Unique ski tours in untouched nature, gigantic panoramas of magnificent glacier landscapes, heli-skiing in the best snow, lots of sun and a great team - that's the sum of our Alaskan experiences. After half a year in which I was able to process all the events, it is now time to write a final report on our AK trip. After many hours on the plane (including a night of drinking in Amsterdam), the pilot finally initiated the landing approach to Anchorage. Despite the hot dog feeling between two 150-kg Americans, I was able to catch a glimpse out of the window during the landing approach, which showed me frozen sea and, just a few minutes later, a decent-sized mountain of snow next to the runway. And immediately I was filled with pure anticipation. Alaska, we're finally here - and we're ready! After picking up the motorhome, doing some bulk shopping at the supermarket and studying the snow conditions, our adventure began at Turnagain Pass, which is less than 300 meters above sea level and can be reached quite quickly from Anchorage. Due to its proximity to the sea, there is plenty of precipitation there. There was also precipitation when we got there, but in the form of rain. Best conditions at home, rain here, something is wrong.
Turnagain Pass
Right at the start, there were fears that we wouldn't have the luck of the Alaskan weather on our side on this trip. However, as the clouds gradually lifted, the gloomy thoughts were quickly dispelled and a landscape appeared that we had never dreamed of: wide valleys and steep flanks as far as the eye could see. There was no need to discuss what to do. Consequently, our leisurely breakfast was immediately interrupted and instead we put on our skins and set off. The many snowmobiles on the road were a little annoying. However, they are only allowed to drive in a designated area, so they are only a bit of a nuisance when setting off and arriving at the parking lot. Despite the proximity to Anchorage, there are surprisingly hardly any ski tourers. If you don't choose the summit that is the quickest to reach, you are actually completely alone. We found some beautiful descents, from steep flanks to cruising terrain. Only the snow quality left a little to be desired and you had to be careful, as a deceptive layer of frost had crept into the snow cover. Nevertheless, you can spend a few days on Turnagain and if you are not put off by long ascents, you are sure to find your dream line there. Before you set off for this region, however, you should keep an eye on the temperatures. Due to the proximity to the sea, it warms up quite quickly in late winter/early spring, so it can rain a long way up. Fortunately, we were lucky, as the rain quickly turned to snow when we arrived. If all the parameters are right, you should definitely head for Turnagain Pass.
Hatcher Pass
The weather deteriorated over the next few days and we looked for a new location. Back to Anchorage and check the snow forecast. After a few conversations with locals, we ended up at Hatcher Pass, the "local mountain" of Anchorage, on the way to Valdez. Compared to Turnagain Pass, this is significantly higher at over 1000 meters. We reached Hatcher Pass on a Saturday and instead of the solitude we had longed for, we encountered a horde of cars and snowmobiles. My first impression was therefore anything but positive. Far too many people and almost zero visibility. But my mood immediately improved when we were invited to a barbecue by a couple of telemark skiers. Snowfall, beer and Elchwurst hotdogs immediately lifted the spirits of even the most depressed skier. The crowds disappeared in the late afternoon and we found ourselves alone at the pass with our mobile living room, and from then on, everything at the Hatcher Pass was to change for the better. Woken by the first rays of sunshine, we immediately set off on an exploratory tour. Surprisingly, there were hardly any ski tourers on the way. Even with very short approaches, we were able to find numerous beautiful lines in untracked snow without any problems. Nevertheless, I didn't get the "Alaska feeling" that I had hoped for - it was nice here, but not necessarily exceptional, because unlike the Turnagain Pass, the Hatcher area is very similar to the Alps and we know them quite well by now. The touring terrain is not exactly reminiscent of the classic AK mountains. For all couloir junkies: there are some steeper gullies that can be reached quite quickly and are definitely worthwhile.
Thompson Pass
The rest of the trip took us to our main destination, Thompson Pass. The journey there alone is magnificent: ice giants and large glacier tongues characterize the landscape and the anticipation increased immeasurably when we looked out of the window. The AK flanks we had dreamed of were now closer than ever before. All three of us sat in the front row from this point onwards, no one wanted to miss anything (the garbage can had to be repurposed for the third seat), because at the end of the pass you reach the paradise of freeriding: the 855-metre-high pass that leads to Valdez is one of the areas of Alaska with the highest precipitation and offers a number of touring options, endless AK spines, steep gullies and gigantic summit views.
You can stay in this area forever. As the Tailgate Festival, there were quite a few people at the pass. Due to the huge area, however, the people spread out extremely well, so that we were alone again and could make our tracks in solitude. We also took advantage of the festival's offers a few times to shorten the approaches with the help of snowmobiles. Especially in this area, you have very long ascents until you reach your desired destination. However, these climbs are definitely worth it, as they are rewarded with fantastic views. You very often reach a glacier basin, where steep gullies run up in all exposures. We were also lucky and the conditions were so good that we were even able to start directly from Valdez - i.e. from sea level.
Heliskiing in Valdez
After many ski tours, it was now time to use the helicopter. Before my first flight, I was super excited about what to expect. Of course, I also wanted to do everything right - just don't make any mistakes when getting in and out of the helicopter - but it was all half as bad. After the first flight, the excitement had subsided somewhat and I was finally able to enjoy the views during the flight to the full. We had even more luck on our side: we got to meet Dean Cummings. After he showed us his flying area on the map and told us about his many adventures, we won the six in the lottery: Dean was our guide. It is an indescribable feeling to go freeriding with a rider you have already admired in various film productions. We got our money's worth with Dean and were offered much more than we had hoped for. Steep flanks, spines, gullies and wide slopes - everything was there.
At Thompson Pass, we came into contact with the infamous AK sluff for the first time. The first few runs were a bit strange: everything around you is in motion and you know that you shouldn't make a mistake and shouldn't stop so easily. However, it gets much better over time as soon as you understand the sluff management and implement it correctly ("Watch your Sluff" we heard this a few times). The mixture of perfect dreamlines and relaxed evenings with beer and good "men's food" (lots of meat!) in the cozy motorhome gave us perfect days at Thompson Pass! Our journey slowly but surely came to an end. Being in Alaska in a very snowy winter, hardly having to take any downdays and enjoying many sunny days without a single cloud - to be honest: what more could you expect from a trip like this? It couldn't have gone any better and I couldn't even have imagined such a perfect trip. Thanks also to my great teammates Andy and Didi as well as Knut, who unfortunately couldn't join us due to a torn cruciate ligament!
