Can I ski with you?

[snow walker]

It took a bit longer than expected but my carpathians got buried this week!

and so did everything else

my ukrainien bro got it too.

for last 2 days its been hard not to get a face full of snow.Teeps Bill and Nicky seem stoked about it.

[carpathian]

^^^ 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...



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



Choose your ride,



Drag that hose,



Point the gun,



Pull the trigger,



Hey Brad, are you wet?



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



Don't nuke the trees!

[carpathian]

Vesna getting after the pow ---



Randoms dropping in from above



Looking serious



Preparing to shred



Shredding



Steep roll



To the car

[snow walker]

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.
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.
bill, feeling like he never left
hairdoo in a cloud
the long rangers keepin' me afloat
pow turns for everyone!,well maybe not everyone, but we definatly got ours.

[snow walker]

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.

the snow walker enjoying the ride down.

[carpathian]

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.

[carpathian]

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:



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




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.



^^ 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.




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



And even let his friends on to join us



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.



Bending time and space with speed and flat light



When the going gets tough, just widen your stance





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

[Chugachjed]

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.

[carpathian]

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

[carpathian]

Snow making is fun!

Chipping snow from blade



Pushing snow









Eerie silence with creak of tower wheels



Our own weather system



This gun is a champ







Girdwood rush hour

[telkwa]

Eerie silence with creak of tower wheels

Nice shot.

[snow walker]

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.






so i started posting on biglines.com as well, check out telkwa ski club on the hunt. its rad, i promise.

[carpathian]

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...

[stuckathuntermtn]

this might be the most epic thread ever.

[sqikunst]

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?

[carpathian]

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.



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



Ice Luged into the night...



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

[carpathian]

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



Almost sunrise, 9:30

4710'


Going up to those chutes



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



Jewel at center with Summit Peak and Raven Headwall stuff



Going somewhere up there



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



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



Ragged Top summit



Scotty at top. Carpathian Peak in far background



Oh yeah, skiing now. Blind steep roll



Dodging sluff



Cold smoke lingering in air



I look scared



Avy merge lane?



Happy deep powder now

[carpathian]

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]

[Chugachjed]

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.

[carpathian]

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

Lunch Box Rock



Toegnars

[snow walker]

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.



Bill Droping in for his first sick line on the long rangers

Needless to say everyone was stoked.

[carpathian]

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

[carpathian]

Bringing the big mountains back to the park...

First we must destroy the guardians at the gate



Die beast, Die!



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



The struggle



The glory and the contemplation



The reward



AK is crazy, so many lines for the taking



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.



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



The set up



The carve



The launch



High speed hover



Still hovering



Annnd the stomp!

[carpathian]

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



One of these dots of light is not like the others



Looks cold out there



Better burn some skis



and dance around like heathens





Sheep sacrifice?

[carpathian]

December 21, 2010

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

10:45am Sunrise?


Plenty of time to go top out on that mountain there



Thom telling Ryan he is missing out...



Nice alpine plateau that is hidden from view from town



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



Long traverse across face with long shadows on the mountains



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



There is town



The final boot



3 and half hours later; ON the top!



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





Goat Mtn is looking tasty



The afterglow



Our last stage; flat light with variable snow



Thom negotiating the scoured gnar