Alaska Gurus

Ski to Sea Alaska – A Prince William Sound Ski Cruise

It’s not everyday that you get the chance to backcountry ski in a new place – to put in a fresh skin track, stand on top of a peak likely to have never seen another soul, and then carve virgin lines into a blank canvas of snow.  From the bottom, you stare up at your descent with awe– wanting nothing more than to search out that next untouched run.

In the spring of 2011 and again in 2012, Alaska Alpine Adventures embarked on exactly that type of journey – one of uncharted backcountry runs, amazing accommodations aboard the Discovery (a luxurious 65’ working yacht), and the spectacular scenery of Alaska’s Prince William Sound and the Chugach Mountains that can only be experienced from the water.  In 2012 we were joined by friends new and old, including 3 longtime guests – Russian expats Nik Koblov and Denis Osipov, and Mark Stevens, joining us for his 12^th Alaska Alpine Adventure.  Also on board was photographer and writer Kate Siber, looking to make fresh turns and document the adventure for a feature in Backcountry Magazine.

Day’s on the boat were pretty simple:  Get up, eat an amazing breakfast, ski new lines on untouched snow, return to the boat, eat dinner, and get enough sleep to be ready to repeat it all the next day.  Seems like a pretty simple recipe for success.  Alaska Alpine Adventures owner Dan Oberlatz and guide Bryan Caenepeel were tasked with the job of searching out the goods, a skill that comes naturally to guys that feel more at home in the mountains than anywhere else.   Needless to say, they found exactly that – big lines on enough terrain to never ski the same run twice.

Now fast-forward 8 months.  As any snow enthusiast can tell you, its time to get the winter stoke on.  Winter’s here in Alaska, and there’s nothing that gets the stoke-meter up more than an article describing days filled with fresh backcountry turns and nights aboard a luxurious floating ski chalet.  Kate’s article said it all; “…an all-you-can-eat buffet of powder lay untouched at my ski tips.  In front of such abundance, it’s easy to forget anyone else exists.”  Still not convinced, take a look at some amazing images from the trip – I’ll bet your mind drifts to thoughts of skiing the goods in AK, and to heading north this spring to see for yourself!

Definitely grab a copy of the November issue of Backcountry Magazine– it’ll surely get your powder stoke up, and you just may find yourself signing up for the 2013 Ski to Sea Alaska – perhaps the coolest backcountry skiing adventure on the planet!

The trip was guided by Aaron Fetter, the General Manager of Alaska Alpine Adventures. My husband and I, Mark and Joan Strobel, did the climb with Aaron. Our ascent of Mount Martin was on June 27, 2012. We came in from Angle Creek valley via Windy Creek to get to the glacier leading to Mount Martin.

We didn’t think that we’d get to do the ascent because weather checks at 5:00 and 6:30 showed a gray sky with a low ceiling. By 7:00, we saw a line of blue sky approaching from the west. By 9:30, the sky was clear, with warm sun streaming over us. Most of the route was roped glacial travel on snow. There was a small area of volcanic debris and talus that we crossed beneath the cone of the summit, but except for that segment, even the final steep ascent to the rim was on good-quality snow. The skies remained clear until 13:00. Marine stratus and various evaporation clouds gradually filled in much of the sky by 16:00, but the weather remained benign all day. Originally, the wind was blowing the volcano plume away from our ascent route, but after 13:00, the sulfurous plume was blowing in our direction.

In addition to the crater fumaroles, at least three active fumaroles were seen on the triangular-shaped “peak” below the summit cone on the northeast side of Mount Martin during our ascent. The final summit cone was very steep and snow covered. The snow on the entire final summit cone was tinged yellow from sulfur depositing from the crater fumaroles. As we plodded to the summit, brown rock suddenly emerged from the white fog of cloud from the fumaroles – the rim! Wet, warm mud signaled snow melted by the hot plume of gases emerging from Martin. We heard the primordial sound of the fumaroles blasting through the acid lake somewhere in the fog below. Staring over the edge into nothingness, a steep cliff fell off into the abyss. The roar and burbles of the fumaroles were clearly heard. As we stood on the rim, we were hit by a blast of sulfur-laden air from the abyss, which immediately induced coughing and a burning sensation in our throats. Later, we even tasted sulfur on our lips. We quickly descended back down the yellow snow and then worked down past the steep talus slopes and on back to our camp.

Aaron measured a gain of 3,700 feet for our ascent and a total round-trip distance of 9 miles from 9:30 until 17:45, with two short breaks on the ascent and one longer break on the descent.

Awesome!

