NSAA Winter Backcountry Ski Tours - 2009-10
By Bob Sutherland
Touring Section Leader
(907) 336-1717
AnchorageNordiSkiTours@gmail.com
Welcome to our 2009-2010 schedule of back country Alaskan skis, we hope you'll find something you'll enjoy and join in on the fun. All of our tours are accompanied by the Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol, many thanks for their assistance. We look forward to skiing with you out on the trail.
PRINT 2009-10 SCHEDULE (However, see below tours for most updated details)
NSAA Release Form* - PDF - must be completed
Cheat Sheet about our Tours - PDF
Gear List for Tours - PDF
Note: Check back to the newsletter and this Tour page often for the latest information. Up to date information regarding specific information about tours immediately before they are held can be found by calling the Tour Hotline at: 566-3048. If you don't see a tour here and would like to see one, contact us about leading the tour. We can make is easy and provide assistance to help you.
November 27, 2009 (Friday) - Turkey Day Shakeoff, Hatcher Pass
Travel under the rugged and beautiful peaks of the Archangel Valley in Hatcher Pass for a spectacular day of skiing on the Archangel Road. This is a great opportunity for those who want to learn about ski touring in the mountains, start skiing for the season or enjoy an outing after Thanksgiving Dinner.
Plan on meeting at the Carrs Muldoon parking lot near the bakery at 9 am on Friday, Nov 27th . From there we’ll car pool to the Archangel Road trailhead about a mile up the road from the old Motherlode Lodge. If you’d rather meet us at the trailhead, expect to see us about 10:30 am. We anticipate arriving back at the cars about 3:30 or 4 pm depending on how much fun we are having and how far we ski.
The first portion of the trail, to the Reed Lakes trailhead, is flat gaining only 300 feet in 2 ½ miles. This is a great turnaround spot for beginning skiers. The trail to the gate is another 1 ½ miles gaining 500 feet and will be a great run for those with more experience.
Be prepared for the elements: wind, cold and precipitation. Bring adequate water and food. For those skiing with their dogs, porcupines occupy the area.
The weather forecast for the Palmer—Wasilla area is located at:
http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/pubfcst.php?fcst=FPAK51PAFC#AKZ111
A weather station which reports snow depth and temperature is located at the Independence Mine which is several miles away from our trailhead is found at:
http://ambcs.org/cgi-bin/siteCurrent.cgi?site=INDEPENDENCE_M
The latest Hatcher Pass snow report might be available for viewing at this website:
http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/asp/hpsnowreport.pdf
All NSAA tours are accompanied by the Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol. You can help us return the favor by purchasing an NSAA tour pin.
If you have any questions email us at anchoragenordicskitours@gmail.com or call 336-1717.
December 13, 2009 (Sunday) - Peters Creek
Updated 12/5/09:
Ski in the mixed birch and spruce forest with magnificent views peaking through the trees of Mount Rumble and Mount Eklutina.
We'll meet at 9:00 am at the bakery in Carrs--Muldoon & Northern Lights and regroup at the trailhead about 10:15 am. You can expect to return at the trailhead about 3:00 or 3:30 pm.
For the first quarter mile from the trailhead to the locked gate expect foot packed snow conditions with a section of overflow which is easy to negotiate. After the locked gate the trail transitions into ski tracks set in powder. In the first mile and half the trail climbs 500 feet however it does so in a couple of steep sections. These are easy to ascend if you can herringbone or sidestep in spots however beginning skiers will find these challenging to descend.
We'll ski to the old homestead site for a long break which is a about 2 ½ miles in. If time allows folks can ski the Peters Creek trail. The old homestead is a good turnaround point for skiers who are challenged by short steep up hill and downhill runs on the Peters Creek Trail.
Anticipate adding layers when we stop for breaks and lunch and taking them off as we warm up skiing. We'll take several breaks for food, water and visiting, with a lunch break at the old homestead site.
The zone forecast can be obtained by view the website:
http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/pubfcst.php?fcst=FPAK51PAFC#AKZ101
The closest weather site providing temps and wind information is at the Birchwood airport at: http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/obs.php?stnid=PABV&phours=12
All NSAA tours are accompanied by the Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol. You can help us return the favor and assist them by purchasing an NSAA Tour Pin.
If you have any questions contact the tour leader Bob Sutherland at 336-1717 or via email at: anchoragenordicskitours@gmail.com
December 30, 2009 - Moonlight Tour
Ski by the light of the full moon, the stars and the glow of the city lights. Tour up the quiet beauty of South Fork of Campbell Creek Valley in Chugach State Park with views of Ptarmigan and Avalanche Peaks, The Ramp and the backside of O'Malley Peak.
We'll meet at 6:30 pm at the bakery in Carrs--Huffman and regroup at the Glen Alps (Powerline or Flattop) trailhead about 7pm. You can expect to return at the trailhead between 9:00 or 9:30 pm.
In the case of high winds or a snowmachine opening on the hillside we'll move to either the Upper Huffman or Prospect trailheads, but we'll first reconvene at the Glen Alps trailhead. The tours hotline (566-3048) will have the most current information. You will need a State Parks Day Use Pass or pay $5 at the trailhead to park at the trailheads.
