Jackson Hole, Grand Targhee, Snowbird (3/21-3/26)

(AKA "My friend skied me so hard I'm on now on narcotics".)

3/21
Shortly after my blissful "Harvey" inspired day (3/15) at Magic Mtn. and then Mt. Snow, I had one last long-planned trip to attend.  This despite lingering lower back pain from much overuse this winter.  Plan was to fly to SLC, drive up to JH condo for 4 days and ski JH/GT and snowmobile for a day.  Drove up that afternoon/evening to the condo and settled in - great scenery as many of you know.  Enjoyed some 12 y.o. Scotch and called it a night.  Woke up to this:

     
Revelation Bowl at 1/3 from the right.

3/22
Both excited to ski Jackson Hole for our first times.  Unfortunately by the time we got to the mountain the clouds and rain had rolled in.  



Partner insisted that way take the Tram for the 1st run as there was no line.  Against my better judgement I agreed and off we went.  Total whiteout at the top - wanted to get back on the Tram and go down but NO...had to ski.  Skied Rev Bowl for the first time in my life and couldn't see more than my skis it was so bad.  No fun.  Rest of the day was more of the same - whiteout up high and wet/rain/flat light/grabby snow down below hence no other pics as there wasn't anything to see, literally.  I think JH is great but probably better in Jan/Feb due to the high vertical drop.  Very expensive ($145) as well - I may go back some time but if I never go there again I won't lose any sleep.

3/23
Drove over Targhee pass to one of my favorite places on earth - Grand Targhee.  Blue sky day with 6-8" of new snow - not blower powder but medium slightly wind-packed snow.  Not matter, it played the part and we were treated to fresh tracks and/or great snow the whole day.  Scenery from top is stunning:









Looking back somewhere on the mountain...


Chief Joe Bowl


Between Mary's and Sacajawea/Peaked Mtn.

We hammered the mountain all day and I quickly learned the difference in ability between me (54) and my 37 y.o. ski companion!  Plenty of open bowls, tree shots, etc.  Perfect day.  Got back to condo and soaked my increasingly aching back.

3/24
Feeling the pain so stayed in the condo for most of the day.  Partner headed off to more of the same at JH although it was slightly better with new snow at top but still mushy at the bottom.  No pics.

3/25
Snowmobiling day.  Headed north to Togwotee Lodge in the Bridger-Teton National Forest - considered to be in the Top 10 of snowmobiling destinations.  Joel (Togwotee Rentals) set us up with a pair of Ski-Doo 600 Summits and discussed possible routes, then we headed out to the extensive trail network.  New snow made the trails silky and the off-trail sweet.  Poked around for 3-1/2 hours and had some great views:






All was well until we decided to go off trail and do some climbing.  My partner (very experienced) went right up the slope.  I tried to follow, got stuck and then gunned the throttle.  Sled took off like a rocket and threw me off - it rolled sideways and barely landed on me.  Got up, righted the sled and went back down.  Didn't feel any pain from it but that would be later.  

Stopped in Jackson on the way back to have a beer in the Million Dollar Cowboy Saloon:

Cool place but those cowboy saddle bar stools really aren't that comfortable LOL!

We had a nice drive back down to Ogden and settled for the evening.

3/26
Planned to head off to PowMow but I could barely walk, so partner headed down to Snowbird (1st time for him) while I suffered in the hotel room.  Got so bad that when he got back he took me to the ER.  Did some X-rays and all looked good - chalked it up to severe muscle overuse and swelling.  Couple of HydroCodone and Flexerall pills at the hospital calmed things down and we left.  Suffered greatly throughout the night as I was trying to save the few pills (very stingy with this stuff as you know) I had left for the plane ride home.

Luckily for my ski partner had a great day at the Bird as it had snowed 8" the night before.  Some nice pics:





Made it home the following day...good stuff is gone so it's Advil and Tylenol from here on out.  Play time is over...back to attending to my business.  Don't think there will be any Spring skiing for this sorry sack but at least we can all look back on the great season that started in March and continues on!

Entertaining report.

Yes, nice report.  Maybe not all what you were envisioning in your mind (I’m a skiing legend in my own mind!)......but a damned good story!

I find as I creep up on 50 I fatigue and hurt a lot more than I did just a year ago!

