Blogging round 2. Lets see if I can be more motivated to keep it updated.

This season, 2014-2015, has marked a huge uptick in my time and confidence in the backcountry. I have found myself skiing and assessing bigger and bigger lines with more comfort. Part of the reason for this increase in field time is an upcoming Denali trip this spring. Having a trip of this magnitude looming at the beginning of May has given me an excuse to spend every free day in the backcountry. To date I have 100+ days on skis, hauled packs/sleds weighing 120 lbs, and have spent various days honing my glacier travel/rescue systems. I have been fortunate enough to have skied the steepest line of my life (65+ degrees) and found some of the most aesthetically pleasing venues to ski in Southcentral Alaska. With such a productive season during Alaska’s worst winters in 30 years, it has opened my eyes to all the possibilities this wonderful state has to offer.

As the Denali trip creeps closer and closer there are some smaller “warm-up” trips that are rapidly approaching. I fly out for a week long Mt. Marcus Baker ski mountaineering trip on Tuesday, only to return to a 8 day Eklutna Traverse trip a week later. With these 3 trips (Marcus Baker, Eklutna, and Denali) right around the corner, I figured I would post some photos of myself and my team members (Peter, Nick, and Jake) getting after it this winter. Enjoy the stoke!