crust.outlookalaska.comAlaska Backcountry Cross Country Skiing Web Site

Home Blog 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 All Intro Gear About Ski Trips: 2020 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 UBXC Apps eBook This web site is a skiers' resource for exploring Southcentral Alaska on cross country skis. Check the ski trip links above for ideas of where to ski backcountry winter trails and crust skiing venues. Check the weather links below to determine what the ski conditions will likely be where you want to go skiing. Scroll further down for skiing tips and more information. Be safe, have fun ... and ski as much as you can! ~ Weather Links ~ South of Anchorage McHugh Creek webcam, shows cloud cover at the end of Turnagain Arm (click here: for temp and wind) Portage Lake Visitors Center webcam Borealis Broadband Potter Marsh weigh station webcam Bird Point road cam and weather data Portage Road intersection webcam (where you can park to ski the Placer River Valley, click here: for temp and wind) Portage hourly temp and wind Tunnel to Whittier cams in Bear Valley, shows cloud cover at Portage Lake (click here for temp and wind: ) Whittier Loading Dock Whittier FAA webcams Whittier Cliffside Marina webcams Whittier/ Passage Canal marine weather Prince William Sound tides Western Prince William Sound marine weather Weather forecast (Western Prince William Sound) Alyeska Resort snow and weather conditions Alyeska Resort webcams Turnagain Pass hourly telemetry data Turnagain Pass snow depth graph Turnagain Pass webcams CNFAIC weather data: Turnagain Arm to Sterling Hwy Seattle Ridge (Turnagain Pass) CNFAIC weather data Tunnel (end of Placer River Valley, near Spencer Glacier) hourly data Grandview hourly temp and wind data Seattle Ridge (above where Seward Highway begins climb from Turnagain Arm to the pass) Summit Lake weather conditions and webcam views Summit Lake hourly weather data (good for Manitoba Mountain & Mills Creek) Moose Pass hourly weather data Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center Sunburst Webcam (view north to Tincan, Center Ridge below) Moose Pass FAA webcam In and to the East of Anchorage Greater Anchorage area Mesonet weather map Anchorage weather forecast Borealis Broadband Webcam Multiview of Anchorage and surrounding areas Glen Alps webcam Borealis Broadband webcam on top of Denali Towers North - great view of the Western Chugach front range Arctic Valley Chair 2 weather station data Wundermap Interactive, for Southcentral AK Southcentral AK weather radar Chugach Mountains webcam - Flattop Anchorage tide tables (tides above 30' will flood the tidal flats) Alaska DOT Road Weather cams and weather data map for Greater Anchorage (click on the site you are interested in) Borealis Broadband Lake Hood webcam, shows Western Chugach Mountain cloud cover to the east Indian Pass hourly weather data, this site is at the high point on the Arctic Valley to Indian traverse Eklutna Lake (the AMBCS "MORAINE" station, 1000 feet above the lake on the Bold Ridge Trail, 5 miles down the lake) North of Anchorage Hatcher Pass Lodge webcam and weather data Gold Cord Mine (Hatcher Pass) weather data. View east of cloud cover over Western Chugach, MP 24, Glenn Highway, Thunderbird Falls View east of cloud cover over Twin Peaks, MP 31.1, Glenn Highway, Knik River Flats NOAA hourly weather observations (Select site: Palmer, Wasilla, Willow, Sutton, Sheep Mountain, Eureka) Palmer FAA webcam (views of cloud cover over Talkeena Mountains and Knik Valley) Matanuska Valley weather Susitna Valley weather Parks Highway (near Big Lake) webcam, temp and wind: Willow FAA webcam Big Lake Trails Big Lake web cam Willow West Gateway Trails Deshka Landing Mid-Valley Trails Friends of Yentna Curry Ridge Riders Trails Denali Nordic Ski Club Willow weather (also good for Nancy Lakes, west side of Hatcher Pass) Su Valley High School (at start of Talkeena Spur Road) hourly weather data Talkeetna weather (also good for Sheep Creek, Trapper