We finally got the BIG storm, 30 – 40 inches of snow, and it looks like winter around here again. Teton Pass has been closed for two days, opening in the afternoon each day.
As a result of the closures, I went to Targhee. On Monday it was pretty good for 4 runs and then the dense heavy snow was shredded and turned to stiff bumps. On Tuesday, the snow was much lighter and much there was only about 6″ of new snow since the lifts closed. You could still feel the bumps from the day before, and it got tracked up in 1 hour.
I still needed a powder fix and the Pass and Hwy. 22 opened around 11am. I ate some lunch and went to Mail Cabin. I was hoping for some nice, deep, light powder. What I found was bottomless, heavy snow and brutal trail breaking.
The snow was so deep that I couldn’t get going down on less then 35 – 40 degree slopes, and I didn’t really want to ski steep slopes by myself; the avalanche rating was High. I found my way down, avoiding the steepest pitches, fell in the stream crossing a snow bridge, and made it to the parking lot in one piece.
I hope the cold front moving in today will dry the new snow and consolidate it. We’ll see tomorrow. Steep glades are what I need to get moving in this stuff.
Leave A Reply