Sierra Quitiquit

Alaska

This is my story of Alaska

I’ve just returned from the moon. Alaska that is. So, I thought I knew a thing or two about skiing. After spending three weeks in Alaska I now know that I know nothing. Apparently humbling is a common and beautiful side effect of Alaska. People have always talked about those experiences that “make you feel so small” and I liked the concept, understood it intellectually but never really knew what it felt like until I found myself surrounded by the massive, never ending, vast Alaskan mountains. 

Ten things Alaska taught me:

1. Weather and conditions change very quickly in Alaska. Commit to as little as possible and make plans according to the conditions. Be unattached and go with the flow.

1. Alaska is steep. I thought I had a good grasp on steep skiing after my time spent in Jackson but really nothing compares.

1. The Girdwood locals are a bunch of beautiful, wild animals. Some of the most talented, happy, giving and sparkly bunch of folks I’ve ever met.

1. Equipment dialing is key. Skis for variable conditions, bindings that don’t fail, outerwear that keeps you dry and warm, friends that smile and understand the program, proper flare to make you feel fancy among the Alaskan mountain men & women.

1. Rolling with an all lady posse of skiers, slednecks and guides in Alaska is like winning the lottery. Sometimes dreams do come true.

1. There is no shortage of my favorite color. It’s an insanely wild experience to be on top of a peak and look around you 360 degrees and see nothing but white for miles and miles.

1. Mother nature is in charge and sadly sometimes she doesn’t care how badly you want to ski that line. Come to learn, sometimes you sit and wait and maybe you wait till next year, or the next, or the next.

1. Safety first, always. Alaska is the real deal and will chew you up. I found it particularly challenging to really mission as aggressively as I would of liked to at times. Having a guide was an epic experience, especially when you’re guide is a beautiful girl named Lauren who rides a sled, shreds hard, and is your ticket to skiing big lines.

1. It’s a big state. It’s nice to have a contact in different zones to check in with because conditions vary drastically from place to place.

10. I want to be a sledneck, badly.

The thing about Alaska is that there is no end. Think of the biggest, whitest, blankest, most beautiful canvas that you could spend a lifetime trying to paint your picture on and never finish, ever. If you’ve been then you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t had the chance to make your pilgrimage go as soon as possible. It will blow your mind so hard you’ll still be picking up the putty and trying to make sense of it all weeks later. And that’s amazing.

MASSIVE thanks to my sponsors for their support!

Trew Gear www.trewgear.com

Surface Skis www.surfaceskis.com

Smith Optics www.smithoptics.com

Alta Ski Resort www.alta.com

Alyeska Ski Resort wwww.alyeskaresort.com

Mom & Dad

childofthefoxes asked: broke clavicle n m in soooo much pain even with meds. i hate meds tho i dont even take aspirin. what advice might u have for me to recover n deal w/ pain naturally?

Bum! Ya it’s a painful one. Rest and breathe. Don’t move around too much for the first couple weeks. Coming from and insanely active person this was a hard one but just embrace the couch. Breathe deep when the pain comes! Good luck!

Ski Bumming

It’s been a whirlwind of a winter. I made a big move to Jackson Hole this season. It was fantastic in every way, terrain, people, nightlife, new friends, general stoke and energy. However, as you know the States have been suffering massively from lack of snow so mid season I had enough and pulled the trigger to hit the road and storm chase. These are my top ten tips on how to live out of your car, chase storms, be unemployed, shred all day everyday and still live like a Queen.

1. Any ski bum knows the golden rule to storm chasing: If it doesn’t fit in your Subaru, throw it away. And don’t forget to leave room for you’re best bud and/or hitchhikers (see Karma points)
2. Equate each dollar to time on snow, it puts things in to perspective. Invest in a flask, barter and trade, don’t buy things, eat less, and work short gigs when the snow is bad.
3. Eye on the pink. Don’t blow it and miss storms. Keep rolling and chase the blower.
4. Karma points- give relentlessly, it WILL come back ten fold. Pick up that hitchhiker, drive him/her out of your way home, give gifts, do dishes, and tip big when you’re broke.
5. Hungry? Go skiing, charge a sick line and get stoked, you’ll forget about the hunger pains. Still hungry? Almond butter and apples and carrots and hummus are dense delicious sources of energy that travel well. 
6. Simplify. Turns out skinny jeans make great long underwear and the right spandex double as party pants. Really who needs shampoo, soap and facewash anyways? Dr. Bronner’s 34 in 1 hellooooo!
7. Take care of your feet. They’re important. You’re going to need them.
8. Stretch your butt. Driving and skiing are mega hard on the hips. Embrace pigeon pose.
9. Stay loose and go with the flow. Life is just a lot more fun if you don’t always have it together and figure out.
10. Smile, spread stoke, shine light and make friends.