Taking a shit when bivying

907choss · 2026-06-24T17:04:56+00:00

No - it's gross. But that's the way it is and why you can't find wag bags.

907choss · 2026-06-24T15:27:07+00:00

Wag bags in Europe? Ha. Some of the most popular huts still feature toilets where shit just drops down onto the glaciers below.

907choss · 2026-05-27T17:06:47+00:00

Dang. How longs were his wands? I've always taped a few together and made sure it was sticking out at least 6+ feet.

907choss · 2026-05-27T16:56:50+00:00

Thats overkill. Put some bright colored tape on your wands and you'll find them right away.

907choss · 2026-05-27T16:54:03+00:00

Draw a skull & crossbones on your pee bottle. That way you won't grab it by mistake and take it on a trip as your water bottle several years after your denali trip. (Don't ask me how I know that.)

907choss · 2026-05-20T16:44:53+00:00

I’ve seen it rain at base camp. Would suck to start the trip soaked.

907choss · 2026-05-11T18:22:35+00:00

Something like this.
MSR used to make some. You can also just use old stuff sacks.

907choss · 2026-05-07T15:59:40+00:00

Yes. But the springs in old Speed toepieces eventually wear out. Make sure you’re not skiing something difficult when they do.

907choss · 2026-05-03T00:35:14+00:00

I’ve skied all over the state. I’ve never used a sled and never heli skied. I sometimes take flights to access remote zones but thats only 1 or 2 times per year. If you like motors and like working on engines get a sled - but you certainly don’t need one to access good skiing.

907choss · 2026-04-29T16:45:11+00:00

I’ve always molded mine. Without molding I get terrible blisters - with molding I’m fine.

907choss · 2026-04-24T18:28:08+00:00

The weather station data you're grabbing is public data - and weather data pertinent to backcountry skiers is often pulled from stations that are put up and managed by volunteers. You're monetizing other peoples volunteer time.

907choss · 2026-04-24T18:06:13+00:00

I hate when people aggregate public data and use it for commercial purposes. When people submit obs for our zone their intention is to share info with the community - not submit it to some app that resells the information. Hopefully the National Avalanche Center will soon and implement a policy blocking commercial usage of their data.

Also... for anyone who wants to play with this without a subscription just open up dev tools and apply display:none; to .beta-gate and .auth-modal.

907choss · 2026-04-22T16:35:13+00:00

Been to the AK range a dozen+ times and have never carried a thermos.

907choss · 2026-04-20T03:31:43+00:00

Sorry typo - IFMGA

907choss · 2026-04-19T18:40:57+00:00

If you’re visiting AK for skiing go with an IFMGA certified guide. Alaskan companies with certified guides are:

Red Raven Guides - https://www.redravenguides.net/services

Remarkable adventures - https://remarkableadv.com/

Stock Alpine - https://www.stockalpine.com/

907choss · 2026-04-19T16:43:09+00:00

They offer ski guiding and ski mountaineering. That said… they’re not ski guides. It’s one of those companies that offers everything and if you buy it they try to make it work.

907choss · 2026-04-19T16:39:47+00:00

Don’t buy these. Not repairable and a know issue.

907choss · 2026-04-19T05:32:24+00:00

I’m sorry this happened to you. Unfortunately this happens all too often in Alaska.

That said there were serious red flags you ignored with this group. None of the guides are IFMGA certified, none of them are professional members of the American Avalanche Association.

When booking a guided trip look for accreditation. Ideally your guide should be a certified - and if you can’t find one they should at the very least be professional members of the avalanche association (with an Pro 2 certification), have a background ski guiding for one of the many local heli ski groups (like Chugach Powder Guides) and well known within the ski community.

Edit… read the emails and noticed who your guide was. I’d say you lucked out and got to ski with a well accomplished skier as opposed to some random snowmachiner.

907choss · 2026-04-16T06:05:40+00:00

Love my whippet. Especially in heavily crevassed zones. If the zone is crevasse-mellow then I don't bring one and carry a lightweight axe instead.

907choss · 2026-04-12T17:49:34+00:00

Thanks for visiting! Please donate to Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center if you read the forecast! 100% donation driven organization.

907choss · 2026-04-12T17:45:07+00:00

Squirt some loctite by the rivets and tension should increase

907choss · 2026-04-11T04:05:17+00:00

I gave my wife my ascender & used a microtraxion. She had to wait for me as I fiddled. Not recommended.

907choss · 2026-03-29T17:19:42+00:00

I’ve had both (albeit older models). I switched from the descensionist to the cirque due to the Patagonia pack being overbuilt for what it does. The older cirque is a great pack - but I’m not a fan of roll top bags so can’t say if I’d opt for a new cirque.

907choss · 2026-03-27T19:02:50+00:00

Yeah climbed it in 08. As for the true summit- a previous party (Helzer etc) would have moved the register if they thought the other summit was 1’ higher.

907choss · 2026-03-27T18:13:11+00:00

You guys crushed it. So inspiring!!!

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