If Alaska is the goal for all dedicated wintersports enthusiasts, then Flow Tailgate Alaska is the way in.

Now heading into its fifth year, Flow Tailgate Alaska has become one of THE must-attend events in winter sports. The location provides some of the most direct big-mountain access on the planet. Around camp, backcountry education plays a central role, with snow-safety classes, beacon searches, and snowmobile-riding/sled maintenance clinics.

• Transworld Snowboarding's "Must-Attend" Event
• World's Largest Backcountry Gathering
• 1.6M Acres of accessible terrain
• Emphasis on backcountry safety and education
• Learning Experience for all participants

Flow Tailgate Alaska 2012 will take place from April 1 - 12, 2012

Click Here to Learn More. Click Here to paln your trip.

Valdez offers some of the best backcountry terrain on the planet. With multiple ways to reach deep in the wilderness, Flow Tailgate Alaska sets a new standard for participation-based events.

Dates:
April 1 – 12, 2012

Location:
Thompson Pass, Valdez, Alaska

Schedule:
A 12-day festival with snow-science and survival education, sled-riding and sled-maintenance clinics, side events, live concerts, vendors, beer garden and parties throughout the duration.

Riders/Skiers:
The festival is open to the public but limited to 500 participants. All participants are expected to know how to use a beacon, shovel, probe — and to have basic backcountry knowledge.

Tailgaters have many options when it comes to accessing terrain. Skinning access is direct from camp in any direction, with approaches minimized by the abrupt peaks. Snowmobile access is virtually unlimited at Tailgate. With more than 100 snowmobiles showing up in 2011, it's the first choice of those in the know. There are also five helicopter operators in the area, giving multiple selections for those looking for the ultimate wintersports experience and perhaps a top-ranking life experience, too.

The Tailgate Alaska Village serves as a rallying point in the middle of it all. With a nightly happy hour, daily snow-science classes, Man Games and other activities, Flow Tailgate Alaska has become the cure to what was once known as the "Valdisease."

Many participants choose to stay in base camp in tents and RVs. Others choose to stay in the hotels down the road in Valdez. Flow Tailgate Alaska gets you discounts on all of these.

Safety in Numbers

Because Flow Tailgate Alaska brings so many riders together in one place, it is the safest way to get into Alaskan terrain. Simply put, there are more shovels, probes and beacons in capable hands than in any time in Valdez ski and snowboard history.

Having the staff of the Alaska Avalanche Information Center on hand during the event ensures participants are up to speed on local conditions and provides an extra measure of qualified local expertise. In addition, the AAIC Rescue Crew manages safety for the Flow World Freeride Championships.

According to event physician Dr. John Cullen...
"Having worked as event physician for all ski and snowboarding competitions in Valdez since 1994, I can say with some authority that Sean Wisner and his team of snow safety personnel are the most professional I have worked with. Long before the event took place, they were scoping out the safest way to provide a great competition in an inherently unsafe environment. They set up with an apparent ease that belied the technical difficulty of their task. During the event, they were poised to provide care that was thankfully never needed. Clearly they epitomized the backcountry knowledge and skills that are essential for an event of this caliber to take place."

Your Ticket to Tailgate Alaska includes:

• Access to Tailgate Basecamp facilities

FACILITIES INCLUDE
• Access to parking lot created for event • Access to event Structures and Vendors • Trash service • Access to Porta-johns • Full tuning area • Darts • Daily 'Tailgate Times' Bulletin • Skeet Shooting (b.y.o.a.) • Access to park jumps at venue • Snowmobile Track • WIFI at the internet cafe • Electrical device charging station • 24 hour Event Security

In addition to...

• Parking at the Tailgate Alaska venue for cars and RVs

• Discounts on heli, snowmobile and cat access

• Discounts on hotel and RVs

• Discounted Alaska Airlines airfares

• Discounts in select stores and restaurants in Valdez

• Daily snow stability reports

• Access to all Tailgate Alaska special events

• Free daily Snow Science classes

• Free Snowmobile Education clinics

• Daily Beacon Search contest

• Daily 'Man Games' skill contests

• Free Beer Garden daily from 4-9pm sponsored by Alaskan Brewing Co.

• Access to Fish Fry

• User guide with all vital contact information

• Event T-shirt

• Swag from sponsors

• Direct access to some of the best backcountry terrain on the planet

• Making lifelong friends and becoming a part of the big-mountain family

*Must be 21 years old to attend beer garden

* VIP Pass includes Lodging, Ground Transportation,and Food in addition to what's included in the All Access pass.

Under 21	All Access	Competitor	VIP
$225	$299	$799	$1995

Attendance will be limited to 500 people — to ensure that the mountains do not get too crowded and that pow can be found everywhere.

Click Here For More Information

How it Works

Arrival
The event location is between mile markers 29 and 30 on the Richardson Highway (the road from Anchorage to Valdez). Driving from Anchorage will take about 5 hours — the drive from Valdez is 40 minutes. Feel free to roll in anytime. First check in with our security guy, then head over to the main office for your first of several briefings.

Tour
We will have regular tours of the event facilities to show you what is available at Tailgate Alaska and, hopefully, give you an idea for creative ways to fill your downtime at the event.

Settle in
Get your RV parked, check out the mountains, boot ‘em up and get on it.

Beer Garden
Each afternoon/evening the community Beer Garden gets all abuzz, sponsored by Alaskan Brewing Co. Look for the swarm of tailgaters at the fenced-in beer garden tent. Beer is served free of charge to All Access and VIP pass holders from 4-9 pm.

Line up a way up the hill
If you have already booked time with a heli, cat or other operator, you are one step ahead of the game. Simply let them know you are in town. If you haven't made arrangements, set a plan to get up hill ASAP. There are few worse feelings than sitting out a blue day.

Daily schedule
Your daily plan will depend largely on the weather. If it is socked in, there is plenty to do around base camp — take a snow-science/sled-riding/sled maintenance class, tune your board, challenge a pal at table tennis or darts, try skeet shooting, do the beacon search contest, or wait for the beer garden to open. If it goes blue, be ready. People will be heading out in all directions — on skins, sleds, and in helis. Be ready, have a plan and a crew, and you will not be disappointed.

If you are looking for other things to do: Check This out.

Click Here to Learn More. Click Here to paln your trip.