The Kickstep Project: Chapter One

This winter marked one of the warmest winters in Alaska’s history, and while it’s one for the books, the temperatures should come as no surprise. In the past 50 years, Alaskan temperatures have increased by an average of 3.4°F, and winter warming has increased by 6.4°F, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And with temperatures on the rise and notably low snowfall and snowpack (Anchorage suffered the lowest snow season on record since 1985), finding skiable terrain proved more of a challenge than in years past.

For a group of locals, however, the search for Alaska’s blower pow proved fruitful. Turnagain Pass, located south of Anchorage in the Chugach National Forest, still offered steep lines and accessible terrain, if one was willing to work for it. Enter the Kickstep Project, a three-part video series produced by photographer Greg Stafford, which documents a group of skiers and snowboarders intent on accessing Alaska’s stable and shreddable snow on Kickstep Mountain, which sits about seven miles away from the nearest parking lot. Over the course of multiple trips during the first week of February, the crew demonstrated that even in a bad winter, Alaska delivers.

The first objective, accomplished by Greg and his partner, Josh, was to ski Snake Couloir, located on the south face of Kickstep Mountain and one of the main objectives in the Turnagain Pass area. After hiking up, the duo embraced a 2,000 foot dream line, and in doing so, launched a project exploring all that the region had to offer this winter.