{"id":164,"date":"2018-06-12T09:05:53","date_gmt":"2018-06-12T15:05:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/?p=164"},"modified":"2019-11-26T16:07:12","modified_gmt":"2019-11-26T23:07:12","slug":"embracing-the-alaska-factor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/","title":{"rendered":"Embracing the Alaska Factor"},"content":{"rendered":"<div  class=\"x-entry-share\" ><p>Share this Post<\/p><div class=\"x-share-options\"><a href=\"#share\" data-x-element=\"extra\" data-x-params=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;tooltip&quot;,&quot;trigger&quot;:&quot;hover&quot;,&quot;placement&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;content&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" class=\"x-share\" title=\"Share on Facebook\" onclick=\"window.open('http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.voile.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F164&amp;t=Embracing+the+Alaska+Factor', 'popupFacebook', 'width=650, height=270, resizable=0, toolbar=0, menubar=0, status=0, location=0, scrollbars=0'); return false;\"><i class=\"x-icon-facebook-square\" data-x-icon-b=\"&#xf082;\"><\/i><\/a><a href=\"#share\" data-x-element=\"extra\" data-x-params=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;tooltip&quot;,&quot;trigger&quot;:&quot;hover&quot;,&quot;placement&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;content&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" class=\"x-share\" title=\"Share on Twitter\" onclick=\"window.open('https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Embracing+the+Alaska+Factor&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.voile.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F164', 'popupTwitter', 'width=500, height=370, resizable=0, toolbar=0, menubar=0, status=0, location=0, scrollbars=0'); return false;\"><i class=\"x-icon-twitter-square\" data-x-icon-b=\"&#xf081;\"><\/i><\/a><a href=\"#share\" data-x-element=\"extra\" data-x-params=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;tooltip&quot;,&quot;trigger&quot;:&quot;hover&quot;,&quot;placement&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;content&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" class=\"x-share\" title=\"Share on LinkedIn\" onclick=\"window.open('http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.voile.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F164&amp;title=Embracing+the+Alaska+Factor&amp;summary=We+flew+in+under+a+grey-blue+ceiling+to+the+most+spectacular+playground+I+have+ever+seen.+On+the+Pika+Glacier%2C+rock+buttresses+rise+like+sharks%E2%80%99+teeth+from+the+valley%2C+their+ridges+separated+by+perfect+ribbons+of+snow+that+plunge+into+the+glacier+below.&amp;source=Voile', 'popupLinkedIn', 'width=610, height=480, resizable=0, toolbar=0, menubar=0, status=0, location=0, scrollbars=0'); return false;\"><i class=\"x-icon-linkedin-square\" data-x-icon-b=\"&#xf08c;\"><\/i><\/a><a href=\"#share\" data-x-element=\"extra\" data-x-params=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;tooltip&quot;,&quot;trigger&quot;:&quot;hover&quot;,&quot;placement&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;content&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" class=\"x-share\" title=\"Share on Pinterest\" onclick=\"window.open('http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.voile.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F164&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.voile.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F10%2Fhannahmarshall-03.jpg&amp;description=Embracing+the+Alaska+Factor', 'popupPinterest', 'width=750, height=265, resizable=0, toolbar=0, menubar=0, status=0, location=0, scrollbars=0'); return false;\"><i class=\"x-icon-pinterest-square\" data-x-icon-b=\"&#xf0d3;\"><\/i><\/a><a href=\"#share\" data-x-element=\"extra\" data-x-params=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;tooltip&quot;,&quot;trigger&quot;:&quot;hover&quot;,&quot;placement&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;content&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" class=\"x-share\" title=\"Share on Reddit\" onclick=\"window.open('http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.voile.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F164', 'popupReddit', 'width=875, height=450, resizable=0, toolbar=0, menubar=0, status=0, location=0, scrollbars=0'); return false;\"><i class=\"x-icon-reddit-square\" data-x-icon-b=\"&#xf1a2;\"><\/i><\/a><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Embracing+the+Alaska+Factor&amp;body=Hey, thought you might enjoy this! Check it out when you have a chance: https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/\" data-x-element=\"extra\" data-x-params=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;tooltip&quot;,&quot;trigger&quot;:&quot;hover&quot;,&quot;placement&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;content&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" class=\"x-share email\" title=\"Share via Email\"><span><i class=\"x-icon-envelope-square\" data-x-icon-s=\"&#xf199;\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<blockquote  class=\"x-blockquote right-text\" >\n\u201cThe key to a successful Alaska Range trip is to bring extra food, extra fuel, entertainment, and an expectation that the trip will not go as planned\u201d<cite class=\"x-cite\">Joe Stock, The Alaska Factor II<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<figure id=\"attachment_203\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-203\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-203 size-large\" title=\"Alaska Factor\" src=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_1563-1-1024x570.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"570\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_1563-1-1024x570.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_1563-1-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_1563-1-768x427.