©Dan Oberlatz

As I was sifting through images to feature for the March photo of the month, I discovered an unedited folder of pictures taken during an amazing Alaska backpacking trip into Katmai National Park in 2009.  While I hadn't forgotten about the trip (it was incredible), I had misplaced the folder of images - something any of us with a digital camera and a computer definitely understands.

I got this shot in the Brooks River of Katmai and close to the world famous Brooks Camp.  If you've ever seen a photograph of a brown bear standing near a waterfall and feeding on salmon, there's a 90% chance that it was taken at Brooks Falls.  Brooks is a place where salmon, bears, and people meet each year for one of earth's greatest wildlife spectacles. On peak days in July, there will be 30 plus bears feeding at the falls as over 200 people shift shoulder to huge camera lens, safely perched on elevated platforms above the show.  While one would never call it a wilderness experience, it's certainly one of a handful of places on the planet where a visitor can, at very close range, participate in an intimate gathering of brown bears and wild salmon.

On this particular day in July of 2009, a lone wolf fed right along side a dozen brown bears, each 10 times her weight. Interestingly enough, they paid her no mind, even though she appeared more adept at snatching the agile sockeye salmon than some of the local congregation. She fished as if she'd be tutored by the bruins themselves.

At one point, the wolf began to strut downstream along the south bank of the Brooks River.  I took notice, pushed my way through the crowd, and hustled down the elevated boardwalk toward the lower platform about 100 yards downstream. To my amazement, the lower viewpoint was completely vacant, and as the wolf came off the grassy bank and into the river just upstream of the deck, I had just enough time to snap this photograph. So goes the magic of Katmai.

Thanks again for following Alaska Alpine Adventures.  Look for us on Facebook or on Twitter- @AlaskaGurus. We've been more diligent about posting current happenings and trip videos on these social media platforms, so if you can't wait for the next photo of them month, then check us out there.  You can also visit our Alaska Gurus Blog for past photos of the month and other AK rants.  As always, we promise not to inundate your email boxes with anything other than a monthly Alaska pick-me-up!

The 2012 season is certainly here, and starting with one of the coolest alaska adventure trip out there. IFMGA certified Alaska guide Joe Stock and 3 guests from France have just begun their 12 day Alaska adventure - backcountry skiing in the Neacola Mountains of Lake Clark National Park on our Alaska Ski Mountaineering adventure.  For the next 10 days, they'll be learning the skills necessary to travel safely in glacier country, manage avalanche terrain, and how to survive and thrive in a winter environment deep in the heart of the mountains.

The plan for the trip is to spend the first 5-6 days at a base camp, focusing on skills including glacier travel, avalanche awareness, efficient ski touring, and winter camping.  They'll spend their days ascending into the high country in search of stable snow, moderate slopes, and untracked powder - I don't think they're going to have a problem getting first turns where they're going.  We're confident they'll get their fair share of turns each day.

The second half of the trip will be dedicated to a backcountry ski traverse.  Each day they'll move camp in search of endless powder, hopefully completing a new circuit through the remote Neacola mountains.

Here's a link to Dan's spot messenger, showing their drop off location just north of Lake Clark Pass.  It looks like a great place to dig in, establish a comfortable base camp, and get out for some turns.  As the northern lights display was amazing last night, we can only imagine the 4 of them, wide eyed, staring at the sky as nature provided them with the most amazing evening entertainment - it's even possible that they skied while blanketed in the green hues of this electric sky.

Here's a link to Dan's spot messenger - follow along for the next few weeks as we watch they're progress.

http://fms.ws/7EvRg/60.86875N/152.77214W

Folks ask us all the time what we do in the winter.  While we dream of skiing 100 days a year, climbing when the ice is good, and going on plenty of adventure trips; the reality is that we spend most of the winter working on the next season’s Alaska tours.  From updating our website, working on marketing and chatting with potential guests, there are a whole slew of things that seem to eat up more than 40 hours a week.  I guess you could say it’s a full time job in the winter as much as it is in the summer.

That being said, we do get out in the mountains a respectable amount every winter.  Not as much as our guides may, but certainly a respectable amount!  While we offer a few Alaska adventure tours in the winter, including our (Ski to Sea backcountry ski trip) and there are plenty of people recreating, it seems like most travelers search out Alaska guides in the summer for a variety of adventure trips.

