Steep Pow Turns

PNH, Chugach Mountains, Cordova, Alaska

Athlete: Micah Black

Camera: Nikon F5

The story:  "The minimalistic line: How steep is steep? It surges and flushes with you. It is like skiing a cascading waterfall. With limited visibility you ski by sensing your environment, trusting your heart and controlling your mind. And never ever forget to breathe.

I found myself at the legendary Sphinx. Micah Black waved his pole, the signal that he would drop in after a count of five. The pilot moved forward on cue following Micah down the slope. Doors off, with the sound of Tom Day's film camera humming, I fired away.

Micah rode the spine. Each turn he committed to his fall line. He un-weighted, dropped ten to fifteen feet, compressed, un-weighted and dropped into his next turn. No hesitation, no waste of movement, just pure focus and action as his slough ebbed and flowed around him. The view of the very steep fall line was incredible. The cascading texture of his self-made "powderfall" softened the space as if it was covered by a misty veil. Micah made it look easy."