Valdez Ski Report – Little Odessey

Picking up the good vertical lately that’s for sure and today was no different with a couple inches yesterday with mostly cloudy overhead today. I like Little Odessey a lot mainly cause it’s the highest trailhead at 2700′.

Anyway with a stable and smothering snowpack over the north side, Harvey’s Ditch (Harvery Miller) has been a mainstay for my tele park terrain exposure over the years. At this time I don’t think I’ve seen a deeper, undisturbed snowpack on this route which typically has some exposed rocks, earthworks and multiple melt-freeze layers or slabs. 200cm easily long poled with no distinguishing layers of concern. Skied from the pass at the top under the wind-lip, then skinned back up and skied the line above the wind-lip over mostly fresh packed powder.

Harvey’s Ditch – Little Odessey

2-15-16A

Others meander up later.

2-15-16B

The Dengels enjoy some mountain nirvana.

2-15-16CPicking up the vertical lately that’s for sure and today was no different with a couple inches yesterday with mostly cloudy overhead todayI like Little Odessey a lot mainly cause its the highest trailhead at 2700′.

Anyway with an amazing and smothering snowpack over the north side, Harvy’s Ditch has been a mainstay for my tele park terrain exposure over the years. At this time I don’t think I’ve seen a deeper snowpack on this route which typically has some exposed rocks and earthworks. 200cm easily long poled with no distinguishing layers of concern. Skied from the pass at the top under the wind-lip, then skinned back up and skied the line above the wind-lip over mostly fresh packed powder.

Weather looks very good through Friday as far as sunny skies, but expect temps to slowly drop into the single digits in the Pass by Wednesday with the an uptick in northerly gap winds as early as tomorrow.  Gust to 30-40 are possible, which of course will heighten the avalanche hazard if it blows hard enough to seriously transport snow along with some cross loading north of the Pass to Schoolbus.  Less wind to the north of the Pass at lower elevation but gusty in upper mountain regions. Flagging off peaks likely.