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_1563-1-100x56.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_1563-1-1029x573.jpg 1029w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_1563-1.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-203\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Alaska Range<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>We flew in under a grey-blue ceiling to the most spectacular playground I have ever seen. On the Pika Glacier, rock buttresses rise like sharks\u2019 teeth from the valley, their ridges separated by perfect ribbons of snow that plunge into the glacier below. <!--more-->Denali looms in the distance, so tall that it could easily be confused for a wall of clouds. Stepping out of the airplane, I felt I was in the throne room of gods. Overflowing beyond the horizon in every direction lay couloirs, spines, and faces soaked in golden evening light.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_336\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-336\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-336 size-full\" title=\"Alaska Factor\" src=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hannahmarshall-01-1024x816.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"816\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hannahmarshall-01-1024x816.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hannahmarshall-01-1024x816-300x239.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hannahmarshall-01-1024x816-768x612.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hannahmarshall-01-1024x816-100x80.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-336\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Looking southwest from basecamp.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_338\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-338\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-338 size-large\" title=\"Alaska Factor\" src=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hannahmarshall-02-1024x812-1024x812.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"812\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hannahmarshall-02-1024x812.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hannahmarshall-02-1024x812-300x238.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hannahmarshall-02-1024x812-768x609.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hannahmarshall-02-1024x812-100x79.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-338\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pika Party People unloading onto the glacier.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Jeff unzipped the window of our kitchen tent and surveyed camp. It was day two of our trip and snowing hard, hard enough that we knew without discussing it that no one was going for big objectives anytime soon.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIs this all you got?!\u201d He yelled into the snowy abyss.<\/p>\n<p>I stared in awe and disbelief.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s just some light orographics,\u201d he concluded. \u201cI don\u2019t think this storm is what everyone is talking it up to be&#8230;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Over the course of the next few days, optimism waned. Three feet of snow became five, then eight. Surrounding camps shrank into the glacier, the tip of a ski or a kitchen tent sometimes visible through the haze of snow. At this point, we were on more of an extreme camping mission than a ski trip, as our only goal was to keep the relentless snow from inundating us entirely. Shoveling, it turns out, is a full-time job that demands copious amounts of coffee, gore-tex, and 80s dance tunes.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_167\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-167\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-167 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Alaska Factor\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03-1489x1117.jpg 1489w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03-100x75.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03-1438x1079.jpg 1438w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03-1029x772.jpg 1029w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-167\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A dedicated shoveler never rests: Jackie keeps the walls at bay during a break in the storm. Photo courtesy Matt Grossman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cGetting Alaska\u2019d\u201d is a term I learned to embrace this season. It\u2019s a catch-all, useful in describing any situation in which either an objective itself or the outcome of attempting it is far more extreme than anticipated. Before I went to the Alaska Range, I had a limited concept of what the idea of a trip \u201cnot going as planned\u201d truly meant. What could possibly go wrong in seven days?<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_341\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-341\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-341 size-medium\" title=\"Alaska Factor\" src=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_3808-1024x1024-1-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_3808-1024x1024-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_3808-1024x1024-1-45x45.jpg 45w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_3808-1024x1024-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_3808-1024x1024-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_3808-1024x1024-1-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_3808-1024x1024-1.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-341\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Our kitchen tent pole snapped in half! Cue the Voile Straps.