Saturday, February 28, 2009

Jackson Hole Ski Trip, 2009 - Day 14, Granite Canyon

Friday, Feb 27
Granite Canyon's Mile Long Couloir.

Somehow I lost my glasses. (Found them; I'm a teensy bit drunk.) In spite of all that, today was awesome. I am totally skied out, and yet I didn't make any in bounds turns (actually I did ski Rendezvous Bowl twice, but still...)

We got in the tram line at 8:15, but that was 15 minutes too late to catch the first tram at 9:00. We were sandwiched between New Jersey guy and the Million Dollar Man for almost an hour before the mountain opened and we got to ski. New Jersey guy told us that he heard that there were three JH locals in their 40's who retired and skied all the time. He heard they hired a guide so they could cut line, but they skied so fast that they just told the guide to meet them at the tram so they could cut line again. Frank just shrugged and said "Hmmm." I was skeptical, because the guides I knew skied super fast and I couldn't imagine three whipper snappers skiing faster. Over drinks at dinner that night, Frank told me that the guide was Sammy, slowed down by a broken tibia. The three "retirees" were Clint, Ned, and Frank himself.

(This followed a chance encounter in the tram line the day before. I mentioned that my brother-in-law and sister-in-law lived in town. Later I referred to them by name. The local we were talking to said, "Everyone knows Frank and Mimi." Geordie wants to create a web site with that as a title.)

The Million Dollar Man was a guy wearing a CMH "Million Vertical Feet" jacket, that you earn by doing a ton of heli-skiing. I was impressed, but Frank pointed out over dinner, that wearing the jacket is like bragging that you spent $100,000 on heli skiing. In Jackson, such ostentation is frowned upon. Even I was turned off by the Million Dollar Man's story about his acceptance speech when awarded the jacket. They gave him the jacket and he tried it on, but said he was worried the ski pants wouldn't fit. He dropped trou, exposing his G-string and the "Congratulations" markered on his butt cheek with a Sharpie. Please. It is early and we just want to relax until we get to the top of the mountain.

OK. On to the skiing. Frank had us buckle our boots and packs while standing in line. That way we could zoom off the tram and ski down the bowl before the hordes. We exited the ski area boundary at the lower gate and hiked up to Four Pines. The run down was awesome. We floated through light powder and got first tracks the whole way. The hike up Paranoia Ridge seemed easier than the day before, and we took the run from the top of Four Pines without stopping. At the bottom, Mimi and Frank paid me the HUGE compliment of saying that I looked balanced on my skis. I was rocking the BROs for the second day in a row, and all was right with the world.
Geordie skiing through the willows at the runout from Four Pines.

When Geordie asked me what to wear that morning, I told him that we were going to ski in bounds until it was tracked out, and then we would move to Rock Springs Canyon for some out of bounds turns that didn't require any hiking. How wrong I was!

Four Pines requires a steep climb up Paranoia Ridge and a longer climb up to the top of Four Pines. But that was nothing compared to what Frank and Mimi had in store for us. The tram line was super long when we got back to the bottom, so we took the gondola. At the top, we decided to do a run in Granite Canyon. First we had to climb the boot pack from the gondola to the top of the Headwall. I passed a bunch of people on the way up and nearly had a coronary from the exertion. At the top, I ate a "cow pie" (sort of like a pizza in a bun) and rested while waiting for Geordie to catch up.
The top of the Headwall climb.

The climb up the Headwall turned out to be the easiest part of the day. We traversed out past Casper Bowl and the Crags, and ducked the rope to ski down the backside into Granite Canyon. The entry into Mile Long Couloir was sketchy. We had to tiptoe down a rock strewn chute before it opened up into a very skiable couloir. The upside of the tricky entrance, is that the couloir doesn't get skied as much as Endless Couloir with an easy entrance right next door.

Mimi checking out the entrance to Mile Long Couloir,
straight ahead across the rocks and then down.

Geordie made it through the rocks into the couloir.