Creek) Parks Highway / Talkeetna Road webcam views, temp and wind Su Valley High School snow depth K2 Aviation webcam in Talkeetna Talkeetna Air Taxi webcam Broad Pass webcam and weather data FAA Talkeetna Aviation webcam Alaska DOT RoadWeather webcams at Gunsight Mtn, shows what conditions are like near Sheep Mountain, Majestic Valley and Eureka FAA webcams at Sheep Mountain (Lion's Head) ... and Tahneta Pass Chickaloon FAA webcam Sheep Mountain weather/ Copper River Basin forecast Lake Louise weather/ Copper River Basin forecast Lake Louise Lodge webcam and weather forecast West of Anchorage Borealis Broadband Mount Susitna webcam Knik, Alaska airport - FAA webcams Southcentral Alaska Information The Alaska Snowmobiling forum on the Alaska Outdoors Directory web site often has current trail condition information. Anchorage Snowmobile Club - Southcentral Alaska trail reports Statewide Weather Information NOAA Alaska snow depth map Entire State of Alaska NOAA weather ... fast - just drag mouse over location Wundermap Interactive - pan for entire state. Double-click to zoom in. Uses Google maps ... very handy. Map of FAA web cams around the State of Alaska ( site list ) State of Alaska, Department of Transportation, RoadWeather camera and weather data site-map Alaska Mining and Diving's webcam links ... TONS of webcams from around Alaska Alaska Railroad Telemetry Data ... click-able map for the whole rail system AK Ocean Observing System. Alaska Meteor Burst Communication Stations (AMBCS) - lots of statewide telemetry weather data (tabular and graphical) EarthWindMap ... coolest weather map on the Internet Backcountry Cross Country Skiing Tips ... Gear Suggestions for Backcountry Cross Country Skiing Intro To Backcountry Cross Country Skiing: Where To Go To Give It A Try Tips for Building a Single-Pole Skiing Sled Consider Recycling Your Ski Wax - Here's How to Do It Make Your Own Nordic Skate Sharpening Jig Tip: You sure don't want to be many miles from the road, have the crust snow softening under the hot sun, blow up a ski or pole - and have no way of repairing the damage. To wade for miles post-holing to your armpits in wet slush would not be a fun experience! So bring along the repair basics: duct tape, wire and a Leatherman tool. Tip: If you blow up a ski - use the Leatherman tool to cut willows and wire and duct tape them to the ski. Use the Leatherman pliers to tighten the wire if you use it. Here Tim Miller limps out of the Twentymile Valley on an emergency spliced ski. Notice the waterproof hunter socks for wading streams. Tip: Same with poles. If you snap one, get to the willows. Cut three or four small branches and duck tape them around the pole. It won't look pretty, but it will get you back to where you started. Tip: You can modify cross country skiing equipment to make better performance backcountry ski gear. Click here to see how. Tip: Should you have the misfortune of breaking through ice into deep water ... you hands are the only thing that will save you. You'll need your hands FAST ... to keep from going under the ice, to get your skis off, to use your pole tips as ice picks and maybe even to swim. You won't have use of your hands if they are handcuffed onto your poles with modern day racing pole straps. So use classic ski pole straps so you can easily flick your poles off and get your hands free. Left: Smart straps for performance backcountry skiing. Easy to get off. Right: Very stupid straps for skiing off groomed trails. They could be the cause of your death if you break through ice on a lake, river or stream. Leave them at home !!! Tip: Bring along spare ski(s) and pole(s) and leave them in your vehicle. If you break gear right at the get go ... you can quickly go back, reload ... and save the day. Tip: Buy a pair of combo (skate/classic) boots, put them in your vehicle and NEVER take them out! That way you will never forget your boots when you go skiing. It only takes one drive to Portage on a crystal clear, perfect crust day and then realize tha...