TR Last week of April in Valdez

[Ski to Be]

We left Seattle on April 22 with high hopes for our trip to AK. We were not disappointed. We started in Alyeska for a warm up. Things had set up in the warm sunshine and the best skiing was at the top of the Christmas chute & the lower part was the kind of stuff that made your lower back hurt. It was beautiful though and we were glad to be there. Next day we drove to Hatcher pass & did some touring. I shot a little video. It was surprisingly awesome skiing with a quickly eroding snowpack with a lot of sharks below the snow. I missed them but my buddy Adam had a nice tumble over some. Great skiing
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u4kDvEI2UI"]YouTube- Hatcher Pass[/nomedia]

After that we headed to Valdez. We bought the Costco package with Valdez Heli Camps and prepared for the worst. We were surprised to find Prime Rib & King Crab on the menu for dinner when we arrived. Things were looking good.
The next day we got in 4 runs as visibility got bad but the powder was good. They started us out on relatively mellow terrain for AK but told us they were going to take us bigger & scare us later as we had booked 4 ready and able skiers to get the goods. The next day we hung out at base camp while the weather looked like a no fly day we asked if we could bolt for some touring at Thompson Pass. We toured up Odyssey and conditions quickly deteriorated. We skied down by feel and the snow turned very sticky near pass level. Day three brought sunshine and was the highlight day of the trip.http://www.flickr.com/photos/4985020...03/4576218969/

It is hard to get used to the toe in landings and I had door duty that day & each time we would circle a ridge I would think to myself, no way in hell are we going to land there and we would. The scariest part for me was trying to click in with 5 of us on a skinny ridge in a no fall zone. The snow was sticky in late April so it took forever to get the snow off my boots. But once clicked in I felt fine. We got the goods that day and everyone was stoked. The next day we were the only ones left & they needed two guides & there were four of us and only three could fly so I volunteered to wait a few hours as a group of Italians was supposed to show up. One of our group Aaron hurt his knee on a run called Workmans Comp ironically. He didn't wreck but just had something pop on a turn. Later they came down & the weather was 50/50 so we waited. The owner Matt came by and talked to us for a while then asked why we weren't flying. We told him the weather & he said what weather & 25 minutes later we were airborne. Our guide for the first 2 days Tim was awesome but had hurt his knee so we went up with Chad & Rhett who were great. Rhett had the A (Alpental)on his skis so we were stoked to have a local guide from home up with us. Chad decided on a run called Double Seated Bicycle. I took a Gorilla pod & duck taped my Canon HD cam on top of my head.
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9w528IR1oE"]YouTube- Double Seated Bicycle POV[/nomedia]
The next day it was just Adam & I as Brian & Aaron left early as Aaron could not ski & Brian had used most of his vert & wanted to get back early. So it was going to cost us private bird rates to fly just the 2 of us as they would be losing money flying just the 2 of us. We understood and opted to drive to Wrangell St Elias NP to do some touring. We drove to Mcarthy- Kennecot to find out that the road to Kennecot was closed for 2 more weeks so we stayed at a cabin in Mcarthy then drove back the next day. A few pics from the drive.

[Ski to Be]

Here are some pictures

[digitaldeath]

you spoiled little prick- go F yourself

[Twister Spread]

Here are a couple pictures of Ski to Be.

[Ski to Be]

you spoiled little prick- go F yourself

I work hard for a living. What do you do?

[wooley12]

you spoiled little prick- go F yourself

Maybe you should go back to your room in your mom's basement and play with yourself. Or suck it up and go get yours.

Nice TR skitobe.

[jbski]

Nice. I skied Double Seated a couple years ago and I remember that entrance being pretty friggin' steep. Helmet cam footy, although good, does it no justice. All these AK TR's have caused me to start making plans for next season already...I thank you for that (but my bank account doesn't).

[mnskier]

Landscape of alaska is just unbelievable..great pics!

[_Aaron_]

CAW CAW!!!

[Ski to Be]

Saw this in downtown Anchorage. Complete with red dice hanging from the mirror. Not sure if they were referring to snow.

[Shadam]

No matter how many times mags post TR's or wot ever of alaska I have to look (and drool). We'll never get tired of looking at epic alaska pics. Keep "em coming, coz one day I'll be there.