Mimi ready to drop into Mile Long Couloir.

The name Mile Long Couloir may be an exaggeration, but it was plenty long for me. The top was steep enough that I made jump turns. The next section I skied with big, round turns, until Frank shot by me and showed me how to do it: Swoop right down the fall line, faster and faster. I got so caught up in the sensation, that I forgot the basics of backcountry skiing: one at a time and only stop in safety zones. The couloir is so long--Frank guesses 2500 feet vertical--that I couldn't ski it without stopping a couple of times. Fortunately, the snow was very stable and avalanche danger was moderate.

Looking back up Mile Long Couloir from the bottom.

Frank at the bottom of Mile Long Couloir.

Mimi at the bottom of Mile Long Couloir.

Geordie at the bottom of Mile Long Couloir.

Self portrait of Phillip at the bottom of Mile Long Couloir.

The hardest part of the day was the traverse out of Granite Canyon back to the ski resort. Rumor has it that the traverse is 5 miles long. The first half is mostly uphill and we spent a lot of energy sidestepping. At an obvious resting point, I took off my helmet and unzipped my jacket and pulled up my sleeves. Immediately after we got going again, we had a fast downhill traverse with the most massive whoop-de-doos I have ever encountered on skis. I wished my helmet was back on my head, for sure. An interminable time later, we reached the boundaries of the ski area again. It was surreal reentering the controlled and groomed world of the ski area. It was like walking out of the wilderness into Disney World. Most of the skiers inbounds had no idea what lay just on the other side of the ropes. Of course, there are a few skiers who do laps on the route we just finished. Those people are so strong, it is ridiculous. Once a day is plenty for me. Geordie said once a lifetime for him.

The long traverse home from Granite Canyon (~45 minutes).

Even the snow loves my BROs.

After a big lunch of split pea soup, broiled sweet potato fries, and tortellinis with tomato and mushroom sauce, we headed back out for the last run of the trip, an easy (no hiking required) out of bounds run down Rock Springs Canyon. Mimi called her daughter's school and arranged for Michelle to hang out at the Village Cafe for 30 minutes because we wouldn't make it back before the bus dropped her off. As expected, Rock Springs was tracked out, but was still fun to ski. It will have to do until next time. Returning to the ski resort, I headed to Wildernest to buy a photo-map of Granite Canyon. Cutting through the VC, I heard, "Hi Doober!" It was Michelle patiently waiting for us to get back. Thanks Michelle for letting me borrow your Mom as a ski guide.
Frank, Mimi, and Geordie at GameFish.

That night Geordie took us out to dinner at GameFish. First we shared a bottle of champagne (thanks Mimi) at the Teton Club. After a toast to our hosts and guides--"everyone knows Frank and Mimi"--we walked to the restaurant and had a great time telling stories from the ski trip.

Back at the Teton Club, the bar was rocking. So I stopped in and hung out with Quinn Connor, Twenty-seven, and some Mass members. Aaron was the only one sober. Some funny stories I'll try to add later.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Jackson Hole Ski Trip, 2009 - Day 13, Rockin' the BROs

Thursday, Feb 26

It snowed a ton today. In the morning we headed O.B. and did a Four Pines. We got a bunch of untracked. We went up the tram and out the high gate. From there we skied down Far Drift which is basically skiing down Rendezvous Bowl, but on the other side of the Jackson Hole Resort boundary. So we got freshies the whole way.

Then the work begins. We hiked up the short, but steep Paranoia Ridge. There is a beautiful, but short powder run right next to the boot track which Mimi and I skied last year. I thought it might be fun to repeat this year, but by the time I got to the top I was huffing and puffing and covered in sweat, so skiing down and hiking up a second time didn't seem as attractive.

Frank, Greg, and Mimi somewhere on the way to Four Pines.


