The Anticipated Curve Ball

We are far away in a new place
But they are kind
The snow is white and cozy
and makes me feel at home
There is so much comfort
To glide quietly through the storm
To see the tracks of the animals in the forest, in the trees
My feet are grounded on the same planet
Where Tooksok, Chignik and up on the Ridge
Each confidently or humbly displays
Its magnificent unbelievable natural phenomenon


Niseko is known to have frequent and consistent snow storms all winter that make the snow deep and stable. During part of our stay we had some very warm days (two nights in a row without good refreeze) followed by heavy snowfall. The snow conditions where very much like I am used to and normally back home my alarm bells would have been going off. In Niseko, the avalanche report read "low" and the backcountry gates opened and this influenced me to ski things that I probably would not have if I had based my decisions soly on my own observations of the weather and snowpack. For all I know, they were about to have the worst avalanche cycle in their history and had no clue. In arm-chair quarterbacking myself, in hindsight, I may have taken to much risk.

In our quest for Goshiki Onsen, we traversed across high alpine bowls above tree line though unknown territory in a white out. I knew what loomed above, unseen, from my hours of poring over the maps. We gained the ridge and started to descend. We became slightly disoriented for a few moments in the white and found that we had lost the main ridge and had followed a sub ridge that dissipated into a steep slope. We descended, and finally came out below the clouds and into the most beautiful snow choked valley where we could see the steam of the onsen below. We put our skis in

the snowbank of this uninhabited onsen quietly slipped inside, out of our ski boots and into slippers and into steamy hot water. We were the only two at the onsen and I whispered quietly to Jill over the wall dividing the boys from the girls.
Later the next day we skied the north bowl off the peak which is a run I will never forget. Skiing a long steep untracked powder run off a peak in a far away land with the one you love is unforgettable. The fear, the adventure, the gliss, the bonding, but if anything had happen to Jill I would give back every powder run to have that one decision back. Maybe that is the joy and appreciation of being alive.


Freedom of the Hills - Napon Style:

White Ninja

3 plane rides 2 buses and a van ride later and we have arrived in Niseko. With all our luggage! Niseko has so many elements that are so different from home that it seems like a sort of ski dream. There is more snow in the village than I have ever seen anywhere. Snow mushrooms on everything and roads like a 15 foot deep rat maze
through the town. The trees act like the willow bushes back home to slow the wind just enough to deposit super deep snow...but on a more grand scale. Something about being so far from home and having the mix of visitors from around the world makes this place seem like a ski melting pot where anything could go down kind of the like the movie :"the Beach" Mt Youti is absolutely magnificent. Something Cant wait to ski!

Steep Snow (and ice)

Steep Snow from Aaron Stanford on Vimeo.

The Run is Called Devil's Castle but it Skis Like Heaven

This video is from one of the great days we had last year, but I was just playing around with how to edit a video and add music and such. Long way to go with that.

Devil's Castle is Like Heaven from Aaron Stanford on Vimeo.

Zoom and Pan Topograghic Maps Accoss the Country

View Larger Map

Sea Pearl

This was truly an adventure amongst adventures. There was something about this trip that seemed more remote and untouched than many of our previous trips. Maybe it was because it was one of my first wilderness adventures outside of the US…or maybe it’s the fact of being on a island or a boat that gives that sense of being isolated from so much else. This place was also visually stunning to the point of being surreal and the whole adventure was like a dream.
As Jill and I stocked up on provisions and made last minute preparations we had a chance to explore the town and talk with the people who were wonderfully warm, kind and open. These small settlements of descendants of formers slaves are truly magical places. You can find a shady tree, sit under it and look out at the bright blue water and listen to the wind, the waves and the kids laughing…and you can be a world away.
The true extent of the commitment required for our trip did not actually hit me until it was to late and we had shoved off from shore and looked back to see Dallas’s truck speed off out of site up over the hill. We were beyond excited to be out on the water and the breeze started to freshen. Then it started to blow hard and Jill took the helm back being the more experienced sailor. Dallas had told us that during the trip we may get a little water in the boat and that after a few days we
could simply pump it out of the bilge. Well… here we were 45 minutes into the trip and the lee rail had been under the water for the last thee tacks and waves were breaking completely into the boat that I was pumping out as fast as I could. Things started to get fairly crazy with the strong wind and waves. I was frightened being in such a small boat so far from shore in the given conditions and it was really impressive to see Jill keep her cool and give clear orders and she really seemed to enjoy the whole thing.
The wind eased off and the seas calmed as we approached our first destination and sailed along the lee of an island with and endless strand of white beach with a short jungle of plants behind. We dropped the anchor into perfectly clear water a few meters off of one of the most idealistic campsites you can imagine. We unpacked the camping gear, set up our table chairs and tent in the sand amongst small palm trees and Conch shells. The wind calmed completely and the sun became orange as Jill and I started a fire, relived the day and celebrated being alive together.

A little stormy from Aaron Stanford on Vimeo.
We grew to love the 21 foot long Sea Pearl named the Carib. The Carib was the named after one of the indigenous tribes who had inhabited the islands before they were discovered by Columbus. The Carib had lee boards that could be lifted as needed and allowed it to sail into very shallow water and to explore every coastline up close. Jill and I fell into the rhythm of the islands and each day we would have wonderful adventures, explore rugged rocky coastline or navigate beautiful protected coves filled with white sand or an endless sea of turquoise blue water.

Nomans Pond Cay from Aaron Stanford on Vimeo.
It was not easy and there was hard work in the sailing, navigating, packing and camping. And at the end of each day we would rejoice in the relief of the falling sun, the calming of the wind and in the joy of having survived another day together.
Jill and I felt closer than ever out here, brought closer by shared awe, fear, relief , mystical sights, exploration and adventure. There was not a hint of loneliness on these isolated deserted islands, just joy, excitement, anticipation, planning and doing.
On our last night the wind shifted to the west and became strong which we both recognized as being fairly out of the ordinary. It was a full moon and this caused the tide to come way up. We huttled in the dark cooking quesadillas on the stove with huge lightning thunder head behind us and the waves continuing to bring the water up and up closer to our camp and the poor Carib tugging and straining on the rode of her anchor. In the morning we were pinned in this cove unable to reach our pre specified rendezvous with Dallas. We at last reached him on the VHF and were very relieved to see him roar into the cove in the Overdraft with its two huge outboard motors to tow us back to the Peace and Plenty.
This is an adventure we will never forget.

My First First Chair all Season

The island exportation expedition was a great adventure. I'm working on sorting through photos from the trip, but in mean time just wanted to share another special day of skiing. Snowbird had been closed all week and it snowed about 30 or more inches during that time. They had been planning on opening Friday but the massive amounts of new dense snow prevented them from being able to open any terrain at all. So when they announced a 8am to till noon window for skiing on Saturday I jumped at the chance. I laid my gear out the night before awoke early and headed out. I parked on the summer road to somewhat out of the way of Superior and headed for Pdog. I skied up to the maze and low and behold...I'm first in line! Within 5 min I had 30 people behind me and maybe 100 by the time it opened. The mountain was unbelievably untracked, smooth and creamy as only this exact scenario could provide. I was relatively uncrowded and the day, snow quality and shear amount of untracked snow had a unique special wonderful quality that I had never experienced.

First Chair on Pdog from Aaron Stanford on Vimeo.