Alaska Heli-ski action 2009 - Spearboard.com - The World's Largest Spearfishing Diving Boating Social Media Forum

kill shot · 04-21-2009, 03:41 PM

Well my wife Gail and I managed to get up to the Alaska Range for some more SICK heli skiing this year again. To say that this year was better then last is an understatement. We did get booted from the lodge because of Mt. Redoubt blowing its top and had to find snow else were. It wasn't such a let down though!!!!

We had friends and local guides Greg Harms and Clark Fyans leading the way to sick lines and scary entry's you couldn't see into unless you committed your self to the line. Also along to join in the fun was Jon from Honduras, Bob form Minnesota, Tom the local who points it down just about anything and rounding out the list Shelley Robertson who is on the Women's US Ski team and 2010 Olympic hopeful and favorite for Women's Moguls.

More sort of landings by heli pilot Glenn who can land you just about anywhere you ask.

Avalanche conditions kept us legit as the snow was sketchy at best sometimes and everyone had to keep an eye on each other since burials were for real as one us had to experiance while being dug out from under 5' feet of snow. No name as it could have been a bad outcome but the individual survived to rip it the next day with the help of Greg and Bob rushing to help out with probes, shovels and the most important item a BEACON!! Were them folks they really do work.

I will post a few pics now and more later as there are shitloads of them. Also if you look closely in the photos you can see the slopes sluffing in almost all the pictures which only happens if it is steep.

Almost all the photos were courtesy of Clark Fyans and few from yours truly.

It was an epic way to end my ski season.

Eric

Photo1 Wileys Wall
Photo2 Just some more powder
Photo3&4 Face shots never get old
Photo5 Coming in for a pick up

kill shot · 04-21-2009, 03:45 PM

more:::

1) Jon from Honduras
2) Typical landing
3) A run Jon named Mandalo. Look closely and you can see the heli sitting on the glacier below and two of the guys skiing towards it. Gives you a better perspective of the size of things.
4) Same run in action
5) Love the life you live, it only happens once!

kill shot · 04-21-2009, 03:58 PM

more::::

1) My wife Gail slashing!! If you go over the ridge to the left you DIE!!!
2) Gail with another classic face shot
3) Gail ready to drop in at 6:45pm
4) The Ramp
5) Waiting for a ride back to the barn at 7:15PM

MauiFreeDiver · 04-21-2009, 03:59 PM

I cant speak much on the snow or ski part of the photos, but that heli landing is pretty crazy.

kill shot · 04-21-2009, 04:03 PM

More:::

1) Let em rip!
2) You can see Clark Fyans standing next to the crown of the avalanche were it ripped on both sides. Luckily he didn't go for a ride when he set it off.
3) Arial view of the slide. In the previous post the pic of the Ramp is just to the upper right side of the main peak, yes we were toying with idea of going for a big ride should the Ramp cut loose on one of us. We skied the Ramp two days after the initial avalanche.
4) Late evening in Alaska

dpc · 04-21-2009, 06:07 PM

Great pics. It looks like that was with CPG? We were just in Girdwood for 4 days with them and had an incredible week of skiing. If that's CPG we were in the same heli about 3 weeks ago. Can't wait to go back but it sure puts a hurt on the bank account.

Dan

snokat · 04-21-2009, 08:02 PM

Expert? You better be!!!!
Any shots looking down into the drop-ins?
I love a good drop-in!
So how much pucker-factor did you experience? I love that buzz.
The first turn is the only turn!

atomic water · 04-21-2009, 08:25 PM

I love fluffy white powder. Great pics! Looks like you had a blast pointing them down!

kill shot · 04-22-2009, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpc

Can't wait to go back but it sure puts a hurt on the bank account.

Dan

Copy that!!!!

It was with CPG. Any chance you remember who your guide was?

kill shot · 04-22-2009, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snokat

Expert? You better be!!!!
Any shots looking down into the drop-ins?
I love a good drop-in!
So how much pucker-factor did you experience? I love that buzz.
The first turn is the only turn!

The pucker factor was more caused by the consistent avalanches we were dealing with. Look at the pics closer to see the drop in shots.

IRONHEAD · 04-22-2009, 08:42 AM

pretty awesome stuff, it has been a couple years since i was in the powdery white stuff. vail, I can imagine that it cost plenty to ride in a helocopter to the top. was your trip there mainly to ski?

dpc · 04-22-2009, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kill shot

Copy that!!!!

It was with CPG. Any chance you remember who your guide was?

Yeah, we had Henry on the one heli day we got. Then Troyer, Melanie, and a couple other guides on the three snocat days. Lost one day of heli due to weather. I believe we skied with straight line Tom in our heli also. Nice guy who was originally from NY. He said he does 25-30 days of heli a year! Can't imagine how many 00's he's got in his bank account.

Can't wait to do it again! After that trip I didn't even want to go back to Tahoe for the end of the season.

Dan

snokat · 04-22-2009, 11:20 AM

I think I would have more pucker getting out of that bird!

Dan, the slide danger appears to be REAL high, but I guess those fellows know their own backyard pretty well.
THX for the buzz!

aaron proffitt · 04-22-2009, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kill shot

5) love the life you live, it only happens once!

amen !!! And well said !!!


