Attitudes About Angles(click here) By Matt Kinney on 12-26 (other essays at bottom of page)

NEW! - Heiden View Property For Sale

Arrived Friday night at Slana to 4" of snow down to the road and the following am showed all the mountain tops smothered in snow.  Set up camp at Jack Creek and did a 24-Mile RT to the Nabesna Mine on Saturday.  We did not encounter a single car during the ride.   On Sunday we reconned up Lost Creek to assess the route to the Noyes Mts to the east of the Road.  Nice weather both day exploring the park area rarely visited.   We have been up there numerous times over the years. Very nice trails and excellent camp sites with superbly clean outhouses. The NPS continues to make improvements  Thanks!!

    Tabitha and I along with Bonnie C. spent the weekend on the Denali Highway.  Day one included a 20-mile R/T mountain bike to rarely visited Osar Lake from McClaren Summit.  We had mostly rainy and cool conditions and the trail was excellent for biking. We camped near the trailhead.
    Check back weekly as we explore different areas of Alaska each weekend.

RECENT ARTICLES AND ESSAY by Matt Kinney
4-20 SNOW THOUGHTS :  Valdez should end the season with well under 300" for the 3rd season in a row with 266".  Valdez had 275" last season and 240" the season before.   Records indicate Valdez has rarely if ever recorded annual snowfall in the 200" range.  The shallow snowpack below 3000' is very noticeable.
    Here at the Chalet we have recorded our lowest snowfall total (129") in 10 years of maintaining the snotel for the NWS along with other volunteer Observer duties.  TP has not had a snow event in excess of 12" since early Feb which is very similar to the past 3 years which indicate that snow pretty much ceases after Feb 15.  Feb used to be the snowiest month of winter, but now it is the least.  Not sure what's up, but its not our world famous snow amounts!  Seems Turnigan Pass/Alyeska have been enjoying banner years at our expense, which may indicate a dramatic variation of the typical tracks of lows into PWS to more west of here.  I'll leave that interpretation to the climate experts.  I hope to have some year ending stats on water equivalency and other geeky things up in a few days.

5-4 - PLACE NAMES- I recently viewed an ESPN show on skiing Thompson Pass.  An interview was conducted with a guide who stated that Nicks Happy Valley was named for Nick Perata, the snowboarder.  The Alaska Avalanche Center began educating DOT employees on avalanche awareness in Thompson Pass in the early 80's.   One of those instructors was Nick Parker. Nick Parker is a long time  Alaskan who works in the ski shop at Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking.  "Nicks" was frequently used by the class.  My research of DOT avalanche records also show the name as "Nicks" for many years prior to 1992.
    Another "guide" error is the misspelling of Mt. Dimond (not diamond). It is a USGS designated name and is in honor of Judge Tony Dimond, the 1st territorial Judge of Alaska who was based in Valdez. This is noted on the topo and in Alaska Place Names (Orth).
A process for establishing topo landmarks is critical to future surveys, basic navigation and of course,  search and rescue.  It's part of the heritage and tradition of cartography in America and world history.   "Local" names, an actual mapping category,  are also useful but have yet to be established. You are free to call features whatever you want.  Many of these names are colorful and useful as reference points to of those who live and work in the area
    In recent years,  applications have been made to the USGS on peaks in the Worthington Glacier area and have been rejected by USGS due to commercial interest.  Having a corporate name for a peak on USGS topo is not acceptable.

Whispy Encounters  (posted Nov 15, 2008

STEEP : A Movie Review and Response  (posted Oct 15, 2008 )

SNOCAMS OF VALDEZ : A Forecastng Perspective (posted May 15, 2008

Note: Visiting heliskiers are reminded that the front range of Thompson Pass provides worldclass ski touring/mountaineering terrain for skiers from around the world, the local area, and yes, even visiting heliskiers and guides.  Cooperation before regulation works best.  The Chugach has vast areas away from popular venues for the recreational public to enjoy the ease of access to vast untracked slopes provided along the highway.  This access makes Thompson Pass truly unique.  Helisking above these areas is unsafe and intrusive.  The Chugach is vast so request your heliteam guide prove it by flying the extra few miles for untracked terrain.  Thanks to the 3 heliski companies operating in the Chugach who respect the safety and user-conflict issues.