Can I ski with you?

I was truly inspired by the recent cold snap to follow through with a major upgrade to my whole scene. I swapped the old stove from out in the 'ski shed'
and moved it under the house because the one that was under the house before really sucked. It was one of these reburner types that would not keep a hot fire going all night, leaving the downstairs cold and useless beyond storage.

I made the swap and now the downstairs is warm even through -10F. Warm enough so that epoxy will actually cure and I have space to grow in.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5718635_n.jpg

Left brain/Right brain

Just started snowing a couple of hours ago...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by carpathian

We could ski then drink beer. Or ski AND drink beer.

---

I am down for this, maybe a weekend in march?

That would be fun
Maybe drink Blurred under the table?

All of this new snow is great for the snowpack.
Reset button...

Skied Monday be down tomorrow for a couple hours. Hit me up if you're skiing.

The Knuckles are sweet! First Tram, then working Town League at Noon...

Hey what's going on down there?

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._5265112_n.jpg

That looks fun!

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4527728_n.jpg

Race face

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4604929_n.jpg

Perfect form

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._7983229_n.jpg

Snowboarders can have fun too

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5216726_n.jpg

In the meanwhile, the sun keeps coming up more and more 'north' then before.

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6079234_n.jpg

Lingering instability with skier triggers all over, still.

http://www.cnfaic.org/library/image....utch%20avy.jpg

http://www.cnfaic.org/library/image....4-DSC_7871.jpg

http://www.cnfaic.org/library/image....3-DSC_7846.jpg

Monster surface hoar

http://www.cnfaic.org/library/image....rfacehoar2.jpg

Thanks God for Alyeska! The Knuckles are skiing good

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFtAHeZ_vfY"]YouTube - The Knuckles[/nomedia]

that is an amazing hoar pic. Wow!

Damn thats some big hoar. Thats something I said once in Juneau and maybe Kodiak but I sure wasn't talking about crystals. The knuckles have been amazing for sure. I wish I could find a babysitter today though to get the fresh goodness. OTOH I'll have some skins next day or two we should try to get a tour in this weekend if the snowpack isn't too sketchy. CPG road maybe.

The Mountain is closed due to general gnarliness. Just as well, skis coming out of the press...

Reset! Reset!

It has been interesting interacting with the different demographics on the ski hill. Patrol, park, race, ski school, lifties... I am like an embedded journalist dodging spliff fire and radio hand grenades.

Busy bees preparing for another event

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._8252207_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._1127217_n.jpg

Practice runs. Tweak that shit!

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._6277581_n.jpg

Remember that huge spewing pile of snow we built last month? It has been sculpted into a work of art

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6083989_n.jpg

These guys look serious like the Racing Masters last week

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6805730_n.jpg

This guy won

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._4964978_n.jpg

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3005367_n.jpg

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2205574_n.jpg

Party is over, get that fire out of here!

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._5021167_n.jpg

Job Security


By Michael Goulette

Until a few days ago, I believed the only things manufactured in Girdwood were hangovers and lactic quad pains. Then I had the good fortune of meeting Jake Young.

Owner of Carpathian Skis, Jake has been hand-building custom skis for four years. After a few seasons of diligent effort on the wannabe pro skiing scene, Jake relocated to Smithers, B.C.

“It is an amazing place to be a skier,” he said. “Imagine carving out a big chunk of the Alaska Range and dropping it into the middle of nowhere Canada.”

Jake describes a perfect ski town and mountain any ski bum would be happy to call home, saying, “Nobody knows about this place and the terrain is some of the best I have skied.”

Shortly after moving to Canada Jake lost his ski sponsor and decided to take matters into this own hands.

“I figured I could serve my own corporate agenda,” he said. “Manufacturing, media and sponsored athlete. Hard to get dropped by a sponsor when it’s yourself.”

Can’t argue with his reasoning. Spend a few years dealing with the minutiae of the industry and you too may start your own ski company. One thousand dollars for a new pair of Rossis or K2s is offensive in a good economy.

It was June of 2008 when Carpathian Skis was born. Jake purchased the equipment, built a press and began constructing skis. Interest built slowly and soon several of Jake’s friends were riding Carpathian custom skis. After moving back to Girdwood, Carpathian Skis now serves as the only ski company calling Alaska home. Watch the skis and the man in action at www.carpathianskis.com.

All of Jake’s skis are pressed flat. No camber, no reverse camber, just flat. Tips and tails are kerf-cut after pressing and bent to client’s specifications for as much or as little early rise desired. Graphics, fiberglass and epoxy make up the top-sheet, though Jake has recently started to work with carbon fiber. Half the weight of fiberglass, twice as strong and three times as expensive. Jake will laminate anything onto your new skis. Ski like a rock star? Imagine a ski with Van Halen graphics.

“Really it’s just an excuse to go skiing,” he said. “I probably won’t be able to retire because of Carpathian Skis, but any reason to go skiing is a good enough reason for me.”

I understand this man completely. I cannot imagine the satisfaction of skiing sick powder all day long on a pair skis built with my own hands.