After a short traverse, we made a longer, but less steep hike up to Four Pines. There was quite a crowd on top, but we got geared up and away before most of the rest of them. My favorite part of this run was a couple of slots through the rocks; the snow was deep and we shot down the slots and then down the face below to the bottom of the slope. It looked like a reasonably long run from the top, but much too soon we were at the bottom. We must have been screaming down the hill, because it ended way earlier than I expected.

Then we had a long traverse back from Rock Springs Canyon to the ski area. It wasn't really that far, but with Greg on his snowboard, traverses can be a travail. Especially when he gets too low and has to climb back up to the track. Second year running this happened. I joked that last week I skied the Triple No (No Shadows, No Name Peak, No Name Canyon) and today we skied the Triple Slow (we waited for George on the climbs, we waited for me on the descents, and we waited for Greg on the traverse). As usual, Mimi and Frank were excellent and patient guides, leading us to the best runs and educating us about safety in the backcountry.

Yay! George made it.


Phillip and George at the top of Four Pines.


After lunch, Greg, George and I went back out and had some of the best runs of the entire trip. We stayed inbounds and took a couple of trams and a gondie. The snow was fine in the Bowl, but was wicked fun in the Hobacks. We were skiing fast and smooth, getting face shots on some of the turns. Greg was ripping on his snowboard, throwing up a plume of snow as he sped down the mountain. George was linking beautiful turns, flowing from one to the next. And I thought I was skiing about the best I have ever skied. I felt fast and in total control, with big smooth turns in the open parts of the slope and then making quick turns to dive between the trees at the bottom.

Greg nearly impaled himself on this punji stick in the Hobacks. (See the broken branch next to his knee?)


George rests for a moment before ripping down the rest of the Hobacks.


I attribute my breakthrough skiing to three things:
  1. Change in attitude. Instead of overanalyzing my technique and criticizing everytime I got in the backseat or off balance, I decided to do my best and enjoy the skiing regardless if I was skiing as well as the rest of the party. This really paid off in our Four Pines trip. I don't think I've ever had so much fun out of bounds before. I just skied and didn't worry about how I looked.
  2. Change in technique. At lunch, George and Greg made some suggestions on how to improve my skiiing. In particular, narrowing my stance and keeping my hands in closer and driving down the slope. I have been working on just these things all week, but when we go OB or the conditions deteriorate, I tend to forget and go back to my bad habits. When we went back out after lunch, I put it all together and flew down the mountain like never before. I really felt that my skiing was BRO-worthy.
  3. Change in conditions. We probably got 12 inches of snow today. It made skiing much easier. It was pretty close to hero snow and probably accounts for some of my improvement. But I think it all started with having the right attitude.
We were on the 2nd to last tram and then got on the gondola at 3:57, three minutes before it closed. Everyone on the mountain was giddy, enjoying the excellent conditions. The gondie operators agreed with me that they should keep the lifts running until dark because it was just to good to quit and go inside. But the ski day did end after a last run down Casper Bowl, and we just hope for more of the same tomorrow.

Dinner was a lot of fun. Greg made a wilted brussel sprout salad and I made pizzas. We drank more of George's wine and went to bed early. Greg leaves at 5 AM tomorrow and the rest of us want to get in the tram line early for more POW.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Authentic Happiness: Using the new Positive Psychology

Because I actually believe that thinking good thoughts leads to a better life, I am changing the name of my blog from "Life of a Grumpy Old Man" to "Life of a Happy Middle-Aged Guy."

Check out Authentic Happiness: Using the new Positive Psychology to learn more.

Jackson Hole Ski Trip, 2009 - Day 12, I'm not worthy

Wednesday, Feb 25

It was dumping this morning.

The bowl was awesome.

A telemarketer (Bubba's name for a telemark skier) watched me ski down Alta 2 and called up, "You're rocking the BROs today." That would normally make me feel great, but he had just watched me hook a tip on a branch and take a head first ride down the chute. I want to get a sticker for my BROs with that immortal line of Wayne and Garth: "I'm not worthy."