Yes. Great story. And cool pics too

onscott wrote

My partner (very experienced) went right up the slope.  I tried to follow, got stuck and then gunned the throttle.  Sled took off like a rocket and threw me off - it rolled sideways and barely landed on me.  Got up, righted the sled and went back down.  Didn't feel any pain from it but that would be later.

So the sled rolled on top of you partially and you had a MRI on your leg -- did you think it was the ACL?

While snowmobiling in southern France in early February, I misjudged a slope and lost my sled for a few seconds, which almost went over a 500-foot cliff! Didn't mention it in my TR because I didn't want Camp to browbeat me.

Jamesdeluxe wrote

onscott wrote

My partner (very experienced) went right up the slope.  I tried to follow, got stuck and then gunned the throttle.  Sled took off like a rocket and threw me off - it rolled sideways and barely landed on me.  Got up, righted the sled and went back down.  Didn't feel any pain from it but that would be later.

So the sled rolled on top of you partially and you had a MRI on your leg -- did you think it was the ACL?

While snowmobiling in southern France in early February, I misjudged a slope and lost my sled for a few seconds, which almost went over a 500-foot cliff! Didn't mention it in my TR because I didn't want Camp to browbeat me.

LMAO!!

I would never do that!

Great report and pics --- nothing worse than getting stuck on a sled, nothing! You just need to go at that shit wide open, hang on, and own it.

campgottagopee wrote

You just need to go at that shit wide open, hang on, and own it.

Sig worthy life advice.

Thanks for posting, I read the whole thing.  It's got to suck to be headed to JHWY knowing you aren't at your best.  Sorry if my insanity had anything to do with it.

This is the first year I've ever felt it in my back. Oddly, at the same time, my legs aren't feeling tired anymore, when I ski all day.

Feel better man!

campgottagopee wrote

You just need to go at that shit wide open, hang on, and own it.

Darn tootin'. The local I was riding with basically said that ^^ to me afterward in French.

My father's Ski-Daddler didn't have the power to make it up steep stuff.

Yeah, under normal circumstances I would have eaten the cost of the plane ticket and cancelled the trip.  I was so excited, however, to find someone who was up for this type of trip - kid (37) talked about going out there for a month prior to the trip and I didn't have the heart to disappoint him.  He was my guardian angel and made sure that I got home safely - much to the relief of my wife!

Same here, Harvey - my legs are in primo condition and I could have skied for two weeks straight.  Final diagnosis is piriformus sciatica - not the end of the world but man it's painful as hell.  Have to go get some PT, steroids, etc.  I guess we in the 50+ crowd need to pay closer attention to our bodies and make sure that all is good before we head out for these adventures.

Ironically, and as always it seems, my best powder day for the year was on the East coast (Magic Mtn.).  Last year it was at Plattekill, year before it was at Bellayre.  Anyone see a pattern here?

Pattern is that you have more flexibility at home choosing from a whole season vs away for a week. I think.

went to Jackson with my son and his friends, all of whom had raced in High School. I'm 71 they are in early 40's stayed mainly on the gondola's and had a great time, They said I could do the Tram but on the day I planned to it started to snow heavily, the kids went up the Tram and when they found me they said better not risk it, white outs and heavy powder, I must say Jackson had surprising amount  of terrain for upper intermediates and lower diamond skiers, I was very pleased, so don't write off Jackson, just watch the conditions

Of course this is true.  We get to pick and choose here as it is close to home and we can play hookey when we need to.  Still, it seems like the storms here are more unpredictable and deliver the goods in unexpected ways.  I still dream of hitting a 2'+ day out west.  Have been going out there for 6 straight years and the most I've seen is 12" at a time.

And no, I won't give up on Jackson Hole - it just makes me question how useful 4000' of vertical is given the wide range in weather patterns from top to bottom.  Seems that 1500' to 2000' vertical is the sweet spot.  You get nice long runs with consistent snow from top to bottom.

campgottagopee wrote

You just need to go at that shit wide open, hang on, and own it.

Just checking in, is this still true?

Want to make sure my sig is still relevant.

Harvey wrote

campgottagopee wrote

You just need to go at that shit wide open, hang on, and own it.

Just checking in, is this still true?

Want to make sure my sig is still relevant.

Damn right it does

Never fear the send

campgottagopee wrote

Never fear the send

it's not the send but the landings that I fear

gorgonzola wrote

campgottagopee wrote

Never fear the send

it's not the send but the landings that I fear

HA!!