2010-2011 Jackson/Targhee/Tetons/Togwotee/Etc

[passholer]

tram,gondi,av opening..woot woot..

thats coming from the white bldg.

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Top to bottom, wall to wall: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort will open on Saturday, Nov. 27. Some lifts and terrain openings may be delayed because of the continuous and heavy snowfall. We’re excited for a great start to the season. Stay tuned for more updates.

and thats from fb

just got off the s. side of the pass,knee deep everywhere,chivers again no trail up no trail out over 1 hr. of breaking trail out to trail crk.
play safe, its deeeeepp ,a little unnerving now knowing kb ridge slid

[SkiJunky05]

Rideit, I just hit that up a few hours ago. QUITE choice.

Be very careful while out driving- I've had a few extended "can't see my hood" moments.

Yesterday morning:

[meatspicy]

just shredded a few chivers laps. legit knee to thigh deep throughout, whiteroom the whole way down

its as good as it gets right now. absolutely unbelievable start to the season. stokemeter is off the charts

on a side note, when we got to the top this am (around 8:30) there was an ambulance waiting at the top for someone. we figured someone got mangled skiing. 2 minutes later a car rolls up honking the horn, and a very pregnant woman in labor jumped out and gave birth in the ambulance on top of the pass. kid is gonna be a ripper

[rideit]

Uh Oh:
(read on FB)
"Avalanche partially blocking Teton Pass near summit. No other info at moment."

[passholer]

Uh Oh:
(read on FB)
"Avalanche partially blocking Teton Pass near summit. No other info at moment."

jh radio said westbound blocked,eastbound moving

[passholer]

just shredded a few chivers laps. legit knee to thigh deep throughout, whiteroom the whole way down

its as good as it gets right now. absolutely unbelievable start to the season. stokemeter is off the charts

on a side note, when we got to the top this am (around 8:30) there was an ambulance waiting at the top for someone. we figured someone got mangled skiing. 2 minutes later a car rolls up honking the horn, and a very pregnant woman in labor jumped out and gave birth in the ambulance on top of the pass. kid is gonna be a ripper

thats amazing.i hope everything went well

[SkiJunky05]

just got this email:
The Wyoming Department of Transportation has closed Teton Pass due to increasing avalanche danger. At 1:00pm an avalanche crossed the road at Glory Bowl blocking both lanes of travel. Teton Pass will remain closed until further notice. Highway travelers and backcountry users are advised to plan accordingly. Thank you for your cooperation

[Lawless]

This is most likely going to be a pretty long closure. Maybe overnight.

[Tye 1on]

Debris only looked a foot or two deep, nobody was searching, figure it much have released right above the road. Van stuck in it, gonna have to get it out, control, then plow.

edit: word on top was that pine creek pass is closed too. Hopefully they can open Teton Pass long enough for the commuters, then shut it til dawn control...

[rideit]

man, I am so hoping that the chutes from Snow King radio towers down to Cache have enough base to ski this year...

[sar13]

Just curious for those skiing the pass today; (and I probably would have been had I been free so I'm not pointing fingers) Does "High" avalanche danger now mean "Go For It!"

It seems not that many years ago that high meant - don't go.

Just wondering and very glad I'm not up there digging a body out of the snow (yet).

[Tye 1on]

Fair question sarmag, my personal goal/plan was to tour the ridge out to edelweiss and back just to get the boots back on the feet.

[randosteve]

Just curious for those skiing the pass today; (and I probably would have been had I been free so I'm not pointing fingers) Does "High" avalanche danger now mean "Go For It!"

It seems not that many years ago that high meant - don't go.

Just wondering and very glad I'm not up there digging a body out of the snow (yet).

my guess is that many people are clueless or feel like they are invincible. i also think that since the pass was controlled last night (early morning), that they assume things are safe. I also think that after this weekend with the resort opening...things will be a lot different up there.

after all my flights out of jh got canceled today...it was tempting to head up there and make a couple runs. but with the junk show building...i opted to give it a day. glad i did.

[jgb@etree]

my guess is that many people... ...feel like they are invincible.

