Lee Helzer will lead "Yuditna Creek Exploration" with a duration of 3 hours somewwhere in Eklutna.
Meet for a 6:30 departure at the Eklutna Lakeside Trailhead. We will head to Yuditna Creek and trace it toward it’s headwaters and then return via roughly the same route.
Snowshoes recommended.
Lee Helzer will lead "Rays on Rainbow" with a duration of 3.5 hours somewwhere in Turnagain Arm.
Meet at 6:30 in the Telephone Pole Rock parking area (on the left after Beluga Point) on the Seward Highway. We will head up to the Turnagain Arm Trail and then diverge onto a ridge heading towards the Black Mesa. From there we will asses snow conditions and either continue up the North Face or the south west ridge of Rainbow Peak (hopefully) enjoying a beautiful sunset along the way. Ice axe and micro spikes recommended.
From the summit we will take the standard route back to the Turnagain Arm Trail and return to the cars. There are out and back opportunities for those not desiring partaking in the full enchilada.
Lee Helzer will lead " North Side Bunny Boots Repeat" with a duration of 3 hours somewwhere in The Chugach Front Range.
Meet for a 6:30 departure at the Glen Alps Trailhead.
This will be an attempt to fully complete North Side Bunny Boots which we had to shorten due to high winds.
The route will ascend the original route up Flattop and will continue on the ridge to Peak 3. In the Peak 3 vicinity we will descend to the Powerline Trail and return to the trail head.
Lee Helzer will lead "Potter Marsh Watershed Park Exploration" with a duration of 2.5 hours somewwhere in West Anchorage.
Meet for a 6:30pm departure at Moen Park off Golden View Dr. We will explore trails in the proposed Potter Marsh Watershed Park. Snowshoes advised.
PRESS RELEASE Great Land Trust to Create New 300-Acre Anchorage Park Above Potter Marsh
Lee Helzer will lead "Eagle River Jaunt" with a duration of 3 hours somewwhere in Eagle River - South.
Meet at the Eagle River Greenbelt Trail head by Briggs Bridge for a 6:30 departure. We’ll head out the river to the vicinity of the South Fork confluence. We’ll attempt to work our way to the South Fork Falls and return via the Greenbelt Trail.
Lee Helzer will lead "How Low Will it Go?" with a duration of 3 hours somewwhere in The Chugach Front Range.
Meet for a 6:30 departure at Prospect Heights Trailhead. We will see how low the temp will go by looping Cabin Fever to Rovers Run.
Hopefully we will see temps lower than -16.9 which is the coldest recorded Epic temperature that occurred on the Smooth on the Edges Epic on 1/9/2020.
Lee Helzer will lead "Jack Remembrance" with a duration of 3.5 hours somewwhere in The Chugach Front Range.
Meet at Glen Alps trailhead for a 6:30 departure. We will celebrate the life of Jack the dog by telling our favorite Jack stories along the trail.
To the best of my knowledge we will repeat Jack’s first Epic, Tire Iron. The first mile or so will be a walking mile. We will head up Nintendo Hill to Little O’Malley where in 2012 high winds forced us to escape (nearly blew Jack away) down the north west ridge to the Middle Fork Trail. We will follow hard packed (hopefully) trails and spectacular weather toward Prospect and return via a combination of South Rim Trail and Powerline Trail.
Please spread the word to those who may want to join.
Lee Helzer will lead "North Side Bunny Boots" with a duration of 3 hours somewwhere in The Chugach Front Range.
Meet for a 6:30 departure at the Glen Alps Trailhead. The route will ascend the original route up Flattop and will continue on the ridge to Peak 3. In the Peak 3 vicinity we will descend to the Powerline Trail and return to the trail head.
Lee Helzer will lead "More Snow Turtling" with a duration of 3 hours somewwhere in The Chugach Front Range.
Meet at Prospect Heights for a 6:30 departure. We will head up the Powerline trail and connect over to the Middle Fork trail via Campbell Creek Gorge trail and return. Snow shoes advised.
Lee Helzer will lead "Snow Turtling" with a duration of 2 hours somewwhere in West Anchorage.
Note change of location due to record snow fall.
Meet at the Kincaid chalet for a 6:30 departure. We will snow turtle around the bluff and dunes. Snowshoes suggested.
Lee Helzer will lead "Upper Highway Spring Loop" with a duration of 3.5 hours somewwhere in Turnagain Arm.
Meet at the Rainbow trailhead for a 6:30 departure.
We will review The Upper Highway trail progress and make and make minor adjustments if required on the way to the highpoint near Tortilla Chip Rock. We will then follow the ridge north-east for a short distance and take the gully north-west down to the lower trail and return.
Lee Helzer will lead "Chasing Sunsets" with a duration of 4 hours somewwhere in The Chugach Front Range.
Meet at the South Side Flattop trailhead for a 6:30 departure. We will head up the southside direct trail to Flattop and then follow the ridge back as far as Ptarmigan Pass and return via Rabbit Lake trail.
Epic photo opportunities will hopefully present themselves.