Ryan Hokanson showed me a trick to increase my success rate on alpine projects. Rather than have my own projects, which typically take two attempts before a successful trip, I can let friends work their own projects. I let them have several cracks at their projects, they sort out the bugs, then I move in for round three. Tick! Easy success for Joe!

Ryan had three cracks at Carpathian Peak. I jumped in. So did Maddog, Newton and Tobey. A group of five typically spells recipe for disaster. But this was one of those days where five buddies lined up with the right timing and the right conditions. As Andy Newton told me, "Nobody was wound up."

Ryan in known turf on the way into Carpathian. We changed the rules and used snowmachines for the approach. Or maybe snowmachines are the new norm.

Maddog plowing trail to the summit below a massive serac wall.

Booting the face.

Tagging the true summit, way above Prince William Sound.

Andy claimed he was on the true summit and wasn't hiking up to no false summit.

Boys playday. Tobey Carmen, Andy Newton, Ryan Hokanson, Dana Drummond and Joe.

Ryan on a 50-degree portion of the southwest face. Our four snowmachines are parked on the glacier, 3,000 feet below.

Maddog above the Skookum Glacier and Turnagain Arm.

Maddog lining up for the yawning portion of the bergschrund.

Happy Maddog.

Maddog ripping pow back to the sleds.

Tobey below the possibly unskied north face.

A tick for Ryan!

Drinking PBRs and talking sled mods on the lower Skookum Glacier with slednecks. So, yeah Ryan, what other projects you have going on? Tobey, Newton, Maddog? How about you guys?