2015 - 2016 AK Conditions & Stoke Thread

**Mike_Records** · 02-19-2016, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by homemadesalsa

I sent you a PM with my email address for when you get a moment to send photos.

Sent an email your way

**Mike_Records** · 02-19-2016, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by akdusty

Love your work Mike! Here's some of my own...

Thanks akdusty, and thanks for sharing the stoke! God that looks fun!

**subtle plague** · 02-20-2016, 06:23 AM

Hey AK maggots,
I've been lurking in this thread for a while because of the nice pictures.

I will be coming your way in March. After a week in Cordova with Points North Mrs. Plague and me are going to hang out in AK in a RV from March 13th to April 3rd. We are probably going to tour and you seem know know where to go, soo I thought I just announce myself int his thread

. Any areas beside Thompson pass I should visit or any areas you would recommend? (In the greater Anchorage, Girdwood, Valdez, Turnagain area) Or, if you say you can show us around at your local spot we would greatly appreciate it

We know what we do in the backcountry and should be good with day tours up to 1500m vertical endurancewise.

btw. If one of you can solve my ABS activation unit problem in Tech Talk I would be very thankful as well.....

**dewam** · 02-20-2016, 08:45 PM

subtle, if you don't mind hanging with team geriatric around Turnagain, I am familiar with conditions. PM if no-one steps up and things get closer. Den

**subtle plague** · 02-21-2016, 05:57 AM

cool will do, geriatric sounds great

. we fly into anchorage on the 29th and want to hang around turanagain or alyeska or hatcher (assuming my geography skills are right and they are all fairly close

) until march 4th when we fly to Cordova. I'll shoot you a PM. I guess it will be during the week and only a short time frame, but maybe when we come back from Cordova.

We probably hang around Anchorage on March 1st trying to get guidebooks and US 2 Way radios (because over here we we are only allowed 500 milwatt ones, which suck). and want to ski march 2nd/3rd

**Mike_Records** · 02-22-2016, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by subtle plague

Hey AK maggots,
I've been lurking in this thread for a while because of the nice pictures.

I will be coming your way in March. After a week in Cordova with Points North Mrs. Plague and me are going to hang out in AK in a RV from March 13th to April 3rd. We are probably going to tour and you seem know know where to go, soo I thought I just announce myself int his thread

. Any areas beside Thompson pass I should visit or any areas you would recommend? (In the greater Anchorage, Girdwood, Valdez, Turnagain area) Or, if you say you can show us around at your local spot we would greatly appreciate it

We know what we do in the backcountry and should be good with day tours up to 1500m vertical endurancewise.

btw. If one of you can solve my ABS activation unit problem in Tech Talk I would be very thankful as well.....

Awesome! Cordova is a special place, and unreal skiing when the weather lines up. I can't even imagine how much snow the Points North heli zones have received this year.

Hit me up when you are around for conditions update/tour ideas!

**subtle plague** · 02-23-2016, 04:46 AM

Our RV trip starts March 13th. We've just booked the RV. So if you have any tipps or places we should go, I'd be happy about any info I can get

We'll be around until april 2nd and have to be back in ANC by April 3rd.
you do'nt have any Ideas concerning the ABS activation Units either, do you?

edit: and mike: I tried to get into the facebook group ak backcountry ski addiction.... since you are one of the admins, it would be cool if you could get Chuck u. farley into the group. Maybe there someone can help with my abs problem.

thanks

**dewam** · 02-24-2016, 11:23 AM

subtle, let conditions/weather decide where you go. Some links to keep you up on both.
http://www.cnfaic.org/
http://www.valdezavalanchecenter.org/category/forecast/
http://hatcherpassavalanchecenter.org/
http://www.mountainweather.com/index...alaska_weather
The first three are straight forward, The mountainweather site has links to just about every forecast. snotel, and data site, but takes some clicking around to find what works for you. Den

**ak_powder_monkey** · 02-24-2016, 12:55 PM

I'm going heli skiing in Juneau.

Holy shit, maybe I'm adulting or something weird.

subtle... would be more than happy to go touring with you on a weekend towards the end of the month or early april. Also, Ski AK should have your abs stuff. $40 exchanges.

**Mike_Records** · 02-24-2016, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by subtle plague

Our RV trip starts March 13th. We've just booked the RV. So if you have any tipps or places we should go, I'd be happy about any info I can get

We'll be around until april 2nd and have to be back in ANC by April 3rd.
you do'nt have any Ideas concerning the ABS activation Units either, do you?

edit: and mike: I tried to get into the facebook group ak backcountry ski addiction.... since you are one of the admins, it would be cool if you could get Chuck u. farley into the group. Maybe there someone can help with my abs problem.

thanks

I agree with Den, let conditions/weather decide where you go.

About the AK backcountry group, the mods like some evidence that those who have requested an add actually ski, your facebook is quite locked down, so they can't tell. Check your message requests on FB.

**subtle plague** · 02-28-2016, 09:09 AM

thanks for the tipps guys. I have been checking the different avi reports for the last few weeks. We will be hanging out in Girdwood for the first three days (march1st-4th) until our flight to Cordova so we hope for a weather window Tuesday until Thursday to tour Turnagain or maybe go to the ski area on Tuesday depending on weather.

I also found out about Ski AK thanks so we will get our stuff there.

