Alaska: Land of the Brave, Home of the Free
By: Jeremy Jones | Sunday, March 23, 2008
Everything I have done up to this point was all for preparation, kind of a preseason. My 1st Goal every year is to make to AK healthy. My primary goal is to make home from AK healthy. Up until this point I keep things a bit more in check. Tension grows as my annual AK trip gets closer and I become more and more cautious making sure not to blow my AK season on something stupid.
Now that I am here I will yet another climb up the ladder. Jackson Hole, BC, Europe, etc. are great places to get strong but they do not have the rollovers, glaciers and steeps of Alaska. Unfortunately sunny skies seem hard to come by in AK these days and with a big storm on the horizon there was no time to warm up. The stability was good which allowed us to get into the mix instantly today.
Below are Long Photo Captions explaining each photo.
Photo 1
My two favorite things in life, the Ocean and the Mountains. Out one window is AK peaks, out the other AK fishing boats.
Photo 2:
This was my first look at the mountains and it reconfirms that Alaska is like nothing else on the planet. A lifetime of terrain around every corner. Mount Fareweather looms in the background and shows that we are just riding the foothills of the range.
Photo 3:
Dana Flare has been waiting a long time to for the opportunity to shoot in AK with TGR. He wasted no time showing why he is here. I was super impressed with his skills right out of the gate.
Photo 4:
Seth Morrison has been charging lines longer then almost anyone I know. It shows. He never gets flustered with roll overs, exposures, snow conditions etc. He is a true professional. Just tell him when to go and be prepared for anything once he drops in.
Photo 5:
The spine in the middle of the face was my 3rd run in AK. People always ask me if my riding is progressing. Three years ago I would not have stepped up to this line on my first day in Alaska. After sending this line I earned my “roll over” and “exposure”badge.
Photo 6:
This is the moment we all work all year for. To be standing on top of a blower spine wall in Alaska. It is a long road to this point and there are many people who would cut off their pinkie to be in Eric Roner’s boots right now. Eric is moments away from taking full advantage of the situation.
Why We Drop Cornices
By: Jeremy Jones | Friday, April 27, 2007
Why we drop Cornices...
The last five days have put my down day skills to the test. Reading, painting, photo clinics, scrabble, chess, cross country skiing, Yoga, poker, Frisbee golf on ski’s, hot tubbing, Swiss ball tricks, and looking at clouds pretending to know what they are doing.
The good news is the mountains have received significant amounts of new snow. The bad news is our stable avalanche conditions are long gone. Do to our constant cloud studying we were on it when the clouds lifted yesterday afternoon and gave us a view of the mountains and an opportunity to get back out there.
Going into the backcountry, especially after a big storm event, can be dangerous. One tool I use on a daily basis is TGR’s Five Red Flags.
New snow with in the last 24 hours
Sign of natural avalanche activity
Whoomping or settling of the snow pack
Rapid heating
Strong winds
So before even going into the mountains we had one Red Flag, new snow with in 24 hours. With in 20 minutes we had determined two more Red Flags, natural avalanche activity, and rapid heating. This is not all that uncommon, especially after a new storm so we continued on our normal protocol.
We picked a run that had a ridge lined with multiple small cornices with easy gaps that would allow us to isolate, cut and drop cornices onto the slope acting as a bomb. We started small and worked our way down the ridge dropping bigger cornices onto the main part of the slope. On the third one we released a small cornice that landed into the middle of the slope and triggered the whole slope to release. We all watched in awe as a class 2/3 avalanche roared into the valley. Unfortunately the exit of our line had a big slope above it that did not release. After multiple cornice bombs we could not get the hanging slope to release.
There is nothing I wanted more then to make a powder turn after five days in the lodge but without getting the hanging slope to release it was not going to happen. We ended up riding down the backside of the slope on windblown scower and with clouds building we called it a day.
The above account is a very common situation we deal with daily in the mountains. We say "no" a lot more than we say "yes" when it comes to riding the terrain you see in the movies. Note: Do not try dropping cornices with out proper training and always make sure there is no one on the slope below.
Check CONWAY'S CORNER for more info.
Dankville - Alaska
By: Jeremy Jones | Friday, April 20, 2007
There is a new world outside and it is leaving us all buzzing. My 1st impression was surreal and humbling. These mountains have a different look and feel than anything I have ever seen and although I am warmed up from my recent Haines session, my scale is way off. I have no idea how big or small airs are or if something is ride-able or not.
