Valdez, AK, Report: Heli-Assisted Backcountry Touring Some Classic Alaska Ramps – SnowBrains

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12 months ago

April 7, 2025

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Valdez, AK, Report: Heli-Assisted Backcountry Touring Some Classic Alaska Ramps – SnowBrains

Report from April 2, 2025

On Wednesday, I was assigned to Standby Guide here at Pulseline Adventure in Valdez, AK.

This means I spend the day at the airport, ready to assist in a rescue if one goes down.

Plans changed when a group of heli-skiers decided to go heli-touring.

Boom!

I was picked to take them for a walk.

Jordan already had a heli-touring group, and they were out in the field.

Jackson team booting up. image: snowbrains

We flew in to join them.

They’d picked a great, north-facing, shaded zone with good snow.

We dropped into old, recrystallized snow on great terrain for run #1.

The team from Jackson, WY, loved it, so we skinned back up for another.

We were able to skin back up the very steep headwall and get right back on top in about 1.5 hours.

We dropped the face again a bit more skier’s right and loved it.

We then took it all the way down to the bottom in brilliant sunshine and creamy hot powder.

Jordan told us to go back up and over the saddle to the west for some rampy chute thingers, so we did as we were told.

Jordan took the lead once his group caught up to u, and he ended up boot-packing the entire ramp.

On top we surveyed the two chute ramp options.

One was wide open and simple.

The other was steeper and more complex.

My ripping crew chose the latter.

I guided from mid-slope and enjoyed the view as they streamed past me, spraying snow into the horizon.

I went last and enjoyed great snow on steep terrain.

The run out was glorious, and we all settled down into a comfy pickup zone and waited for the heli.

Our crew was content.

Thanks, Alaska!

Sun directly behind us skiing down. image: snowbrains

Sunshine on the lowers. image: snowbrains

Curling around to the sunny ramps. image: snowbrains

Jordan putting in the booter. image: snowbrains

Happy team at the bottom. image: snowbrains

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Polar bear undergoes root canal at Alaska Zoo

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3 hours ago

March 23, 2026

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Polar bear undergoes root canal at Alaska Zoo

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (InvestigateTV) — Staff at the Alaska Zoo performed a root canal on one of its polar bears after the bear broke a canine tooth.

Kova, 4, shares an enclosure with another polar bear named Cranbeary. The two have toys, treats and a large pool where Kova likes to take her morning swim.

Curator Sam Lavin noticed something was wrong when Kova’s behavior changed.

“Kova is a very interactive and busy bear and she just seemed kind of off. She was pawing at her mouth a little bit,” Lavin said.

Lavin suspected a tooth issue and asked Kova to open her mouth for a closer look.

“We could see that she had broken one of her canines and there’s any number of ways she could have done that,” Lavin said.

An X-ray confirmed the diagnosis. Zoo staff consulted with a veterinary specialist outside Alaska, sent the X-rays and received advice on how to proceed.

“We went with a local doctor to do the work,” Lavin said.

An endodontist who normally operates on humans was part of the large team that performed the root canal on the fully sedated 450-pound bear.

“Everybody knew ahead of time what their role was and what to do and where to be and it was so well planned out and everybody worked so well together,” Lavin said.

The procedure went smoothly.

“She feels so much better,” Lavin said.

The zoo said Kova quickly recovered and is back with her playmate Cranbeary.

Alaska disability advocates praise progress and push for more at state Capitol

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15 hours ago

March 23, 2026

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West Valley’s Jayden Miranda named Gatorade Alaska Boys Basketball Player of the Year

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1 day ago

March 22, 2026

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West Valley’s Jayden Miranda named Gatorade Alaska Boys Basketball Player of the Year

West Valley Wolfpack junior guard Jayden Miranda looks to pass the ball during a 56-38 loss to the Forest Wildcats from Ocala, Florida during the opening round of the Alaska Airlines Classic at West Anchorage High School on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Junior Jayden Miranda on Friday became the latest player from West Valley High School to be named Gatorade Alaska Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

“It feels good and it was definitely one of the goals that I had to check off my checklist,” he said. “I woke up, and I didn’t know. My coach told me, and it was just excitement in my heart. My heart was beating and I was just smiling.”

Miranda led the Wolfpack boys basketball team to a Mid Alaska Conference championship and the No. 1 seed at the 2026 ASAA 4A state tournament.

The 5-foot-11 guard also helped lead West Valley to a 22-4 record, and through 23 games, he averaged 14.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists as well as shooting 51.8% from the floor and 39.7% from the perimeter.

“Miranda is a great kid on and off the court — gets good grades and never gets in trouble,” North Pole head coach Travis Church said in a statement. “Looking around 4A, I don’t see anyone who would measure up. He’s the best player on the best team in the state. It’s hard for me to imagine going with anyone else.”

Miranda is the second player from the program to receive the award. The first was two-time recipient Stewart Erhart, who was honored in back-to-back years from 2022-23.

The award acknowledges a student-athlete’s athletic achievement, and also recognizes outstanding academic excellence and exceptional character displayed on and off the court.

Miranda maintained a 3.36 GPA and volunteered locally with the Fairbanks Community Food Bank, donated time as a youth basketball coach and is a practiced artist who has also taken multiple cooking classes in high school.

He and the top-seeded Wolfpack fell short of advancing to the finals Friday after losing 59-52 to fifth-seeded South Anchorage.

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