So if anybody is out there , we would be happy to join you guys. I think there might actually be some sunny spells in between.....but hey I don't know anything about AK weather I just check the models

btw. do you think REI has some books or maps of the different touring areas? I mean cluelessness seems to be a great trait in the leading republican presidential candidate, but I like to know where I'm going

I defintely want to get the thompson pass guidebook. Are there any others worth buying?

edit: I made it into the facebook group after convincing them that I am real!

**BFD** · 02-28-2016, 12:34 PM

Matt kinney thompson pass guidebook is handy but not necessary. No other guide book worth buying.

**ak_powder_monkey** · 02-28-2016, 12:42 PM

The Alaska Factor by Joe Stock is good to figure out which parking lots to park in.

**BFD** · 02-28-2016, 12:55 PM

That book is not worth buying

**Chugachjed** · 02-28-2016, 06:23 PM

My official review of the alaska factor is meh

**Chugachjed** · 02-28-2016, 06:24 PM

https://www.cnfaic.org/img/TurnagainMap.pdf

**subtle plague** · 02-28-2016, 10:05 PM

Ah thanks for the map I had not seen it it on the website.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using TGR Forums

**Nordic Giant** · 02-29-2016, 03:17 AM

The CNFAIC had some aerial photos on their website of the turny area, not sure if they're still there.
Yeah, Joe's book was disappointing, though it could come in handy for an outsider.

There is another guidebook for the Valdez area which is actually focused on steep skiing. I think you can find a link for it on the Valdez Avalanche Center website. Or try www.jagostreet.com. Aaron Brown's old blogsite. Book is slim but packs a good punch.
Matt Kinney's book gives a good overview if you haven't been to the area.

**Nordic Giant** · 02-29-2016, 03:29 AM

Yo Mike BTW
I was thinking that alot of SC AK folks would like to hear some more detailed thoughts on your day on Goldpan.
Not trying to get in your face; I say that with all due respect in case it's an issue. . .

**Mike_Records** · 02-29-2016, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by subtle plague

I defintely want to get the thompson pass guidebook. Are there any others worth buying?

The Alaska Factor is definitely worth buying for you, it is a great starting point. AKPM and ChugachJed grew up here, so they don't need it. BFD has a personal beef with the author, and hence rips on the book.

**Mike_Records** · 02-29-2016, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by Nordic Giant

Yo Mike BTW
I was thinking that alot of SC AK folks would like to hear some more detailed thoughts on your day on Goldpan.
Not trying to get in your face; I say that with all due respect in case it's an issue. . .

Hey there Nordic Giant, I'd be happy to discuss it more. What would you like to know?

**BFD** · 02-29-2016, 01:38 PM

I thumbed through the guide book and was not impressed. It was more of like I skied here and here I am an expert on AK here is what you need to know. I found nothing interesting in it such as history. I did not like his approach to cover much of the state in one book. On the personal note yes I do not think much of the author. When someone claims to be the first to do something and uses it to market themselves they should at least validate their claim. When he does not even bother to research his claims I lose some respect. I skied something in Valdez the other day and was researching the name. I got a link to the author's web site. He was claiming to be an expert on Valdez. Pathetically he was spelling Dimond as Diamond. What can you say about someone who is an expert and can not read a topo map or explain to a client the mountain is named after an Alaska territorial judge as is the state courthouse.

**subtle plague** · 02-29-2016, 02:45 PM

Thanks for all the info. Cheers from Seattle airport.

**bigAK** · 03-01-2016, 12:20 PM

Woah, haven't checked in on this thread all winter - a sign of too many fine turns I suppose. Will be interesting to check out how turnagain is adjusting in our little weather window before the weekend hits.

Mike, thanks for your avy write up, and really all the work you put into churning out reports. It's been neat to follow your adventures throughout the winter in various forms. I wonder (just a suggestion) if you would consider working with Zack to get an avalanche report into the press newspaper sometime soon. It's been a scary, though not necessarily surprising, week or so in the front range as well, Judging by some of the news this winter as well as some general observations of people and parties in the backcountry, I think there's some room for improvement in risk assessment out there, Or people just have a much higher tolerance and different priorities than I do...anyway I was thinking that the press might reach some folks that wouldn't necessarily go looking for the information on their own.

As a heads-up to folks that are heading north this time of year: You can get a free ticket to alyeska with a same-day boarding pass (AK Air, maybe others?) Mon-Fri.

**Mike_Records** · 03-01-2016, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by BFD

such as history.

A history section would be very cool.

Originally Posted by bigAK

Woah, haven't checked in on this thread all winter - a sign of too many fine turns I suppose. Will be interesting to check out how turnagain is adjusting in our little weather window before the weekend hits.

Mike, thanks for your avy write up, and really all the work you put into churning out reports. It's been neat to follow your adventures throughout the winter in various forms. I wonder (just a suggestion) if you would consider working with Zack to get an avalanche report into the press newspaper sometime soon. It's been a scary, though not necessarily surprising, week or so in the front range as well, Judging by some of the news this winter as well as some general observations of people and parties in the backcountry, I think there's some room for improvement in risk assessment out there, Or people just have a much higher tolerance and different priorities than I do...anyway I was thinking that the press might reach some folks that wouldn't necessarily go looking for the information on their own.

As a heads-up to folks that are heading north this time of year: You can get a free ticket to alyeska with a same-day boarding pass (AK Air, maybe others?) Mon-Fri.

Thanks for the input and feedback bigAK, I'll bounce some ideas off Zack this week about an article in the Anchorage Press.