We decided to take an adventure honey-moon by doing heli-access ski touring for a week in Cordova with Points North Heli. It was definitely a life changing experience and one of the most amazing trips we've ever done. The heli ride into tour camp was incredible. We had actually planned on staying in Cordova for a night before flying out, but the second we stepped off the plane we were told that we were flying up a day early to avoid a storm system moving in.
The flight was amazing. It was clear and all you could see is mountains.
This is a shot of "home bowl" if you look close you can see dots on the bench of the mountain.
The left tent is the community tent where we ate all of meals and got to hang out, the orange tent is the cooking tent.
Watching the sunset on the landing pad.
Our view down the valley.
A shot of camp.
The next morning we were in shock. It was slightly overcast so we had to wait for clouds to burn off before heading out.
We boot packed up giggle hill for a few powder turns into camp as we waited.
The last storm brought fresh new pow.
It cleared up and we headed out.
First lines in pow were magical.
Hiking up to do it again!!
This is a view of camp as we were hiking back over the ridge.
Community tent.
Across the valley.... this might be Snagglepuss?
Day #2
Looking down on camp.
Wes, he's very photogenic.
xoxo
Targhetto Left- This run was was super long and ended on a glacier valley that we hiked out of.
Our whole group minus the guides. left -> right Nate, Sean, Dan, Bob, Kristen, Colin, Kevin, Christian
Jeff Dostie breaking trail. woot woot.
Photo credit- Bob
Apparently the Warren Miller crew was filming the week previous. We heard they filmed one the couloirs behind me.
A view of our skin track. Bob's photos
The food was to die for. Usually we had soup as an appetizer that was a hodge podge of left overs from the nights before it was always amazing. This was followed up by heaping portions of food you wouldn't expect to be eating in a tent.
Cozy orange-yellow glow of the tents.
Day #3. This was the couloir on the other side of the mountain above camp. It's called Rest Day Couloir because the first time the guides skied it was with a group and it ended up being a epic day because they skied it out to the bottom. We had to be rappelled into couloir... pretty scary-sweet.
View looking across the valley at the end of the run.
Looking back up at Rest Day Couloir. Jeff and Brennan decided to ski a new side chute. Look close and you can see one of them perched precariously on the top scouting the line. After radioing down to Wes they asked how it looked. In which he replied, "There's some rocks but it looks do-able for you guys." Jeff radioed back, "Copy, Do-able" and proceeded to stomp it.
Nate shredding down with a big smile on his face.
Jeff Dostie flying down...
and Brennan Lagasse right after pioneering a new chute.
Hiking out and around. I was having a hard time staying in the skin track because I was sneaking pics of the glaciers surrounding us.
We skied Targhetto or just left of it, very fun terrain.
Slogging back up.
The honeymoon suite. We were lucky enough to have the tent to ourselves. Once making it back to camp we started the process of trying to dry out everything.
Day #4 hiking out.
Nate showing off his sexy legs as he airs them out.
I took this picture without realizing where we were headed. No idea we would be skiing the two couloirs across the valley. It was better I didn't know where we were going, haha. This is looking over the Simpson's couch
The bottom was pretty sun affected. There was a few sluffs sliding down and this section took a while to get through.
Standing at the top!!! We made it!!
Looking back at our tracks on the Simpson Couch where I unknowingly took the picture earlier in the morning.
Looking the other direction. About to ski Shake Down Couloir!!
Nate had the privilege of making the first tracks on Shake Down.
Hiking over to the second couloir Blue Steel. As you can see I'm getting tired. Nate is carrying my skis... this is why I married him :).
Jeff is standing at the top, Kristen dropping in.
Watching the sun set as we hike back to camp.
This is one of Bob's pics. I started to feel nauseous and stopped taking pictures. The last mile into camp Nate was singing to me and talking politics to keep my mind off of puking. It was an epic day.
Day #5. It was a blue bird day.
Wes keeping me company in the back while we hike.
Dano's in the background.
This spine wall was described as "chill" to me. Once I realized that I would be doing another rappel I told Jeff that his definition of chill and mine are very different. It was terrifying but totally worth it.
Having a snack at the bottom before the hike up Dano's.
Looking back up Dano's.
Nate headed up for a second run with the rest of the group. My legs couldn't be trusted for a second run so my goal was to hike back into the sun to enjoy a few rays before heading down.
Alpenglow
The full moon was amazing on the hike back to camp.
Photo credit- Bob
Looking back at our tracks from day #4. The colors were so beautiful. We headed back to camp to finish off the rest of our whiskey.
