Easter Pow Pow on Togwotee

GD Mountain (Near Jules Bowl and Bonneville Pass)

Absaroka Range, Dunoir Special Management Area

April 21st, 2011

GD Mountain (near the entrance of Jules Bowl)

Powder Chickens

Headed up Togwotee last Thursday with Darran hopin' to get in on some late April powder. We did. Infact, there's so much snow up there... man. Drove just a few yards into the Brooks lake parking area and realized it was just a snow machine trail (they haven't plowed it in a while). Got stuck in there, waisted some time getting out of there and ended up parking along the highway.

Initially we were going to head more up towards Brooks Mountain, but when we reached Brooks lake it was a complete white-out... pukin' and nukin' the white stuff. So, we decided it'd be best to go into a more familiar area and find some north facing trees. Thus, we headed back up into Jules Bowl. There hadn't been alot traffic lately going into there. The trail along the side hills was melted and settled away, with six inches or more of fresh, soft snow on top. It was hard for Darran to keep the ol' polaris upright on those side hills. Eventually we made it in there though.

Quite an adventure just getting in there on the sleds. Eventually we got it done though.



Darran breaks trail neat the top of a very tasty looking run. Weather was such, that we stuck to the trees. Was hpoing for couloirs, but the snow conditions and stability was not very conducive for that.

Darran at the bottom of our first run.

The sun popped out for a spell, for our second run, so we tried some steeper, more open terrain. Ended up cutting lose a pretty good little new snow, slough slide (4-6 inch crown). It propigated pretty wide. That's all it took to remind me that couloirs were a no go for today. The two we parked under were very tempting, but both had classic wide, steep starting zones that I'm sure would have went with the first turn.

Pretty damned good for April 21st.

Weehoo!

After three runs we headed back. We'd have to break trail on the way out agian- it snowed so much.

And... true to form, the white-out, pukin'/ nukin' condidtions returned for our ride out.

Back down at the highway, getting ready to load up. Still pukin'!

Good stuff, great day! Wonder what May will bring?

April Powder

Sioux Pass

Southern Wind River Range

April 17th, 2011

The Show

Amazing snow pack this year! It's that time of year when you can ride and ski in the same weekend. We got a good long MTB ride in Saturday, then Sunday headed up South Pass for some backcountry turns in April powder. Kept the sleds on snow all the way in. That usually is hard to do this time of year. Not this year though! The trail was trick, mostly wind effected, in places. Visiblity wasn't that great going in, so we decided to head up to Sioux, which is only 10 miles in, opposed to Christina Lake, which is 15 plus. Saved us a little time.

Chuck breaks trail in heavy snow, up to the top of the most classic Sioux Pass run.

Mmm. Lookin' good... the pow that is.

Shad pops a wheelie- comin' out of a flip turn.

Crashing a wave!

A look across at some of our first runs of the day (click to enlarge).

Chuck and Karla transitioning above some treed shots we skiied.

Karla skis the warm pow!

Chuck takes lunch break under a small field we plowed.

Mmm. Like butter.

Yummy!

Tracks near the bottom of the classic run.

Pretty much sums up the day!

Turns for Locke

Two Ocean Mountain, Togwotee Pass

April 7th, 2011

On Thursday, April 7th around 8:45am, Locke Hamilton (my step mother) passed through the pearly gates, no doubt greeted by Tugboat and a few other good horses. We were headed up to church anyway, so we kept going. Actually didn't really know for sure, but... kind of did. I knew in my heart. Locke battled a some tough cancer and a heart disease that came about quite suddenly over a year ago. She was 58, in great shape and full of life. I'm pretty sure she spent her first few days riding horses in the clouds, knocking a heck of alot dust down. The powder was good and plentiful for a few days after she left. This one was for you Locke! Ride in peace.

Headed up Two Ocean.

Mandy trudges up my trail.

Still headed up.

Whoohoo! Wow! Really good stuff!

What can you say.

Mandy near the top of the run (she just wanted to do short ones in this hollow).

Stoked about the conditions.

Mandy rips it up!

Look at that... waist deep! Weehoo!

Oh yea! Swimmin' through the pow!

Looking back, a few runs later.

Headed back, all grins... the sermon was good! Thanks Locke!