First Ski Mountaineering Ascent/Descent of Pontoon Peak

In April 2012, Ryan Murray, "Alaska Pete" Lowney and myself were the first to climb and ski the highly sought Pontoon Peak. After warming up in a zone know as "The Books," which contains more ramps than a grandmother's retirement home, Ryan and I met Pete on a glacier during the snow machine ride into the Deserted Glacier. Pete offered his local knowledge to lead us through the labyrinth of glaciers to Alaskan ecstasy.

After a 35-mile sled ride, from which not all of the sleds would return unscathed, we set up camp below Pontoon. A climb that we thought would take 8 hours, 10 if we were going really slow, dragged on to 12 hours of swimming and fighting up though 70 degree snow.

What followed was the best ski descent of my life. Take a look...