We’ve been really fortunate this winter with plenty of cold temperatures, record setting snowfall, and unbelievable stability in the winter snowpack.  This is a recipe for Alaska adventure.  In late February, Dan and I closed up shop on a Friday and headed north to Hunter Creek.  East of Palmer, Alaska – Hunter Creek is a tributary to the mighty Knik River, and offers some of the best and most accessible Alaska excursions and ice climbing near Anchorage.  After stopping to fuel up on coffee, we made the roughly 1 hour drive to the river.  We found perfect conditions for climbing: the river (and our route to the climbs) was frozen, there was a great trail already through the deep snow, and not a car in the parking lot.  We knew we’d have our choice of any of the climbs further up the canyon.

When we arrived at the climbs, we found fat ice conditions that were solid and safe.  We spent the better part of the day climbing and reveling in the quality of the Alaska adventure that you can find so close to Anchorage, Alaska’s biggest city.

We took a fair amount of video during the day, and condensed it into this two and a half minute show.  We wanted to thank GoPro and their Hero2 HD cameras for helping us capture the footage.  Also, we’d like to credit the Budos Band for the background music played during the film.

One of the largest investments you’ll make when preparing for an Alaska Alpine Adventure (besides the price of the adventure) is on the gear you’ll need.  We’ve spent over a decade paring down our list to the absolute essentials, not only to help save money, but to keep weight an bulk to a minimum.  As you know, wilderness travel in Alaska often requires a small airplane, and space and weight is always a crucial factor.

Over the years, we’ve received and answered many questions specific to the clothing listed in our equipment lists.  Here are some of the most common, and the answers we’ve provided for them.  Of course, we’re always available to answer your questions if you don’t see them here!

Choosing the right clothing for your adventure can be daunting given the number of outdoor clothing manufacturers and the variety of names for the items out there.  Here are a few common questions I’ve seen over the years:

Do I need gaiters?

Gaiters are nice.   If you have gaiters, I would bring them, but I wouldn’t necessarily run out and purchase them. If you do, don’t go overboard on them, unless you plan on using them a lot in the future.  I would recommend the OR Crocodile Gaiters or an equivalent.  The one exception to this rule is for our Valley Experience backpacking trip in Katmai National Park.  For this trip, Gaiters do a great job at keeping the pumice out of your boots during hikes.  This is one of the few trips we offer where I bring my gaiters.

What do you recommend for raingear?

Good rain gear is essential on any wilderness outing, and is probably the most important gear that you’ll have on your trip.  When shopping for gear for your trip, this is one of those items that I would spend a little bit extra.  Personally I like Gore-Tex and Event fabrics, as they tend to breath better than the coated nylon jackets.  While more expensive than the coated nylon, you’ll find them more comfortable to wear, and they seem to have a longer lifespan as well.

The nice part about a quality piece of rain gear is the versatility.  A solid Gore-Tex shell will work great for hiking, paddling and even around town in foul weather.  If you ski or do winter activities, you can layer under it, and it will be a bomber winter piece for you.

As for what raingear I would recommend – I’ve been a longtime fan of Gore-Tex fabrics, and have found that Arc’Teryx make some pretty nice shells. While rather expensive, they are well designed, lightweight and durable.  Of course, plenty of companies are using Gore-Tex and similar fabrics including Event, so really it comes down to fit, function, and how much you are willing to spend.

Could you explain your layering systems?

One of the most crucial decisions during outdoor activities is your choice of layers.  Basically, too few layers, and you’re cold and unhappy; too many layers and you’re sweating and unhappy.  So, the trick is to have the right layers, and to use them correctly.

The following is what I bring and how I use each layer.  This works pretty well for me, but you may need to tweak it a bit to get the right combination for you.

Here's what I bring for the top:

1.  Base layer (Patagonia Capilene 1) that I wear all of the time.  Short sleeved vs. long sleeved?  I almost never wear short sleeve layers in the wilderness.  I find that a long sleeved shirt is far more versatile, protecting my arms from the sun, the bugs and the morning chill.  If I get to warm, I simply roll up my sleeves.  Very few times have I wished for a short-sleeved shirt on a trip – but that’s just me.  If you opt to bring on, make sure you bring a long-sleeved shirt as well.

2.  Expedition weight pullover - This is my security shirt, for when it is cold or I need to layer up (I prefer the Patagonia R1 Hoody).  A lightweight fleece sweater or jacket would also work.  Seldom do I hike in this shirt, but its great around camp, on crummy cold days, or when I really need some warmth.

3.  Down jacket - This is my official evening-wear.  When I am hanging out in camp, cooking dinner, sitting by the fire etc.  Doubles as my pillow. There are many versions of this piece of gear - a heavy windstopper fleece jacket, a synthetic "puffy" jacket, etc.  This is a crucial piece of clothing, and can make all the difference on a cold day.

