[Valdez Telehead]

Got an early start and based on my recon a few day go, Sugarloaf looked good. Found real good skinning up through the trees and then popped over a hump at 600' above obvious sealevel and spotted my objective, but looked a bit windy up on the ridge, so I worked the mountain out of the wind


Up about 1/2 way, I glanced to the north and see little Valdez nestled in the fjord way over there...Beautiful sun. Shadows were cast on those slopes from peaks in my arena this day. Those summits above Valdez are pretty much all 6000' straight from the ocean. Valdez is the snowiest "sealevel" town in the world and probably the steepest.


Got a nice look at the impossible sides of Comstock and Embick Peak and the classic 45 degree north ramp on My Francis


Pushed on to the summit and made it to the rocks ahead. That ridge was first climbed by Kathy Todd and Comstock in 1982. The wind today was near 60mph and pretty much stopped me....yep

So down I tele'ed to the ocean below with pretty mixed snow conditions. Tried a final steep shot in the trees above the Hatchery and got insulted by brush by getting lost trying to find a certain line, but otherewise a most excellent day in a very old haunt of mine. There is some incredible terrain on this peak.

[Chris B]

I hate it when brush insults one. So very rude!

[Valdez Telehead]

and the spruce offered no assistance.

A few more things....

Have you ever checked out the slope right above the hydro plant?...that thing actually looks skiable.

It was 52 degrees and blowing 40-60...I could see lenticulars over above the Pass.

Snow was mostly deep, damp unconsolidated wet with some surface hoar. A few areas had a zip crust.


This may be of use to locals. Beginning in Jan snotels indicate that the snowpack depth on Sugarloaf excedes Thompson Pass. Amazing really. One reason that whole arena over there interest me. Look at March!!!

Average depth measured once at the beginning of the month. Data reflects course data since 1971.

Jan/Feb/March/April

Sugarloaf Mt(elev 570’) 65 / 79/ 87/ 67
City of Valdez 45/51/54/33
Worthington Glacier 62/68/72/61
Tsaina River Mile 40) 50/56/57/51
Lowe River (Mile 1 46/53/54/30

I saw no wolverines...

[soulskier]

Nex time you get a chance, can you snap a photo of Dimond. I skied that back in the 90's and it was my first real big moutain run. Would love to see a photo, gracias.

[Valdez Telehead]

If you tell what aspect of Dimond you skied, I'll see what I can do in the coming months.

[Tri-Ungulate]

Making excellent use of your digicam, I see...
Also making the most of those 5 hour days.

Thanks VT.




(edited to add tripreport search term to thread)
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