At lunch I switched to my Pocket Rockets. With several inches of new snow, I skied great. The day was redeemed. The bowl was buffed smooth and I've never skied it faster or cleaner. Paul could have skied it today and enjoyed it.

Tonight we had dinner at the BrewPub, where they brew Snake River Beer. My SRB Cobb salad was okay, but the draft beer was excellent. Then we saw a sneak preview of the movie Swift. Silent. Deep. the story of the Jackson Hole Air Force. It was cool watching this movie about a bunch of local ski heroes with an auditorium full of locals who know and ski with these guys.

Geordie and Greg at the tram dock.


Geordie and Frank on the tram.


Mimi and Greg on the tram.


Phillip on the balcony at lunch. It's dumping.


Geordie in Ten Sleep. There is a skier coming down Corbet's Couloir behind George and two more waiting to launch at the top of the cooler.


Anonymous at Snake River BrewPub.


Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Jackson Hole Ski Trip, 2009 - Day 11, Mardi Gras

Tuesday, Feb 24

Today was disappointing. The expected snow didn't come; I didn't ski as well as I want to; and I burned the sausages on the grille.

Despite all this it was a good day. Mimi and Frank joined Greg and me in the morning ski. We had some fun runs down the Bowl and through the Hobacks. When we got to the club for lunch and surprised George in his boxers. He got into JH early and was changing into his ski clothes to join us on the mountain.

We caught the Tram and repeated the morning run through the Hobacks, but the spring skiing snow was setting up and was now very tricky to ski. Though Greg on his big ole snowboard thought it was great, George and I were skiing in survival mode. The best runs of the day were in Rendezvous Bowl. I thought the snow in the Bowl got better each time; the wind smoothed out the bumps and the snow was creamy near the doingers. But the wind was howling; the first 4 turns were strange because when you turned left the wind accelerated you to warp speed and then when you turned right it was like hitting a wall. After those initial turns, the ridge blocked the wind and the skiing was excellent.

Apres Ski there was a Mardi Gras celebration in the Great Room. We ate jambalaya and King Cake and drank Hurricanes. We wore beads without having to earn them the New Orleans way. I even got a chair massage which relaxed my back after too many tumbles in the Hobacks. For dinner, I grilled sausages on the patio. The reality didn't live up to the anitcipation (just like the snow storm); I burned the sausages to a crisp. But dinner was saved by Mimi's baked potatoes and George's Pinot Noir.

Pray for snow. The forecast promises snow every day this week, but I am getting cynical about the forecasts.

Jackson Hole Ski Trip, 2009 - Day 10, Waiting

Monday, Feb 23

Today I'm waiting. Waiting for the big storm to dump 18 inches of powder. Waiting for Greg and George to get here.

I woke up early as usual, about 5 AM. I stretch, do the daily dozen, and read for awhile. About 6, I baked pita bread, looking out the window I see it is snowing hard. Oh joy!

My clothes are all layed out on the bed; I want to be on an early tram. I eat breakfast and work a crossword puzzle. At 8:55 I get in line for the tram and walk right onto the 9 AM tram, first public tram of the day. PSIA Bruce Keller comments on the BROs I'm skiing and points out the chipped paint on the tram, caused by the cover used to hide the tram until its unveiling on opening day.

Phillip in the tram.

The skiing was very good. Fresh snow makes every run more fun. A bit after 10 I walked right on to the next tram; it wasn't even full so the ride was comfortable and I chatted with a group of skiers from Iran.

About an hour later, I came back to the Teton Club for an early lunch. It was snowing pretty hard and my plan was to allow more snow to fill in the bumps while I ate.

Big disappointment. When I got back on the tram at noon, the snow had stopped and the conditions degraded throughout the afternoon. Oh well. The forecast is still for lots of snow tonight and tomorrow.