We'll ski for approximately 2 hours along the Powerline Trail covering about 4 ½ miles. The route is generally flat, only rising 200 feet in a little over 2 miles. There is one steady drop when we connect with the powerline trail about a half mile from the trailhead. This is a good tour for a beginner confidant to handle skiing in less that perfect light.
For a weather forecast on the web visit:
http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/pubfcst.php?fcst=FPAK51PAFC#AKZ101
For wind and temperature information visit: http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/mesonet.php
where we are interested in the Glen Alps or Upper Hillside locations.
Anticipate adding layers when we stop for breaks and taking them off as we warm up skiing. We'll take several breaks for food, water and visiting, and gathering the view. We advise you to bring a headlamp. Depending on the brightness of the moon, we may or may not use it.
A tours are accompanied by the Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol. You can help us return the favor and assist them by purchasing an NSAA Tour Pin.
If you have any questions contact the tour leader Bob Sutherland at 336-1717 or via email at: anchoragenordicskitours@gmail.com
January 16-18, 2009 - "Pupsicle" near Mendeltna Creek
Ski the great trails around Mendeltna Creek. Our lodging, the Mendeltna Creek Lodge is 153 miles from Anchorage. Cabins and a bunkhouse are available and RVs are welcome. A tremendous cuisine with plenty of food is provided. Dogs are a welcome guest while skiing and in your room. There is a nice lodge to hang out at and enjoy a relaxing afternoon or evening after skiing. This is a perfect ski trip for folks who like to ski, then relax and enjoy themselves. Its a great trip for beginner skiers.
Contact Mary at 345-3934 or email her at mvavrik@gci.net. If you think you might go, we'd like a head count by mid-December to help in the planning.
February 13-14, 2010 (Saturday and Sunday) - Johnson Cabin Ski Weekend - FULL
Saturday the 6th we'll ski the Mills Creek trail near Summit Lake on the Kenai then spend the night at Barry and Joyce Johnson's cabin. Sunday we'll ski the 20 Mile near Portage if the snow conditions are acceptable. Potluck dinner Saturday evening with fun skis both days. Saturday's ski is suitable for intermediate skiers, the Sunday ski is suitable for beginners who can ski 6 miles on flat terrain. You can attend both days or join us for just one day. Space is limited.
You can exam current meterologic conditions at the trailhead at:
http://www.met.utah.edu/cgi-bin/droman/meso_base.cgi?stn=GRAA2
and the zone forecast at:
http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/pubfcst.php?fcst=FPAK51PAFC#AKZ125
Contact Bob Sutherland at 336-1717 or
anchoragenordicskitours@gmail.com
February 13, 2010, Saturday - 20 Mile River
Bring your camera for fantastic views and pictures of the 20 Mile Glacier and surrounding peaks. On the return to the cars we’ll have great views up the Placer River and Portage Valleys. We’ll meet at the Chugach State Park Headquarters parking lot at 9:00 am. This is the parking lot with a train and batrooms next to the old Potters Marsh section house. This is just south of Potters Marsh on your right. Expect to return to the cars at the trailhead about 3 or 3:30 pm depending on how far we ski, and how much time we spend on breaks and at lunch.
The route is flat, flat, flat and is suitable for beginner skiers who can move forward without falling too much and who can travel 6 miles round trip. We are touring so the method of propulsion is the diagonal stride and not skating. Be prepared for wind, cold, and perhaps precipitation. Since weanticipate breaking often, bring plenty of food and water.
The weather forecast for the area can be found at:
http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/pubfcst.php?fcst=FPAK51PAFC#AKZ125
And the most up to date hourly weather conditions can be found at: http://www.akrr.com/Weather/PORTAGE.html
In case of terrible weather conditions like high winds, snotty precipitation or ice we'll move the tour to the North Johnson Pass trailhead. All NSAA tours are accompanied by the Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol. You can help us return the favor and assist them by purchasing an NSAA Tour Pin.
If you have questions please contact Bob Sutherland at anchoragenordicskitours@gmail.com or call 336-1717.
February 14, 2010, Sunday - Juneau Creek
Join us on this seldom toured trail with beautiful majestic views of both the Mills and Juneau Creek Valleys. We'll meet at 11 am at mile 48 of the Seward Highway which is the trail head for the Manitoba Mountain telemark hill. This pullout is well marked with a mileage marker at the north end of it. Expect to return to the vehicles about 4 pm or so. After leaving the trail head we'll drop down to Mills Creek, then climb 400 feet to where folks head off to ski Manitoba mountain. We'll continue on and ski down to Juneau Creek. The trail to the split for Manitoba Mountain is wide and well maintained. This portion of the trail is a steady climb up and a swift ski down. Those who can snowplow or telemark turn will have no difficulty on the return ski, otherwise you'll want to take your time and work your way down. After the turnoff to Manitoba, we'll encounter single track ski trail with some bushwacking but nothing epic or difficult. In this section, there are also several drops which are short. We highly recommend skins for skiing back up those drops.