I am feeling really lucky to be calling this lodge, 150 miles from civilization and on the edge of the Alaska range, my home for the next 3 weeks. It is a nice change from Haines. There are probably more riders/film companies in Haines right now then anywhere else in the world. It is still one of my favorite places in the world but the solitude is gone.
The other factor is that I have ridden or looked at the vast majority of the range. I know what is around every corner and not knowing what is around the corner is a special feeling. It is that anticipation as you rise over a ridge or turn a corner, holding your breath, because you might be seconds away from seeing the best run of your life for the 1st time. That feeling is why you search. That feeling got me to Valdez, Haines, Tulsequah, and now the Alaska Range.
The hunt has officially begun. For the next 3 weeks my focus will hardly waiver these mountain. GPS coordinates, maps and photos will help the dissection process. Our playing field is the biggest yet and so may be the rewards.
Day 4 Welcome back Johan
By: Jeremy Jones | Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Day 4 Welcome back Johan (Olafson)
Today was a special day. The sun was still shining, the conditions were still good and we rode some great terrain but that had nothing to do with why I am so stoked. Today I got to ride with Johan for the first time in four years. Ironically it was two bowls over that I last saw Johan. He had tweaked his knee, left the field and when I got home he was gone.
I had some of my best days of my life with him so to see him back where he belonged felt good. His welcome back to the mountains was a little abrupt due to the fact that we were four days in and feeling pretty comfortable with blind rolls, exposure, etc.
We ticked of the remaining lines on our hit list and then ended the day with some mellower runs as the sun set. Just to see Johan bouncing off of every feature in front of him and work his board like no one else can was a refreshing sight. This will not be the last time I ride with him in these mountains.
A big storm is settling in over the mountains and with warmer temperatures in the forecast it is time to head north.
Day 3 Dr Seuss
By: Jeremy Jones | Thursday, April 12, 2007
Our last day out I scoped some mid elevation spines that looked good from far and that would probably hold up in the now vicious wind that has been shredding the range for two days.
Even though Haines broke a 50 year record in town with over 300 inches of snow the steeps are actually really thin because of the dry snow. The snow pack reminds me a lot of Europe or Jackson Hole. What looks like a small piece of pepper is actually a foot high dagger of rocks.
Upon closer look I could tell the snow was good but I still had questions about how boney the spines would be.
Dropping into my first line of the day I had a level of fear I have not felt all year do to the triple roll over and untested “super steeps.”
By being extra light and levitating through the cruxes I was able to do 3 laps on what I later called Dr Seuss because of the cartoon like terrain.
Finding terrain like this coupled with proper conditions is extremely rare. It is ironic that on a year when most of the spine lines are not in I stumbled across this wall that I have never remotely seen ridable and may never see again.
Dirty Dogleg
By: Jeremy Jones | Monday, April 09, 2007
Day 2 - Haines, AK
Feeling better about the snow conditions we picked it up a notch. My day started with gnarly ridge hike. The snow was so rotten that the only way to get up the ridge was to clean all the snow away and climb the rocks. It took me a half hour to go 100 yards. The reward was the first spines of the year for me as well as the first blind roll over. No matter how many times I point a blind roll over it still makes me want to puke. Overly amped to have successfully negotiated the upper part of the line I opened it up a bit and felt 5th gear for the first time this trip. My glory was short lived as I went over the bars trying to stomp a high-speed air. I had no idea how fast I was going until I found my self violently cart wheeling to the bottom of the line.
The wind became a big factor today and by the evening you could see huge plums of snow flying of the peaks. Standing on the ridges was blinding and freezing and trying to talk over the roar of the wind was impossible. Hopefully it does not do too much damage to the snow tonight. Cold, wind burned, tired, stoked.
Magnitude in AK
By: Jeremy Jones | Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Day 1 in AK
No matter how many phone calls are made prior to coming up to Alaska you never really know what the conditions are like until you get here. Once you are here there is no holding back with the snow reports. Horror stories of a full burial and numerous other major avalanches are recited to me before my bags are even off the plane.
After two days of playing poker and looking at weather maps the weather finally broke.The first day up here is always very humbling so we treaded lightly into the freshly coated mountains that had not seen a break in the weather for over two weeks.
With that in mind we stuck mostly to short and steep faces with good outruns and started the long process of gathering snow info and testing slopes by digging snow pits, dropping cornices, and cutting the slopes. Basically I consider the snow pack guilty until proven innocent and expect every slope I touch to slide.
