2 Attachment(s)
~ ~ SKI THE BIG ONE ~ ~ JACKSON HOLE '20-'21 ++GT, KC, PC & SK
ATLANTIS, SHANGRI-LA, CAMELOT, JACKSON HOLE
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Welcome one and all to Ground Zero for the 2020-2021 ski season. I hope all mags are safe, healthy and jonesing for their ski fix. With any luck, we'll ski many of you soon.
For skiers it's been a tough time what with losing the end of last season and the looming issues of this next one.
It's been really easy to feel a bit down on the upcoming season and hard to stay positive.
I try to look, listen and consider the situation all over the country and I feel fairly confident that this winter at the Village will be better than most.
It's a challenge to compare situations as all of our home mountains are so different.
Regardless of size, location or vibe, they all have their charms.
Charms - the power or quality of giving delight or arousing admiration...
Now let me tell ya about the charms of Teton Village.
1. The Challenge Charm - This is what JH has always been known for. Roughly half the in-bounds acreage is Mid advanced to High expert.
The whole mountain is tilted, hardly a flat spot bigger than a half acre. If you want to get vertical, there's a LOT of that here.
Some are short shots at 60+ degrees, most are longer, in the 35-50 degree range.
That's the open stuff. We have a few closed ares that will open with enough coverage and they can get as vert as a cliff drop/huck.
From tight steep trees, to cliffs and 4 story granite buttresses, we have something to throw you off of...
2. The Snow Quality Charm- For a variety of reasons, JH gets some of the best snow on the continent.
Our weather tracks predominantly from the SW but any storm making landfall between San Francisco and Seattle is likely to brush us if not slam us directly.
If a SW'erly storm hits the Snake river plain in Spudrovia, it'll hit us 99/100 times.
But it's the More NW storms that tend to give us the big blower pow systems, just less frequently.
This season's La Nina may be good for us as the trend is for a big winter when that materializes; El Ninos, less so.
Our snow averages between 8-11% snow/water equivalent. 8 is light for us, blower pow. We average about 450" in any season, with a 600" season every 3-7 years; with luck, multiples...
3. The Vibe Charm - Teton village exudes a feeling of really being in the mix. Although it's Wyoming and we're mostly free and easy, you can tell there's a sense of seriousness.
Standing on the tram dock at 6:25 am on a 19" overnight dump? OMG the giddiness of the first box team is contagious.
But about 8:45 shit gets real, Locs start tightening up the gear, loosening up limbs and pleasantries fall off.
It's every man, woman and kid for themselves. I have seen dads full on ditch the family upon exiting the box.
Depending on their gear, I've taken a few who got ditched for a more epic first trax run than their SO. Then accept some gratitude and roll into the white.
4. The Mountain Charm - The Big One - You can ski the Sublette Ridge from 10,450' summit down to 6,311' base, about 60%expert and 40% advanced and never hit a flat spot. I'm not sure there are any other 4k exp. runs around, mebbe.
Only 2500 acres inbounds, the villy is not as broad as many western ski areas. Just taller. Not short and wide but tall and stout, with attitude.
An attitude that says ' I dare you '. To ski better, go faster, launch bigger.
A true expert skier can ski almost anywhere on this mountain and be happy.
The lesser terrain has so many variables that make it great...nary a grove of trees that are unskiable, car sized rocks are scattered all over the lower mtn. from millenia of peeling offa the Crags and Casper Bowl, mini-ridges, gullies, boulder fields, and all of it under a soft blanket of white silk.
5. The Boundary Charm - In 1999 the area boundaries were opened and the surrounding Gazillion acres of the southern half of the Tetons became easily accessible from the summit.
From increasingly popular sidecountry runs to big mountain test pieces for the Master level experts, (Like SkiJunky, Babybear's hubby.)
Many of the younger devil dogs will head up and out first thing on any good day, snowy or sunny. Kicking around the side/backcountry at the Village is an eye opening experience for anyone who has not ducked a rope or slid thru a gate.
6. The Risk Charm - This place can be really dangerous. Like our beloved Bucking Bronc 'Steamboat', you gotta respect it. It will kick your ass. It can Kill You.
You would not be the first.
Many skiers prefer a chilly willy day but almost all want to get better, go faster, ski harder. Do that here and you'll swear you're ski life changed with the experience.
If you ever wanted to push it, well then, we welcome you. Charge dog!
Attachment 346163 1/11/2020, about 10 days of uncommonly light and deep storminess elevated the concern. Of course I went.
Attachment 346164 This is printed on a piece of 4x6 plywood above the tram dock; except for the Bootfitting/hostelx plug... Rest peacefully, Stephen. The ski bum gene pool for the Vill lost a solid provider this summer. I will turn and burn for you my lost friend.
7. The Racing Charm - Simply put, this place offers some of the best groomers one could ask for.
Uber consistency in smoothness, Major league visibility, easily avoidable speed wranglers and fast chairs mean mega laps at superschnell.
Racing the Tram: Either ski the bowl and rip the groomers to the base, fast would be 4k vert/4 miles in about 5 minutes or go off piste and crush a lower face.
Catching the same car you just got off of at the top, multiple times a day is a rush that never gets old.
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These are the things that have kept me here in da Hole for 31 years now.
They've always been here.
I was just LUCKY enough to land here, now howzabout you?
<strong><em>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0-oinyjsk0
~ ~ SKI THE BIG ONE ~ ~ JACKSON HOLE '20-'21
Hey LB! Hope to fish soon!
DJ - knee fuckin sucks. Gotta get sliced at some point. Will see how it holds up early. If I can’t make it happen...winter slice and dice. Hows your knee?
Let’s have a porch drink to discuss soon.
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