Greg got here about 9 PM and spent the next couple of hours MacGyvering his antique snowboard bindings, so he could get another week of riding out of them.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Jackson Hole Ski Trip, 2009 - Day 9, Turista

Sunday, Feb 22

Yesterday, as I was putting on my skis at the top of Cody Bowl to traverse over to No Name Peak, I slipped and crashed into a local skier, someone Mimi knew. Mimi said to him, "Sorry. He's my brother-in-law. He's a tourist, but he's okay." That's about as much acceptance as a visiting skier can hope for from the locals, even from your own kin. :)

Today I skied alone again, missing Julie and my kids back in Boston. I got on the tram at 9:30 planning to take it easy and ski groomers to recover from yesterday's backcountry adventure. At the top I saw John and Lisa, who skied No Name with us yesterday. They were also skiing groomers today and asked me to join them. I thanked them, but declined. I wanted to go slow and stop often to look at things I usually rush right by, trying to photograph the area from a different angle. I got in touch with my inner tourist and took photographs of Corbet's Cabin and the inside of the tram. I even skied the Apres Vous side of the resort. The intermediate trails were icy and Saratoga Bowl was frozen moguls; I only made a few turns before traversing back onto the groomed trails.

I took a long break for lunch, from 11 to 2, but then skied until after the lifts closed at 4. My first and last runs were from the tram and Rendezvous Bowl was quite nice. In between, I must have skied every traverse at the resort.

Here are some things I learned today:

  • There are 73 steps from the ski lockers to room 306. Since I climb them twice a day, it takes a bit less than a week to equal the climb up Cody Bowl.

  • You can buy an 105 Howitzer Ammo Box for $10 at Corbet's Cabin.

  • The Bear Flats Snack Shack at the base of Sublette chairlift is closed.

  • Now I know why we get such good cell phone reception at JH. That tree at the entrance to Saratoga Bowl is really a cell phone tower.

  • I rediscovered "Jaws" which we used to ski with the kids when they were little. Today I just gawked at the sign, like a tourist. I saw a "Caution Cliff" sign and turned the other way.

  • The avi beacon training area is open again.

  • Good thing, because I need more practice.

  • They should have made the clock tower taller. The tram dock blocks most of the clock so you can't tell what time it is. Dock, block, and clock all rhyme. Cool.

  • You can use the grille on the patio to cook your dinner, and let the staff do the cleanup.

  • You can walk out of the Great Room, across the patio, and onto the ski trails.

  • Rowdy O'Yeats is a Teton Club owner. Rowdy, a.k.a. Michael T. Thorsnes, retired from his law practice and served as Poet Laureate for the Presidential Campaign of John Kerry.

  • I found this quote from Kipling in a book in the Great Room: "What profit to kill men? Little, that I know. But if evil men are not now and then slain, It would not be a good world for weaponless dreamers."

  • The new restaurant in the lower level of the Teton Club is named Slopeside Rendezvous so they didn't have to change all the SR logos when they bought the space from the bankrupt Snake River Sporting Club. The restaurant provides ski locker service for $3000 per year; 17 people took advantage of it this winter.

  • In addition to my three pairs of skis, I can fit a beer in my ski locker for apres ski. I can drink 3 Newcastle Brown Ales from my locker for the price of one at the Slopeside Rendezvous.

  • Teton Village Sports has a spoon collection in their ski rental shop.

  • Matt "Harvard" Barber is the only name written in Crimson.

  • The Teton Club has 30 winter weeks and 100 summer weeks still for sale.

  • Peter Steinbrenner's name is right above ours on the plaque of founding members. Peter is distantly related to George Steinbrenner of the Yankees. Boo! Hiss!

Cousin Greg was supposed to arrive at the Teton Club tonight. But his flight was delayed by a missing a co-pilot and couldn't make the connection in Denver. So he decided to work another half-day and try again tomorrow. Mad River Glen ski patroller George will joins us Tuesday. I'm looking forward to skiing with both of them again.

JH Weather Forecast
One more day of sunshine is expected before another snowstorm hovers over our mountain, dropping 12"-18" between Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon.