Touring Alaska near Turnagain arm.

[DarthMarkus]

I'm looking to get some skiing done in Alaska this year. My dad lives up there and I've been going up to visit him over the past 10+ years. Problem is I've been doing mostly annual trips in the summer/fall, and haven't really been around to see snowpack up close and personal. As my dad's gotten older, I've found myself a little more incentive to check on him more, and also play in the snow in addition to fishing.

Looking for some insight in regards to a few things:

Ideally, I would love to be up there when I can do both skiing and fishing. May seems like the most reasonable time to do that, but it sounds like there's some access to halibut. I'm slightly hesitant because I don't know what the access will look like in May vs. April. April seems pretty consistent in both snowpack and in terms of filling in the steeper, narrower terrain I would like to access. May timeframe I've had a little harder time researching.

Secondly, I would appreciate insight into the avy conditions typical of the April timeframe. My primary intention is to get into some technical terrain. But as much as I enjoy steep, challenging, pow-filled terrain, I keep it fairly conservative if things get sketchy. May is more appealing due to the solidified snowpack. But I also don't wanna ski in dirt or plants.

tl;dr: should I aim for May or April to access technical terrain while mitigating avy risk?

Lastly, the Turnagain arm is primarily where I've had my sights on as I've hiked a bit of it I the summer, but I would also consider some of the area around Seward. I just have a little less knowledge of that area. Hatcher pass is also a consideration.

Thanks in advance.

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[rockcreek]

Cnfaic.org


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[romeo tango]

we used to call april snow "The Shed"
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[HotSchmoo]

https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...-A-TRIP-REPORT

Heres some photos from turnagain n other locales. Sorry if that link doesnt work, i dont really know what im doing with any tech. Search with that link tho n you'll find it.

Coastal alaska is weird springtime. Too low elevation and everything gets warm and goes to shit. Elevation is key. Good time to do a mini expedition. Get high n stay high.

Turnagain might be your best bet. They're having a deep snowpack season.

Hatcher could be good. Way thinner and colder snowpack generally. Might be just bony in springtime though.

Seward area definitely gets the snow but access is difficult and beta is thin. Could be a good time to hit the Harding ice fields.

If it's a heavy snow year but a colder spring, summit lake can be good.

Anchorage front range can be good in late spring. Couloir skiing.

Or take the clue in elevation and get flown in somewhere up high and awesome and ski mountaineer some shit.

[HotSchmoo]

Sorry, more to the op's original question. You should probably go in May but expect to need to be at higher elevation.



Romeo i didnt know you'd spent time up there? When and where?

[STLHD]

Sounds like you're thinking saltwater fishing, but if not, keep in mind that the Kenai and some other streams (can't remember if parks highways streams so as well) close to trout fishing may 1 to early June. Freshwater king fishing picks up late may to early June. I think there'd be some kings in the salt earlier than that.

April seems like it's been a wild card almost every year in the ten years I've been here. May even more so. But, between Hatcher, the front range, and turnagain there's normally good skiing to be had into May.

[romeo tango]

.
'90-'05

i was a mule for the Black Cod Mafia
running bricks and chicks
out to Dutch and The Island

those were good times!
.

[dewam]

.
'90-'05

i was a mule for the Black Cod Mafia
!
.

Mmmm! Smoked Black Cod = Bacon of the Fish World

Weather is the key. If you don't want dirt/dog shit on your boots, it really limits your spring season. As mentioned above "shed season" requires you to pay attention. Turnagain has a very good avi center and lots of good reports to the observation page https://www.cnfaic.org/view-observations/ . The obs page used to be searchable if you really want to check when things have been shedding. Hatcher is getting snow and usually fills in a lot. What the fuck do you want halibut for?

[dewam]

Mmmm! Smoked Black Cod = Bacon of the Fish World
Hatcher is getting snow and usually fills in a lot.

Today's weather rap-up :
"COPIOUS SNOW WAS REPORTED UP IN HATCHER PASS, WHICH
HAS NOW BROKEN ITS 21 YEAR RECORD FOR MOST SNOW-WATER EQUIVALENT
IN A SNOW SEASON, AND THERE'S STILL MARCH THROUGH MAY TO GO!"
https://nwschat.weather.gov/p.php?pi...-NOAK48-PNSAFC

[DarthMarkus]

what the fuck do you want halibut for?

I have good stocks of red salmon in my freezer from the summer still that should last me till I go out in July to clean house again. I like halibut and rockfish for fish tacos though. Otherwise, I generally think that there are few fish that are as good as Sockeye for both taste and health.

Thanks for all the replies all, I think I'll probably head out end of April into May.



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[BFD]

Today's weather rap-up :
"COPIOUS SNOW WAS REPORTED UP IN HATCHER PASS, WHICH
HAS NOW BROKEN ITS 21 YEAR RECORD FOR MOST SNOW-WATER EQUIVALENT
IN A SNOW SEASON, AND THERE'S STILL MARCH THROUGH MAY TO GO!"
https://nwschat.weather.gov/p.php?pi...-NOAK48-PNSAFC

been following Hatcher. Huge year. I guess it was 21 years ago when we had a huge year and skied lines that were never in before and I never saw in again. May have to swing through this April.
OP if you get on that beater train to Wolf Creek stop by. I have a lot of halibut to eat in this next month.

[romeo tango]

..

.
is that a snag mark?
fish on the far right
.

[DarthMarkus]

.
is that a snag mark?
fish on the far right
.

Someone else's, not mine. I don't really mess around with that what with not being a local and all - I've watched fish and game take people's fishing poles and throw their fish back into the river too many times.

I usually just point the tip of my fly rod at the fish and lock my line any time I foul one.

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[HotSchmoo]

Today's weather rap-up :
"COPIOUS SNOW WAS REPORTED UP IN HATCHER PASS, WHICH
HAS NOW BROKEN ITS 21 YEAR RECORD FOR MOST SNOW-WATER EQUIVALENT
IN A SNOW SEASON, AND THERE'S STILL MARCH THROUGH MAY TO GO!"
https://nwschat.weather.gov/p.php?pi...-NOAK48-PNSAFC

Wow, that's remarkable about Hatcher. Only skied there twice while i lived in Girdwood. Bit of a haul. snow both times.