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In hindsight, there are a few things that could go wrong:<\/p>\n<p>It snowed at least twelve feet, the bulk of it falling in about three days. Our neighbors lost their skis and a tent to an avalanche that struck their camp. Our kitchen tent pole broke in half. Three of us got sick with a brutal cold. Tents ripped, gloves froze, and airplanes were firmly grounded in Talkeetna for over a week. In that time, no one skied more than a few low-angle turns (but man, were they deep!).<\/p>\n<p>Still, I regret nothing. There\u2019s a masochistic joy in both the monotony and camaraderie of endless shoveling that is impossible to replicate in less challenging situations.<\/p>\n<p>In a range so notoriously inhospitable, success is measured by our ability to show up and stay the course with a sense of humor and humility, regardless of the outcome. Skiing, especially in this environment, is an activity that rewards patience, sound judgment, and commitment. It\u2019s difficult to be a half-hearted backcountry skier and see any reward because some of the best moments we have in the mountains are born from scouting missions and failed attempts. If we\u2019re lucky, the friendships we form and lessons we learn in the mountains spill into the minutiae of daily life.<\/p>\n<p>I came home from Alaska dirty, beat-down, and hell-bent on skiing. I\u2019ll be back, next time with a bigger shovel and a bit more bacon. For now, I\u2019m feeling pretty lucky to have experienced the Alaska factor:<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_340\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-340\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-340 size-large\" title=\"Alaska Factor\" src=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hannahmarshall-07-1024x652-1-1024x652.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"652\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hannahmarshall-07-1024x652-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hannahmarshall-07-1024x652-1-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hannahmarshall-07-1024x652-1-768x489.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hannahmarshall-07-1024x652-1-100x64.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-340\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Keeping the stoke alive in the Beartooths! Photo by Matt Zia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"cs-content x-global-block x-global-block-700 e700-e0\"><div class=\"x-section e700-e1 mjg-0\"><div class=\"x-container max width e700-e2 mjg-1\"><div class=\"x-column x-sm x-1-1 e700-e3 mjg-2\"><hr class=\"x-line e700-e4 mjg-3\"><\/hr><div class=\"x-text x-text-headline e700-e5 mjg-4\"><div class=\"x-text-content\"><div class=\"x-text-content-text\"><h5 class=\"x-text-content-text-primary\">About the Author<\/h5><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"cs-content x-global-block x-global-block-345 e345-e0\"><div class=\"x-section e345-e1 m9l-0\"><div class=\"x-container marginless-columns e345-e2 m9l-1\"><div class=\"x-column x-sm x-1-4 e345-e3 m9l-2 m9l-3\"><span class=\"x-image e345-e4 m9l-4\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/MZia-124-1.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" alt=\"Image\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><div class=\"x-column x-sm x-3-4 e345-e5 m9l-2\"><div class=\"x-text x-content e345-e6 m9l-5 m9l-6 m9l-7\">Hannah Marshall<\/div><div class=\"x-text x-content e345-e7 m9l-5 m9l-6 m9l-8 m9l-9\"><p><b>Location:<\/b> Beartooths, MT<\/p><\/div><div class=\"x-text x-content e345-e8 m9l-5 m9l-6 m9l-8 m9l-9\"><p><b>Skis:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/voile-womens-ultravector-skis.html\">UltraVector 164cm<\/a><\/p><\/div><hr class=\"x-line e345-e9 m9l-b\"><\/hr><div class=\"x-text x-content e345-e10 m9l-5 m9l-6 m9l-8 m9l-9\"><p><b>Instagram:<\/b> <a  target=\"blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hannahbnans\/\">@hannahbnans<\/a><\/p><\/div><hr class=\"x-line e345-e11 m9l-c\"><\/hr><div class=\"x-text x-content e345-e12 m9l-5 m9l-8 m9l-a\">In addition to being an aspiring big mountain athlete, Hannah is an artist who draws her inspiration from mountain landscapes. \n<br><br>\nWith funding through the American Alpine Club\u2019s Live Your Dream Grant, Hannah and a small group of women flew into the Pika Glacier, a tributary of the Kahiltna Glacier in Denali National Park, to explore ski mountaineering objectives in the area for ten days.  The Pika Glacier is an area known for its alpine climbing objectives, but remains less traveled by skiers. \n<br><br>\nAmong her intentions for this expedition was to create watercolor paintings of this remote and rapidly changing backwater glacier in Denali National Park in an effort to draw attention to the disappearing glaciated landscapes of North America. <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"x-section e345-e17 m9l-0\"><div class=\"x-container marginless-columns e345-e18 m9l-1\"><div class=\"x-column x-sm x-1-1 e345-e19 m9l-2\"><hr class=\"x-line e345-e20 m9l-c\"><\/hr><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div  class=\"x-entry-share\" ><p>Share this Post<\/p><div class=\"x-share-options\"><a href=\"#share\" data-x-element=\"extra\" data-x-params=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;tooltip&quot;,&quot;trigger&quot;:&quot;hover&quot;,&quot;placement&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;content&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" class=\"x-share\" title=\"Share on Facebook\" onclick=\"window.open('http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.voile.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F164&amp;t=Embracing+the+Alaska+Factor', 'popupFacebook', 'width=650, height=270, resizable=0, toolbar=0, menubar=0, status=0, location=0, scrollbars=0'); return false;\"><i class=\"x-icon-facebook-square\" data-x-icon-b=\"&#xf082;\"><\/i><\/a><a href=\"#share\" data-x-element=\"extra\" data-x-params=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;tooltip&quot;,&quot;trigger&quot;:&quot;hover&quot;,&quot;placement&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;content&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" class=\"x-share\" title=\"Share on Twitter\" onclick=\"window.open('https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Embracing+the+Alaska+Factor&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.voile.