Jackson Hole 2017: We also skied a bit

Jackson Hole looks beautiful, even from the rental car parking lot.

The first day was spent travelling, buying groceries, getting ski gear, and soaking up the views.

We had a fun crowd of skiers in two suites in the Teton Club: Alexa and Jordan straight from a couple of weeks trekking in Patagonia; their friend Cody from Cornell; Michael and Becca prepped to ski by their weekends at Squaw Valley; Nick, Jared, and Logan ready to relax before the Sigma Chi rush; Julie and Phillip for another awesome ski vacation at our favorite place.

Michael and Becca's skis and ski clothes didn't make their flight. Julie's new ski poles were lost somewhere in the Teton Club's cavernous members' storage room. Nick needed new boots. Jordan and Jared needed rental equipment. So Saturday was split between ski shops and NFL playoff games.

Michael, Alexa, Jordan, and Becca outside the Teton Club, ready to start the first day.


Jared and Nick at the top of the Gondie, ready for the first run of the week.

Beautiful clear day at the top of the Tram. An inversion meant it was really cold at the base (-9F) but warm enough up top (27F). Since it stayed cold, we didn't experience the dreaded bake/freeze cycle that ruins the snow. The snow was as good as it could be without freshies and we had a great time.


Alexa and Becca take a break near the bottom of Rendezvous Bowl before lunch.


Quick photo of my new skis when we stop by the Teton Club for lunch. The Soul 7s are light and nimble. They are excellent in bumps and trees, in crud and on groomers. Next time I hope to try them in powder, but I expect they will be awesome. Just changing my skis from the ancient Pocket Rockets and the mammoth Bros, I suddenly became twice the skier I was last year.


Hanging out in Rendezvous Bowl after lunch.


Julie always looks good.


Logan is our best snowboarder.


Becca is our best ski racer.


Michael is our best skier, though he doesn't look it here. I caught him in an awkward transition, wearing his rental coat and pants, skiing his rental skis.


This is Michael the next day after the airline finally delivered his skis, coat, and pants. What a difference. I guess it's true. The clothes do make the man.

By the way, I don't have photos of Nick, our second best skier, because he is so fast that I can't capture him on film.


There were a couple of moose off the Union Pass chair for a couple of days. You can see one at the base of the tree in the photo. Use your imagination.


The "little boys" came to ski. Logan, Nick, and Jared were the youngest of our crew (at 21), so they were collectively referred to as the little boys. As in, "Where are the little boys? I'm ready to ski. Better go wake them up."


Day after day of beautiful blue skies. I would trade them for fresh snow, but you can't really complain about views like this. Becca skied here with us last year when it snowed every day, so this was the first time she was able to view the surrounding mountains. Alexa says the scenery rivals that in Patagonia.


I love this view of Cody Peak from the top of the Tram. It's a long hike out along that ridge to ski the chutes, but Julie, Michael, and I have all made the trek. I remember the thrill every time I look across Rendezvous Bowl.


I taught this guy how to ski when he was 4. Now he's giving me pointers. Life is good!


Julie and Alexa by the Elephant Tree at the beginning of one of our favorite bump loops: Elephant Tree to Paint Brush to Toilet Bowl.


Same tree. Different Day.


The tree stands alone. Now do you see the elephant? The eye, the trunk, the tusk? Use your imagination.


Becca, Michael, and Julie pause below the Alta Chutes, after skiing Flip Point. There is still some mighty nice snow if you know where to look.


Speaking of nice snow, here's Julie looking good in Expert Chutes.


We didn't have any powder days, but we also didn't have to worry about rocks in the chutes because Jackson Hole is having a massive snow year.


No new snow, but lots of base at Jackson Hole.


We did more than just ski. We also ate.
Here we at Thai Me Up in the town of Jackson.

...here we are at the Mangy Moose in Teton Village.

...and here we are at the Chili Cook Off in the Great Room of the Teton Club.
But mostly, we skied.


Cody and Alexa in the Gondie.


Phillip, Jordan, and Julie in the Gondie.


Casper Bowl. We did Mr Toad's Wild Ride a couple of times so we could ski the very bottom of the bowl, but never got up the energy to climb the Headwall to ski the chutes at the top of the bowl as in past years.


Posing at the top of the Gondie with the Corbet's Couloir and the Tram top in the background.
Left to right: Logan, Nick, Phillip, Julie, Michael, Becca, Alexa, Jordan. Not in photo: Jared and Cody.


Julie and Michael, always her little boy.


Jordan's first run from the Tram. Read all about it here.


It's 0F at the Tram base. We are loving today's warmer weather.


No lines for the Tram (or anything else) this week. When the kids were in school we came during Presidents' Week. Now we can come in January and enjoy the nearly empty slopes.


The view across the "hole" or valley.


One of the ski patrol cabins. The skeleton reminds me of an iguana, but they live far from here. So maybe its some kind of weasel.


After enjoying the views for most of the week, the last two days brought clouds and snow. Not much snow, but every little bit helps.

On our way to the airport, we passed the Jackson Hole Women's March. Julie, Alexa, and Cody wore their pink pussy hats in solidarity.

It was a short, but fun week. We saw the Patriots beat the Texans. We saw Trump's inauguration (and we drank a lot). Mostly, we skied til we dropped (into the hot tubs).