We'll take several breaks including a stop for lunch. Be prepared by bringing plenty of water, food and clothes for weather conditions that might include wind and precipitation.
The weather forecast for the area can be found at:
http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/pubfcst.php?fcst=FPAK51PAFC#AKZ125
local conditions 5 miles from the trailhead can seen on the web at:
http://ambcs.org/cgi-bin/siteCurrent.cgi?site=SUMMIT_CRE_ABM
All NSAA tours are accompanied by the Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol. You can help us return the favor and assist them by purchasing an NSAA Tour Pin.
If you have questions please contact Bob Sutherland at anchoragenordicskitours@gmail.com or call 336-1717.
February 27, 2010, Saturday - Portage Pass Tour
Cross Portage Lake, and ski up to Portage Pass. Its about a 4 1/4 mile ski up to the pass with an 800 foot altitude gain from the lake to the pass. The lake is great touring for beginners who can travel about 7 miles round trip. Since this is a funnel for storms rolling into Turnagain Arm, in case of inclement weather we'll change this tour to a different location.
Contact Bob Sutherland at 336-1717 or
anchoragenordicskitours@gmail.com
March 13-14, 2010 - Center Ridge Snow Camp
 Ski up Center Ridge in Turnagain Pass on the Kenai Peninsula. Great views of surrounding mountains and some nearby safe telemark skiing.. A short steep climb after the trailhead necessitates skins but great gentle touring abounds afterwards. Skiers should be able to execute a turn even if it is a kick turn to come down. This is an excellent chance to learn to camp on snow. We'll have lots of people with experience and coaching skills to help you.
Please check the following weather information before you prepare for this ski tour. For up to date weather forecasts of the area check:
pafc.arh.noaa.gov/pubfcst.php?fcst=FPAK51PAFC#AKZ125
for current weather conditions check, we’ll ski right by this weather station:
ambcs.org/pub/current/TURNAGAIN_ABD
and nearby road conditions (this site is up and down):
www.dot.state.ak.us/iways/roadweather/forms/SiteSum.html?areaId=2&perspectiveId=1&siteId=10
Contact Bob Sutherland at 336-1717 or
anchoragenordicskitours@gmail.com
April 9-11, 2010, Friday through Sunday - Denali View Chalet
Enjoy the weekend at an rustic Alaskan lodge on Kroto Lake south of Mt. McKinley. Ski 8 miles into the lodge with just a day pack. Great views, fantastic company, exquisite cuisine, sauna and skiing. Space is limited. For more information contact Bob Sutherland 336-1717 or via email at AnchorageNordicSkiTours@gmail.com.
Contact Bob Sutherland at 336-1717 or
anchoragenordicskitours@gmail.com
Cheat Sheet for NSAA Back Country Tours
By Bob Sutherland
Touring Section Leader 336-1717 anchoragenordicskitours@gmail.com | Website
 Our plan is to have a fun time on the trail. So a here is a list of things to bring and what to expect to make this as enjoyable and trouble free as possible.
Frequently on our tours there will be stops on the trail for water, food and visiting. And to help re-energize and to enjoy ourselves we’ll also take time to have lunch and visit as well. Bringing good lunch, break food and water are important. At our stops, make sure you have a jacket and other softwear to put on so you can keep the chill off.
Good working gear is essential. If this is your first ski trip of the season, check your skis, boots and poles to make sure they are up to the task. Breakdowns in the backcountry are a real pain in the neck. Of particular importance is appropriately fitting footwear. Long backcountry trips with poorly fitting boots spells disaster for your feet. Nothing spoils any sport like foot gear which does not fit.
Metal edged skis are not essential. Since we’ll use the traditional diagonal stride while skiing, skate skis are probably not appropriate as well.
It’s always good to check the weather and see what gear might be appropriate to bring along. I strongly advise bringing a day pack and loading it with warm comfortable clothes. Obviously warm gloves or mittens and something to keep your head warm are important. You also might want to wear long underwear on colder trips. And bring fleece or other heavier jackets depending on how much added warmth you need for the breaks and lunches. I also advocate bringing something for the wind and if necessary snow (and rain). Being prepared in the backcountry, is always good advice.
Dogs on trips can make them much more pleasurable. And they are welcome on the trips I lead as long as they get along with other dogs. Unfortunately, dog fights are repulsive and are unallowable. We really don’t care who starts the fight, we just don’t want to be there for it. Dogs staying in the confines of the group are welcome but those who might chase animals shouldn’t be brought either.
Feel free to contact your trip leader if you have any questions. Asking questions can clear up confusion and assist you in your preparations for your ski trip. Questions are good.
NSAA RELEASE FORM - must be completed
Anchorage weather forecasts and observations
The observations hypertext on the left frame includes Glen Alps. Temperature and snow levels for Turnagain Arm and Pass
For the latest in temperature and wind at Glen Alps visit the following website:
http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/obs.php?stnid=GAHA2&phours=6
A zone forecast for the Anchorage vicinity can be found at:
http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/pubfcst.php?fcst=FPAK51PAFC#AKZ101
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