^This

It took me until 26 when I was in a major accident to realize that I was mortal. Seriously. I mean I knew some things were inherenty risky, but I always felt like with my brains & physical ability, there was nothing that could stop or harm me. Then I was run over with a Toyota Camry, spent a year laid up, and realized how wrong I was.

[LiveTheDream]

Just curious for those skiing the pass today; (and I probably would have been had I been free so I'm not pointing fingers) Does "High" avalanche danger now mean "Go For It!"

It seems not that many years ago that high meant - don't go.

Just wondering and very glad I'm not up there digging a body out of the snow (yet).


I chose to stay home today... just felt like one of those days to sit one out and let things settle a bit. With that said, there's plenty of terrain to ski on "High" danger days... just have to scale things back, go for a tour, ski some really thick trees, try to make turns down a 20 degree slope and end up slogging your way around in deep snow.

[TG]

Just curious for those skiing the pass today; (and I probably would have been had I been free so I'm not pointing fingers) Does "High" avalanche danger now mean "Go For It!"

It seems not that many years ago that high meant - don't go.

Just wondering and very glad I'm not up there digging a body out of the snow (yet).

This question is almost as ignorant as the skiers/boarders you are trying to impugn. Do you know how many elevations/aspects/slope angles/wind exposures your generic term "the pass" encompasses? There are areas on "the pass" that I would tour to on extreme days. There are other areas I won't go near on even a moderate day.

Now if you want to rephrase your question to Glory gut, or twin slides, or some other specific areas, fine. Maybe that will make your post meaningful. As written, it's a load of horse shit, as is any kneejerk response to it.

If all you are capable of is such a weak generalization about terrain & and avy danger, you have no business being out navigating in this terrain, no matter what the official avalanche danger rating. Stay on the lifts and just hope the patrol is on their game.

[Core Shot]

last time the resort opened 100% was the 1996/97 season or better known as '90sick/90heaven' season.

Has it been confirmed that the resort will be opening with 100% this year?

yes, but that was a 2nd week of december opening, no?

hard to believe a november opening day is so solid.

my season pass is calling me all sorts of names for not being there this weekend.
fuck.

[sar13]

Strong response TG. I'm glad I won't have to worry about going out to rescue you since you know everything.

[upallnight]

there was some great (and safe, which is a relative term, of course) skiing to be had in the tetons today. of course there was a junkshow...there nearly always is when it snows.

i observed some excellent decision-making and also some suspect decision-making. let's hope no one (skiers or drivers) was hurt in what went down this afternoon.

i know of at least one close-call (for a driver).

there is sketchy terrain to be skied on low-danger days just as there are safe(r) choices to be made on high days. high doesn't mean "stay inside" -- but it does mean you better know what you're doing.

(7am forecast wasn't for "high" at all elevations, by the way. also, the btnf only reports by elevation, not aspect, and the forecast covers a huge amount of terrain. in my opinion, everyone reading this thread should make a contribution ($$$), especially all the daily readers of the report.)

[passholer]

so all those cars/trucks in the pass lot are stuck until they open it?

http://wyoroad.info/highway/webcamer...TetonPass.html

[Workman]

This question is almost as ignorant as the skiers/boarders you are trying to impugn. Do you know how many elevations/aspects/slope angles/wind exposures your generic term "the pass" encompasses? There are areas on "the pass" that I would tour to on extreme days. There are other areas I won't go near on even a moderate day.

Now if you want to rephrase your question to Glory gut, or twin slides, or some other specific areas, fine. Maybe that will make your post meaningful. As written, it's a load of horse shit, as is any kneejerk response to it.

If all you are capable of is such a weak generalization about terrain & and avy danger, you have no business being out navigating in this terrain, no matter what the official avalanche danger rating. Stay on the lifts and just hope the patrol is on their game.

Yeah, to bad that its 50/50 up there anymore with people who know what they are doing and others who dont have a clue. We have all rode on HIGH (highly good) days, and when you know what your doing your usually good...usually. Sure doesnt mean some clueless jackasses arent going to cause a slide above you while your being safe. The pass is such a shitshow anymore with people who dont know that it CAN be unsafe on HIGHLY good days. And I know that SOMEBODY hit every run that is dangerous on a high day,(glory gut, NE ridge, twin slides, fuck it Tucks too) Maybe you just have to much faith that everyone is an avy expert like yourself.

