The Mindset Shift

This past spring, Billy Haas spent another season guiding on Denali (along with a personal trip into the Hayes Range for a ski descent). Although Haas has guided Denali many times the traditional way—with clients walking, not skiing—this season, he and Adam Fabrikant guided two clients on a ski descent of the mountain. Up until recently, the National Park Service (NPS) did not permit ski guiding on the mountain. That policy has changed recently; the NPS does allow clients to be on skis both ascending and descending under the right circumstances. Read that as with the right guide/guides. With many seasons spent guiding (and personal trips) in the Alaska Range, Haas has observed what many have witnessed: Denali has increasingly become a skier’s mountain. Those flying onto the Kahiltna plop onto the runway, intending to wear touring boots for the duration, with the goal of riding specific lines or off the summit. 

This summer, as part of a larger project exploring the evolution of expeditionary skiing and riding, we connected with Haas, a THR founder/contributor, to discuss certain aspects of the big mountain scene. In part one of our conversation, we frame what Haas refers to as a mindset shift when thinking about and entering bigger, higher, and potentially more extreme mountain environments.