SAMAYA x ERIC CARTER
THE IMPORTANCE OF RENUNCIATION IN THE HIGH MOUNTAINS
Eric Carter, Max Kroneck, Brian Burger and Pat Valade set out for the Alaskan Coast Range in the spring of 2024, to draw lines in the dizzying faces of these isolated massifs. With weather conditions not always on their side, the four friends had to make decisions about whether or not to go for it.
"Last spring, I found myself with my three partners and ten days' worth of provisions and gas, en route to a remote glacier in the Alaska Range. This was not at all what we had planned. Originally, we'd set up base camp in the British Columbia Coast Mountains. But in the weeks leading up to our departure, the snowpack had thinned and was melting rapidly. The routes we had hoped to climb and ski were now nothing but bare ice. So, with only a few days to go, we decided to change all that and head north to Alaska.
When we reached the Eldridge Glacier, we could see the great Alaskan peaks like Denali. We were alone, not another group in the basin. A departing group gave us an update on the previous week's conditions: ten days of sunshine and high pressure. Our weather forecast was not as favorable, but we hoped it would enable us to meet our objectives. The glacier was firm and the slopes icy. It was exactly the combination we were trying to avoid in British Columbia.
Alaska, the land of the midnight sun, was disorienting. I never needed to turn on my headlamp. Going to bed in the bright sun meant wearing a sleep mask covered by a neck strap. All the slopes faced the sun - we couldn't rely on the northern slopes to escape the crust. I could hardly tell which way was north!
The storms here can be intense, and all our equipment has to be securely fastened and capable of withstanding violent weather conditions! We slept in four-person Samaya tent prototypes, a sort of variation on the Samaya BASECAMP that has been my mainstay for the last few years. This prototype includes everything I'm looking for in a tent: a lightweight, compact single-wall design with plenty of space inside for several of us to be comfortable with our belongings.
Our progress through the mountains was slow. Along the ridges, we walked on unstable layers of snow that were thinner than expected. This thin layer made the ascent frightening and tempered our enthusiasm somewhat. In the end, we decided to climb only on stable, rocky faces. We proceeded very cautiously, and as soon as we tried to think bigger, the mountain called us to order. We triggered an avalanche trying to cross a ridge and had to lower our expectations.
As the trip wore on, we felt that the bigger goals were slipping away. We'd still skied some fantastic lines, but not the most impressive ones, and we knew that the days to accomplish this were running out fast. As we contemplated one last attempt at one of the great summits, we were torn. Conditions were clearly not ideal, and the weather forecast was uncertain. We all wanted to aim high, but we had our doubts. Max pushed us to question ourselves: if we were to successfully ski routes at the limit of our abilities (or ascents, for that matter), we all had to be fully motivated and on the same wavelength. We had to have the same risk tolerance and desire. If the team isn't cohesive, it's unreasonable to aim for the biggest goals. This made our decision much easier: we spent our last day freeriding on a ridge that had been overlooking our camp since the start of the week. Good snow, good friends, what more could you ask for?
Even without skiing the most ambitious line, our trip was a real success. Each day we explored a new area and skied different lines, while familiarizing ourselves with the logistics required for an expedition in this Alaskan range. We discovered a vast terrain and enriched our list of places to explore in the future. What's even greater is the fact that all four of us returned home still getting on well!
It's always hard to choose between going back to a place you know and discovering something new. That was the dilemma of this trip: to stay in British Columbia or to go elsewhere in Alaska. I enjoy repeated trips to explore in greater depth a place I'm getting to know, but I also love discovering unknown places. I'm not sure which is better, but I'm thrilled to know that wherever I go, I'll feel safe on a stormy night, snug and warm in my tent Samaya."
Photographs by Pat Valade
