Patagonian Summer - 141 Degrees SSE

Patagonian Summer - 141 Degrees SSE

This summer continues to be un-summer-like.....which is the point down here, I suppose. Yet, the relentless lack of girls in bikinis is beginning to take it's toll. Thank God the skiing has been good!

During the first two weeks of August a big high pressure system came in and sat over us for about a week. We used this opportunity to get deep into the backcountry. Two different groups head to refugio Frey (a backcountry hut here) and got after it for a few days each. The rest of us were doing long single day backcountry trips from the top of the ski resort everyday. The temps stayed cold and good snow was found on all the south and east facing aspects with 141 degrees SSE being the money spot. I'm now sorta obsessed with this number and constantly bust out my compass to test potential backcountry terrain against it.

We had some real fun and I got to ski my favorite line down here which I generically call 'Little AK', (in the video Pete Connley skis parts of it) even tho there really isn't too much little about it. That line already has me dreaming of an AK trip this April.

We are getting hammered with snow again right now and the forecast is showing a huge amount of snow, then very cold temps. We're lining up some bigger lines that those conditions would be money for. I'll keep ya posted.

Here's a video edit that Garret Russel put together for us of Session 2.

SASS Session 2 Ski Podcast - Summer Shredding in Bariloche, Argentina from Snow Sessions on Vimeo.

Squaw Helmet Cam Ski Movie Teaser

The final segment of this video is me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z23KJKhV91w&feature=player_embedded


Nut Hut Studios - Exit Strategy

Check out this teaser for "Exit Strategy" from Nut Hut Studios.

Nut Hut Studios will release it’s first feature length ski film this year called “Exit Strategy”. The film documents the phenomenal 2009/2010 ski season in the North Lake Tahoe Region. Though primarily backcountry focused, the film has plenty of in bounds pow footage from Squaw Valley. It also showcases many of Squaw’s classic lines from the point of view perspective. Here’s a teaser of the Squaw Valley POV segment featuring Joshua Plack, Robb Gaffney and Unofficial Squaw Team Member Miles Clark. Skiing-Blog.com

Ruth Gorge, AK - Denali National Park Skiing

Alaska's Ruth Gorge

Ruth Gorge, AK from UnofficialSquaw on Vimeo.

I was lucky enough to score a ski guiding job in Denali National Park's Ruth Gorge the first week of May. The place is simply face-melting in person and goddamn impressive on paper. The gorge is plugged with ice over 3,500 feet deep and a mile wide. The granite walls that define the gorge are 4 to 5 thousand feet tall and straight up. These walls and spires can be seen 100 miles away and have earned names such as: Moose's Tooth, Bear's Tooth, Broken Tooth, and The Gargoyle. It is the deepest gorge in the world and you can feel it.

After the most incredible flight of my life, an hour long flight-see around Mt. McKinley, we landed at the Mountain House. The Mountain House is a hexagon-shaped hut located on a nunatak or rock island in the Ruth Glacier. (The hut has a very cool history http://www.climbalaska.org/mountain-house.html) Our crew consisted of 5 clients and 2 guides and we were there to ski.

During our 6 days in the gorge we only had one weather day and it was kind enough to leave us 18 inches of light, dry, stable Alaskan snow. Needless to say, the skiing was good.

Rule #1 in Alaska: Do not waste good Alaskan weather! Skiing until 9pm in full sunlight wasn't uncommon on this trip. If the weather is good, you go skiing, dammit!

We got 20 runs in during our stay, almost all of which were in pure AK powder. We did our best, but of course, we barely scratched the surface of what can be skied in the enormous Don Sheldon Amphitheater and Ruth Gorge.

My neck is still sore from rubbernecking to take in the insanity that is reality in the Alaska's fairly-tale-come-true called the Ruth Gorge.

Wet & Hot Powder Day on Granite Cheif! Chamber Cliff!

Check out the steamy action! Chamber cliff is one that doesn't get hit, much, and for good reason.....I scared the hell outta myself up there! But it looks cool on helmet cam!

Unofficial Daily - 01/25/10 from UnofficialSquaw on Vimeo.

Jan. 21st, 2010, STUPID DEEP AND DRY POWDER DAY AT SQUAW!!!

Yes, you heard it here first. Jan. 21st was by far my favorite day of the year.......so far. This video features, Main Air Double, a backy off My Air, Ice Goddess, Main Air Bush, Tombstone in Enchanted Forest, Broken Back Rock x2, A backflip to my face off the cat-track, Dead Man's Chute, A double secret location powder run, and Shirly Chutes...........in case you cared.