TR: Valdez 2013, in the tracks of those who went before

[StuntCok]

Every year a privileged few of us make the pilgrimage to what has become the proving ground of our sport, Valdez Alaska. For every one of us, it is a once-in-a-lifetime trip and the culmination of everything we have wanted to do and achieve in skiing. For some of us, that once-in-a-lifetime experience is something we need to repeat, time and again, if only to relive that moment we first were overwhelmed by the Chugach and feel that small again.

Amidst the grandeur of the surroundings it is too easy to forget those that broke the trail before us and made our dreams a possibility. I am one of the lucky ones who has been able to go back with almost the predictability of an addict but amidst the stoke and the TRs perhaps we began to forget who brought us to begin with. This year, the spirit of those who came before was too strong to ignore.

My first trip to AK was with Alkasquawlik, who was also heading to AK for the first time. We were accompanied by, amongst others, Billy Poole, who first taught me that a bong could be Macgivered out of items available in a standard motel room within 5 mins of arrival while we roomed for a time there. Early in our stay, before skiing our first Alaskan lines, Doug Coombs passed away in France and the impact on the small skiing community gathered in Valdez was, well, nothing short of mountainous. We attended Doug's wake in the parking lot of Valdez Heli Ski Guides, presided over by Theo Meiners and amongst the ruins of the old Tsaina Lodge.

Doug, Billy and Theo are no longer with us but their spirit lives on. It so happens that this years pilgrimage coincided with the anniversary of Doug's passing. Again I found myself at a wake but this time it was in the parking lot of Theo's Rendevous lodge, where his life and contribution to the Chugach was also celebrated



But, as Doug, Billy, Theo and all who went before would have wanted, the show must go on and on it went. Indeed, in my now 10 or so weeks in Alaska, never had I been blessed with better conditions. Cold storms the week before had left almost a meter of blower, Hokkaido style powder that settled quickly enough for us to have 6 days of straight steep powder skiing. Indeed, I encountered a problem I never expected to in Valdez; the white room. More than a few times, we had to interrupt epic (and I don't throw that word around lightly) runs in order to get our bearings..



Though blower snow does for excitement make when you are about to be the first crew to drop Meteorite for the season



Though there still are some reservations when dropping a line like Meteorite, especially when your husband is there to complain to. "We are going, where?"



Others resort to tom-foolery to break the tension at the top of big line



But in the end there is only one way down



And then you can brag at the end

"My balls retreated THIS much into my stomach when I dropped that line"


For me, the highlight of the trip, and possibly my ski life, was when guide, Jeff Zell, asked me if I wanted to drop The Wall solo, as my group was a little burned at the time. Dropped at the top of a 55degree pitch spine face alone, with all the solitude that can only be found at the top of the world, with blower deep snow sloughing on either side of me, reminding me of the seriousness of it all but also coaxing me on and forward... I will never forget that moment.

The wall from the Heli


Another memorable marque line was Ice Cube. To get a sense of scale, if you look closely, you can see guide Dylan Reed at the bottom and if you look even closer, you can see our "fearless" leader, Belkin, somewhere mid run...



In the spirit of Doug Coombs, who apparently has taken a dump on most of Valdez's marque peaks, or at the very least necessitated by last night's tequila, I left my own mark at the top of Pyramid...





But it wasn't just about big lines and big dumps, it was about skiing















and continuing our own traditions, one that I helped pioneer in Antarctica, did again in Svalbard, and brought to Valdez- the V-Thread Vodka Luge in the now refurbished Tsaina lodge. To this day, it is the only practical application I have found for my ice screw but I still consider it as important as my harness and leatherman....



At the end of our trip, guide Jeff Zell paid homage to another who went before us, his brother ski legend Jimmy Zell, who left us in 2010. Here you can see Jimmy's ashes on the Alaskan snow



To be scattered into the Chugach by our ride home



So here is to you Doug, Billy, Theo, Jimmy and all those who made it possible for those such as myself, who could only climb to such heights in your ski tracks. Until next year, my friends.

The Crew

[StuntCok]

PS. If you are interested in skiing Mustang Powder Lodge over NY with this crew, we are keen to fill a cat with similar minded people

[adimmen]

That looked indescribably good. I'd love to join if you ever need another for a heli trip.

[Incompetent Boob]

Actually, that looks shit. The low-vis meadow skipping we did in the first week was heaps better
At first I was thinking, wtf? Why didn't you break out the ice screw earlier. Thinking about it more, I'm glad you didn't, probably would have ended me.

[up an down]

thanks stuntcok..great pics, heartfelt words

[Slaag Master]

yay!!!!!

[Tye 1on]

thanks for that HOF TR-great tribute-

[grskier]

great stuff..

[whitewoodchuck]

Great Stuff!!!

[LightRanger]

KAbOOM.

Awesome dude. Thanks.

[Notchtop]

Very rad. Great TR.

[plugboots]

Great pics, fun place.

[davieboot]

Awesome TR, great tribute, nice work.

[mc_roon]

great trip and photos!

[Mike Pow]

Crack 'a' lackin

[goldenboy]

top notch

[panchosdad]

Thank You!

[Shredhead]

Who ended up filling the spot?

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...on-THE-private

[GoldMember]

Nicely done tribute and fitting memorial TR. All the boys were looking down on you in order to give you conditions fitting of your theme. Well done.

[Franz Klammer]

Guess Jimmy missed out while he was whining about his foot

[smmokan]

I wish I could take a "once in a lifetime trip" every year too.

[GoldMember]

I wish I could take a "once in a lifetime trip" every year too.

Heh..... I've been doing my 'once in a lifetime' trip (as I told my wife) for the past 12-13 years, sometimes twice or three times in a year. Funny how those tend to creep up on you.