Backcountry Skiing..Your Winter Window Into The Chugach.
Before it became known as The Books, it was called Mind —k Basin. That name was attached to the entire mountainous cirque of the Heiden Glacier by an intrepid pair of local mountaineers in 1982. During that first ski trip to the basin, a clear sky at night greeted the pioneering pair outside their tents. Enhanced by their drug of choice […]
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3-27-16/10am Confirming my previous discussion, the models and NWS forecast are aligned for a sustained and substantial weather event Monday through Wednesday.. Warm, tropical flow and rain will begin today and intensify over the next few days.. Up to 6″ of precip are likely.. Freeze level will rise to 4- 5000′.. Moderate rainfall is expected in Valdez and Thomspson Pass […]
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..The persistent ridge in Canada has begun to move east and for the first time in months, northerly flow over the Valdez Chugach will cease..This will allow copious amounts of warm air, clouds and moisture to reach higher elevations.. Any sun-breaks will be short as an intense trough of moisture saturates the area on MON-TUES.. Forecast amounts for snow, where it snows for […]
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SKI-Solo toured from DOT to Loveland Breaks under the Ridge.. Thigh went to knee at noon with my boot penetration indicative of settled storm snow based on my last report.. Density layer at the surface is healing which has resulted in FAIR skiing in the Thompson Pass Corridor.. Variable conditions exist, some breakable, some not.. Bring your Whippets.. Colder over night […]
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Encountered poor ski condition in Schoolbus this morning despite sunny skies….Yesterday storm has left behind a punchy 1″ density layer at the surface that is not fun. With no expectation of finding better snow at only the highest elevations, I resorted to some digging for information and was able to get a full measurement of the snowpack now at 125-130 […]
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I’ve known Matt Obermiller for over 20 years. He escaped the crowds of the Wasatch where he learned and honed his BC ski skills, mountain ethos and then found his part of Alaska in the Chugach. He helped WESC photographers get the best shots. He later settled about 60 miles north of Valdez in the Tiekel Valley. He lives just off the […]
Read more(revised March 19 7:30pm.)…Issued March 19, 9AM…A HIGH avalanche hazard is developing. Heavy snowfall with 25″ in Thompson Pass and 16″ in Valdez is pushing the tipping point…Heavy snow will continue into Sunday… Backcountry travel is discouraged…Road travelers should be aware of the potential for large avalanches in and around Thompson Pass and the potential for road closures… …This warning […]
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