nordic skiing
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Going North in Midwinter
Taking a short break from the Greenland journal to tell about a recent trip to Alaska’s interior. February 11, 2026 Since we took over the ski shop in 2020, Elaine and I have not taken a midwinter trip. Winters are… Continue reading
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Greenland Crossing Day 18 – Sunshine on the Plateau
September 1 – 24 km Happy September 1st. The sun has been a rare commodity lately, and when it finally appeared this morning it lifted the entire icecap with it. The day still began bitter cold, as the summit area… Continue reading
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Greenland Crossing Day 5 – Onto the Icecap Proper
August 19. 18.5 km, 1,333 feet of climbing. We woke to one of those days that feels like a gift. Blue sky, light clouds stretched thin and high, and temperatures warm enough to make you question your layers. Ahead of… Continue reading
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Greenland Crossing Preparation – Before the Ice Comes the Hostel
August 14, 2022 — Tasillaq, East Greenland We came back to Greenland to try again. The first time, in 2018, the ice pushed us back with storms strong enough to tear a tent built for Antarctica. We were evacuated by… Continue reading
Alta Backcountry 