As usually it was the billygoating around knife edge ridges and getting out of the Heli onto three foot wide ridges that dropped away into the abyss that had me the most puckered today. Once again I am so blown away at the magnitude of the mountains and the possibilities of potential lines that it leaves my head spinning and will make sleeping hard tonight. Sun is in the forecast for tomorrow so hopefully we can ramp up the riding a bit tomorrow.
Deepest, Darkest
By: Jeremy Jones | Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Micah Black, Mark Carter, Dylan Hood and myself just spent 10 days in
Northern BC at Skeena Heli. They have the 2nd biggest area of terrain
in the world and the best lodge I have ever been in. It snowed the
whole time we were there and unlike AK we could ride every day because
the trees had great snow and we could see. I have been very powder
deprived this winter so I was extra amped to be filling up my powder
quota with bottomless, blinding tree runs. Big thanks to the Bear Claw
Lodge Crew and are awrsome guide Jake.
~ Jeremy
A Ghee Gallery Pete O'Brien - Friday, May 16, 2008
Natural Terrain Park Pete O'Brien - Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Fresh Milk Pete O'Brien - Monday, May 12, 2008
Grand Targhee Magic Todd Jones - Sunday, May 11, 2008
Grand Targhee Super Session Todd Jones - Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Influence Pete O'Brien - Sunday, May 04, 2008
pow pockets, ak highlights Sage Cattabriga-Alosa - Thursday, May 01, 2008
AK Withdrawl Dana Flahr - Wednesday, April 30, 2008
heli wars Sage Cattabriga-Alosa - Monday, April 28, 2008
Haines beach Sage Cattabriga-Alosa - Monday, April 21, 2008
AK Mega Day! Jeremy Jones - Monday, April 14, 2008
Clean Up! Haines, AK Seth Morrison - Friday, April 11, 2008
Haines: 33 Mile Roadhouse Jeremy Jones - Friday, April 11, 2008
Late March Madness Rick Johnston - Thursday, April 03, 2008
Shooting at Home Eric Themel - Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Liquid Crunch Pete O'Brien - Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Winter Madness! Dana Flahr - Tuesday, April 01, 2008
In the field Sage Cattabriga-Alosa - Monday, March 31, 2008
Breakfast of Champs Pete O'Brien - Sunday, March 23, 2008
Alaska: Land of the Brave, Home of the Free Jeremy Jones - Sunday, March 23, 2008
Haines - Afternoon Glass! Josh Nielsen - Friday, March 21, 2008
Fun DOO Pete O'Brien - Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Alaska: Here We Go!! Todd Jones - Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Persistence Pays Off Steve Jones - Monday, March 17, 2008
Jeremy Jones Wins Big Mountain Pro Comp! Todd Jones - Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Fresh Shots Pete O'Brien - Monday, March 03, 2008
Juicy Fruit Pete O'Brien - Sunday, March 02, 2008
The Land of Portable Mailboxes! Todd Jones - Friday, February 29, 2008
Blue Skies and Broken Bones Rick Johnston - Monday, February 25, 2008
Kicking it French Style Pete O'Brien - Thursday, February 21, 2008
North Cascade Spine Spotting Todd Jones - Tuesday, February 19, 2008
North Cascade Heli continues to deliver! Sage Cattabriga-Alosa - Sunday, February 17, 2008
North Cascade Pillow Popping Todd Jones - Thursday, February 14, 2008
Rebates Pete O'Brien - Tuesday, February 12, 2008
The Darkness Never Goes... Todd Jones - Monday, February 11, 2008
Tahoe! Erik Roner - Monday, February 11, 2008
North West Helli good times Sage Cattabriga-Alosa - Saturday, February 09, 2008
Cutting it Close Rick Johnston - Thursday, February 07, 2008
Picture Perfect Pete O'Brien - Sunday, January 27, 2008
January Light Pete O'Brien - Thursday, January 24, 2008
Lights, Camera, Action Pete O'Brien - Thursday, January 24, 2008
DEEP in the Canadian backcountry Rick Johnston - Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Return of the Deep Todd Jones - Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Digital Postcards Pete O'Brien - Friday, January 18, 2008
What dreams may come Hot Tate - Thursday, January 17, 2008
The Hills are Alive Todd Jones - Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The Cameras are Rolling! Todd Jones - Sunday, January 13, 2008
Billabong Magic Todd Jones - Friday, January 11, 2008
Jackson Hole Goes off! Todd Jones - Friday, January 11, 2008
Flat Pow Pete O'Brien - Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Wolves & Coyotes Pete O'Brien - Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Whistler, eh? Erik Roner - Tuesday, November 27, 2007
