The ski starts right at the Alyeska Hotel. This area is used by the Chugach Powder Guide for snowcat skiing, and they groom a perfect corduroy trail all the way up the mountain. Here I am trying to skate on my backcountry gear for the first few kilomete

A foot of new powder, freshly groomed just for me.

Another shot of the fresh trail

First tracks!

Another shot of my first tracks

The trail crosses Winner Creek.

After Winner Creek, the trail climbs sharply. Here I stopped for a minute and put my skins on.

Not sure why these two pictures came out so bad. One of the drawbacks of using a self-timer, I guess.

The stairway to heaven. As I climbed, I got into the clouds (at about 2000 feet). I was hoping maybe I could get above the clouds to sunshine!

The cat track ended at about 2500 feet. It was pretty fogged in at this point and I was thinking that I better stay close to the trail on the way down so I wouldn't get lost. But just then, the snowcat showed up with two guides and eight skiers. Now I

The snowcat, on its way up the mountain, full of lazy people.

Some of my tracks on the way down. Yeehaw!!

Before (looking down at my blank canvas)...

...After (looking up).