Monday, December 31, 2018

Best Photos Of 2018

   Best of - Photos 2018

   Another year draws to a close, and like every year in Alaska, there have been hundreds of fantastic photos along the way - here are my favorites.


   Happy New Year all!  

January - Glen Alps on my 9:ZERO:7 Tundra. 

February - Knik glacier with the Tundra again ;)

March - Wolverine Peak with Travis

March # 2 - Jamey, my boss and owner of Chain Reaction Cycles Alaska, sitting proud in his new store!

March #3 - Ptarmigan peak north face.  The tracks on the right are mine, returning from a rather harrowing climb up the north ridge (left).

March #4 - O'Malley ridgeline on an extremely windy day.  Walking on the ridge was like being sandblasted! 

April - Experimenting with pano selfies on another windy day.  Homicide and North suicide peaks in the background.

April #2 - Windblown snow on the powerline trail.

April #3 - Wedge ridge and Ptarmigan peak.  The wedge ridge is super fun with snow on it!

May - View of Pioneer, West Twin, Goat Rock and Eklutna from POW/MIA.  I had just finished climbing Goat Rock west ridge, and decided that I might as well climb POW as well!

May #2 - Riding my approach bike back around Eklutna from East Fork trail.  Just finished climbing Baneful peak.  

May #3 - Summit of Fall's peak.  Indianhouse on the left.  

June - Johnson Pass on the 9:ZERO:7 Saber.  Such an amazing day!

June #2 - More Johnson Pass.  Me sticking my tongue out.

June #3 - Even more Johnson Pass!

June #4 - Benign Peak summit

June #5 - Benign Peak summit

July - Lost Lake trail.
July #2 - Brent Lowen, very focused at a Arctic MTB race at Hillside.  His chain looks a bit...  odd!

July #3 - Will Ross, friend and co-worker on his way to winning the Alaskaman Triathlon.

July #4 - The incredibly stoic Adrian Barniak at the start of the Fireweed 400.  I was part of a three person crew who supported him the entire distance...  What happens in the support car, stays in the support car!    

July #5 - Adrian on the return from Valdez.  I swear he was probably grinning ear to ear 80% of the time!

July #6 - Double rainbow on Indianhouse mountain!  I'd also like to say that Adrian was on this hike, the day after finishing the Fireweed 400!

July #7 - Looking west from the south ridge of south Baleful peak.  Red spot glacier below.  Things went awry so I turned back!

August - A big day of front range ridges!  Things started out wet and foggy, but then it burned away to a glorious partly cloudy day.  Homicide, North Suicide, and powerline peaks.

August #2 - Why aren't there more August photos?  This is why.  August means saturating RAIN in southcentral AK.  Returning from a Pleasant, Peeking, and Raina triple - saturation level was at drowned rat!

September - Labor day adventure with a huuuge crew of friends.  We did the classic Mt. Williwaw/Ramp loop under impeccable conditions.  Unforgettable day!

  September #2 - The Labor day adventure group at the summit of the Ramp.  We had just finished traversing the ridgeline from Williwaw (left) and now had a nice stroll back to Glen Alps.  Good times.

September #3 - Ram Valley in fall colors with the Dragontail ridgeline in the background.

September #4 - More Ram Valley goodness.  A worthy destination even without a peak in mind, especially on a nice fall day!

September #5 - Mt. Rumble.  Oh boooy was this a nice stretch of weather, and oh boooy was it a long journey to climb Rumble in a day!

 September #6 - Goat Rock east ridge.  Very nearly didn't climb this upon seeing it, but then I tried it!  The question I kept asking was "Is this OK?" and it was, so I kept going.  Eventually I made it to the top!

September #7 - Beautiful tundra colors on the return hike from Goat Rock.

September #8 - Inspecting the approach to Eklutna Glacier (back left) with mah bro Zac Cole.

October (OK, last day of Sept!) - Morning at Eklutna, with beautiful fall colors.  It was crazy warm that day.

October - Running down Wolverine peak.  We happened to run into my uncle Jeff and he snapped a few good candid shots ;)

October #2 - another good Wolverine shot by my uncle.  Posing near the summit with his pupper... If I look worked, it's 'cause of Strava related reasons!

November - Thanksgiving Day climb up the S couloir on Ptarmigan peak.  I unexpectedly ran into Van Ruamy (below right) on the approach, so we decided to summit together.  Awesome way to spend Thanksgiving.

November #2 - Near the summit of Peak 3960, looking toward Indianhouse (center).  I intended to climb it via the north ridge, but thought the better of it while on the first gendarme.  Not that day!

December - Zac Cole riding across the bridge on Blue Dot trail.

December, Christmas Day - My fatbike sitting pretty in the morning light.

Looking through these photos brought back some incredible memories from the past year.  It's amazing how much has happened in only a year's time, and how much promise 2019 holds.  I can't wait!    See you all out there!