Alyeska, AK Report: 609″ of Snow This Season + 2,500-Vertical-Foot Top to Bottom Runs on an Empty Mountain

Miles Clark | | Post Tag for Conditions ReportConditions Report
Patrol shack looking very Swiss. image: snowbrains

Report from February 28, 2022

I landed in Anchorage, AK, last night at 9 pm.

My 14th ski trip to Alaska 🙂

No ski bag…

Living the dream above Turnagain Arm. image: snowbrains

Luckily, it was on the next flight.

Mike was a dreamboat and picked me up at the airport, and I crashed at his house.

Delta dropped my bag off at the door at 2 am.

Strapping in. image: snowbrains

I was on a 36-hour fast, so I skipped dinner, hung out with Mike, Nyssa, and Sabrina, and passed out around 11:30 pm AKT.

Alyeska is open 10:30 am – 5:30 pm, so I showed up at about 11 am.

I clicked into brand new skis (Scott Pure 115) and brand new bindings (Look Pivot 15) – both of which are models I’ve never used – and jumped on Ted’s Express.

Rocking Glacier Bowl Express with Patroller Robin. image: snowbrains

From Ted’s to Glacier Bowl Express and right into a top to bottom run.

Head back laughing!

It was so fun to rip 2,500-vertical-feet of sweet groomers with no one around.

The Look Pivot bindings rode smooth, and despite being made for powder, the Scott Pures railed hard.

Gazing into the North Faces. image: snowbrains

I was all smiles at the bottom of the hill.

I jumped right back on the chairs and cruised straight to the top.

Another top to bottom run via a different set of trails.

Top of the tram and a killer spot for Apres ski. image: snowbrains

Then another on different trails.

On my 5th top to bottom run, I found the perfect path down the mountain for maximum fall-line, speed, and fun.

I hit that run combo three more times and had an absolute hoot each and every time.

Ghosts. image: snowbrains

Empty runs give so much freedom to open it up and ski the mountain exactly the way you like.

After that 8th top to bottom run, it was time to head back to Anchorage.

I hit the legendary Alaska Mountaineering & Hiking shop and grabbed a couple of prusiks I needed.

Rolling into Alyeska. image: snowbrains

This is the only place I buy mountaineering gear.

My 14th trip to Alaska has started off great with community, good skiing, funny felines, and cool shops.

Off to Valdez with Pulseline Adventure tomorrow!

Chillin’ in Mike’s East Anchorage paradise… image: snowbrains

Snow Numbers

image: Alyeska, 2/28/22

Weather Forecast

image: NOAA, 2/28/22

Photos in Chronological Order

Turnagain Arm. image: snowbrains
Turnagain Arm tracks. image: snowbrains
Turnagain Arm. image: snowbrains
The road. image: snowbrains
Turnagain. image: snowbrains
Turnagain Arm weirdness. image: snowbrains

Layers. image: snowbrains
Corduroy. image: snowbrains
Solo. image: snowbrains
Views. image: snowbrains
From the top. image: snowbrains
Patrol shack and Turnagain Arm. image: snowbrains
Lower mountain shred. image: snowbrains
All alone. image: snowbrains

Patroller headed to the shack. image: snowbrains
Looking down into Turnagain Arm. image: snowbrains
Vistas. image: snowbrains
Top of Ted’s Express. image: snowbrains
Top o the mountain. image: snowbrains
Shredding. image: snowbrains
All to himself. image: snowbrains
Glacier Bowl Express. image: snowbrains
Glacier Bowl. image: snowbrains
Posted by Miles Clark |

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