Raiding the Pyramid

Raiding the Pyramid
West Side of Two Ocean Mt.
Shoshone, NF
November 24th, 2007

The west face (kinda northwest) of Two Ocean Mt.

After gobbling turkey and other prime grubs for two days in Casper, I was primed to get out- my fuel tank was topped. I decided to break in the snow machines on this trip, and since I was alone- I opted to venture into one of the more populated areas on Togwotee Pass again. Actually since most backcountry ski folks are limited to as far as their legs can carry them in a day- most of them stay away from this side of Two Ocean Mt. I do know few folks that have dropped couloirs on this face, usually top down though, from the north side- then climb back up, or go for a long skin back. While quite a few folks were clobbering the north face this day, not a soul was on the west side. Turned out to be a pretty fun day!

Couloir #1:

A look up my first couloir for the day.

Obviously it wasn't filled in all the way up- not sure if it does or not. It's pretty early yet, so I'm guessing it does. Either way, it was fun.

Looking down on my tracks about two-thirds of the way up.

At the top.

I did quite few quick tests and pole tests on the way up. No cracking or woomfing. The snow pack seemed pretty stable- there were slabs on top though. I tried alot of things to bring the slabs out- but they just didn't want to slide much. None the less, I took it pretty cautiously going up and skiing down through the steep narrow sections.

An awesome view of the Tetons from as far up as I could get.

Time to ski.

The snow was suprisingly good. Much more stable and softer than I thought it would be. It was really fun!

Awesome powder down lower. I even stuck a little huck, something I worked on a few times today. Ha!

Looking back on one of my lines out of the first couloir.

I skied a few runs on various aspects of this apron.

Mini Couloir #1:

I couldn't resist. I kept eyeing this short run on my climbs up the bigger ones. I suspected good powder. It had to be done. It was good!

Mini Couloir #2:

Another short, good looking shot I couldn't resist.

It was kind of neat at the top of this little run.

Here's a view looking kind of south threw the notch. Looks like a plethora exciting ski terrain- more to explore! It never ends!

Looking north through the notch.

Fun stuff!

Another look, from a different angle, on my way back up for more.

Couloir #2 (The Pyramid Couloir):

The Pyramid

I saved the best for last. At first I didn't think this couloir was quite ready. After couple of glimpes up it earlier in the day- I thought it was a bit boney. I'm sure it'll put on a few more pounds this winter, but it ended up being alright already- almost going to the top.

My first peeks up the coulior on my skin up earlier in the day. Looked kinda thin.

Later in the afternoon, on my way out, I gotta different view. This one looked tempting. I decided to go for it- only as far as the powder went though.

Once I got in it, it was hard to stop. The snow felt just like the other one (which was fun skiing). I kept going!

Looking down on my track. Before I knew it, I was nearly on top of Two Ocean Mt, via this couloir (I'm calling it the Pyramid Coulior- dunno what else to).

A view from the top.

View looking west and northwest from the top of the northwest face of Two Ocean Mt.

Looking down.

Tight and steep in a few places, but the snow was good- which made it easy.

Yeeeehoooo!

What a run! And a stuck huck to wrap it up with! Good stuff!

Looking back on the lines for the day.

Awesome country!

In part made possible by my Skidoo! My new 1.5 inch track gets around soo, so much better than the old .8 inch one. Oh the places I'll go- and probably get stuck. Ha!

Back at home...

Sunday I stayed home, hung Christmas lights and helped Tally play in the snow. We made snowballs, snow angels and a little snowman. Notice the horn prints on the snow angel.

Who would guess that her favorite word is "Mine!" "Mine! Mine! Miiiiine!"

I'm glad she's mine.

More Two Ocean Powder

Two Ocean Mountain
Shoshone NF, Togwotee Pass
November 17th, 2007

Another fantastic early season powder day on Togwotee Pass!

Tallulah helped me get ready. I decided I'd exercise the splitboard for this occasion. Tally thought my poles were pretty cool- just right for her!

On top of Two Ocean, getting ready for the first run. Two Tele's, an ATer and a Splitboarder made up our crew for the day.

Kerry tears it up, breaking in her new dynafit set-up.

Kerry shows off, riding neck deep in bottomless powder!

