This last week I was fortunate enough to join APU and Sun Valley for a week of skiing on APU’s Eagle Glacier outside Girdwood, Alaska. For anyone from the east skiing in the summer is an unusual, almost foreign prospect. The season in Vermont is short, and as a skier you spend more time cross training for your sport than actually participating in it. While I was dubious about returning to Alaska after my three previous experiences (all involving -15 F temperatures and inadequate handwear) I was lured all the way here by some incredible pictures of glacier skiing from the USST woman’s camp several weeks prior (http://www.craftsbury.com/blogs/grp/?p=1817).
![P1040214 A typical day on Eagle Glacier...](http://www.craftsbury.com/blogs/grp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/P10402144.jpg)
A typical day on the Eagle Glacier…
Although the weather for this camp wasn’t as nice as for the woman’s camp, the overcast sky and mix of fresh snow actually made for harder faster conditions which was a nice reprieve from mushy corn snow and disapearing ski pole baskets that we experienced the first day.
![P1020086 P1020086](http://www.craftsbury.com/blogs/grp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/P10200861.jpg)
Thursday afternoon classic ski on hardwax
Another addition to the camp was riding the new Pisten-Bully to and from training in the morning. A summers worth of melt coupled with a strong earthquake weeks prior had opened several large crevasses between the main building and the ski loop. Riding the back of the PB up the big hill to the training center for a waiting meal at the end the long day of skiing was another huge plus!
![P1020099 Falling in one of these suckers would ruin your day!](http://www.craftsbury.com/blogs/grp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/P1020099.jpg)
Falling in one of these guys would ruin your ski!
![P1020092 Some of the ladies enjoying the sun at the end of ski](http://www.craftsbury.com/blogs/grp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/P1020092.jpg)
Some of the ladies enjoying the sun at the end of a ski
![P1020094 P1020094](http://www.craftsbury.com/blogs/grp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/P1020094.jpg)
Powder skiing in August? Can't complain about that!
By the end of the week the clouds had fully blown out and we were treated to some pretty spectacular views of Girdwood, Alyeska resort, and the surrounding mountains and snow fields
![P1020102 The training center looking out at the Eagle glacier off to the right](http://www.craftsbury.com/blogs/grp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/P1020102.jpg)
The training center with Eagle Glacier off to the right
![P1020101 P1020101](http://www.craftsbury.com/blogs/grp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/P1020101.jpg)
And the town of Gridwood, Alyeska resort and the Turnagin Arm several thousand feet down to the left…
![P1020127 P1020127](http://www.craftsbury.com/blogs/grp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/P1020127.jpg)
Hiking down to the edge of the glacier on Sunday morning
Down the scree field
![P1020139 P1020139](http://www.craftsbury.com/blogs/grp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/P1020139.jpg)
Out the ridge towards Girdwood
![P1020145 P1020145](http://www.craftsbury.com/blogs/grp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/P1020145.jpg)
Gelso suiting up for the ride down
![P1020147 P1020147](http://www.craftsbury.com/blogs/grp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/P1020147.jpg)
And down the moss they go!
![P1020155 P1020155](http://www.craftsbury.com/blogs/grp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/P1020155.jpg)
Through the Alaskan Bush
![P1020161 P1020161](http://www.craftsbury.com/blogs/grp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/P1020161.jpg)
And back to the van and civilization after 5000+ feet of descending over a few miles!