cross country skiing
-
Wild Place to Wild Place
The last day in Alaska arrived with the long drive back to Anchorage waiting for us, but we weren’t about to leave without one more ski. We stopped by the ranger station and ran into Tucker, who years ago had… Continue reading
-
Skiing the Big River
While the forest trails were delightful, there was something about skiing up the Susitna River that captured what we love most about Alaska: a vast riverbed winding toward an epic mountain range. Traveling up the river on the foray a… Continue reading
-
Alaska Range by Flight
Elaine and I know the Brooks Range well. We’ve spent years moving through it slowly, learning its rhythms. The Alaska Range, though, has always remained elusive, save a single foray more than a decade ago. Right after we got married… Continue reading
-
Skiing Through It
Valentine’s Day has always mattered to Elaine and I. At this point it feels like superstition, but more than that it’s a way of marking time. Doing something together. Something intentional. And if there is a better way to spend… Continue reading
-
North, Unrushed
February 12-13, 2026 Winter in Alaska does not reward urgency. The sun arrives late, almost sheepishly, and the town follows its lead. Nothing opens until midmorning and no one seems particularly concerned about it. We woke up our first full… Continue reading
-
Greenland Crossing Day 20 – Margins
September 3 – 26 km, camped at 7,438 feet After yesterday’s ice, everything slowed. The surface had softened overnight, turning from bulletproof to soggy. Skis sank again. The easy glide was gone. Progress took effort. It rained briefly in the… Continue reading
-
2019 Expedition Amundsen Recap: Across the Stormy Hardangervidda
Getting To the Start: From Eldora, Colorado to Haukeliseter, Norway Expedition Amundsen touts itself as the “World’s Hardest Expedition Ski Race.” The first year my wife Elaine and I competed in the event, in 2017, we felt a little bit… Continue reading
-
Gear Review: Åsnes Mountain Race 48 Cross Country Skis
When I was a kid I had one pair of cross country skis. They were made of wood, had 3-pin bindings and worked for everything. I’d use them to go for weekend skis with my mom and dad on the… Continue reading
-
Leather 3-pins, snowy forests and wind: A ski trip around Brainard Lake
One of my favorite places locally to go for a ski tour is Brainard Lake. While Eldora ski area offers the type of nordic skiing most people think about when conjuring up images of the sport – perfectly groomed tracks… Continue reading
Alta Backcountry 