Alaska 2026 by Alenka Mali

Much like the rest of the steep-skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts, I shifted my spring plans to Alaska this past season. 

On an early October (2025) morning, a friend called me up, asking if I’d like to join a trip to a magical place, where mountains stand like frozen cathedrals and winter seems to stay still, most of the year round. I dreamt of Alaska for many years. I have always wanted to go up there, but I told myself each year to wait.

“I will go to Alaska when I graduate from the mountains of BC,” I would tell myself often.

It is a place with consequential lines and not much room for error. I wanted to go when I was fully ready.

I think the past 2 years in BC, I have been longing for new inspiration. I felt a little bored on the Coast, having done everything I wanted. A lot of things were ticked off my list. I was looking for new projects that would inspire me. Going snowboarding in Alaska seemed a reasonable next step in my journey of life. I felt ready, and I felt skilled enough. 

Planning the Alaska Expedition

As fall went on, I got busy with some trips to Patagonia (Cordillera Darwin) and climbing in Argentina. I decided to have no rush of starting my winter in North America. And to enjoy a little slice of early summer in Patagonia is good for my soul.

The trip to Alaska turned into a small film project, and that comes with a whole other set of responsibilities. The uncertainty and non-commitment from the other two original members of our team left me wondering if it was even meant to happen this year.

I still wanted to do it and go for it. A couple of months out I decided just to plan it myself.

We planned to spend a couple of weeks on the glacier, camping out and seeking lines that inspire us. So my task list was pretty simple:

• Find a pilot

• Research a good zone

• Plan all the food

• Find a crew

• Plan for weather windows

• Figure out the costs

For an expedition like Alaska, nutrition is just as important as good gear. You need food that’s lightweight, efficient, and actually supports recovery after long days in the mountains.

From my end, a lot of work went into preparation before the trip. Eating well, getting physically ready and then resting a lot about a week before to make sure I went up North as ready as possible.

Cold environments burn energy fast, which was another thing to factor in.

Our camp was very self-sufficient, which means we were our own cooks and camp managers. When choosing the type of food we wanted to bring, I prioritized nutrition, clean ingredients, but also protein and taste. Aegir bars were easy to carry in our pockets. During the day, I would consume 1-2 energy bars – lemon ginger is my favorite and at the end of the day I would ½ or the whole protein bar. With more than 700 calories, that bar is like a meal. It was very efficient and it helped us stay outside and coming back to camp at 10 or 11 pm.

Deep down, something was telling me to go for it and make it happen. So I did. I bought the flights for myself and Josh Goodman, the lucky guy who joined us as a filmer on this all-women crew! Little did he know what he was getting himself into.

Since my old crew fell apart, due to instability and the quality of conditions, the hardest thing was to find a new crew. Finding a good partner is not easy; you have to balance their skillset and experience, matching yours, but you also have to align on objectives and somewhat align on risk tolerance. Making the pool even smaller, my goal was to go out with women.

The two bright sunshines that joined me in Alaska on very short notice were Sole De Las Nieves and Carly Lucas. Our crew was magnetic. From the moment we got together in Anchorage to the moment we said goodbye after a few weeks together, things could not have gone better!

It was pure magic.

We had an amazing chemistry on and off the mountain, respectful, open communication and good vibes on down days. There was zero conflict and it felt like the whole trip was pure flow.

I knew that after experiencing Alaska, my life would change forever, and I was right.

We did not observe any signs of instability, and we rode all the aspects, different elevations, and different types of terrain. We rode amazing powder every day, the snow was stable for 2 weeks, and the majority of our days were sunny and without wind.

I’m grateful for the local intel from the pilots who brought us up on the glacier, because their recommendations on the zone were spot on.