The factory sits comfortably in the basement of Jake’s home at 283 Old Dawson Road. This is where I had the opportunity to inspect some skis with many days on them. Clearly Carpathian makes a durable product. Using a vertically laminated core of pine or spruce coupled with a maple mounting plate keeps the skis light and responsive. There is no plastic used in the construction of the sidewalls which makes for an attractive product especially appreciated by a carpenter like me.

Prices vary but are still about half as much as a pair off the rack at REI. Jake can make a completely custom ski for you or copy an existing ski. Use your imagination, create a design the world has never seen. If it weren’t for McConkey mounting a pair of water skis with Markers way back in ’96, we might not have reverse camber skis today. R.I.P. Shane, you changed skiing forever. Maybe Jake will too.

For more information call (907)336-5002 and ask for Jake. He’s head of marketing, manufacturing, research and development, purchasing, accounting, human resources and management. It’s not easy being the boss and the entire staff, but on the upside it is incredibly difficult to get fired.

Lingering instability...

http://www.cnfaic.org/library/image....e%202-7-11.jpg

http://www.cnfaic.org/library/image....t_offender.JPG

http://www.cnfaic.org/library/image....eagleriver.JPG

Big Uglies

http://www.cnfaic.org/library/image....5-DSC_7907.jpg

http://www.cnfaic.org/library/image....6-DSC_7922.jpg

Shredding pow,

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6950251_n.jpg

Slab release,

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._8099364_n.jpg

Jumping the gnar

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._4877502_n.jpg

In the clear!

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._7903939_n.jpg

Photos, Jared Gross

153 mph winds in Valdez the other day. 60 plus around here compounds the officially shitty skiing.

I have another baby on the way and need to work now anyway...

congrats Jake & Vesna!

Congratulations the second kid is a whole new world. Thought for a while this thread was dead, I was sad.

Naw the thread is not dead, just--- changing...

This has officially been declared the record lowest snowfall ever in AK! That has got to be worth something. I have been enjoying the endless sunshine and warming temps.

Speaking of no snow, Alyeska is planning on running 3 day a week operations in the Bike Park. Got lots on the plate.

In the meanwhile building houses

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...5_589301_n.jpg

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6932984_n.jpg

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6731442_n.jpg

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3803020_n.jpg

Po, the ever present assistant

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2216901_n.jpg

Gate bashing

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._8240235_n.jpg

I think this guy won

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._4812145_n.jpg

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...0_712155_n.jpg

Spring sky

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._1259804_n.jpg

Post party til sundown (pushing 8pm!)

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._7978633_n.jpg

I have been tryin to be a workaholic of late. Aiming fo as many hours and days of work in row as possible. Today I got offered 3 days of Heli skiing in Valdez with JB3 himself, all expense paid! I would be silly not to take the offer, bad weather or not.

We'll see how it goes...

That sounds rad! Get er done Jake!

Damn if the wife will let you go it'd be tough to turn down especially since we're finally getting some snow.

Want another punching bag? I've got no place to hang mine.

Yo, Jake, sounds like things are good, mang!

Helluva shot outskiing that little sluff you triggered.

free heli - not even a question!

I'll take another punch bag there Jed, thanks!

Splat that guy in the last slab was not me... but he didn't want his name out there.

Valdez turned out pretty darned good. Blasted out almost 60k vert during a one day orgy of jet fueled powder skiing unlike anything I have ever experienced.

They rolled out the red carpet from the get go
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._7250344_n.jpg

5 hours later we were greeted by some friendly locals. "Come play with uuuusssss..."
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3459613_n.jpg

"Ride around the mountains in meee..." the creature beckoned.

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6889837_n.jpg

First we must sleep only to confirm that we are dreaming.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2643230_n.jpg

We rose from sleep into a weakening bubble of high pressure. Billy Mitchell.
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3657630_n.jpg

The Force would be with us today
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...2_367417_n.jpg

Clouds, clouds go away
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6036081_n.jpg

Are you getting this?
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._4080407_n.jpg

Yeah, the Nug is getting it
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._5796421_n.jpg

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._4080802_n.jpg

Where should we go next?
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._5498701_n.jpg

How about this one?
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._1035738_n.jpg

Remember, we are dreaming now
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2176301_n.jpg

Just follow Her and you'll be alright
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...5_294542_n.jpg

The Pow is that way
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._5547051_n.jpg

Is it lunch yet?
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2502373_n.jpg

Refuel the Bird, refuel our bellies
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._8080601_n.jpg

Let's go there now
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3144442_n.jpg

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...5_573996_n.jpg

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._1581042_n.jpg

Look at all of that!
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._5106349_n.jpg

You guys tired yet?
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2169761_n.jpg

Getting there
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...9_251673_n.jpg

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._5663745_n.jpg

And then it was over. The weather came in heavy and we prepared to flee back to Gwood

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._5690513_n.jpg

Don't forget the $2500 bottles of wine, we should be alright!

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...3_179770_n.jpg

Damn. That looks amazing, paint me jealous. I'll be down on Sunday. I'll bring that bag.