Report from April 17, 2023

Last Monday, we got onto a beast.

The Real Pucker Face in Valdez, Alaska.

(the other Pucker Face is in Jackson Hole, WY)

After warming up on three mellower glacier runs, we got into the gnar.

I knew it would be a doozy when the heli pilot said he thought it was a spicy landing.

It was a toe-in on a narrow knife edge of snow with exposure on both sides.

Gabe, our lead guide here at Pulseline Adventure, had buffed out the landing zone and dug out a space for us to stage and get our skis on.

Thanks, Gabe.

We slowly got out of the heli and unloaded our gear with great delicacy.

The entire slope was 50+ degrees, fluted, and hanging over a cliff.

Things got a lot more comfortable once we got our skis on.

Gabe’s group went first and crushed it.

My group went next and mostly kept it together (Alex went for air and crashed after the bergshrund but was OK).

I went last, and I was definitely intimidated.

The snow was scratchy, stiff, and catchy.

I decided to work right to left, letting my sluff drop off the cliff below with a plan of skiing fast and smooth down the spines.

Once on the slope, the snow quality demanded I keep my speed down, control up, and sluff managed.

I kept it together until about the cliff band elevation when I opened it up, hit some firm snow, and slid out.

I got it back together, and the snow got better shortly thereafter.

This face felt endless while on it…

After airing the bergshrund and pointing it toward the crowd, I let out a yip of relief and celebration.

The entire crew was stoked.

We’d skied a film line with style and got ten of us down unscathed and stoked.

We skied one more big ramp (Rude Ramp – see video above) to end the day and sent it home.

Thanks, Alaska.

ALASKA 2023 REPORTS

4/19/23: Valdez, AK Report: Scintillatingly Steep Ramps in the Valley of the Tusk
4/17/23: Valdez, AK Report: Skiing 50+ Degrees on “The Real Pucker Face”
4/16/23: Valdez, AK, Report: Racing Sluff Down an Alaskan Chute Off The Deserted Glacier
4/15/23: Valdez, AK Report: Ominous Steep Powder in the Valley of the Tusk
4/13/23: Valdez, AK, Report: Deep, Spectacular Powder Snow
4/8/23: Valdez, AK Report: Popping A Wheelie on Long Powder Spines in Sun & Shade
4/7/23: Valdez, AK Report: Knee Deep Blower Powder
4/5/23: Valdez, AK Report: Steep Skiing & Sluff In Our 2014 Shoup Glacier Camp Zone
4/3/23: Valdez, AK Report: “Alaskan Velvet” in Big Terrain With 3 World Cup Skiers
4/2/23: Valdez, AK Report: Skiing Above Lake Tahoe, I Mean, Valdez Harbor With 3 World Cup Ski Racers
3/28/23: Valdez, AK Report: Steep Skiing & Spread Eagles During a Secret Event
3/27/23: Valdez, AK Report: Skiing in Some of the Most Raw, Gorgeous Terrain on Earth – The Schwan Glacier
3/26/23: Valdez, AK, Report: Big Lines in the Shade + Happy Powder in the Sun Off the Pencil Glacier

Valdez, AK, Report: Skiing 50+ Degrees on “The Real Pucker Face”