** If you are a super cold person, I would add a mid-weight shirt to wear over the base layer (Patagonia Capilene 2 would be perfect).

4.  Windshirt – This is perhaps my favorite piece of gear on trips.  A windshirt is a lightweight jacket that lives up to its name.  Put it on when the wind picks up, the chill is still in the air, or to keep the bugs off – it’s a great bonus piece that lives either in the top of my pack, or on my person.  I’ve been wearing the Marmot Driclime Windshirt for years, and haven’t found anything that even comes close.

For the bottom, I bring a similar set-up.

1. Synthetic hiking pants for daily use.  You can’t go wrong with a pair of lightweight nylon hiking pants for travel in the wilderness.  There are many versions on the market most of which are pretty reasonably priced.  Be sure to wear them a few times before heading to Alaska – you’ll want them to fit comfortably.  Be sure to try your pack on with them as well – little items such as pocket zippers and belt loops can be annoying after a long day under a pack waist belt.  I often choose a pant made of Scholler fabric, which tends to be a bit more durable, and has a bit more stretch to it.

**  If you’re considering bringing shorts to hike in, consider a pair of nylon pants with the zip off legs.  It’ll save you from bringing another piece of clothing.  I don’t often recommend hiking in shorts, as the low brush and potential bugs usually keeps me in my long pants.

2. Baselayer pants (Patagonia Capilene 1 or 2) to put under your hiking pants on cold days.

3. Expedition weight or fleece pants (I prefer the Patagonia R1 pants) for lounging in camp after a long day as well as for additional warm in my bag during the night.  I bring these all summer long.

What type of socks do you recommend?

This really comes down to personal preference, as well as what you find works best for you.  First and foremost, I can’t help but stress purchasing quality synthetic socks.  You’ll find they can run $15-$20 per pair, but it’s money well spent.  You’ll be spending the majority of your trip in them, and it’s not a place to save money.  There are many great brands out there, and I suggest trying a few on to find a pair that fits right for you.

We recommend bringing 4 pair of mid-weight hiking socks for any of our trips.  It’s a good idea to change out of your socks at night, and to have a few extra pairs, as they get wet from perspiration, rainy days, or the occasional puddle that’s a little deeper than it looked.  Also, liner socks are a great idea, and we recommend them to folks as a great way avoid blisters.  Not everyone prefers to hike with liner socks, so try the combination out with your boots before you start your adventure.

We also recommend Gore-Tex socks or Neoprene socks for our trips.  They offer a variety of functions, from keeping your feet dry during a shallow river crossing, keeping your socks dry while you are using your water shoes, and for keeping your feet and socks dry while you’re hanging around in camp. In fact, I think this is the best use for them – it keeps the early morning dew off of my socks when I’m still lounging around in my Crocs!

What’s the story on hat’s?

A comfortable brimmed hat is an essential piece of gear in the wilderness.  Not only does it keep the sun out of your eyes on a bright day, it protects your face from serious sunburn, keeps the bugs off your head and out of your hair, and keeps a steady drizzle from dripping down your face.

You’ll definitely want a fleece or wool hat/beanie.  As we loose the majority of heat from the top of our heads, an easy way to stay warm is to cover it up. Both fleece and wool work well – something that will cover your ears, and will stay warm when wet.

What type of gloves do you bring?

We get a lot of questions about gloves. No matter what time of year you travel in Alaska, having a couple of pairs of gloves handy can make a huge difference in comfort on a cold wet day.  First off, lightweight synthetic glove liners are great for hiking when its cool, hanging in camp, and keeping away bugs. These shouldn’t cost more than $20.  You’ll also want to have a pair of warmer gloves, either fleece or wool.  You want something that’s warmer than the liners, but not necessarily as thick as a pair of winter gloves.  Something that will keep your hands warm on a chilly day, especially if the temps dip down and the sun goes away.

Paddling Gloves?

If you’re doing a rafting or kayaking trip, I would highly recommend paddling gloves.  Paddling gloves are nice for chilly days, but often if the weather is nice, I paddle with no gloves at all.  Like the socks, they will keep your hands warm even when wet, so the closure on the wrist is not super crucial. They are not necessarily intended to keep the water out.  Any light to mid-weight glove should be fine, and I have even used neoprene fishing gloves with no issues.

The clothing items on our equipment lists have been refined over the years as we’ve watched gear change and improve.  We’ve worked diligently with our clients and guides to pare down the lists to the true essentials, in an effort to lighten packs and increase the enjoyment of our Alaska adventures!