Valdez Ski Report – February 7, 2015 – Sugarloaf

Valdez Arena routes are opening up with good powder reports from Mt. Francis along with epic conditions all the way north to Mt. Dimond couloirs.  Good to hear of so many skinning, but disappointed to hear of skier tourers taking sled bumps up to Dimond. That is so lazy. Good way to waste  one of the best ski tours in Alaska with top to bottom powder conditions, besides bothering others doing the hard work of a relatively simple 1.5 hour approach skinning effort to the upper goods.

Met JP at the power station entry parking spot and headed up to Sugarloaf finding 16″ of dry snow over a hard coastal snowpack. At 1800′, the hard pack transitions to no hard pack but some rain crust below the surface a foot or so. No pits, just ski cuts, hand pits, and pole probes. Stability was good as was powder skiing on natural bumps.

Here’s a few shots from today run down the center spine/west aspect.