ridealaska; I have been to Anaktuvuk and flown around there some checking things out. There would be a ton of terrain to access from there if the snow was right. But the line you are interested in can be accessed by car. It is between Coldfoot and Atigun Pass on the Haul Road – east side. It would be easily approachable from the road. I almost went after it once. Let me know if you ride it.

And thanks for bringing this ‘up from the depths’ :thumpsup:

q-tip – thanks for the link. There is a movie documentary out there called “Timeless Skiers of the Altai”, which everyone should check out.

I think its apparent that hunter-gatherer’s invented skis tens of thousands of years ago (I am even willing to speculate that Erectus/Neanderthals used some type of snow sliding technology hundreds of thousands of years ago). Hunters also invented skins. It is well known that Yukghagir hunters from Siberia attach moose leg skins to their skis to gain uphill traction. I believe the Sami did as well, and I am sure there are other examples.

My splitboard hunting practice is 100% influenced by the Old Way – not only to hunt on skis but also with a recognition that a great percentage of humans have been caribou hunters by necessity. If you are of European descent your ancestors were caribou hunters – 50,000 years ago the first Sapien inhabitants of ice-age Europe had to be caribou hunters to survive and the great herds of caribou ranged all the way into Spain. Hunting caribou in the snow is deep within our blood and our genes, and I suspect skiing in some form is as well, as a result. So this history defines my purpose for going out there – to taste what life for the majority of our species history on the planet might feel like – for a moment.

In reality – powder riding is only a replacement for an original wholeness and connectivity that is now lost as a result of the all engulfing pseudo ‘connectivity’ associated with the global techno-civilization and its empire of social and ecological dominance.

ridealaska; I tried to find that TR on Fairbanks tree riding and it seems to be gone. I will try to post those photos up here sometime when I get a chance. I did find the Atigun Pass TR viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9020 – I am not technology inclined so hopefully that link works? If not search for it under “Above the Arctic Circle” and you’ll find it.

Here is the quick beta on Elliot – Grapefruit Rocks has decent open lanes through the trees on both its south and west aspects – the trick is finding good snow. Moose has some stellar birch tree moments if you know where to look – for a few turns you might even feel like you are in Hokkaido or something. Also there are a couple of dope log slides/rides that I know of there. If they get enough snow it can be quite a treat -if u dig tight trees that is.

Zude- thanks for your comment. I am with you. The dominant modern amerikkkan hunting culture out there is a real problem. Did you know that those f**krs are now starting use aerial drones for hunting in some places now? Shady business.

The place where I killed this caribou does not allow motorized access and rifle hunting is not allowed within 5 miles of the road corridor. Thus – you gotta travel 5 miles on foot or with a dog team if you want to hunt there. This situation forces people to actually learn how to hunt by having a relationship with their minds, bodies, the animals, and the land. For 5 miles I was passing through herds of caribou on my split until I shot one- thus a situation completely antithetical to the one you described.

I could go on a long diatribe about this. There is a lot to be said on the subject. But I’ll try to sum up my hunting philosophy with the following dialogue taken from a movie about local food sustainability called eating “Eating Alaska”;

Q; do you feel glad about killing for a living?

A; Im a hunter-gatherer.

Q; but your also, like, a hippy-environmentalist. How can you be both?

A; I dont think its possible not to be both unless your just ignorant about where food comes from.

Ponder that.