[TR] Powder Monkey Ops: ABA- Chugach 2010

[Imz]

Powder Monkey Ops: ABA- Chugach 2010
note: this is a ground assault TR- for Powder Monkey Air Force ops, check out Gerome or Dheli’s TRs. Thanks to Skier666 & crew for TR layout

This Trip did not Suck. Money/ Action Shots start about halfway through the TR. Beginning is mostly set-up & scenics. A Sneak Peak of how things turned out:



with Special Bonus insert: The Legend of Tommy Hawk Sneak Peak:


Back to the Story:


Date: March 12-22nd, 2010

Coordinates: Parking lot, AK-4, Mile Marker 29.5, Chugach Range, AK

Troops:ABA Posse (Happy, Badger, Paul, Chris, and J Dub) Imz & Dr. Phil (aka Tommy)

Special Guest Photographer: Court Leve

Music: Coldcut f/ Roots Manuva- True Skool

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_R63UMQN08"]YouTube- Coldcut ft. Roots Manuva - True Skool[/ame]

Synopsis:

After a slow start to my season & some issues with my girl I had an epiphany: It occurred to me it was winter, I had money in the bank, and fuck this work shit.

Most of the posse had spent their ski funds for the season having an epic time, so it was my fault for dragging my feet. I called my ace in the hole- Dr. Phil, we locked in a 10 day window with ABA, and I headed up to Tahoe to stay with Gerome for 2 and a half weeks to rip it up before my trip.

Weather:

On my way to the airport, I get a post from Happy- things are looking good- If the birds can fly, they've put down 9 feet in the past storm cycle.

The Russians from our front door:

So on the drive to Valdez from anchorage, we realized Sarah Palin just across our front doorstep…


Which meant we of course had to salute her expertise, commitment to the people of Alaska, and awesome capabilities to bring us all together as a people:


I digress- the rest of the drive was awesome:


The Waiting Game:


Arriving in the parking lot at the crack of dawn, things were not looking so good… light snow, no vis, temps in the low 20°s.

There were a couple of housekeeping things to take care of which ate up 45 minutes (safety talk, weigh-in) but quickly we were left to our own devices to amuse ourselves…Time to fire up some tunes on the iPhone, recline the seats, and be glad for our coffee.

Dr. Phil recommended an iPhone game called dear hunter; which turned out to be quite entertaining.


Time Passes…:

After 4 hours kicking it in the Exploder, numerous games of Deer Hunter (winter scene, of course), and wishing I’d updated the few playlists I have on my phone, it started to get a little brighter…


This was enough for us to get a little stoked. After talking to a couple of the guides, it began to sound like a late afternoon mission was within the realm of possibility.


Seven hours later (2:30pm):

Everyone is stoked to get out, Mike the pilot sees some holes, and we fire out to Python Ridge; it’s a great place to fly to in soupy conditions, as we can always ski out to the highway & get a van pickup if the sky closes in…

After one return to base, we get dropped, and manage to bag out 3 awesome runs in mixed light conditions. A couple cool things about ABA: whenever it got a little too flat to see well, the guides all chilled out and said “let’s just wait for things to improve” rather than pushing it, and we’d boogie during breaks in the cloud cover.

We saw another outfit operating a few peaks away who was dropping their customers below the summit, and picking them up higher (cutting their vertical by about half) in what looked like a panic to pad everyone’s run count. Not cool in my book.

No pics (as it was whacky light). Shout-out to Badger, for directing me out onto a sick fin of snow for a line I’ll never forget, while getting everyone else down out of sight from me. It was looking like it was going to be an awesome trip.


The Next Morning:

Dawns bright and beautiful. We grab our shit as fast as we can, coffee (of course) and blast to ABA.

Happy say’s we’re with him. We’ll be first chopper out, and let’s get ready to fly.

Scouting Acapulco:


We ended up hitting the jackpot on weather- A bunch of the LZs we hit hadn’t been opened up this season, which meant a little shovel work, and a lot of untracked lines.

Happy rockin out on Rippin Ridge:


Our First Bluebird day was a blur; we took a lot of video, not to many pictures, but we did start scoping many of the lines we’d hit over the week… I’m pretty sure I’ve got the lines straight, but don’t hate me if I misname something.

Do me, Do it, Do it Again, and Mondo:


Acapulco (peak on the left):


A little section of the Hoodoo Cirque:


The steep pitches were dope with up to a foot of fresh, as we got lower the run-outs were great- we hadn't got into the rhythm of taking action shots yet...


Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure

After an awesome shakedown day, we were stoked to get after it. As we arrived at ABA, the sun was just coming out to play, and Happy said we’d be riding with him again.


Later in the week we had opportunities to see our tracks as we skied other peaks. I’ve added them where it makes sense.

The views were above average


Upper Bunny -first run of the morning, a single stop to make sure everyone dropped in ok, then just continuous turns:


Snow was fast and pristine. Do it Again:


I’ve flown with other outfits (CMH) who farm their shit out. This is ABA farming; two lift groups of four had this line to themselves.


Frank’s Tavern (Some of the best, fastest, funnest turns of my life) Again, the scale is tough to get a sense of, but that’s prolly 3000 feet or so.


Breath.

Downwind Couloir LZ (Happy can dig this one- I’m bushed):


Happy Slots in.


