Snowboarding in Alaska can be amazing, the terrain has so much to offer and your only restriction is yourself. This place is limitless and overly intense.
There is a true appreciation and respect that is attained through hanging in these mountains. In the nine days that we were here we snowboarded on three of these days and really need more time and experience. The situation was intense with not one of the members of our five-person crew having sleds and a combined total of 4000.00 in helicopter blade time. It was a serious mission each and everyday that it was blue to get out and snowboard. Unprepared is a great way to sum up our lesson learned for coming to Alaska.
There were many obstacles to overcome on this journey. Some of the most pertinent ones were, hold your patience, listen to your heart and your judgment and don’t let any pressure mislead you from your overall decision.
Valdez Alaska is one of those places where a silly worry free attitude can go right out the window and shit will get serious. Its one of those mystical zones that help the human race realize that anything is possible, that the world is essentially alive. Luckily we had some good people around us that helped us stay grounded and enjoy our time up there. Kevin Jones, the legend, and one of our biggest snowboarding influences, is also one of the funniest people I have ever met. He gave us some serious guidance and mixed a realistic view of AK with his humor. He helped more than he knows...
This year we flew with Dean Cummings at H20 Heli Guides. His operation was high quality. His staff was very knowledgeable, respectful and helped us quite a bit along the way. We knew right from the briefing that this was the crew we wanted to fly with. The understanding was that we would be flying on Hobbs time, which is the best technique to use when filming with the use of a helicopter. Hobbs time is the actual blade time used, its kind of like paying for the gas in a car, when you press the gas, and not when the car is idle.
The moral of the story is, don't take AK for granted. If you are a snowboarder then this should be the place you aspire to go. There are many oppurtunities you will have in your life, and when this one comes knocking, answer it. Plan ahead, and remember, its all more accessbile than you think.
Mad props to the new friends we made while in AK, Wyatt Caldwell, Elliott Levitt, Andrew Miller, Mark Dangler, Kevin Jones, Xavier De Le Rue, Johan Oloffson, Rob Kingwill, Jeff Curley, Chris Ondercin, Mark Sullivan, Aaron Robinson, Ben Fagan, Jason Champion, everyone from the Tailgate Alaska event. We hope to see you next year in Valdez.
Enjoy the video and photos from AK.
- Blueberry Lake staging area with a front row view of the Books.
- The crew getting strapped and harnessed up for a epic day.
- It was pretty rad to see Johan up in Alaska. We piggy backed with Standard for the first part of the day but Johan wasn't flown out until the afternoon so we didn't get to see him ride.
- Always gotta be strapped out here fool.
- Two minutes and we were in courtesy of our pilot Scott.
- We landed in the middle of our first zone "the books" to scope where we wanted to ride first.
- Alittle perspective shot of The books.
- Wyatt Caldwell popped things off first with a perfect Alaskan warm up.
- Wyatt burying some deep turns at the end of his run.
- Elliot Levitt's first AK speed run down a small spine.
- Pick up time.
- Kevin Jones warming up for the day.
- KJ full speed ahead.
- Kevin Jones, knows that there is one place that every snowboarder should aspire to go. Here he is in that place. AK.
- This was one of sickest things I have ever seen. Xavier about to send a double cliff drop on his second run of the day.
- Finished er off proper. Xavier pumped on his line.
- Xavier De Le Rue - We had the chance to sit down with him in AK for a quick Interview.
- The crew getting picked up for drop number dos.
- Johnny Centi choose a mellow wide open pow field to bag some wide fast turns. Jeff Curley Photo
- Wyatt getting on a little more vertical and air time for his second line.
- Stoked to be in AK!
- Elliot hoisting the anchor full speed ahead.
- Pick lines and picking the right line is no easy task. Take years of experience and trained eye to find the best safest line from the heli.
- Views from the heli heading to our second zone. I could just fly around all day and look at these amazing mountains.
- A view of our second zone "Sluff City" from the air.
- A quick look from the ground while the lens men get the dump.
- Dark Mangler holdin down the camera bags.
- Scott dropping off the crew on top of Sluff City. Skies and light looking perfect to get a good shot.
- Wyatt Caldwell in his element. Wyatt has an amazing talent for scoping and bagging some sick lines. We were glad to have him along on the trip. Watch out for this guy I can't wait to see what he gets into next year in AK.
- Sluff City was no joke. Wyatt powering through a solid fracture at the end of his run.
- You can comparie with a few photos above how fast the weather changes. Blue to Milk in a matter of mintues. Very frustrating for a photographer and filmer but sometimes you gotta drop. Wyatt's line off Sluff City.
- Elliot wasn't leaving AK with out scaring the shit out of himself picking the gnarliest line of the zone. Let just say he did that and some.. here about to get flushed. This resulted a ripped pack and goggle lens blowing out.
- Johnny took a similar line to Wyatt's popping off a nice little sluff nugget. Unfortuanlly he got sucked into Wyatts fracture zone having to stop, back off and radio for the safest way down. It takes learning experiences like these to further your riding and knowlodge in AK. This whole trip was an amazing learning experience for all of us.
- Johnny realizing AK is no joke.
- Take about one of the best jobs ever. Our guide Gabe on the clock coming down to get us.
- Radioing for the pick up. Gabe hails from Idaho but has been guiding up here in Valdez for the past 6/7 years. He had some great stories to share from guiding Travis Rice & "Thats It Thats All" crew last year. Thanks to Gabe for a great safe day!
- Scott coming in for pick up.
- Zone number three "Valley of the Tusk". Due to some major avalanche activity around the area we were dropped on a lower zone resulting in some heavily sun beat snow. Still fun but after Sluff City and the HOB's meter ticking we decided to call it a day.
- The Tusk in full glory. Some amazing lines in this Valley.
- Epic Day, Epic sunset in the Books. Our Alaskan experience was amazing!
Incase you missed AK part one click below:
