Skiing the Remote and Dangerous Spines of the Tsirku Glacier

“You’re searching and exploring for these things that haven’t been done. Corrugated is one of the
hardest places to get to [and] only a couple people have done it.” – Sam Anthamatten

Winter is settling in across the land and as many of us bring our snowboards and skis out of the attic for another season of powder shredding, we can watch the new film ‘Tsirku’ and realize that we are nothing but amateurs in this world.

‘Tsirku’ is a three-part big-mountain adventure ski series from Sherpas Cinema
and The North Face. Three North Face Athletes set out to locate and ski and snowboard down the fabled Corrugated spine lines of the Tsirku Glacier.

The Tsirku Glacier is situated in the remote Saint Elias mountains where Alaska, British Columbia, and the Yukon converge. Being that this is one of the most remote, challenging, and dangerous locations to ride in the world, only a small handful of athletes had done it before. But snowboarder Ralph Backstrom and skiers Hadley
Hammer and Sam Anthamatten were excited, and slightly nervous, for the challenges that lay ahead.

Reaching the spines was no easy task, however. On April 1, 2016, the team left Haines Pass in the Yukon and started the sixty-kilometer trek on snowmobiles across the massive glacier. While this may sound easy, it is not. The route is littered with crevasses, seracs, severe wind and avalanche zones. It took nearly two weeks to move all of the gear and get set up at the Corrugated basecamp due to inclement weather. But once we first lay eyes on the prize, we understand why the team went through the challenges.

The spine lines that the athletes plan to conquer are intimidating to say the least. The spines appear to be almost at a perfect 90-degree angle downward, with a massive amount of snow packed on top. Even if the athlete’s team was able to somehow navigate downward, the scene looks like an avalanche waiting to happen, yet the team moves forward.

We found ourselves transfixed on this brilliant piece of filmmaking for all of its 20-minute run time. The visuals are spectacular, and the action and adventure that is conveyed had us feeling as if we were right there on the ledge with them, feeling the snow give way below our skis. Chances are, none of us will ever conquer the Corrugated spine lines of the Tsirku Glacier. But with masterful filmmakers like Sherpas Cinema and skilled and brave athletes like Backstrom, Hammer and Anthamatten, we can live the heart racing experience in 4k from our warm and safe couches.

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Photos and quotes kindly provided to Resource Travel by Sherpas Cinema.