Epic Dump to Touch and Go Conditions - The Chugach

AK oh AK how I love thou snow...
now please now please stop hogging it... and lend some to my CO.

Days 1 & 2:

• epic reso riding and night skiing after reaching the bar's limit on Fizzes:)

Days 3, 4 & 5:

• Subaru driveway skating, ski touring in the summit lake and turnagain pass sectors of the Chugach, followed by drinks and eats with AK peeps in Girdwood

So a week in AK proved to be all but long enough, especially with the complicated weather patterns they have been in. The entire month of January the average temp in Anchorage was 2.7 degrees! Now that's a little cold. However things warmed up once we arrived :) The snow also continued to dump. The night we flew in 30+ inches fell at Turnagain Pass and Alyeska ski resort. The next day an additional 2 feet dropped. Making Friday like Thursday, a mandatory resort day. While enjoying Vodka fizz's (secret recipe...read at bottom of page) at the mountain top bar at the end of the day you could hear the buzz from many Girdwood locals: things like "that was the best day this season, shit that was the best day in 30 years"!!! It surely hit the top on my list for best reso day ever! I'm pretty sure the word epic was created for the riding we experienced last Friday! I will leave it at that because trying to explain it wouldn't do a justice. Another way to look at it....it was so good I didn't take a single photo:)

After the dump we were itching to get out in the backcountry, however stability remained an issue the entire time, due to things like: 120 mile an hour winds recorded by Sunburst's weather station, temperature increases and heavy wet snow. We played it conservative with lower angles and lower elevations. At last it was AK, where even the low angle stuff is awesome!

We return in less then a month for 2 weeks! Heading to Thompson's Pass and Valdez! Bring it! Hopefully a few more ski pics will be provided from next trip, either it was to much fun or just too much Grey / Flat light.

A look up Glacier Creek at Milk Glacier - Girdwood Valley (surrounded by 7 permanent glaciers)

Seattle Creek from across the Turnagain Arm of the Cook Inlet

Mad Dawg look or Chewing? - Summit Lake sector
We toured Manitoba peak in the background on Day 5

Spirit Walker Pk recon pic 1: from Day 5 tour on Manitoba Pk

Goofin or Petrified of the sketchy bridge crossing? - Crossing Canyon Creek on the way to Manitoba Pk
Also joined by friends Gina and Chip - Fellow NMers

Caught the full moon rising over Manitoba Ridge - after a long tour up Manitoba peak. Congrats to Gina for her first split board tour :)

Spirit Walker recon pic 2: From Day 3 tour on Fresno Ridge
Conditions permitting would be nice to visit the spirit walker in March

Sunset Over the Arm - Day 6 as we head to the airport

PS: The 7 Glaciers Restaurant (Alyeska mountain top bar)...aka 7-G's....well anyway Kristin has cracked the secret recipe! After years of attempts by her and friends and drunken begging for hints from cute waitresses, she did it back in Golden. I was able to test it at 0700am after getting off from work. And i concur, its been cracked!!!!

Costa Rica - Todd and Zette get Hitched!

Last week we could of been stuck in CO, in the cold, without any snow to play in....nope not true instead we were in Costa Rica exposing our winter white skin to 94 degree UV rays.  Oh ya and by the way we also got to be a part of Todd and Suzzette's amazing wedding at the all-inclusive Hilton Papagayo Resort in Playa Panama....Ill save all the details, emotional reflections, total count of Guapirinha's and ceviche plates consumed.  Let's just say it was a RAD wedding.

My two favorite things about CR:

1. Guapirinha: Costa Rica's version of the well known Brazilian caipirinha.  Go to any CR bar and hold up four fingers to the bartender and before you know it you'll be presented with the Guapirinha a sugar cane based rum (Cacique Guaro) drink with about a pound of muddled limes.  
2. Ceviche: a central american traditional dish usually made from raw fish or mollusks marinated in citrus juices for around 24 hours prior to serving.  Pretty sure we averaged 2-4 ceviche plates a day while in CR; seabass, marlin, swordfish, shrimp...

