Opening Day a Wash
By Harper Landry
TNews Contributor
There was skepticism amongst skiers and riders when Alyeska announced that they were opening the mountain Nov. 24, the earliest day in a decade.
That skepticism turned to sheer excitement when recent blizzards and ongoing snowfall led riders to anticipate an epic full mountain opening pow day.
Where we landed was somewhere in between.
Alyeska followed through and got the mountain open early but a shift in weather to rainfall and warm temperatures resulted in a limited opening and groomed slushy slopes.
Chair 3 (Bear Cub Quad) and Chair 7 were open from 10-5. Resort management cited safety reasons for the limited opening.
An email sent out by the Mountain Manager Duane Stutzman informed passholders that the new ticket system adopted would not recognize the passes that were purchased in the spring/summer of 2023.
The email directed passholders to ticket offices to exchange passes. Some passholders were unaware of this change, but lifties at Chair 3 had great attitudes and graciously let passholders through and directed them to the ticket offices to update their passes.
The weather was blustery, rainy, and unseasonably warm with temperatures in the low forties. This didn’t stop skiers and riders from having fun and being clearly excited to be shredding in November.
Nor did limited mountain access stop the Alyeska Ski Club racers from training. The two functional lifts had congestion at times due to the racers which usually train on Chair 4.
Calling All Heroes: Nominations for American Red Cross Awards Open
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“A hero is someone who rises in the face of adversity and helps others in a true moment of need,“ said Anchorage Police Officer Jacob Raygor.
Officer Raygor and two of his fellow police officers were selected as one of the American Red Cross of Alaska Real Hero Award recipients in 2023. Raygor and his colleagues provided successfully evacuated another police officer that was injured in the line of duty and provided first aid which saved his life.
Girdwood hosts Homer Police forum on ‘Parenting in the Digital Age’
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Lt. Browning’s time as a police officer, and personal experience as a father of two teens himself, inspired him to create his two hour presentation “Parenting in the Digital Age.” Over the last year Browning has traveled all over the state of Alaska sharing his thoughtful, engaging, and at times provocative, two hour program with the goal of helping parents and teens open up a dialogue about what they’re seeing and experiencing online.
Girdwood's Ava Earl Releases New Album, Helps Power Northwestern U. Running Team
In fourth grade at Girdwood Elementary, Ava Earl had to write a self-reflection on her school performance: "What are you good at? What are your weaknesses?"
Assessing her strengths wouldn't be hard, she was an exemplary student, star runner and already showed a proclivity in music.
But there was one thing she scolded herself on, something that could cause her teachers' "mild frustration", and something, as it would turn out, for which women are typically chided for more than men.
Talking--being--too much.
That accusation became the title of Earl's latest album, her fourth, released Sept. 15
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Prince William Sound Natural History Symposium
The Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation would like to invite you to our fifth annual PWS Natural History Symposium on Tuesday, May 16, 2023. What started as an offering to summer guides has grown into a highly anticipated free community event. Join us in person at the Public Safety Building in Whittier or online for the latest in news and research from around PWS!