The Alaska Factor 2, guidebook to backcountry skiing in Southcentral Alaska.
“The mountains of Southcentral Alaska have the best backcountry skiing in the United States. Within an hour’s drive of Anchorage lie the Chugach, Kenai and Talkeetna Mountains. A two-hour drive and a short flight puts you in the Alaska Range. A five-hour drive and you’re at Thompson Pass. These mountains continue unbroken for thousands of miles, from Anchorage into the Coast Mountains of Canada. They are stacked with powder faces and untouched summits. Devoid of chair lifts and condos. Pristine. Wild.”
— Joe Stock, Alaska Factor 2
Joe Stock introduces the second edition of his guidebook for backcountry skiing in Southcentral Alaska with these words. He’ll convince you he’s telling the truth with 200+ pages of informative route descriptions, stunning photos and detailed topo maps.
Back in 2012, Lou reviewed Joe Stock’s impressive first edition, The Alaska Factor, read his extensive review here. His Blogness applauded the high quality publication but noted the lack of GPS data. Joe took heed. The second edition includes GPS coordinates of trailheads.
Joe also expanded the second edition with:
In total, Alaska Factor 2 covers the following, some of which (such as Turnagain) are less remote and intimidating than the usual wild Alaskana):
The arrow points to an area where ‘…precipitation gradient ranges from about 12 inches per year on the north side of the Central Chugach to 200+ inches (over 16 feet) on the coastal side of the Central Chugach, a distance of about 30 miles. It is difficult to find another place in the U.S. where maritime and continental snow climates are so close together.’ Joe Stock, The Alaska Factor 2
Joe Stock is an internationally certified IFMGA Mountain Guide with over 30 years of climbing and skiing experience. In addition to routes, he shares his extensive knowledge of mountaineering with sections about navigation, weather, and travel tips, to name a few. Even if you don’t go to Alaska, you’ll benefit from reading Alaska Factor 2. But after thumbing through the book, chances are high that ski touring in Southcentral Alaska will be in your future.
Alaska Factor 2 is available on Joe’s website, here.
WildSnow Girl, Lisa Dawson, is the luckiest girl in the world. Also known as Mrs. WildSnow.com, she tests whatever gear she wants. She gives the WildSnow family of websites the feminine voice.
