Author: Alex Lee

Rock Skis

Rock Skis

Written by | Nov 1, 2023

It smells like snow and I love rock skis. 

I fixed a broken boot buckle, ignored a missing skin tail, and freshened up the beacon batteries. Snow line In Alaska still requires a bit of a walk or even more of a drive. The point isn’t really the turns or the vert or the line. It’s about cold fingers and premature seasonality. When I was a kid, I used to wake up in the middle of the night before my birthday to see if midnight had arrived—Fall skiing relies on the same neuro-receptors. 

Read More
A Slightly Masochistic Turnagain Pass Day Trip

A Slightly Masochistic Turnagain Pass Day Trip

Written by | Oct 4, 2023

Turnagain has a magical combination of cold northern air and a wet maritime climate in big mountain terrain. The Seward Highway cuts through the pass, dividing the non-motorized east side from the snowmo west side. Short approaches, steep peaks, and plenty of space make it among the best roadside touring destinations on the planet. Roger’s, of course, has better tree skiing, and Teton Pass has better sheep viewing, but Turnagain provides real-deal, full-on AK skiing just an hour south of Anchorage.

Read More
Backcountry Skiing: Thoughts on Getting Started

Backcountry Skiing: Thoughts on Getting Started

Written by | Sep 25, 2023

Over the past decade, the backcountry boom has flooded trailheads, skin tracks, and gear shops alike with a deluge of enthusiasm from newcomers to ski touring. COVID amplified this but has been a long time coming. The sticker shock of a day pass at your local resort, slow and steady gear innovation and accessibility, ever increasing beta availability, and social media have all paved the way for more folks to get into the backcountry for the first time.

Read More
Life Happens: Becoming a Ski Dad

Life Happens: Becoming a Ski Dad

Written by | Sep 19, 2023

I skied every week of the winter, and yeah, I slid down plenty of vert on skis, and of course, I set my share of skin tracks, enjoyed plenty of ridge top time, and sucked cold air through a buff with snow flying in my face…Fine, maybe I have to concede I skied a lot this year, but it was different. I didn’t get any big days in the backcountry. I didn’t venture off into the big mountains. My summits were all familiar. I never slept in a tent in the snow. I skied no dawn-to-dusk ‘full days.’

My daughter was born last fall. Along with a myriad of major and wonderful life changes, I am becoming a ski dad. 

Read More