Jackson Hole 2008 - Day 6 (All Day Dump)

Nick gearing up for another day of deep. Another 4 or more inches fell during the night and it continued to storm all day. Still snowing as I type this after a day of excellent runs.


That's Michael waiting for the rest of us to get our boots on. The patio off the Teton Club's ski locker is a ground level in the summer. In the winter they have to build snow stairs so you can climb to the top of the snow pack.


Julie's still recovering from her cold and moving a little slow, but there was no way she was going to miss these great conditions.


Mimi and Frank have a locker pass that allows them to catch an early gondola so they get first tracks. The hoi polloi have to wait in line for the gondola to open at 9 AM, and there was a long line today. Accidentally, we got in the singles line a few minutes before 9 and didn't have to wait long before we were heading up the mountain. Bonus #1: Chatting with Hollee Armstrong (proprietress of the spa at the Teton Club and wife of Sick Rick Armstrong, extreme skiing legend) in the line. Bonus #2: They put all four of us from the singles line of into the same gondola so we got the short wait in line and the companionship during the ride up.

We caught up with Mimi and Frank at Sublette Chair. They already had a run down Rendezvous Bowl and we headed up for another. Then a great shot through the trees in Bivouac Woods with Mimi. Followed by an awesomely deep run down Expert Chutes. Three awesome runs in the first couple of hours. Our final run before lunch was North Hobacks, a looong powder run. We hugged the trees and had some insane fun. Lost Greg for most of the run, but unlike yesterday we didn't send Frank out to find him. Didn't work yesterday and didn't want to diminish today's run. Just like yesterday, we all hooked up at Union Pass Traverse so no problemo.



Here's a shot of Julie near the bottom of Rendezvous Bowl. Even sick and run down, she skis better than most. We had another yummy lunch at our condo thanks to Chef Al's split pea soup and super sandwiches--BreadMan bread fortified with Mimi's granola, topped with condiments like sun dried tomatoes, olive tapenade, hummus, artichoke hearts, and cranberry sauce. Oh yeah, some meat, cheese, and lettuce too.

After lunch Mimi went grocery shopping; Julie and Nick took naps; and Frank went to do some work around the house. Michael, Phillip, Greg and his friend Harry went back for more snow.


In the gondie, Greg took a call from a customer (Greg's and architect) and let the caller believe he was in the office, rather than out shredding the slopes.

Unlike yesterday, the afternoon runs were as good as the morning, maybe better. We had fun in the Study Plots and Bivouac Woods. The ride up Sublette was cold, with the wind and snow howling. The ride up East Ridge was more of the same, and then Rendezvous Bowl was white out conditions. I couldn't tell which way was down until I got to the black doingers marking the steepest route down. Using them as slalom poles enabled me to enjoy the run down. At the bottom I asked Michael about doing another lap, but he said no way, too cold. Then Greg slid up on his board and said it was the best run of the day. After a long wait, Harry showed up on his board and said never again; he couldn't tell up from down in the whiteout and basically fell his way down the bowl.

After another ride up Sublette, Greg talked Harry into another go at the Bowl. Michael was too cold so we headed down the Hobacks. This time we stayed in the trees between North Hoback and Cheyenne Gully; the snow was deep and the fun was off the charts. Michael is skiing great and led me on the best route through the trees. After learning from him, I zipped past him to get first tracks and he followed, complaining that the second skier didn't have as much good snow.

The day ended with a run down Dick's Ditch behind a couple of snowboarders throwing 360's off the rocks. Then some time in the hot tubs and dinner at Mimi's. A near perfect day.