EMSC
Well-known member
I'm a bit late posting this so I'll keep it more brief instead of the full daily run down of all lifts, runs, etc...
I do an annual guys only trip most years (OK, 6 of 10 so far). My brother had been advocating for Jackson Hole for about 5 years but not convinced the group until this year. I adamantly pushed for an early Feb date but was overruled for early March. This is the first ever March date for this trip and maybe after day 3 of skiing it'll be pushed back to Feb (we did a couple of Jan dates too). Everyone else flew, while I drove the 8 hours from Denver area.
Day 1: Jackson Hole
A bit of confusion especially first day with several folks getting organized, tickets, etc... 2 of our midst had to re-book flights since they were to leave Laguardia about an hour after the Delta flight slid off the runway on Thursday. So they got flights that put them directly into Jackson about 11:30am Friday (instead of Idaho Falls as the original destination). The rest of us went straight up the Tram where we got a good look at Corbets which was open. Cheech and I decided to take the bird in the hand and used Corbets as our warm-up run for the day (He had flown in and skied for several days in Utah earlier in the week). The rest went down a soft-ish Rendezvous bowl. Skiing had a bit of a firm subsurface but was better than I expected frankly. We lapped mostly Thunder (tower 3 chute) and a bit off Sublette though surprised and disappointed to find the Alta Chutes closed. with 2 laps down the Hobacks - one heading to lunch and meet-up with our late members and again to finish the day. They turned nicely to corn and soft in the sunny areas. Tseeb and I texted and nearly made a connection to meet on my first Hobacks lap, but my group was 10 minutes or so ahead of him. Next time Tseeb!
Day 2: Grand Targhee
It never got very cold overnight, but fortunately the snow at Targhee had preserved surprisingly well and was mostly winter to start the day. Only obvious S or SW facing stuff had turned the prior day. the W (most of the hill) NW and even upper flat/traverse stuff skied decently. We spent the first run of the day spreading some of the ashes of my younger cousin, who initiated these guys trips, in sight of the Grand Teton. He passed away last summer making for a very rough year for a lot of folks as he was only 41 and has a family. Given the lack of steeps, everyone mostly hung out together doing some groomer laps and occasional forays into the soft off trail snow. Eventually hitting the ancient double on the north side before lunch and then the Sacajawea lift after lunch. My brother and I skied Das Boat cliffs several times though the snow was pick-your-way-through at the cliff band. Better than having just 2" of new to cover the bones from sight though! Most snow that was not NW or N facing turned by the end of the day to spring.
Day 3: Jackson Hole
Much of Jackson had gotten soft during the prior day including Rendezvous bowl all the way up top. The Greeters at the base were actively pushing people to NOT take the Tram. A cool front had also pushed through overnight for starting temps around 20F and cool breeze through the morning hours. Much of the mountain was lose-your-fillings hard and 'granular'. Ironically the best snow on the hill was still up high (where one rough but short go in the bowl would have gotten you to the good stuff fastest) in Corbets, Tower 3 chute and a couple of runs off Sublette.
Day 4: Jackson Hole
Basically a repeat of day 3 except it was just me skiing as everyone else had flights out of various airports from SLC, Idaho Falls and Jackson. I skied the morning until noon and things were perfectly ripe in a few spots just as I left with the best skiing still up top. The groomer under the Tram that starts at the bottom of Thunder was perfect corn all the way down just before noon and only 4 people on the whole thing. Lots of fun. Another 8 hours of driving and I was home (My kind of driving is deli food from the albertsons in Jackson and 2 gas ups on the way for only 15 minutes total in stopping).
Driving Wyoming in the Winter can be interesting...
Time for a warm-up run
Hobacks warming up nicely in the sunny areas
Motley crew
One might ask, "why is it named Tower Three Chute?"