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F164', 'popupTwitter', 'width=500, height=370, resizable=0, toolbar=0, menubar=0, status=0, location=0, scrollbars=0'); return false;\"><i class=\"x-icon-twitter-square\" data-x-icon-b=\"&#xf081;\"><\/i><\/a><a href=\"#share\" data-x-element=\"extra\" data-x-params=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;tooltip&quot;,&quot;trigger&quot;:&quot;hover&quot;,&quot;placement&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;content&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" class=\"x-share\" title=\"Share on LinkedIn\" onclick=\"window.open('http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.voile.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F164&amp;title=Embracing+the+Alaska+Factor&amp;summary=We+flew+in+under+a+grey-blue+ceiling+to+the+most+spectacular+playground+I+have+ever+seen.+On+the+Pika+Glacier%2C+rock+buttresses+rise+like+sharks%E2%80%99+teeth+from+the+valley%2C+their+ridges+separated+by+perfect+ribbons+of+snow+that+plunge+into+the+glacier+below.&amp;source=Voile', 'popupLinkedIn', 'width=610, height=480, resizable=0, toolbar=0, menubar=0, status=0, location=0, scrollbars=0'); return false;\"><i class=\"x-icon-linkedin-square\" data-x-icon-b=\"&#xf08c;\"><\/i><\/a><a href=\"#share\" data-x-element=\"extra\" data-x-params=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;tooltip&quot;,&quot;trigger&quot;:&quot;hover&quot;,&quot;placement&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;content&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" class=\"x-share\" title=\"Share on Pinterest\" onclick=\"window.open('http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.voile.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F164&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.voile.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F10%2Fhannahmarshall-03.jpg&amp;description=Embracing+the+Alaska+Factor', 'popupPinterest', 'width=750, height=265, resizable=0, toolbar=0, menubar=0, status=0, location=0, scrollbars=0'); return false;\"><i class=\"x-icon-pinterest-square\" data-x-icon-b=\"&#xf0d3;\"><\/i><\/a><a href=\"#share\" data-x-element=\"extra\" data-x-params=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;tooltip&quot;,&quot;trigger&quot;:&quot;hover&quot;,&quot;placement&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;content&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" class=\"x-share\" title=\"Share on Reddit\" onclick=\"window.open('http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.voile.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F164', 'popupReddit', 'width=875, height=450, resizable=0, toolbar=0, menubar=0, status=0, location=0, scrollbars=0'); return false;\"><i class=\"x-icon-reddit-square\" data-x-icon-b=\"&#xf1a2;\"><\/i><\/a><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Embracing+the+Alaska+Factor&amp;body=Hey, thought you might enjoy this! Check it out when you have a chance: https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/\" data-x-element=\"extra\" data-x-params=\"{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;tooltip&quot;,&quot;trigger&quot;:&quot;hover&quot;,&quot;placement&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;content&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" class=\"x-share email\" title=\"Share via Email\"><span><i class=\"x-icon-envelope-square\" data-x-icon-s=\"&#xf199;\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We flew in under a grey-blue ceiling to the most spectacular playground I have ever seen. On the Pika Glacier, rock buttresses rise like sharks\u2019 teeth from the valley, their ridges separated by perfect ribbons of snow that plunge into the glacier below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":167,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,12],"tags":[13,14,15,16],"class_list":["post-164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guest-post","category-trip-reports","tag-alaska","tag-misadventure","tag-skiing","tag-trip-report"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Embracing the Alaska Factor - Voile<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u201cGetting Alaska\u2019d\u201d is when an objective or the outcome of attempting it is far more extreme than anticipated. We learned to embrace the Alaska Factor.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Embracing the Alaska Factor - Voile\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cGetting Alaska\u2019d\u201d is when an objective or the outcome of attempting it is far more extreme than anticipated. We learned to embrace the Alaska Factor.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Voile\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/voilemfg\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-06-12T15:05:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-11-26T23:07:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Hannah Marshall\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@voilemfg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@voilemfg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Hannah Marshall\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Hannah Marshall\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0f17ace34604cc7420ce86d5a1ddd6f3\"},\"headline\":\"Embracing the Alaska Factor\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-06-12T15:05:53+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-11-26T23:07:12+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":774,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/10\\\/hannahmarshall-03.