And let it Rip.


Everything is going exactly the way we want it. Perfect snow, fun people, gorgeous weather… days blur together.

Some highlights:

Bro Bowl first run in the morning:


Dave’s Wave (tough to get a sense of what it felt like to roll in):


Frank’s Tavern to the left, Franks Back Door (Super sweet)- one of the fluted ramps to the right. Hit them one after the other...


Frank’s Tavern was so good, we asked to run it a second time; this time we skied it top to bottom, no stops…


New World:

We were definitely getting more dialed with our routine by this point; the last line I’ll show in detail (other than the Legend of Tommy Hawk) but some neat shots… I marked the LZ for this run in the shot below… probably something like 4500 vertical feet.


End of the First Pitch.


Middle Pitch:


Chute:

[Imz]

Couple turns:




GoPro Burst Mode:

On the Exit chute to New World I accidentally put my GoPro into Burst mode; some of the pics came out pretty sweet. Snow was sooo chalky & smooth:























Hoot and Holler. Ask if your bro saw you. Look back at the line. Repeat Hoot.

End of the day cruisers:

After 26 (fast) runs over a few days, we needed a break. Fortunately, it looked like a small storm might roll in and recoat everything while we recuperate… So let’s cruise it back into the shed.



Sea of Dreams:


Last Day of our trip we were pretty dialed-in. Happy had a photographer buddy who he wanted to take out, so we all piled in the chopper. This is a great way to get dream pictures of your trip without paying any extra. Big ups to Court Leve (please do not pirate his photos) and Devon O’Neil who shared a great day with us.

Acapulco. First run. Last day. Opening up the run for the season. We did a toe-in to the left of the guys below, dug the proper LZ, then climbed to our drop in spot. J Dub’s first run of the Season


I hope I get the shot!


Acapulco is a super aesthetic line. Gerome & I skied directly from the peak last time he & I were up, but the first pitch is a lulu regardless of where you drop in from.


Cutting across the top, scoping my line. Entrance chutes behind me:


Periscope Up!


And Out.


Special Bonus insert: The Legend of Tommy Hawk

Told in Pictures, how Dr. Phil is now referred to the guides at ABA as Tommy.









From below- something's wrong; why are his legs in the air?






Tommy Hawk tracks.


I call him G-Money, because he dollar billed my line.

[Imz]

Back to the Stoke

This TR has gone from Mega to Behemoth; a few parting shots and I’m out.

Acapulco Gold:


Dr. Phil after sorting his shit out:




Hat's off to Court Leve for some great pics:


Cheers from Tommy & I:


Any may life always hand you the Good End of the Poo Stick (except for Mr. Jong Slaughter; who can fuck off and die)

[hop]

just as good the 2nd time around.

[Gerome]

Epic terrain, badass skiing and killer people. AK never disappoints.


OK, I think Phil was trying to beat me at fewest turns down Acapulco. I made it down in five turns last year. He skied that run with one turn. ....and a hundred tumbles. CLASSIC!

[skiingsamurai]

damn

thats all ive got

damn...

[skier666]

Uggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[Karl Stall]

Thanks !! I love Valdez!!!!

[HikeforTurns]

This pic is beyond sick:



Looks like a helluva trip!

[Dhelihiker]

Im not saying that's Siouxsie's payback for Whistler, but I think she did

Sick first TR Mr IMZ!!

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

Nice work. One day.....

[jSki]

Sick skiing and pics.

[telelebowski]

Sick terrain. Everything everyone else said.

[MashedPotatoes]

wow FKNA awesome.

[Dhelihiker]

Nice work. next year.....

I fixed it for you, seriously dont wait another year. You could never put the experience into words or pics.

The guides say, "You never realized that THIS is skiing, everything else is just practice for this day"

The sick thing is that its true. This is the last year I will miss.

[TheRealPoop]

I want some of that, unreal. good job with the pics, I never understand how all you folks take the time to take pics, sweet!

[Imz]

I want some of that, unreal. good job with the pics, I never understand how all you folks take the time to take pics, sweet!

I tell you, I used to be the most impatient mofo when people wanted to set up and take pics, but Gerome started making movies, sharing TRs, and I was sold...

Sick first TR Mr IMZ!!

Thanks Dheli- figured Powder Monkeys need to represent! What did you think of the new PM infantry patch? I'm getting ready to print to the first batch of t-shirts...

btw- I can't say enough about how fun the ABA guys are; last time Gerome and I were up with those cats together we had way deeper snow, and yet this trip was even better.

Alaska Backcountry Adventures
Happiest place in the Universe: Parking lot, AK-4, Mile Marker 29.5, Chugach Range, AK

[grskier]

Um, like woh.. some sick lines...

[skinnyskier]

Most excellent tr and a happy surpise to see Phil ripping it up in AK. But, no more animal glued to yr helmet?

[The Duke of Hurl]

I need to GTFUTA. New motto. Thanks.

[fortysix&2]

$$$...killer, much needed stokage.

[PulverSchwein]

wow man, just stunning pics! That's basically what everyone dreams their Alaska heli-trip will look like, nice job

[Arty50]

Damn you all!!!

Thanks for sharing.

[spanky]

Thanks. Awesome pictures and commentary.

[bklyn]

This TR is the hotness