This has been the winter of a lifetime. It started off with the insane 12 foot storm which opened upSnowbird. Numerous trips back and forth to Utah added to the stoke with a trip to Bella Coola based off the Ocean Explorer topping it off. Colorado saw its best winter in memory. Then there was the quick heli trip to AK with Karl Stahl for some perfectly timed Chugash POW. An now this.
It was three weeks ago that I received an invite from a super generous customer of mine. He had purchased 5 days with CPG for Kings and Corn. I could not believe it. I followed up with an email asking what I needed to budget for and he told me to just get to Anchorage on June 10th. Game on.
My trip to Anchorage had a rocky start. A June snowstorm in the Rockies had me motoring down to Denver to catch the last flight of the night. I jumped on the 9:45pm with sweat on my brow.
A short night of sleep had us up and at the Alaska Air Taxi Service by 8.
These Dehavlin Planes where manufactured in the early 1950's and a little scary at first glance.
But the simplicity of the controls made them as easy to drive as a car. Our lake doubled as the runway.
Our runway
After 50 minutes of breathtaking views we landed at our accommodations for the next five days. The plane pulled up to the dock, we were unloaded, briefed, fed and on the hill by 1pm.
The following pictures are just a couple of the scenics I took.
Of the three heli trips I took this winter, this was the most unique. We skied in the Alaskan Range (this is not skied very often) and were transported super deep into the territory. Mike, Jerome, Moe and Lel are true professional but loose, letting you ski most anything. Keep in mind; you are skiing 1000ft-3000ft corn runs. This texture allows for super high speed descents without having to worry about avi or sluff danger. As the temperature spikes and the snow warms, crevasses and bergshrunds are abundant.
Nobis showing us his backyard.
Our crew on day 2.
Super deep in the Alaskan Range.
Day three saw a couple of us lift to a fishing hole which provided us with some sweet kings.
This one was caught on the first cast into the hole. As good as the skiing was (and it was unpredictably good) I was psyched to fish and landed one King, a bunch of Jacks and various other fish.
Day 2: This was unreal. Started at 9am, skied till 5:30 with some epic lines. Had a fat dinner with some 1983 bottles of red and than back onto the hill till 1am (yes that is 1 in the morning, pictured above).
Nobis letting us go.
Moe deep in the Alaskan range right before a first descent.
Nobis outside his tent. (The guides all live in tents, Nobis' was the phatest.
Nobis' bear protection.
Our cabin with the heli port in the background.
Another late night out on the hill (11pm and still skiing).
Another day when we where about 40 miles out from the lodge. Enjoying the plush tundra.
On the last night we were treated to a dinner on the ridge top.
A heli lift after lunch.
Waiting for a lift on the last day. You could sleep on the tundra, it was so soft.
T shirt all day on the last day and the snow held.
After five days we were out.
The tally, 150,000 vertical feet, over 60 runs, a couple of kings, tons of liquor ear to ear grins and fun that could not possibly be tabulated in words.
The group dynamics were second to none, with all 12 people meshing perfectly.
If I had to do the year over again, and could only take one heli trip, this would be the one to keep.
Thanks AC, for making 04-05 the most memorable winter ever![]()
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