice looks small get in there!

I am putting on the ol rain slicker for opening day today. I am hoping for pumpkin pie at least.

Today was opening day at Alyeska Resort. I got up to the hill to try and get 1st in line for 1st Tram. As I rounded the corner I was met with this:

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The Anchorage schools had been cancelled due to icy roads or something so all of these yahoos had nothing better to do then stand in line at 7am.

We loaded the tram at 10:30

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5762853_n.jpg


Waves of euphoria and adrenaline and nostalgia and confidence and experience rolled through my mind. I had not been on a Tram powder day in 7 years. In my mind I used to own this tram having spent more hours then most, power lapping Chair 6 and North Face.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4359650_n.jpg

^^ I can hear these guys whispering about getting to 1st on Chair 6, the real gem. The test of the worthy...

We ran up the stairs like children and I managed to be 8th to put the skis on and double pole to South Edge.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._6244574_n.jpg


It was a tight race bombing down steep terrain at high speed not sure of the conditions but only knowing that you had to make that 1st chair OF THE SEASON!
Me and this guy congratulated ourselves for being so core

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And even let his friends on to join us

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I felt slightly old, out of place. Where are all of my friends? Who is this old guy with funny skis and dirty clothes? oh wait, that is me.

I managed to loss the young ones by the next chair as I imagine they were off trying to bring the park to the big mountains of AK or something. I hear that is in these day.

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Bending time and space with speed and flat light

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When the going gets tough, just widen your stance

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It must be tough out there, see what tomorrow brings!

Tomorrow is going to be sick. If for no other reason than I'll be there. Super stoke for my first day of lift served this season. Maybe I'll see you there.

It looks cold and clear out there which means we will be starting up the snow makers today. Could be a long work week...

Snow making is fun!

Chipping snow from blade

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Pushing snow

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Eerie silence with creak of tower wheels

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Our own weather system

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This gun is a champ

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Girdwood rush hour

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Quote:

---

Originally Posted by carpathian

Eerie silence with creak of tower wheels

---

Nice shot.

Transformer got a good once over this week that will continue into.....well the whole winter probably. the skis are f'\;'n awesome and so are the lines. here are some pics.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3154415_n.jpg
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Y9QCrhnuP94/TP...0/IMG_2606.JPG
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2260480_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3924179_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3654622_n.jpg
so i started posting on biglines.com as well, check out telkwa ski club on the hunt. its rad, i promise.

Awesome shot! That first one is rad, where is he going, through the rock slot? Transformer is looking mean.

We got nuked on yesterday and it dawned clear this morning. See what the day brings...

this might be the most epic thread ever.

Epic thread. Read it over the summer and love checking back in the see new photos of AK and the cool stories. A question though why would a resort like Alyeska need snow making. It gets pounded every year and from the recent TR's it looks as if there is already a good base?

They do snow making because it adds a month on both ends of the season. 12" of manmade spread across all the groomers really adds life span to the snow pack.

But yesterday it did nuke on us like it only does in Alaska.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3688595_n.jpg

So we shut her down for the weekend to let Mother Nature take over. Thawing hoses

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Ice Luged into the night...

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4666813_n.jpg

This morning was clear with 24" of fresh snow and with it being Saturday the masses were out in force. I didn't even get first Tram and only made 2 laps on 6 before the line up was over flowing.

Can't complain though :rolleyes2

Dawn patrol up north side of Ragged Top with Scotty, 9 am

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Almost sunrise, 9:30

4710'
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Going up to those chutes

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Sunrise, 10:04
Goat in background, Jewel at left

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Jewel at center with Summit Peak and Raven Headwall stuff

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Going somewhere up there

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Hmmmm, wind affected 24" of fresh with Alyeska at lower left

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11am top of run. My house is down in the fog somewhere

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Ragged Top summit

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Scotty at top. Carpathian Peak in far background

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Oh yeah, skiing now. Blind steep roll

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Dodging sluff

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Cold smoke lingering in air

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I look scared

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Avy merge lane?

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Happy deep powder now

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._7920728_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._6043369_n.jpg

The actual video seems so fast after lingering in the moment of a still photo

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HPJLNlfb_0"]YouTube - Ragged Top POV.mov[/nomedia]

Thats where you were yesterday. Skied a couple laps with Vesna yesterday. Having a pass is great but it's keeping me out of the backcountry.

Hey Snow Walker, these shot were cool... Good times!

Lunch Box Rock

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._7951897_n.jpg

Toegnars

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._6749169_n.jpg

Those look like some pretty epic mountains to tour in and it looks like some pretty epic lines to go with it. good to see you don't need your rain slicker anymore! Smithers had a wicked week of stability and sunshine after a couple of dumps. Every one was rippen upper crater in conditions that are few and far betwee up there. here are some goodies.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2860228_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5270184_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2550899_n.jpg
Bill Droping in for his first sick line on the long rangers
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._1656295_n.jpg
Needless to say everyone was stoked.

^^ Not counting the original post, you are post #420, Yo!

Bringing the big mountains back to the park...

First we must destroy the guardians at the gate

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Die beast, Die!

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By climbing your line before boot skiing it, you really get to notice the finer nuances in the snow and light

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2888025_n.jpg

The struggle

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The glory and the contemplation

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The reward

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._1204689_n.jpg

AK is crazy, so many lines for the taking

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._7771175_n.jpg

Another lap. When in AK we spend so much time hiding out in hotels waiting for the sun, you gotta get it when the getting is good.

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Our guide spotted this insane zone ripe with pyroclastics. He said it was good so we charged!

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The set up

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The carve

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The launch

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High speed hover

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Still hovering

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Annnd the stomp!

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Approaching the darkest hour of the year. Frozen ocean, 10:30am

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One of these dots of light is not like the others

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Looks cold out there

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Better burn some skis

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and dance around like heathens

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Sheep sacrifice?

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December 21, 2010

The shortest day of the year still offered up some rays from the Sun

10:45am Sunrise?
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Plenty of time to go top out on that mountain there

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Thom telling Ryan he is missing out...

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Nice alpine plateau that is hidden from view from town

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There is the top. Is it just me or does that profile remind you of the mighty Hudson Bay Mountain...?

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Long traverse across face with long shadows on the mountains

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There is California Peak on the left and Fish's Breath on the right

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There is town

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The final boot

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3 and half hours later; ON the top!

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3pm, damn near sunset, we gotta get out of here!

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Goat Mtn is looking tasty

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5340122_n.jpg

The afterglow

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Our last stage; flat light with variable snow

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Thom negotiating the scoured gnar

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