Millions of Acres of Public Land at Stake if Reconciliation Bill Gets Passed, Prompting Backlash Across Western States A controversial new proposal from Senate Republicans has sparked fierce opposition after revealing plans to force the sale of up to 3.3 million acres of federally owned public land across 11 Western states, including Colorado, Utah, and California. Introduced as part of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s FY25 Budget Reconciliation bill, the plan would direct the Bureau of […] Julia Schneemann | June 16, 2025 0 Comments
Skier Killed in Soft Slab Avalanche on Denali, AK A skier was confirmed dead after being caught in a soft slab avalanche from below the Rescue Gully above Camp 14 on Denali, Alaska. The slide occurred on the West Buttress Route at approximately 6:15 p.m. on June 10. Nicholas Vizzini, age 29 of Washington State, and his climbing partner, a snowboarder, triggered the avalanche while descending the slope. According […] Avalanche SnowBrains | June 12, 2025 0 Comments
Body of Skier Killed in 3,000-Foot Fall on Denali, AK, Has Been Recovered [UPDATED: 01:50 a.m. PST, June 5, 2025] The body of a deceased ski mountaineer was recovered on the morning of Wednesday, June 4. Alex Chiu, aged 41 of Seattle, Washington, died as a result of a 3,000-foot fall from the Denali (Mount McKinley) West Buttress climbing route onto the Peters Glacier. After recovery, rangers returned to Denali National Park and […] Climbing SnowBrains | June 5, 2025 0 Comments
Brain Post: Denali, AK, Not Everest, is the Tallest Mountain on Land in the World Denali is the World’s tallest mountain, according to Denali National Park and Preserve. Yep, you read that right. The peak of Mt. Everest is 29,035 feet (8,850 meters) above sea level, making it the mountain with the highest elevation. However, the base of Mount Everest is estimated to be 17,000 feet (5,200 meters), making the vertical rise of the mountain roughly 12,000 […] SnowBrains | May 26, 2025 4 Comments
Valdez, AK, Heli-Skiing Report: 14 Glorious Runs on the Best Day of the Season & Mom’s Birthday Report from April 25, 2025 Friday was my Mom’s birthday. She left us in 2023. We’ve had a difficult weather month here in Valdez this year but on Mom’s birthday, it went blue… We started early on Friday with Pulseline Adventure. Legendary guide Jessica Baker was our lead guide on this day and she crushed it. Powder, steeps, long runs, […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | April 28, 2025 0 Comments
Valdez, AK, Heli-Skiing Report: Evening Light Steep Skiing Until Pumpkin Hour Report from April 24, 2025 We’ve had rough weather this month in Valdez, AK. But we did sneak out for one powder run with Pulseline Adventure on April 23rd, and it was glorious just to get out. Then, on a sunny evening on April 24th, we got back out and skied a warm-up and then two deliciously steep runs. This […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | April 27, 2025 0 Comments
What’s in the Pack? | Alaska Heli-Ski Guide Backpack Why do heli-ski guides complain about their backpacks? What’s in a helicopter ski guide’s backpack? What’s in their pockets? A lot… My heliski guiding backpack weighs 30+ pounds. I’m carrying about 60 pounds of gear overall when I drop in. Check out this video to see exactly what I carry on a day out heliski guiding in Alaska. I guide […] Miles Clark | April 21, 2025 3 Comments
Valdez, AK, Heli-Skiing Report: Sluffy Steeps & Powder Snow In A New Zone Report from April 15, 2025 Yesterday we got out there early knowing the clouds would be building in the afternoon. We tip-toed as we have quite a few avalanche problems on the board and our reconnisance flight yesterday morning revealed hundreds of avalanches that occured mid-storm. We started on very mellow terrain. Then bumped up the angle slowly and tenitively. […] Conditions Report Miles Clark | April 20, 2025 0 Comments
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