G3: What has been the most surprising or unique aspect of your ski season?
The most unique part of my season was hitting up Hatcher Pass, Alaska this year in October. It was some of the lightest I've skied in Alaska with lots of sunny days, something very uncommon up here. The coverage was better than usual this year. I was most surprised at how Highland Drive area skied this year in Eagle River. One of my deepest days all year was there.

G3: What will the conditions be like for backcountry tours this April?
Conditions this April are looking good. Everything up high is covered pretty well. April is still powder time in Alaska!

G3: What tour in your area has you waxing your skis late at night in anticipation of spring corn?
Well, to tell you the truth, once spring corn hits I usually start building kickers in the backcountry, however, the whole Glen Alps area around Anchorage is looking pretty appealing this year, especially when we have lots of light and the backcountry becomes an after work thing. The backcountry around Alpenglow ski area is also really fun to go to when things corn up. There's one descent I have eyed out, I just need some more powder!

G3: We know better than to ask for the hidden gem in your area, but can you let us in one of the classics in your area that should not be missed?
For a relaxing day out with the friends, I like the area around Highland Drive in Eagle River and Alpenglow ski area. There's a lot to be done there when the right conditions present themselves, and it's right next to home. There are runs for every type of skier up there, so anybody can go with the group. Anybody going into the Alaska backcountry in Alaska should definitely hit Turnagain Pass though. You can hike to runs that are worthy of being in movies-big and steep.

G3: When was the one storm of the season that was most memorable and what did it bring in snowfall/conditions?
My favorite storm this year was while I was in Tahoe! They had an awesome year this year, and I hit a nice storm cycle in the middle of February where it snowed and stayed cold for almost a week. At the end of that week, Kirkwood got a two-foot overnight dump! I don't usually huck with no intention to land, but this time I just didn't care. It was awesome! Definitely wrote some e-mail out about that one.

G3: What has been the most surprising or unique aspect of your ski season?
The season has been extremely cold for Arlberg, which is located in the northern Alps of Austria. The Arlberg area is known for the biggest snowfalls and some of the best skiing in Europe. The cold temperatures around -10 -15 throughout January and February with no wind and low clouds presented the Stuben/Albona area, located on the West side of the Arlberg, for weeks with some of the lightest powder ever seen in the area. St. Anton just 10 km away at the eastern site of the Arlberg had stable conditions for ski-touring.

G3: What will the conditions be like for backcountry tours this April?
After months of cold, cold weather and lots of new snow it looked great for the April ski-touring trips at the higher peaks south of St. Anton. But extremely warm weather showing 0 degrees at 2700 meter have resulted in very high risk of avalanches all over our area. Sure it will get cold again but many nice tours have already been destroyed by avalanches. I'm still very much looking forward to the month of April because it is known for three or four larger snowfalls bringing in about 50% of the yearly snow....but for the best ski-touring you ought to come by in February or March.

G3: Any worthy tours infrequently done but possible this season? What tour/mountain/line in your area has you waxing your skis late at night in anticipation of spring corn?
Six years ago with Kai Proughchat and Cornelia Zamernik I started skinning up from the valley at 1 a.m., headed for the Eastern Fasselfad peak in an attempt to make the first descent of its east face. I had dreamt about skiing this big face for many years. Which made it was even harder for me to turn around, forced by illness to retreat at around 5 o'clock in the morning. Cornelia and Kai finally skied from the summit at 8 a.m. in perfect snow conditions. Cornelia on telemark skis and Kai in classic alpine style, descended the 45-degree face in half an hour and were back in St.Anton for 11 o'clock cafe. It's been six years since the first descent and the line is in shape again and will be the highlight of my spring. This time I'm going alone and will see it all the way through.

G3: We know better than to ask for the hidden gem in your area, but can you let us in one of the classics in your area that should not be missed?
A nice powder run a couple of days after a snowfall is the run down to the village of Langen located at the western entrance of the Arlberg tunnel. The train departs at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. from the station and performs as lift back through the tunnel to St. Anton. Using a bus or taxi service to ferry yourself back to Stuben you can do laps on different runs, making descents of a minimum 1,000 vertical meters on open terrain and through paradise forest. If you do not follow the ski-bum tracks, give yourself some time watching out for steep couloirs and lines in the forest you will soon be skiing one of my hidden gems!

G3: When was the one storm of the season where you were the one making the taunting phone calls to ski buddies letting them know they were blowing it, missing the big one?
I think it was in January testing the new Crispi boots. I was skiing by myself in the steep forest around Shoengraben on the eastern side of the Kapal area, descending 50-degree lines in the trees feeling very close to nature....... and there were absolutely no tracks.

G3: What has been the most surprising or unique aspect of your ski season?
Here in La Grave, France we have had low snow up high and good snow down low. The base has been very dense and the "big" runs have been fantastic all season. Skiing 6,000-8,000 foot runs all season has been great. For two months it's been below 0F and that's good for the snow. Now the weather is changing - warm but wet and the snow is sticking to all the upper mountains.

G3: What will the conditions be like for backcountry tours this April?
The classic three-day Tour le Mieje and the Enforchore tour will be very nice.

G3: Any worthy tours infrequently done but possible this season?
Tours out of Le Berade will be good for months with all the nice snow.

G3: What tour in your area has you waxing your skis late at night in anticipation of spring corn?
We are still skiing powder well into mid April as La Garve is mostly north facing, but the runs to St. Christophe (2300 meters) are all great corn runs.

G3: We know better than to ask for the hidden gem in your area, but can you let us in one of the classics in your area that should not be missed?
Rama Couloir, 5,600 feet, 40 degrees - always a hit!

G3: When was the one storm of the season that was most memorable and what did it bring in snowfall/conditions?
It's happening now with the high glacier lines being filled in as we speak and the big run, "Pan d Rateau," a 45-50-degree glacial face is looking creamy!