Your post is ignorant

[randosteve]

i'm not sure i would be so harsh on sar13.

to me...it seemed like he was asking those that skied on the past today...what's up? who's making the dumb decisions?

not...all you dumb-asses who skied the pass today are...well...dumb asses for skiing the pass today.

i'm sure he knows that there is terrain to be skied on high danger days.

just the way i read it.

[LiveTheDream]

So, why is the lot still full at 7:15pm? Are people sitting in their cars, or does WYDOT/ Hwy Patrol/ Start Bus shuttle them down somehow?

[upallnight]

i'm not sure i would be so harsh on sar13.

to me...it seemed like he was asking those that skied on the past today...what's up? who's making the dumb decisions?

not...all you dumb-asses who skied the pass today are...well...dumb asses for skiing the pass today.

i'm sure he knows that there is terrain to be skied on high danger days.

just the way i read it.

i agree -- didn't think sar13 was being harsh. i suppose the purpose of this thread is discussion.

sometimes people get away with things they shouldn't. other times, they make good calls.

one thing that may make people feel invincible is that -- relatively speaking -- slides are pretty rare. it's quite possible to cross a suspect slope and just miss the trigger (by inches?). we ski/cross it safely, so we feel we made the right decision. it's hard to know when we've taken the cheese off the trap or made the right call.

even digging a pit can produce false (positive) results.

so.....the smart use the forecast, terrain selection, elements of snow science, familiarity with local variations in the snowpack, slope control (what is available in the backcountry), etc., to their advantage. at least we hope that is what is done.

as far as "i'm sure he knows that there is terrain to be skied on high danger days".... i guess i didn't think about whether he did or didn't (my earlier post wasn't in response to him, it was just a general post), but now that you bring it up i guess it's not clear to me what he was asking. upon re-reading, his post sounds like old-school means stay at home on days like today. new school (clearly) doesn't.

is this due to...
- fatter skis?
- better backcountry gear?
- more tolerance for risk?
- more people/skiers in the valley?
- the fact that jhmr isn't open right now for a safer alternative?
- the growth of forums and websites (eg facebook) that publicize conditions and/or give people a chance for their little slice of fame that inspires more people to go out?
- that people are more bold?
- that people today are dumber?
- that people today are smarter?
- skiers today having more avy training? (i believe most skiers are under-prepared, but from what i know they may be more informed in that regard than skiers used to be)

i don't know the answer, but i'm just offering these points up for discussion. i guess i'm comfortable with the decisions i make (including decisions to identify those who might make poor decisions and endanger me), and i'd like to imagine a world where that would be true for all others out there; i know it's not reality.

you also surmised that sar13 means "who's making the dumb decisions?" i guess i also didn't read that in his post. unless it's a rhetorical question, it's not like someone making such a decision is likely to own up to it.

maybe we'll hear from someone who skied one of the major slide paths today and got away with it, or someone who triggered a slide.

i'm betting that most in this thread have gotten away with something (whether we know it or not).

anyway, back on point: it was high hazard at high elevations. there was good pow to be had in plenty of zones (including mid-elevations). there was even stable (relatively) pow at higher elevations in certain spots. it wasn't a widespread hazard day (in my opinion), but it certainly was a day where it would be really easy to start a dangerous slide in so many spots.

[upallnight]

So, why is the lot still full at 7:15pm? Are people sitting in their cars, or does WYDOT/ Hwy Patrol/ Start Bus shuttle them down somehow?

some of those cars have been there all day. it's possible/probably that people abandoned their cars and skied down (either with the intent to shuttle back up thinking the pass would be open, or intentionally knowing that they'd have to go back later or another day).

wydot would not shuttle anyone down -- if you weren't up there (presumably for skiing) before the closure, then you wouldn't be up there at all (unless stopped by avalanche).

they could always drive down the victor side.