Crust ski season is here, it may be gone tomorrow, but it was in this past week.
Things have been busy, home remodeling and very busy with work, taxes, Finn's been sick, Julie blew her ACL. Not much time to get away. Been looking closer to home than the usual drive down to the Portage / 20 mile area which is the epicenter for crust skiing in south central.

Anyway, been finding good crust skiing just in Anchorage all week, but have been gazing at the front range thinking there would be good crust in the Long Lake and Williwaw valley's. Needed to find out for sure yesterday knowing it could be just a big boondoggle and end up being just a hike with my skis.

Up the North side of near point. No trail yet. waist deep trench body holing in breakable crust / sugar up to the Alders, then just breakable crust knee deep+ post holing until I wrapped around to the more eastern aspect, almost bailed demoralized. It was short lived and it started to feel like near point again. is there crust down there? North side - powder over windhammer. Put boots & skis on and found the crusty goods in the valley floor just as expected! on Long lake, back near Koktoya. Lucy was thrilled as she has not been back here since we did the Elliot loop, and this other run. punchy, turnaround, need to be back so Julie can swim with the bum knee. Nano skins on for the climb back to the Near point ridge. awesome find, glad I looked hard.
Posted by Eric at 10:37 AM Labels: Nordic Skiing MC said...

Risky business trying to find the elusive goods.

But oh so worth it when you do.
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