Heli Yeah! (Day One)

"Breathe, breathe in the air"

Soon after recovering from our bushwhacking adventure last week I got a call from Patrick offering another backcountry ski adventure. He proposed that we fly to the top of Center Mountain, camp and ski from the summit as far as possible before hiking home. After working out the logistics we decided to depart Saturday afternoon. For this excursion we joined up with pro skier Mike Mannelin, Greg, Lisa, and Steve. All of whom have extensive knowledge of skiing Kodiak's backcountry. The chopper was delayed due to morning fog that burnt off by mid-day so we waited at the helipad in eager anticipation. The wait was well worth the ride, however. We crammed our gear and our bodies (a little on the heavy side) into the aircraft and our pilot Tom fired up the chopper. As the rotors sped up and we lifted off I had the the first three minutes of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon playing in my head: the screaming woman's voice and the chopper's whine synched up and the cymbals crashed in at the moment of liftoff, then the sensation of floating over Kodiak's lush greens and rounded peaks - "Look around, choose your own ground." Only music could describe the ride.

On the trail of a brown bear behind Center Mountain.

The twenty minute flight to the top of Crown Mountain left me hungry for more. (Later I half-jokingly asked Meghan, "could we register at Chugach Powder Guides?") We offloaded our gear and chose a spot to set up camp before quickly gearing up for an evening ski. The views south and west toward the heart of Kodiak Island were spectacular - mountains and a couple of glaciers defined the horizon. After a long run of nearly 2000' vert, we found ourselves at the bottom of a high valley covered in snow. Brown bear tracks and scat left evidence of wildlife activity in the valley. We skied to end of the snow, pleased to be in the shadows as Kodiak has experienced "hot" weather for the last several weeks - a windless 70 degrees. We stuck on our skins and climbed back to the top of Center to prepare dinner and enjoy the sunset - four hours hence.

Mountain chef, guide and morale booster Patrick Saltonstall

Once reaching the summit the group settled in for appetizers (salami), dinner (red beans, rice, cabbage and salami), and drinks (rum, boilermakers and cherry tea). Greg and Patrick cooked up a delicious meal while I listened to the group's tales of adventure in the Kodiak backcountry. Patrick talked of his yearly quests to ski in every month of the year which compelled him to scramble the several miles on foot to the top of Center Mountain during summer months and ski. "Yup, I could climb up here, ski a run and hike back to the road in seven hours," explained Patrick. "I'm glad those days are over." Greg and Lisa carve out time to ski most of the year on the Island and are approaching the "one million vertical feet" mark. Mike, who has logged several hours in a chopper, told me about his appearances in heliskiing movies. "At first it's terrifying, then it becomes addictive, like crack cocaine." Steve and his wife Sharon own and operate Orion's, the only ski shop in town (besides Patrick's barn). Together they have flown many times to Kodiak peaks and Steve was able to describe many of the runs that we could see from our campsite - lots more to ski.

Looking south and enjoying the high life.