Kristin and I did a bit of exploring for the few days we had after the wedding.  We hitched a ride with Rob and Leah into Liberia (the largest town of Guanacaste province of Costa Rica).  From Liberia we planned on catching some transportation to Rincon de la Vieja. We later found out from the hostel host that the national park is closed on Monday's. Plan B was to make our way to the local bus station and explore our options.  Liberia not being much of a tourist destination, tends to lack English speaking Costa Rican's... Thank goodness I had my personal translator with me.  I cant tell you how many times K saved the day.  I'm pretty sure I would of either paid 200 dollars for a 2 dollar bus fair or ended up on a bus to Panama.  So we ended up on a two hour bus ride with the locals down to Tamarindo to spend a day and a half playing on the beach, searching for nesting leatherback sea turtles by headlamp and eating grilled lobster with our feet in the sand.

Sorry for the lack of pics, camera battery died shortly after all the wedding pics :(

I present to you:    Todd and Suzzette Conner

Doesn't need a Caption - oops just got one :)

Da Boys

Me lovely lady - isn't she just gorgeous

If only you could see what she is blocking :)

Taken while sipping a Guapirinha on the beach in Tamarindo

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana of Costa Rica - costa rica's version of a stray dog

2 in the Snow, 2 on the Rock - RMNP, Cameron Pass & Shelf Road

As most of you snow snobs probably know all to well by now, our winter playground has stunk this season! Kristin and I have only been out two times:(  At this point last year, we had countless tours under our boards.  Its been kinda of rough... well except one bright side to the warmer temps has been the continuation of climbing.

The two tours this season have been:

1. "Terrain Park Area" near Hallett Peak, RMNP

• Cant wait to go back to RMNP, there are some awesome terrain opps: a favorite being Little AK near Knobtop peak.  
• GPS Tracks (google maps)

Dragon Tail Couloir w tracks
click to enlarge

1. Montgomery Bowl, Cameron Pass

• This past Sunday Kristin, Drew and I cruised up to Cameron Pass after a much needed storm, for what we where hoping would be some good turns.  Not bad at all!  Finally 
• GPS Tracks (google maps)

Montgomery Bowls highlighted w tracks
click to enlarge

Hallett Peak on left and Dragontail couloir on right: RMNP
a line for the early spring if  we ever get snow

1 of 4 huge bucs seen in Estes Park after our tour in RMNP

Cameron Pass Sector: from top of Montgomery Bowl near Diamond Peak

After getting some much needed turns in on Sunday we returned to Golden to switch out splitty's for climbing gear.  We then spent Monday and Tuesday climbing Shelf in 60 degree weather.  Ha I even returned with a farmers tan!

Kristin on Once Upon A Time 5.11a

K on Gen X ation 5.11a

Pre rock wrestling concentration

Noteworthy Sends:

Gen X ation 5.11a

• OS

Next posts will include the following adventures: Costa Rica, followed by AK, then climbing somewhere, then a yurt trip in the San Juans of CO, then AK again:)

Hydrophobia - Shed Topsheet Snow Buildup

Lets pretend It's spring ski season and all those big lines you've been dreaming about all winter long are finally starting to come in.  Those big lines also bring warmer weather, ok ok so we usually welcome the warmer temps, however don't forget with the warmer temps also comes heavier / stickier snow.  If its not sticking to your skins rendering them nearly useless then its sticking / building-up on your darn topsheets, resulting  in you dragging more weight during the climb.

K2 has attempted to shed this build-up problem by  adding a hydrophobic material (SnoPhobic) to the topsheet of their BackSide line of ski.  (below is a snippet from the K2 website)


SnoPhobic Topsheet
Snow collecting on a ski can add weight to a climb. Our SnoPhobic tops keep you light with a new snow-repellent topsheet. The running surface along the bottom of a ski is hydrophobic by design, so we've developed a thinner version of the same material to use on the Back model-specific topsheets. Applying wax to the topsheet increases snow shedding performance.  


 As highlighted above K2 notes that the additional application of wax to their SnoPhobic topsheet may improve performance.  So what about your favorite liquid wax product for your car...

 


Thats right RAIN-X.  After a recent conversation with a buddy, I'm gonna give the inexpensive treatment a shot (4 ounce bottle similar to the one pictured runs ~ 4.00).  It was developed for car windshields and works great at making rain bead up aiding in the clearing of water from your windshield.  One can only hope that treating your topsheet with RAIN-X will help keep snow off your sticks while touring.



If it ever snows here in CO ill give it a shot and post a review of this possible topsheet build-up eliminator