Weekend Heli-ski and Mid-week Backcountry Touring

I am excited to announce a Remarkable Adventures trip option to join me for a skiers and riders dream trip. This year I'm introducing a Girdwood special guided week of heli-skiing on Saturday and Sunday along with your choice of booking 2-4 days worth of backcountry ski touring. This is the ultimate skiers and riders trip combining what is arguably the "best of both worlds" in the ski industry. Heli-skiing and riding is a must do experience for even the most soulful mountain men and woman. You only live once, might as well try it out. To the contrary hiking for your turns is something that the most die-hard resort riders and heli-skier addicts will likely find to be a life changing experience. I love taking people out after heli days, as good as it is a lot of people actually enjoy their non-mechanized days more... those turns become so good when you #earnyourturns .

Inquire on the Booking Page with your interested dates. I would love to enjoy a nice week of adventure in the mountains guiding your group. You could even consider doubling up on your heli-ski weekends if you have the time, call it a "heli-ski sandwhich" where the meat and cheese is hiking in the backcountry for your turns.  

I'm also pleased to report on an excellent start to our winter here in the Girdwood / Turnagain Pass, Alaska region. It has been great to be settled into home for the winter after my summer and fall travels to New Zealand and New England. It's been nice to ride the lifts at Alyeska Resort and the backcountry skiing at Turnagain Pass has been pleasantly surprising with ample snow cover and extremely high quality snow. Even though I skied for three months this summer, when you get back into the snow covered mountains it's easy to forget how awesome sliding on snow is. This year in fact I skied every single month of the year besides October 2016, one month out of ski boots and I'm more than ever psyched to be back in them... 2017 is gonna be a good year!

I head out, back up for another powder run on Winter Solstice Day as my friend and photographer Greg Stafford takes my new camera to snap this shot.

The snow quality during early season has been exceeding expectations. Solstice Day powder on Tincan.  Skier: Greg Stafford.  #AlaskanVelvetSnow

December was filled with a nice mix of blue days and storm days. Temps have been cold to hold snow at sea level. Ample snow coverage has provided good travel. Pictured here is Surface Hoar, if buried it provides an excellent weak layer for avalanching. 

Voile ski pictured here.  Voile.com

New Zealand: Backcountry Ski Touring

NZ - Part Two: Backcountry Ski Touring

As the Alaska backcountry ski season begins I look back on the New Zealand ski season I recently finished. One winter completes as the next begins. I stayed busier than my expectations working but in between guiding heli-skiing and working hard on behind the scene tasks for my company I was able to get out touring with friends. Heli-sking is awesome, however when I get out in the hills under my own human power I'm quickly reminded of the simplicity and joy of quietly navigating the hills one step at a time.

I've had many guests complete top notch heli-ski days then join me for backcountry ski touring days and say how they enjoyed the touring day more (and I don't think they're just saying that to make me feel good.) The best yet and what I'm aiming to build my company brand around is offering people the chance to be guided by me for a day or two of heli-skiing on the weekends and during mid-week getting out for touring days. And while before, after or in-between our days making some good old fashioned laps riding a chairlift and enjoying the ski resort town lifestyle. The beautiful town of Girdwood is the ultimate place to be able to do this and the reason I choose to live here.  

Anyways here are some photos from the New Zealand backcountry.

Skinning our way back up a nice run on a warm spring-like day.

Elin Edlund makes her way across the slope on a cold windy morning.

My face is almost as red as my jacket from the wind and snow blasting it... it "hurts so good".

Yuko visiting from Japan cruising up on her new split-board above the town of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu.

New Zealand is as beautiful as people say. Kinda like Alaska but different.

There's nothing like the feeling of ripping skins. It's that transition point of hard uphill work turning into glorious downhill fun.  #earnyourturns

Pictured are the Charger skis made by Voile, the name says it all, these skis can charge! This year Voile makes their transition to the revamped SuperCharger skis, I anticipate that again, the name will say it all. I look forward to the new skis coming in and another year on Voile's Ambassador team.  #the_V_team

Jimmy dropping in. We then made our way over and up the run in the background, the Grand Couloir which splits the peaks of Single Cone and Double Cone. That was a good day out with good people. 

Booting up and standing atop the Grand Couloir. It's been awesome representing Voormi clothing as an ambassador as well. They have quickly built a good reputation for developing new and unique, high-quality wool clothing wholly manufactured in the USA. My daily use has proven their layers live up to their reputation.

'Till next time New Zealand, it was awesome! For now it's time to enjoy what this year's Alaska winter season has to offer. Currently my stoke is high for a solid winter full of work and fun.

Bookings are coming in, if you are interested in a guided ski trip or an instructional course, the time to inquire is now. Visit RemarkableAdv.com for more info and how to make your booking.

Thanks for reading - Nick