It’s another beautiful day in the Wrangells. Sunny. Blue bird. Not a cloud in the sky. Normal for this time of year, but never tired of. Combined with the unusually massive amounts of snow and remarkably stable slope conditions the scene has been one of utter snow monster bliss here in the Thules.
Already two weeks into the 2012 season and time is literally flying by as the props spin busily each day.
At the beginning of March Paul and Alpha took off to chase the Iditarod. This year the passenger was a reporter from a Nome based radio station and they followed the front of the pack racers for up-to-the-minute coverage.
The Otter has been working hard helping NASA and The University of Alaska Fairbanks study the movements of glaciers all the way from the Southeast panhandle to our local massifs. This is an extensive yearly project and ongoing throughout the summer.
Now all the planes are home and all the people too. Ultima Thule has been dug out and warmed up. There’s wood smoke in the valley and a full table each evening in the main lodge.
Our perennial Swiss friends, Ruedi and Reto are here and the second annual Andrew McClean Wilderness Ski Week was a huge success. Five clients descended over 35 thousand vertical feet and earned those turns with another 22 thousand feet climbed in just five days. It’s not too early to starting thinking about your plans for spring 2013… The third annual AMWSW is filling up early.
It’s good to be back in the company of our extended family members, Bill Jarrell & Piper and Kevin Ditzler and to welcome some new faces into the crew for this season. Already the work is plentiful and plans for new lodge projects are underway.
Last year we updated and upsized every bed in the Guest Cabins. This year you’ll be snuggling into feather top mattresses in excess of King and XL Twin sizes. Last year the Guest Sauna underwent a complete transformation and three of the cabins got beautiful new bathrooms. Already this spring the Otter and the main lodge building got decked out with new leather seating and more luxurious upgrades are in store. At Ultima Thule we believe that your creature comforts should be indulged after your senses are overwhelmed by nature!
Now the rhythm of skiers and climbers passing through Ultima Thule is as natural as these endlessly sunny days. We’re enjoying the peacefulness that winter still holds over the landscape but look forward to the green months when the daylight is unlimited and the possibilities are boundless. It’s promising to be another dynamic year in these mountains.
The adventure begins and we hope to see you here, in the Thules, soon! We'd love to hear from you so get in touch anytime!
-The Claus Family
