As the kids get older, things change. Alexa is in college and doesn't get next week off, so she isn't going this year. Michael and Nicholas are feeling studious this year and don't want to miss a week of school, so they and Julie are only staying the one week of school vacation. Phillip is staying the full two weeks, but he won't be alone. Cousin Greg and ski-master George will join him at the Teton Club for the second week.
Another change this year is that the new tram is up and running. The old tram was decommissioned a couple years ago and we missed the big red box outside our window at the Teton Club. We are anxious to see, "Is the new tram is bigger, better, and redder?"
We don't expect to do much skiing OB this year. New snow is poorly bonded to slick old snow surfaces, raising the avalanche risk. A couple of months ago, during the Christmas vacation, Jackson Hole Ski Resort actually closed for a couple of days because of a rash of in-bounds avalanches. A skier was killed by an avalanche on Paintbrush, an area we skied laps on last year. The restaurant at the top of the gondola was damaged by an avalanche off the Headwall which we usually hike and ski each year. The links below show amazing photos of avalanche crowns in nearly a dozen areas we regularly ski.
So this year is different from other years. But, as always, we will be careful and have a lot of fun.
- In-bounds avalanche kills Wilson skier
- Headwall Avalanche at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
- photos of Bridger Restaurant at the top of the Bridger Gondola (scroll down to see photos)
- photos of crowns observed within JHMR's boundaries (scroll down to see very interesting photos of areas we ski regularly)
- more photos of crowns observed within JHMR's boundaries (scroll down)
Headwall avalanche hits the Bridger Restaurants at the top of the gondola.
Inside the restaurant.
Two snowcats on the track above the avalanche crown in Laramie Bowl.
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