Powder Choke

A 1 in 10 year storm hit Alaska's Southeast panhandle in the early days of 2009. Snow accumulated in quick inches, as light, sparkling powder that would normally be found in the interior, not on a coastal range. This was not the usual snow that Juneau would see. I was told by locals that I had come at the best time and that I was a lucky visitor to experience such dry snow, completely safe for shredding. I had never seen Juneau in all it's might and wet, rainy furry, although I had wanted to see it for the past 2 years. Of course, a series of life events prevented my visit to this magical winter rainforest until this past New Years. After flying from Toronto to Kelowna, sleeping for 7 hours, flying from Kelowna to Seattle, missing my flight to Juneau, getting the next flight to Juneau which stopped in Ketchikan and Sitka totaling a 4 hour flight for what could have been a 1 1/2 hour flight, and alas arriving in Juneau at 7:30pm the following day, I was content to see Kaitlyn standing there in the tiny inactive airport. The airport is a place of rest for those who travel to and from Juneau, for the city itself and the surrounding communities have some of the most active people I've ever met anywhere. There is always something to do in this landlocked city, the state's capital.

To be continued...with photos.