When we last left you, we were waiting out the weather in Cordova and awaiting a clear window so that the helis could fly us up to tour camp.

We got that window on Thursday afternoon. Though the sky looked no less gray than it had for the previous four days, the pilots saw a hole and we got the word to grab our bags and get ready to load up.

It had been snowing and blowing for the past five days so the tents were sitting in holes so that only their tops were poking out.  The scenery was spectacular, but we knew that the snowpack was volatile due to all of the new stuff. That afternoon, we made some cautious, low-angle runs. The snow was perfect pow and we relished being high up in the Chugach and scoping out the heli lines across the valley.

That night, we feasted on copious amounts of meat cooked up by our superstar guides, Jeff Dostie and Brennan Legasse. Later that evening, wind ripped through the mountains and we felt fortunate to be sheltered from it by our burly tents and the high snow walls that surrounded them.

The next day, the winds had scoured the snow and we spent most of the day hanging around camp and hiking short laps just above. Toward the end of the day, we headed out to see if we might find some soft stuff. We had a nice “walk,” but eventually decided that the winds were too cold and the snow was too scoured to make it worth going further. We headed home to enjoy our last night, feasting and imbibing with the group in the high alpine.

Sunset over the Chugach. Photo: Taylor Simmers

Heading out for an afternoon of glorious pow. Photo: Rob McCormick

Guide Brennan Lagasse gets barreled. Photo: Taylor Simmers

Tour Campers head into the zone. Photo: Taylor Simmers

Guide Jeff Dostie pops a slab. Photo: Taylor Simmers

The Chugach Mountains above Cordova, Alaska. Photo: Rob McCormick