 Our
highest priority while enjoying the mountains is your safety. Finding good
powder is usually the easy part, keeping guests safe takes much more consideration.
We are committed to providing you with the most qualified guides who are
comfortable making decisions in the field. Good mountain safety starts
with awareness. Your guides will do their best to be aware of your needs
and desires. We intend to keep you challenged, yet not compromise our safety
considerations. Your guides instructions and your commitment to following
them are paramount to an enjoyable and safe day in the mountains. Respect
your guides decisions, but don't be afraid to ask questions about our decision
making process.
Some of the questions
often asked are...
How do you avoid
the avalanches?
Avalanches are always
a possibility in the mountains. We do our best to be aware of the potential
risks and adjust our run strategy based on research, testing and evaluating
results. Every morning we generate a snow stability forecast. There are
many considerations. We collect field information by digging snowpits,
noting natural avalanche occurrence, observing weather conditions and using
historical data technology. We have 4 mountain top weather stations, thanks
to a unique relationship we enjoy with Alyeska Resort, the State Highways,
and the Alaska Railroad. This provides us with data resources that no other
Alaskan ski outfits can compare with.
What terrain do
you ski?
We select ski runs
based on a step-up / progressive approach. The guides go into the field
with an extensive morning briefing where we discuss the stability rating,
the area being skied, the terrain we are going to avoid, and the terrain
we hope to utilize. After a storm we start our day on what we call a key
run. This is a run that we can generally ski without exposing guests to
significant hazards. We use these run to warm up and check out the
groups differing abilities. We also use the slope features to test
the snow stability and collect data. You will hear guides communicate
between each other, sharing their observations in various areas. As the
day progresses we move to steeper slope angles if the snow stability allows.
First we try short steep shots with little consequence and then move into
the longer sustained slopes with angles up 45 to 50 degrees. The days we
get on the long and steep runs are special indeed and require a good amount
of respect for your guides concerns and skiing protocol. Your guide trusts
that you will follow directions exactly and avoid skiing recklessly. A
good day in the Chugach is world class. Make sure you take the opportunity
to have a look around at the inspiring landscape.
What is your rescue
and evacuation plan?
We train and practice!
The guides have a strong background in rescue and they take this part of
the job very seriously. We have an extensive medical and rescue kit in
the helicopter and have additional resources in our base area.In most areas
we are a maximum of 20 minutes from 3 Anchorage area hospitals with the
highest level of care. Guides are EMT certified and continually briefed
of new techniques and care by our staff paramedic. Our goal is no accidents,
however, if one occurs you can be confident in our abilities to move the
injured in an expedient and appropriate way.
How do you prepare
your customers?
Prior to skiing,
guides conduct a mandatory orientation which includes safety policies,
procedures, a helicopter safety briefing and an avalanche search practice
with state-of-the-art avalanche rescue transceivers. A heli-skiing ratio
of no more than 5 guests per guide assures a personalized experience. As
with all backcountry ski operations there are inherent dangers and risks.
Our safety program is designed to identify those risks and attempts to
reduce them as much as possible.
Our philosophy
on steep skiing
The Chugach Range has
gained a reputation for some of the best and most accessible steep skiing
and snowboarding in the world. While we enjoy the steeps ourselves
and wish to provide steep skiing for those who desire it, there are a few
important things to understand. Our primary goal is to provide you
with a once in a lifetime backcountry powder skiing experience while keeping
you safe in the process. Skiing true steeps requires the appropriate
combination of weather, snowpack stabilility, and riding ability. We are
unlikely to take guests into consequential terrain immediately upon there
arrival, without working into the process and demonstrating appropriate
technique. As conditions permit, qualified guests will be gradually worked
into steeper terrain.
Steep skiing opportunities
are plentiful in the Chugach and we are happy to pursue them when and where
they are appropriate.
The staff at Chugach
Powder Guides has a deep respect for our mountain environment and wishes
to impress that respect upon our guests.
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