AK'n IT - Turnagain Pass to Valdez

Given Colorado's worst ski season on record, K and I were about to hang up the snowboards for life.  Man do we owe it to the AK, if it weren't for the two Radtadicle trips to the Chugach this season we probably would of become year around climbers:)  This trip we brought with us an AK newbie...can we have a round of applause for Drew Ignizio (aka Rack City) Drew provided us with this theme song (edited version) for the 12 day trip, by the end of the trip we were all mathematical whizzes :)

The month of March provided us with what I like to call CODE BLUE conditions.  That's blue bird in AK tongue.  Unlike CO, AK doesn't get 365 days of blue bird sunshine.  And when it days...well sound the alarms and get after it!  Ill let the pics do the rest of the talking:)

NOTE: clicking images will result in clearer / larger images

March 17th, AK style - "The Irish Stout" packed in and consumed on the summit of cornbiscuit Peak
oh ya that's Drew for those who don't recognize 

Breaking through the Inversion - spent all morning in low visibility conditions, then once above the clouds...CODE BLUE

Well above the clouds - Kickstep Peak from the summit of Sunburst

Our previous days work still lies visible -  On this epic day we ride back below the clouds, then head over to the pk in the far background (Pastoral) for some UNTOUCHED BEAUTY!

"The best day skiing of all time" - per Chip Serns coming off Pastoral Pk

CHU CHU CHUGACH - This view would make anyone stutter - from near Pastoral's summit

The Pastoral crew + Chip behind the camera

Cracked Ice - The highpoint just below the sun, 4300 vertical feet right back to the car door:)

Drew & Python

Cracked Ice summit shot

Rack City himself

Noel - notice the figures on the saddle in background, they were intending to drop on Cracked Ice summit, but when the pilot saw us earning our turns he dropped them off on another sector - we saw the pilot back at the parking lot as he waited for his clients

K making it look purty

Matthu Pitchu Arena - High above Port Valdez, our days goal (pt 4572') is behind the pointed peak at 11 o'clcok

Gaining the summit of point 4572' - about to get our ski to sea on

Annie of the Ptarmigan B&B - Its our second stay with her in Valdez, cant wait til the next.   She even sent us back to Anchorage with a huge hunk of Moose :) YUM

Til next ski AK season:)