Down the hill the goes!

Brad's turn... literally.

Brad hones his textbook tele turns.

Trackin' up the pow- making tele-wiggles all the way down.

Good stuff!

Can't complain about lines like this!

Could it be...

Super Matt- tele skier extraordinaire!

Matt, making it it look easy, hucks a log and pops a wheelie!

Not sure who this was.

I got a few turns in too.

Riding the ridge, towards a "small" cliff Matt said I could huck. It was little bigger that he described it. I chickened out at the last second and went off the shorter end. It was fun! Wishing I would have went for it now.

Weeehooo!

Vroooom!

Really good stuff!!

A look back at one of my last lines for the day. Another great day in the powder on Togwotee!

Had some good help unpacking when I got home too. Pretty cool have this critter around to corrupt. Won't be long before she's riding powder too.

Waiting for Snow: 2007 Hunting Highlights

Hunting Highlights
Shoshone NF, Southern Wind River Range
October/ November, 2007

Wind River Peak, above Frye Lake Resevoir.

It'll be a while before conditions are ripe for skiing in the Winds. Though my hunting season isn't quite over, my hunting in the Southern Winds is wrapped up for this year. I figured I had time enough to put together a summary of sorts, I guess.

Started out with little Pine Grouse/ scouting expedition up Silas Canyon, the day before General Elk season opened. Saw some first thing too, also deer and lots of these tracks- always see alot of bear sign up Silas Canyon.

Silas Canyon

Bagged my limit on Grouse that day too- bonus!

Yummy!

Another look up Silas Canyon.

Not exactly thinking of hunting here. Ha! Skied a couple of these couloirs back in the spring of 2006. Hope they get some more snow this year. They've filled up some since this trip, but still have a ways to go.

Took a trip up Dickenson Park during general elk. All we saw up there was this owl. Actually, we'd seen where a bunch of elk were. They just weren't there that day. Oh well. That's how it goes. It was cool to see this owl.

Later that same day we poked around in some other country off the Rez, but up near Dickenson above the North Fork, lookin' for elk. No luck. Neat country though.

Towards the end of October, the weather got too nice to hunt. Though I hunted anyway, I did take part of a day off to help Tally masacre some squash.

"T" is for...

Tearing a great big hole in my pumpkin!! Ha!

Later on, I took a couple of after school runs up Fairfield Hill looking to fill my late season cow elk permit. Didn't see any elk, but one night I nearly got run over by three of these guys.

All in all that night, I saw six moose- four were bulls. He was one of the bigger ones, though two were near the same size. Pretty cool.

Saturday on the last weekend of my cow elk season, I finally jumped a small cow (calf). After four and half long, hard days of hunting and not seeing any elk- took me about two seconds to decide whether or not shoot this one.

Clobbered him in true 3oo H & H fashion.

Not exactly a trophy. Tasty though.

Actually, I was tromping through some timber when I jumped her. I had just spooked a couple of deer out before she jumped up. Didn't have much of a shot at her as she was running through the trees- but it worked. It wasn't as pretty as it looks. Turned out she'd been hit before- twice actually. Once in the foot and once in the hind quarter (infact the meat was bad in much of that quarter). Bugger! Oh well, probably for the best- she definitely wouldn't have made it through the winter with that wound. Now, at least she didn't go to waste.

One thing about it, she was an easy elk to pack out. Only a few hundred yard drag down hill to road where my four wheeler was. I've had tougher drags with deer.

Once loaded, it was a race to get back. Couldn't believe this mid-November weather. Felt like nearly 70 degrees out. Yikes!

Pretty slick way to load an elk in the back of your truck.

"Orse!" "No, Elk." "Orse?" "No, Elk."

"Ehk?" "Yes! Elk!"

"Ehk!"

Then the work began. Didn't take too long though, didn't exactly fill the freezer either. Guess I'm gonna have to get serious about a big white-tail deer to fill the rest of it (if they make such a thing). Ha!

Well, that' show it goes- six days, a few weekends spent in some awesome country, hiking your butt off, seeing all sorts of every kind of critter except what you want. If you're lucky, you see the kind you're looking for. If you're way lucky- you get it. Then you go to work. Pretty soon it's all over til' next year. Gotta love it!