Valdez w/ Dan & Nik

The only thing better than Thompson Pass in April would be Thompson Pass in April with a carbon dioxide ban. Dan Oberlatz (owner of Alaska Alpine Adventures), Nik Koblov a long-time friend of Dan's from Brooklyn and I roadied to Valdez for a few days of touring. Our timing was perfect--splitter weather, stable conditions, Tailgate Alaska had just finished and the Mountain Man Hill Climb hadn't started.

Dan Oberlatz and Nik Koblov have been on many crazy Alaska adventures together. In 2008 Nik, Dan and I skied in the Neacola Mountains.

Skinning Crud Busters to log 5,500 vertical on our first day.  

Day 2. Here's a video from Dan of Nik and I skiing from the top of the Worthington down into the Hoodoo Glacier. Earlier that morning the icefall ripped loose and from a 4.8 earthquake and obliterated our run with ice.

My photography slacks when guiding, but Dan was pounding his SLR trigger. See Dan's photos and my photos of Dan taken on his camera here.

Dan flossing up with his Camp XLH 95 ski touring harness. Dan is lucky he didn't fall in a crevasse since he forgot his tweezers.

Nik and his new, super-fatty DPS Lotus 120 carbon fiber skis.

After sampling the finer-dining establishements in Valdez - Fu Kung, Ernesto-less Ernestos, The Bistro - we voted the Best Western our favorite.

Proper-style Valdez rig. Mullet required.

Nik dropping into upper Key-to-Lisa, our last run of the trip as we headed out of town.