P N Dub Shelley - Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Burlington Lost and Found Premiere Chris Germain - Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Early Season in Little Cottonwood Erik Roner - Monday, October 29, 2007
Lift Served Skiing in Colorado!! Seth Morrison - Thursday, October 25, 2007
Snow in the Tetons Dirk Collins - Wednesday, October 24, 2007
The Front Range Shelley - Friday, October 19, 2007
"The Meeting" ASPEN Hot Tate - Monday, October 08, 2007
Park City Lost and Found Premiere Chris Germain - Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Lost and Found Premiere Hot Tate - Monday, October 01, 2007
Bozeman Montana Lost And Found Premiere Lynsey Dyer - Friday, September 28, 2007
"Lost and Found" shipping now! Josh Nielsen - Thursday, September 27, 2007
End of an Era Dirk Collins - Monday, September 17, 2007
South America's September Swell Pete O'Brien - Tuesday, September 11, 2007
"Lost and Found" Edit Season Hot Tate - Thursday, August 23, 2007
Camp Jeep with Sage Dirk Collins - Thursday, August 23, 2007
A Strong Finish Pete O'Brien - Tuesday, June 05, 2007
In the bag Pete O'Brien - Thursday, May 31, 2007
alien planet Sage Cattabriga-Alosa - Friday, May 25, 2007
Inferior Potassium Pete O'Brien - Friday, May 18, 2007
Sending it with Pastrana.... Erik Roner - Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Assssspen Josh Nielsen - Monday, May 14, 2007
Getting Rad in AK Josh Nielsen - Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Marc Andre Pete O'Brien - Monday, May 07, 2007
Walk The Dogs Pete O'Brien - Thursday, May 03, 2007
Alaska is one of the funnest places to ride but... Sage Cattabriga-Alosa - Wednesday, May 02, 2007
TGR in Antarctica !! Chad Jackson - Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Why We Drop Cornices Jeremy Jones - Friday, April 27, 2007
Euro Roast Chris Bezamat - Thursday, April 26, 2007
My Beautiful Backyard Victoria Jealouse - Wednesday, April 25, 2007
What Planet are we on? Erik Roner - Sunday, April 22, 2007
Dankville - Alaska Jeremy Jones - Friday, April 20, 2007
Weekday Warriors Pete O'Brien - Thursday, April 19, 2007
Day 4 Welcome back Johan Jeremy Jones - Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Whistler Crew Victoria Jealouse - Monday, April 16, 2007
The European mountians are massive Sage Cattabriga-Alosa - Thursday, April 12, 2007
Day 3 Dr Seuss Jeremy Jones - Thursday, April 12, 2007
Jackson Hole Ends Season with a Bang Chris Dunn - Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Dirty Dogleg Jeremy Jones - Monday, April 09, 2007
Magnitude in AK Jeremy Jones - Wednesday, April 04, 2007
lost in Montucky Sage Cattabriga-Alosa - Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Avi Madness Victoria Jealouse - Monday, April 02, 2007
Decency in BC Dana Flahr - Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Hangin with the Canadians, eh. Erik Roner - Wednesday, March 28, 2007
JH Night Sessions with the Groms Chris Dunn - Friday, March 23, 2007
9 Year Old Colby Stevenson Hot Tate - Thursday, March 22, 2007
GROM Invasion Hot Tate - Wednesday, March 21, 2007
St Pattys in the Hole Chad Jackson - Monday, March 19, 2007
The Whistler Crew finds the goods Ian McIntosh - Monday, March 19, 2007
Photo Booth Erik Roner - Friday, March 16, 2007
It's frickin' roasting out here Frank Slaughter - Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Aurora Sage Cattabriga-Alosa - Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Where the Buffalo Roam Pete O'Brien - Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Kicking Horse, BC Seth Morrison - Tuesday, March 06, 2007
1st annual Tordrillo Lodge Photo Contest Todd Jones - Friday, March 02, 2007
Alta Freeride Pete O'Brien - Friday, March 02, 2007
It's frickin' freezing out here Frank Slaughter - Friday, March 02, 2007
Code Blue in Jackson Frank Slaughter - Thursday, March 01, 2007
Stuck in Pow Pete O'Brien - Thursday, March 01, 2007
Staying Fit at the Tordrillos Lodge Sage Cattabriga-Alosa - Thursday, March 01, 2007
Deepest, Darkest Jeremy Jones - Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Epic Powder Session In Northern B.C. Mark Carter - Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Exploring the Tordrillos Dana Flahr - Monday, February 26, 2007
The Remote Tordrillos Range of Alaska Dirk Collins - Friday, February 23, 2007