Heavenly powder

Yesterday Cory I skied what we deemed to be our best powder day of the season. With stability predicted in the avalanche forecast (ie a "low" rating), we set out for long, steep, unrelenting north-facing chutes ... that I've eyed for quite some time, just waiting for the right day.

We thought conditions would be good, we had no idea that they would be over-the-top, remember-it-for-life amazing. We're talking thigh deep bliss! It was so good that we blew off the "pressing" responsibilities we had intended to attend to that day to skin back up the mountain for a few more turns of heaven. At the end of the day we had no regrets.

Back-to-back days in the backcountry

Yes, indeed, it's been a little while since my last post ... there's simply one reason why ... too much work coupled with too much play ; )

Photos below are from two amazing back-to-back powder backcountry ski days with my mom and dad mid-May. Initially we planned to go backpacking while I was home visiting them in Colorado ... but since the flurries decided to descend ... we revamped our plans and headed for the hills with our puppies (Zippy and Ruby) and tele skis. Good times and great turns!

Amy

Dawn patrol

This morning was phenomenal is every way ... I couldn't stop thinking, "there's no place I'd rather be, and nothing else I'd rather be doing." Karen, Kevin, Galen and I headed out to East Mail for a dawn patrol backcountry ski. We were on the road by 6 a.m., skinning up by 7 a.m., skiing by 9 a.m. and home by 11 a.m. Despite the ubiquitously crusty conditions, we somehow managed to find a sweet stash of powder on a beautiful north facing pitch. We decided to name to run "Zippy's" because he led the charge ... bouncing gleefully down the slope. To the rest of our credit, our smiles were nearly as big as Zippy's when we took our turn to descend.

Skinning up bright and early in the morning.

Checking out a possible ski route before begin the ascent up the peak.

As always ... a great view from top and a happy crew.

Galen soars down the slope.

Kevin glides through knee deep powder.

Karen swoops in for a landing after a skiing a steep pitch.

Galen pulls to a stop.

Dampened sounds and little drop offs

Yesterday was such a fun day, I didn't hesitate when the chance came up to go backcountry skiing again today. I went with Kevin - it was our first time out skiing together and by all accounts it was a great day. We went back to West Mail Creek and found plenty of soft powder on north facing glades to ski (every other aspect had a killer sun crust). The snow and clouds dampened sounds, making for a peaceful setting. The smell of spring hung fresh and crisp in the air. And a settled snowpack revealed some big, fallen logs - interesting little drop offs, to say the least.

Kevin drops off one of the big, fallen logs scattered through the glades we were skiing.

Zippy watches as I ski into view.

Kevin is all smiles at the top.

The Magnificent Blunder

Karen and I headed up West Mail Creek yesterday on Teton Pass. Through a slight misstep we got ourselves turned around. Long story short, we found an awesome stash of fresh powder (still in great condition even though it hasn't snowed much in three weeks) and we ended up in the entirely wrong drainage ... which turned a 40 minute ski out into a three hour adventure through a somewhat precarious gully that we later learned was Burbank Creek. As we were skiing the fresh powder, we kept commenting on how cool it was that we were laying fresh tracks, and nobody else had skied the slope ... maybe there was a reason why ; ) Regardless, we had such a great day that we named our new found run "The Magnificent Blunder."

I'm not sure who likes the powder more - Zippy or me?

Karen pulls off her skins as we prepare for the descent

Skinning up the trail in the morning. Karen and Zippy check in with each other.

Me with a great view in the background.

Thrilled to be out.

Zippy holds sentry over the Teton mountains.

Mossy log in the middle of snowy forest.

Zippy and I joyfully descend. This is one of my favorite photos from the day.

Karen carves turns through powdery glades.

Karen and Zippy both agree its a good day to be out.

Karen lays tele tracks into the snow.

Oops ... a little tumble in a gully.

I'm all smiles.

"So umm ... Karen, where are we?" A 40 minute ski out turned into a three hour gully trek, after we found ourselves a bit turned around.

Karen makes a beautiful snow bridge crossing. I'm up next.

And another snow bridge crossing ...

Due to our "Magnificent Blunder," as Karen and I named our new found ski run, we ended up five miles further down the pass than we intended. After hiking along the road - the most dangerous and muddy part of the day - we hitched a ride in the back of a pickup truck. Zippy used our skis as a pillow during the drive back to my car.

Powder: a family bonding experience

My mom, dad and Auntie Kathe came to visit me here in Jackson Hole a couple of weeks ago. Their timing was impeccable - they showed up for the two of the best powder days we've had all month. We teled the first day at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and the second day at Grand Targhee. All in all a great visit!

Group portrait next to the "Bottom of the Hobacks" sign. Yep, that's right. For our "warm up" run, I took my family into Rendezvous Bowl and down the Hobacks, a continuous vertical drop of more than 4,000 feet. (To my credit, I did give them the option, and, really, who can resist first tracks on a powder day).

Dad, Auntie Kathe and Mom

Me dropping in knee in fresh powder at Grand Targhee

Dad has nothing but good things to say about two straight days of fresh pow-pow

Mom gets low

The tele gang at Grand Targhee - we're about ready to drop into our favorite tree run.

Zippy takes is job as co-captain seriously. It's a wonder anyone arrives anywhere without a Zippy to help navigate.

The crew enjoying coffee at the Hard Drive Cafe before heading to the airport

January in Jackson

From my 3-year-old youngsters who I ski with every Saturday and my adaptive ski buddies (a program I volunteer for every Tuesday) to the best powder and bluebird days of the season ... the following is a montage of Jackson Hole in January.



To see or download the full-res photos click here.