Exploring Your Unknown

March 15, 2014, South East Alaska. Buried by an avalanche. Precious seconds passed as we perform CPR on our teammate and fellow guide, Aaron Karitis. With each chest compression I can feel his faint radial pulse as Gerry Moffatt and Jesse Weeks work in unison "28...29...30, and breath." Moffatt lets up while Weeks manually delivers oxygen into the lungs. The process is repeated for several minutes without interruption until the ambulance arrives. Adrenaline shots are immediately administered as we hoist our comrade into the back of the vehicle. The back doors of the ambulance slam shut, signifying the loss of the precious life of one of the most knowledgeable, respected guides in the industry.

Shock waves travel quickly over long distances as the inevitable SNAFU unfolds. "When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world." ~ John Muir When faced with adversity it's usually a good idea to listen to Mother Nature. Our suspicions of an unstable snow pack in Alaska were confirmed by investigation and pit results which showed that January's catastrophic rain event had established an impenetrable and slippery bed surface. With five feet of recent snowfall, the impending hazard was extremely destructive. The risk was too great and I was not comfortable jeopardizing the safety of my clients and fellow guides, so I individually cancelled over 50 clients and swallowed the loss of a non-refundable helicopter deposit.

After 16 successful seasons, it was time to leave behind the comfort of familiarity and explore the unknown. April 10, 2014, Iceland. The Troll Peninsula in northern Iceland is a mystical place where volcanic mountains collide with the Atlantic Ocean in an arctic environment. The paw-shaped land mass has individual fjords that have been carved by prehistoric ice. Only recently have skiers been able to easily access the terrain. With the help of Irwin Guides, our Stellar Media crew including Will Wissman, Sam Cohen, Gabe Ciafre, Jeff Loewe, and myself stayed in Siglufjörður for two weeks exploring the region by all means possible. With over 18 hours of April daylight to burn, there is no shortage of opportunity for adventure in Iceland.

Bad weather days were spent searching for local hot springs. Every town has some sort of hot pool or "heit laug" that serves as a gathering point for the locals. Geothermal energy is the greatest renewable resource and responsible for heating most of the private homes. As our obsession for finding new hot springs intensified, we ventured on longer and longer road trips towards the Myvatn district where we circumnavigated a chain of volcanic lakes. The emerald green lakes are littered with rock pillars, the ruminants of molten lava suddenly draining from the lakebed nearly 2,000 years ago. Traveling eastward, we passed by a series of steam vents discharging hot vapor as we stumbled upon an underground hot spring.

The pulling apart of tectonic plates has created openings in the rock through which we were able to explore one of the dark caverns. With flashlight in hand, I navigated the slippery rocks and dipped my hand into the fiery water. At first it seemed too hot, but then we took off our clothes and eased into the caldron where we spent the next hours bathing somewhere between North America and Eurasia. Searching for hot springs was our primary down day activity, but we soon discovered that Iceland is also famous for spectacular waterfalls, with the Dettifoss being considered Europe's most powerful one. More than 100 meters wide, the river violently plunges nearly 50 meters, producing a thick mist that creates a huge overhanging ice feature.

Peering over the edge it was difficult to judge where the cliff ends and the ice begin, so we decided to stay away from the edge and save our risk taking for the mountains. Our objectives changed with the weather as our first sunny day was spent exploring the mountains above our hotel in Siglufjörður. With 40 centimeters of fresh powder, the conditions were optimal. Sam Cohen laid down the most aggressive line of the day as he flashed a blind roll leading onto a series of spines as he outran his slough and impressed the local community watching from below. Each day we explored more of the region between Siglufjörður and Olafsfjörður, a municipality called Fjallabyggð, which means "mountain settlement".

Black volcanic rock covered with a fresh snow overlooking the blue ocean made every turn that much sweeter. From the top of the peaks we could see explosions of white water as powerful waves from the north funneled directly into the fjord below. The inlet provided shelter from the wind as glassy swells refracted into the bay, producing a perfect right hand point break. We asked the locals why nobody surfs and discovered that there is only one company called Arctic Surfers that rents surfboard and wetsuits. So I called and Ingo, the owner, agreed to come meet us for the "big swell" that was arriving in 48 hours. Insulated by 5mm of neoprene, we marched through snow and plunged into the 7 degrees Celsius ocean.

The first duck dive was shocking, but the excitement of surfing a world-class surf break in Iceland with four friends was the unexpected highlight of my trip. Set waves could be spotted from a mile away. We simply took turns catching the best waves of our lives. Waiting between set waves, I considered how I had arrived at this place in time. Looking up at snow-covered peaks, I thought about Aaron. He also loved to surf, ski and show people the best times of their lives. This was a moment that he would have appreciated, especially in knowing that he inspired me to get outside my comfort zone and explore the unknown.

With very little planning or foresight, we had traveled around the world from Alaska to Iceland searching for the right place at the right time. Initially, we were forced to listen to the voice of Mother Nature, but in the end it felt good to follow our instincts. Suddenly, the horizon line surges as my attention shifts back to the present moment. I turn and paddle as the swell builds beneath me. Teetering at the crest, I slide my board beneath my feet as I free fall into my bottom turn and imagine chasing Aaron all the way down the line.