Telemarking Hemlock Powder

The winter weather was heavy and the Anchorage front range was shrouded in snowy clouds, but it was skiing serene on Wolverine in Chugach State Park.  Up into the snowy clouds, I ascended through the stunted hemlock forest on the western flank of Wolverine Peak.  This area is a favorite because huge amounts of snow accumulate in its microclimate with very little wind, and the hemlock not only shield the snow from wind, but also provide a great contrast for storm skiing when visibility nonexistant above timberline.