Alaska is crazy-hot lately on the backcountry skiing scene. Every adrenaline-ride ski movie seems to hit heli-skiing somewhere in the state, and why not: killer lines, mind-blowing scenery and not a soul in sight. What's not to love?
Well, the lack of a decent guidebook, for one. At least that was the case until very recently when Joe Stock hooked us all up with The Alaska Factor: Backcountry Skiing in Southcentral Alaska. 144 pages of good advice follow, making TAF the go-to guidebook for local and visiting powderhounds.
The introduction covers the usual local beta on topics like weather and getting around, then it gets serious: four chapters on where to get your boards on: the Chugach Front Range, Western Chugach Mountains, Kenai Mountains, Talkeetna Mountains and the Alaska Range. Great maps and gorgeous photography are icing on a frosty winter cake.
Classic car-accessible traverses like Eklutna and Arctic to Brown Bear share space with serious fly-in commitments in the Ruth Gorge. Bomber Traverse is not to be missed, and all the moutain huts are detailed for good measure. If you live in the area or are just visiting and want to see why so many ski-freaks choose to call Southcentral Alaska home, check it out.
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