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04-21-2009, 03:41 PM	#1
kill shot PELAGIC POKER!!!! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: St. Thomas USVI Age: 40 Posts: 2,417	Alaska Heli-ski action 2009 Well my wife Gail and I managed to get up to the Alaska Range for some more SICK heli skiing this year again. To say that this year was better then last is an understatement. We did get booted from the lodge because of Mt. Redoubt blowing its top and had to find snow else were. It wasn't such a let down though!!!! We had friends and local guides Greg Harms and Clark Fyans leading the way to sick lines and scary entry's you couldn't see into unless you committed your self to the line. Also along to join in the fun was Jon from Honduras, Bob form Minnesota, Tom the local who points it down just about anything and rounding out the list Shelley Robertson who is on the Women's US Ski team and 2010 Olympic hopeful and favorite for Women's Moguls. More sort of landings by heli pilot Glenn who can land you just about anywhere you ask. Avalanche conditions kept us legit as the snow was sketchy at best sometimes and everyone had to keep an eye on each other since burials were for real as one us had to experiance while being dug out from under 5' feet of snow. No name as it could have been a bad outcome but the individual survived to rip it the next day with the help of Greg and Bob rushing to help out with probes, shovels and the most important item a BEACON!! Were them folks they really do work. I will post a few pics now and more later as there are shitloads of them. Also if you look closely in the photos you can see the slopes sluffing in almost all the pictures which only happens if it is steep. Almost all the photos were courtesy of Clark Fyans and few from yours truly. It was an epic way to end my ski season. Eric Photo1 Wileys Wall Photo2 Just some more powder Photo3&4 Face shots never get old Photo5 Coming in for a pick up Attached Thumbnails __________________ I need a beer!!! Last edited by kill shot; 04-21-2009 at 04:13 PM.

04-21-2009, 03:45 PM	#2
kill shot PELAGIC POKER!!!! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: St. Thomas USVI Age: 40 Posts: 2,417	Re: Alaska Heli-ski action 2009 more::: 1) Jon from Honduras 2) Typical landing 3) A run Jon named Mandalo. Look closely and you can see the heli sitting on the glacier below and two of the guys skiing towards it. Gives you a better perspective of the size of things. 4) Same run in action 5) Love the life you live, it only happens once! Attached Thumbnails __________________ I need a beer!!! Last edited by kill shot; 04-21-2009 at 04:15 PM.

04-21-2009, 03:58 PM	#3
kill shot PELAGIC POKER!!!! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: St. Thomas USVI Age: 40 Posts: 2,417	Re: Alaska Heli-ski action 2009 more:::: 1) My wife Gail slashing!! If you go over the ridge to the left you DIE!!! 2) Gail with another classic face shot 3) Gail ready to drop in at 6:45pm 4) The Ramp 5) Waiting for a ride back to the barn at 7:15PM Attached Thumbnails __________________ I need a beer!!!

04-21-2009, 03:59 PM	#4
MauiFreeDiver BLAIZE A FIYAH Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 674	Re: Alaska Heli-ski action 2009 I cant speak much on the snow or ski part of the photos, but that heli landing is pretty crazy. __________________ Welcome to Hawaii, NOW GO HOME!!!!

04-21-2009, 04:03 PM	#5
kill shot PELAGIC POKER!!!! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: St. Thomas USVI Age: 40 Posts: 2,417	Re: Alaska Heli-ski action 2009 More::: 1) Let em rip! 2) You can see Clark Fyans standing next to the crown of the avalanche were it ripped on both sides. Luckily he didn't go for a ride when he set it off. 3) Arial view of the slide. In the previous post the pic of the Ramp is just to the upper right side of the main peak, yes we were toying with idea of going for a big ride should the Ramp cut loose on one of us. We skied the Ramp two days after the initial avalanche. 4) Late evening in Alaska Attached Thumbnails __________________ I need a beer!!! Last edited by kill shot; 04-21-2009 at 04:16 PM.

04-21-2009, 06:07 PM	#6
dpc Dan Chua Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Santa Cruz Posts: 222	Re: Alaska Heli-ski action 2009 Great pics. It looks like that was with CPG? We were just in Girdwood for 4 days with them and had an incredible week of skiing. If that's CPG we were in the same heli about 3 weeks ago. Can't wait to go back but it sure puts a hurt on the bank account. Dan

04-21-2009, 08:02 PM	#7
snokat Registered Lobster Abuser Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Palm Beach Gardens, FL Age: 58 Posts: 1,092	Re: Alaska Heli-ski action 2009 Expert? You better be!!!! Any shots looking down into the drop-ins? I love a good drop-in! So how much pucker-factor did you experience? I love that buzz. The first turn is the only turn! __________________ At the top of the mountain, we are all snow leopards. The only good fish, is the one on my plate. AK

04-21-2009, 08:25 PM	#8
atomic water born to lose! Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Diego Age: 38 Posts: 952	Re: Alaska Heli-ski action 2009 I love fluffy white powder. Great pics! Looks like you had a blast pointing them down! __________________ other alternate president, international brotherhood of san diego beer divers. San Diego's premier drinking & spearfishing club

04-22-2009, 08:42 AM	#11
IRONHEAD Member of the Pain Train Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Port Orange FL Age: 40 Posts: 2,967	Re: Alaska Heli-ski action 2009 pretty awesome stuff, it has been a couple years since i was in the powdery white stuff. vail, I can imagine that it cost plenty to ride in a helocopter to the top. was your trip there mainly to ski? __________________ "If your not puking, your not trying hard enough! "

04-22-2009, 11:20 AM	#13
snokat Registered Lobster Abuser Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Palm Beach Gardens, FL Age: 58 Posts: 1,092	Re: Alaska Heli-ski action 2009 I think I would have more pucker getting out of that bird! Dan, the slide danger appears to be REAL high, but I guess those fellows know their own backyard pretty well. THX for the buzz! __________________ At the top of the mountain, we are all snow leopards. The only good fish, is the one on my plate. AK

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