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Alaska\",\"Misadventure\",\"Skiing\",\"Trip Report\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Guest Post\",\"Trip Reports\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\\\/\",\"name\":\"Embracing the Alaska Factor - Voile\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/10\\\/hannahmarshall-03.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-06-12T15:05:53+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-11-26T23:07:12+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0f17ace34604cc7420ce86d5a1ddd6f3\"},\"description\":\"\u201cGetting Alaska\u2019d\u201d is when an objective or the outcome of attempting it is far more extreme than anticipated. We learned to embrace the Alaska Factor.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/10\\\/hannahmarshall-03.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/10\\\/hannahmarshall-03.jpg\",\"width\":1600,\"height\":1200,\"caption\":\"A dedicated shoveler never rests: Jackie keeps the walls at bay during a break in the storm. Photo by Matt Grossman\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Embracing the Alaska Factor\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Voile\",\"description\":\"The V-Team Blog\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0f17ace34604cc7420ce86d5a1ddd6f3\",\"name\":\"Hannah Marshall\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/6ce088deff495cd95aa9ecc8f5d3fb7c2f908104d5fb1bfe98a532056e0b2207?s=96&d=mm&r=pg\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/6ce088deff495cd95aa9ecc8f5d3fb7c2f908104d5fb1bfe98a532056e0b2207?s=96&d=mm&r=pg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/6ce088deff495cd95aa9ecc8f5d3fb7c2f908104d5fb1bfe98a532056e0b2207?s=96&d=mm&r=pg\",\"caption\":\"Hannah Marshall\"},\"description\":\"In addition to being an aspiring big mountain athlete, Hannah is an artist who draws her inspiration from mountain landscapes. Instagram\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/hannahbnans\\\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.voile.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/hannah-marshall\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Embracing the Alaska Factor - Voile","description":"\u201cGetting Alaska\u2019d\u201d is when an objective or the outcome of attempting it is far more extreme than anticipated. We learned to embrace the Alaska Factor.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Embracing the Alaska Factor - Voile","og_description":"\u201cGetting Alaska\u2019d\u201d is when an objective or the outcome of attempting it is far more extreme than anticipated. We learned to embrace the Alaska Factor.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/","og_site_name":"Voile","article_publisher":"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/voilemfg","article_published_time":"2018-06-12T15:05:53+00:00","article_modified_time":"2019-11-26T23:07:12+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":1200,"url":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Hannah Marshall","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@voilemfg","twitter_site":"@voilemfg","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Hannah Marshall","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/"},"author":{"name":"Hannah Marshall","@id":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0f17ace34604cc7420ce86d5a1ddd6f3"},"headline":"Embracing the Alaska Factor","datePublished":"2018-06-12T15:05:53+00:00","dateModified":"2019-11-26T23:07:12+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/"},"wordCount":774,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03.jpg","keywords":["Alaska","Misadventure","Skiing","Trip Report"],"articleSection":["Guest Post","Trip Reports"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/","url":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/","name":"Embracing the Alaska Factor - Voile","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03.jpg","datePublished":"2018-06-12T15:05:53+00:00","dateModified":"2019-11-26T23:07:12+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0f17ace34604cc7420ce86d5a1ddd6f3"},"description":"\u201cGetting Alaska\u2019d\u201d is when an objective or the outcome of attempting it is far more extreme than anticipated. We learned to embrace the Alaska Factor.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/hannahmarshall-03.jpg","width":1600,"height":1200,"caption":"A dedicated shoveler never rests: Jackie keeps the walls at bay during a break in the storm. Photo by Matt Grossman"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/embracing-the-alaska-factor\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Embracing the Alaska Factor"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/","name":"Voile","description":"The V-Team Blog","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0f17ace34604cc7420ce86d5a1ddd6f3","name":"Hannah Marshall","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6ce088deff495cd95aa9ecc8f5d3fb7c2f908104d5fb1bfe98a532056e0b2207?s=96&d=mm&r=pg","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6ce088deff495cd95aa9ecc8f5d3fb7c2f908104d5fb1bfe98a532056e0b2207?s=96&d=mm&r=pg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6ce088deff495cd95aa9ecc8f5d3fb7c2f908104d5fb1bfe98a532056e0b2207?s=96&d=mm&r=pg","caption":"Hannah Marshall"},"description":"In addition to being an aspiring big mountain athlete, Hannah is an artist who draws her inspiration from mountain landscapes. Instagram","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hannahbnans\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/author\/hannah-marshall\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=164"}],"version-history":[{"count":65,"href":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1333,"href":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164\/revisions\/1333"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=164"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=164"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=164"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}