Stills

Hatcher Pass • November 2015

The point of the night was to explore and find snow and did we. Hatcher Pass was a riot that night. We literally couldn’t see anything past 10-feet. I’ve never felt so claustrophobic in such an open area. We stayed away from known run-outs and pushed through the heavy snow until a glow of light was visible from the Visitor’s Center near the old abandoned mine. We couldn’t believe how much snow was around us. It was incredibly fun. Although we spent a good amount of time hanging out near the Mine, it wasn’t until we got back on the main trail that I saw the scene. Just the negative space alone was enough for me to reach for my camera. The shot itself was extremely challenging since there wasn’t much light to work with. I really wasn’t sure what the shot was going to look like until I saw it on a bigger screen and instantly knew that it would be one of my favorite captures for a long time.

Turnagain Pass

December 2016

This photograph was taken around 2 in the morning, 5-hours after my friends and I skinned up Center Ridge and began our approach to set up camp near Kickstep Mountain (left Peak in photo). Everything about our ambitious goal was beyond magical. We were navigating around meadows and old skin tracks under nothing but full moonlight. Everyone was yelling out of pure joy, we were those kids after bar break strolling through downtown. Headlamps, all of a sudden, became useless. The weight of our packs and sleds became nothing and all we could focus on is what was in front of us: Kickstep. A few clouds were rolling in here and there, but never deviated the light from our mountain. It all seemed cliché to me, but I embraced it and enjoyed every moment.

Dmitry Surnin is a Cinematographer and Editor at Channel Films. Follow him on Instagram @dsurn.