Obligatory Tourist photo (we stayed in a condo at the base of Snow King)
Super glue on those feet! (Targhee)
The rare picture of yours truely
The sights of Idaho
Good view of the top of Tram
Tower Three Chute to lookers left
I do an annual guys only trip most years (OK, 6 of 10 so far). My brother had been advocating for Jackson Hole for about 5 years but not convinced the group until this year. I adamantly pushed for an early Feb date but was overruled for early March. This is the first ever March date for this trip and maybe after day 3 of skiing it'll be pushed back to Feb (we did a couple of Jan dates too). Everyone else flew, while I drove the 8 hours from Denver area.
Day 1: Jackson Hole
A bit of confusion especially first day with several folks getting organized, tickets, etc... 2 of our midst had to re-book flights since they were to leave Laguardia about an hour after the Delta flight slid off the runway on Thursday. So they got flights that put them directly into Jackson about 11:30am Friday (instead of Idaho Falls as the original destination). The rest of us went straight up the Tram where we got a good look at Corbets which was open. Cheech and I decided to take the bird in the hand and used Corbets as our warm-up run for the day (He had flown in and skied for several days in Utah earlier in the week). The rest went down a soft-ish Rendezvous bowl. Skiing had a bit of a firm subsurface but was better than I expected frankly. We lapped mostly Thunder (tower 3 chute) and a bit off Sublette though surprised and disappointed to find the Alta Chutes closed. with 2 laps down the Hobacks - one heading to lunch and meet-up with our late members and again to finish the day. They turned nicely to corn and soft in the sunny areas. Tseeb and I texted and nearly made a connection to meet on my first Hobacks lap, but my group was 10 minutes or so ahead of him. Next time Tseeb!
Day 2: Grand Targhee
It never got very cold overnight, but fortunately the snow at Targhee had preserved surprisingly well and was mostly winter to start the day. Only obvious S or SW facing stuff had turned the prior day. the W (most of the hill) NW and even upper flat/traverse stuff skied decently. We spent the first run of the day spreading some of the ashes of my younger cousin, who initiated these guys trips, in sight of the Grand Teton. He passed away last summer making for a very rough year for a lot of folks as he was only 41 and has a family. Given the lack of steeps, everyone mostly hung out together doing some groomer laps and occasional forays into the soft off trail snow. Eventually hitting the ancient double on the north side before lunch and then the Sacajawea lift after lunch. My brother and I skied Das Boat cliffs several times though the snow was pick-your-way-through at the cliff band. Better than having just 2" of new to cover the bones from sight though! Most snow that was not NW or N facing turned by the end of the day to spring.
Day 3: Jackson Hole
Much of Jackson had gotten soft during the prior day including Rendezvous bowl all the way up top. The Greeters at the base were actively pushing people to NOT take the Tram. A cool front had also pushed through overnight for starting temps around 20F and cool breeze through the morning hours. Much of the mountain was lose-your-fillings hard and 'granular'. Ironically the best snow on the hill was still up high (where one rough but short go in the bowl would have gotten you to the good stuff fastest) in Corbets, Tower 3 chute and a couple of runs off Sublette.
Day 4: Jackson Hole
Basically a repeat of day 3 except it was just me skiing as everyone else had flights out of various airports from SLC, Idaho Falls and Jackson. I skied the morning until noon and things were perfectly ripe in a few spots just as I left with the best skiing still up top. The groomer under the Tram that starts at the bottom of Thunder was perfect corn all the way down just before noon and only 4 people on the whole thing. Lots of fun. Another 8 hours of driving and I was home (My kind of driving is deli food from the albertsons in Jackson and 2 gas ups on the way for only 15 minutes total in stopping).
Driving Wyoming in the Winter can be interesting...
Time for a warm-up run
Hobacks warming up nicely in the sunny areas
Motley crew
One might ask, "why is it named Tower Three Chute?"
Obligatory Tourist photo (we stayed in a condo at the base of Snow King)
Super glue on those feet! (Targhee)
The rare picture of yours truely
The sights of Idaho
Good view of the top of Tram
Tower Three Chute to lookers left
