We left the Eagle River Nature Center at a casual morning hour on April 11, running shoes on our feet and skiing, climbing, and camping gear on our backs. My wife Paige and I had been wanting to go ski Polar Bear for awhile now, and the trinity of conditions, time off, and childcare had aligned. The Crow Pass trail provides easy access up the Eagle River drainage, and the first five miles of the hike passed quickly. In the early season the river runs clear and low, and the crossing of it was casual even in bare feet.
Friends had scoped out the approach previously, and their GPS track of the rough trail proved invaluable. With a little bashing and thrashing we worked our way up to where we were able to get skis on our feet and off of our backs. This made alder travel better for awhile, although there was a bit more bushwacky type terrain until we were finally released from the treeline zone and out into the alpine.
Up Organ Creek, with Nantina Point behind.
We ditched our camping gear at a protected spot near the base of the face. A casual recon ski before dinner gave us a good idea of snow and route conditions. With blue skies and warm temps the steeper solar aspects were all releasing, giving us ample reason to crash out and wake up early before anything warmed up the next day.
Camp with Polar Bear rising above in the back.
Paige and I slept until the leisurely time of 5am, then slammed some coffee and quick calories and started moving. The NW face weaves through a rocky lower buttress to the Bearskin glacier, then ascends a short rocky mixed step to the summit.
Coming up to the summit rockband.
Ridge belay stance 75’ below the summit.
We left skis below the upper rock band, and then climbed a couple moderate pitches up to the summit. A stuck rope on the rappel while testing some new gear let me get an extra pitch of climbing in on the descent. Back at the skis, we enjoyed a spectacular descent down the Bearskin glacier and through the steep lower rock band down to camp.
Down the Bearskin below the summit, Great skiing!
Skiing below the Bearskin.
Traversing out of the lower rock band.
A quick pack up and then some more skiing, walking, and river crossing, we get back to the car in the mid afternoon. A fine ski mountaineering adventure in Chugach State Park.