Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 52

Thread: TR: A to the K

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    JH
    Posts
    468

    TR: A to the K

    Although I have been in semi-retirement from TGR, I have been persistently nagged over the last couple weeks for pictures from a trip to AK in February. So, this TR is for all my naggers.

    KB made his annual trip from the land of the rising sun, and was not about to have a repeat of last year, where he somehow got skunked by snow in Jackson. Since it has decided not to snow south of the 42 parallel this year, I met up with him in Seattle, with our new new plan being a tour up to Whistler, across to Revvy, Roger's Pass, Kicking Horse, Banff, Whitewater, and Red Mountain, throwing him on a plane in Spokane. Initially, our new new plan seemed to be very intelligent, as we hit the tail of the storm flow through the Cascades. Unfortunately, it then chose to go bluebird for the next 3 weeks. Which made for beautiful views:

    And great skintrack scenery:

    Along with bluebird pow:

    But once we reached Canuckistan, we started getting concerned. While beautiful:

    We were starting to feel lucky to get 3 centimeters on the snow report:

    We did our best to overcome 1 cm snow reports:

    But, seriously Whistler. 1 cm? Can't you spell Trace?

    These powder levels were wholly unacceptable.

    So, fuck it, Dude. Let's go bowling.

    This turned out be a good decision.

    There was storm skiing. Lots of storm skiing.

    And then we woke up to sun.

    When this is the snow report, you can be fairly certain that something good is about to happen.

    This is something good happening (KB needs a red helmet):

    By 4 pm, the mountain was totally tracked out. It really started to suck:

    So we decided to stretch our legs...

    There was powder to be had

    And sprayed

    Before heading back to the hut.

    Where we found the powder goods.

    Both while meadow skipping,

    And when not so meadow skipping.

    For all of you sick of the gray pictures with flat light, we heard a weather window might be coming, so it was time to pile into the truck and start driving...
    Last edited by telelebowski; 03-14-2012 at 07:53 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    JH
    Posts
    468
    We were not going to Fairbanks.

    We arrived late at night. When I woke up in the morning, this was the view. I believe my exact words on encountering this view were: "What in the name of fuck is happening?"

    The Brother even made it up for the special occasion. He did not forgot his poles, he just claimed he did not need poles while skinning. Until he borrowed my pole.

    The views were ridiculous.

    Just ridiculous.

    And then it was time to ski.

    I am still confused how The Brother monoskis sideways.

    But he seemed to enjoy his new splitboard.

    There were faceshots.

    Lots of faceshots.

    In fact, they all were faceshots.

    Was it really this deep?

    Yes.

    Our only instructions to The Brother were to stay out of the chasm. Somewhat shockingly, The Brother did not ride or fall into the chasm.

    KB with the clouds rolling in below.

    The next day was -10, to so we decided to skin in the sun.

    More ridiculous views:

    Traversing wind-hammered sastrugi death crust, reliving boyhood memories of Colorado...

    The Brother all hyped up like a spider monkey on Diet Mountain Dew:

    But with the sunset came reports of a Blizzard Warning in Effect for Turnagain Pass, time to head out and chase that storm. Au revoir, but not goodbye Valdez,
    Last edited by telelebowski; 03-14-2012 at 08:32 PM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    JH
    Posts
    468
    There are no pictures from the next day with Wendigo, aka The Tasmanian Devil, at Alyeska destroying 28" of blower pow because it took everything in our being to just keep up with him, much less stop for pictures. Wendigo should not be allowed on chairlifts. After a day of recovery, we headed out for more pow and the occasional ray of sunshine.
    If Wendigo were breaking trail, we fucking could have reached the moon.

    Powder.

    Tracks.

    Alaska is good.

    KB's helmet.

    There is a lesson to be learned here. And that lesson is: If you can go to Alaska, you should always go directly to Alaska.


    As a final note, we will miss you Steve.
    Last edited by telelebowski; 03-14-2012 at 08:54 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    A Chamonix of the Mind
    Posts
    3,656
    Reserved for a kick to your nut sack.
    "Buy the Fucking Plane Tickets!"
    -- Jack Tackle

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    JH
    Posts
    468
    What would Jack Tackle say?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    907
    Posts
    2,003
    Ahhhh, love seeing the AK tr's. I swear it's the most beautiful place on earth (well in the USA for sure).

