French Spy Bowl

Breccia Mountain/ French Spy Bowl Tour
Absaroka Range, Togwotee Pass Area
November 25th, 2009


Six thousand vertical feet...

Shad

Matt

Gotta chance to hook up with Matt yesterday for an awesome marathon tour of Breccia Mountain and French Spy Bowl... marathon for November anyway- for me. Ha! The weather was fantastic, the snow was variable. We eventually found some great power on the sunny side in the bowl. Everywhere else was really variable- powder pockets, punchy soft slabs, and totally wind scoured areas and areas with pretty minimal coverage. Sometimes all of the conditions existed on the same slope/ aspect in the same spot. It was tricky skiing in some places. Although it's pretty stable now, add another two or three feet to this base and wowee, it could get pretty unpredictable. It was great to get out though and finally summit Breccia and tour around in French Spy Bowl.

Matt paves the road up towards Breccia Mountain

Making our way up a ridgeline toward the top of Breccia.

Pausing for a breather near the top.

The snow looked so good going up, we couldn't resist a warm-up run down the ridge.
(click to enlarge and see lines)

Matt scoots across the top of Breccia Mt. towards French Spy Bowl.

French Spy Bowl
(We dropped into it from the couloir on the far, far looker's left- left of the U-shaped gap.

Looking back up our tracks going down Breccia Couloir.

Matt makes his way up toward the aprons on the sunny side of the bowl. The snow proved to be the best over here- finally, some good pow-pow!

Earning our turns.

Worth the work! The snow was great on this aspect.

My assessment of the conditions.

Matt readies for another run.

Looking down at Matt's tracks.

A look back up at a couple of nifty runs (click to enlarge).

Making my way out of French Spy Bowl, up to the peak of Breccia Mountain.

Matt on top of Breccia Mt.

Shad on the summit of Breccia, the Tetons in the background.

I drop into the last little coolie of the day. Sublette Mt and the Togwotee Pass Highway in the background.

Kind of scralpy up top.

It got a little better though- still tricky.

Matt blows in.

Carvin' it up- just in time for Turkey day!

Gooobble, gobble, gobble, gobble!

A look back.

Looking back up at Breccia and some of the lines we skiied as the sun sets.

When the day was done, Matt's altimeter said we conquered 6000 vertical feet plus. That's a pretty awesome day for me, in November. This was only the third time I'd been out this year. It's shaping up to be a pretty good start on the ol' ski season for me this year though. It sure made the Turkey taste fantastic today. Mmmm, yummy. Time for some pie!

Turns Before Trick or Treat

Turns Before Trick or Treat
Absaroka Range
October 30th and November 1st

Jack-o-Lantern courtesy of Tally and Seamus

Friday, October 30th

First real turns of the season, for me.

With one elk in the bag, and a three day weekend on the calendar- and snow in the hills, it was time to focus on hunting some powder. I decided to do a solo tour around the base of Sublette Mt. on Togwotee Pass. It was cold snowy and very windy. I got some turns in though.

Looking down on part of my first run.

Looking back on a couple of runs.

Happy to have icicles in my beard again!

Lots of North facing tree skiing- other aspects were pretty thin.


Sunday, November 1st

Getting ready to head up Two Ocean- would seem right to start they season without it!

Two Ocean Mountain on Togwotee Pass

On top of Two Ocean, the Tetons it the background.

The snow was deeper- though it was good, it was a little wind effected and a bit creamy. Can't complain too much though, for November.

After few runs, it warmed up pretty good- almost too much.

It was so warm when I got home, I couldn't resist- I had to ride. Turns of another sort I suppose.

Nearing the end of a great day. Powder turns for breakfast and a road ride for dinner!