After six years of following, climbing, and skiing 46 of the lines and mountains in the book "The Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America", it’s time for Cody Townsend to pursue a personally inspired and modern list of classics. 

Introducing the first episode of the FIFTY+. With many more to come, Cody and a long list of guest skiers, climbers, and outdoor adventures climb and ski a list of mountains that number far beyond 50. Using a personally created metric of characteristics like aesthetics, ski quality, climb quality, bragging rights, and more, each episode will venture into the mountains and come home with a decision on the question, “Is it a classic or not?”

Episode 1 is The Northstar Couloir, a line that draws your eye in from almost every corner of the small ski town at the base of Alyeska Ski Resort, Girdwood, Alaska. With a 10-mile approach and 6k of elevation gain, the couloir follows the mantra of Alaska, everything is bigger than it looks in AK. Joined by Elyse Saugstad, the crew embarks on a multi-day adventure to take Elyse on her first winter camping adventure, encounter tough decisions, touchy avalanche conditions, and an obligatory sufferfest to ski an off-road Alaskan quintessential couloir.