    Thanks for sharing the stoke.
    ‎"Powder snow skiing is not fun. It's life, fully lived, life lived in a blaze of reality." -Dolores LaChapelle

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    JH/AK/Los Andes
    Posts
    2,678
    Holy boner town.
    "The idea wasnt for me, that I would be the only one that would ever do this. My idea was that everybody should be doing this. At the time nobody was, but this was something thats too much fun to pass up." -Briggs
    Quote Originally Posted by LeeLau View Post
    Wear your climbing harness. Attach a big anodized locker to your belay loop so its in prime position to hit your nuts. Double russian Ti icescrews on your side loops positioned for maximal anal rape when you sit down. Then everyone will know your radness
    More stoke, less shit.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Spokane/Schweitzer
    Posts
    6,741
    Sick, just sick. Thinking about a trip up in about 4 weeks...not sure the wifey is so cool with this but looking at this TR might just be the straw that breaks the deal. Damn!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    denver
    Posts
    1,863
    Leaving for BC in the morning and I hope to score like this trip.
    I can't believe you are a rando racer because I look so much better in Lycra than you.

    People who don't think the Earth is flat haven't skied Vail.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    San Francisco
    Posts
    212
    one word..... AMAZING!

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    3,173
    Two more: Fuck yeah!
    "The skis just popped me up out of the snow and I went screaming down the hill on a high better than any heroin junkie." She Ra

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Cascades
    Posts
    666
    STOKED! TR of the year?
    Well done, sir. Well done

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    North Vancouver/Whistler
    Posts
    13,985
    redonkulous.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    la la land
    Posts
    5,801
    Nice fuckin' TR. Done proper!
    `•.¸¸.•´><((((º>`•.¸¸.•´¯`•.¸.•´¯`•...¸><((((º>

    "Having been Baptized by uller his frosty air now burns my soul with confirmation. I am once again pure." - frozenwater

    "once i let go of my material desires many opportunities for playing with the planet emerge. emerge - to come into being through evolution. ok back to work - i gotta pack." - Slaag Master

    "As for Flock of Seagulls, everytime that song comes up on my ipod, I turn it up- way up." - goldenboy

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Sweden
    Posts
    325
    YES! Thank you! Now I wanna go to Valdez even more, good thing I'm driving there in two days!
    If you're being rad and nobody's around to see it, are you really being rad?

    www.simonblide.blogspot.com

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    arcata
    Posts
    1,256
    Cheers to that TR. Well done
    whatever I feel like i what to do!

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    AK
    Posts
    937
    "You make a hell of a caucausian" seems like an appropriate quote here.

    Way to get after it.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    5,722
    un semi-retire. that was awesome. send a link to the AK chamber of commerce

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    The wrong side of the Atlantic, the wrong side of the Channel...
    Posts
    106
    Looks like a great trip - very jealous. Thanks for posting!

  20. #20
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Juxtaposition
    Posts
    5,733
    Jesus fucking christ

    Life is not lift served.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Live Free or Die
    Posts
    2,093
    Yes, yes indeed. My decision to go to AK has been made.
    Dollar sign that bitch.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    East Coaster
    Posts
    385
    outstanding TR. After a fishing trip there with a local last year i'm pretty sure i'll be calling on him to ski sometime soon.
    great photos too!
    I like chicks who ride. Especially if they're cyclists.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Denver, Co.
    Posts
    1,422
    thanks

    ...

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    1,266
    Wow. Wow. What am I doing with my life? Thank you for shaming me and inspiring me all the same. wow.
    I demoed the TECH TALK JONG! pro model this spring and their performance was unparalleled which is good because I ski in a wedge most of the time - bendtheski, 2011

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Pico, VT
    Posts
    3,979
    yep... that's good
    "Whenever I get a massage, I ALWAYS request a dude." -lionelhutz

    "You can't shave off stupid." -lionelhutz

    "I was hoping for ice." -lionelhutz

    "It's simple science." -lionelhutz

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •