When he arrived with his brother, niece, daughter and daugher’s boyfriend, we quickly boarded the gondola car for a ride up the hill. At the top we waited for the mountain to open, along with several other clients, guides and instructors.

The avalanche today was High, which means “Mostly unstable snow exists on a variety of aspects and slope angles. Natural avalanches are likely. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.”

When the mountain opened, around 10 a.m. we all headed outside to “get some.” What a sweet run down the freshly fallen and blown snow back down to the base of the Gondola. The terrain off of the Gondola is steep enough to go fast down the wonderful undulations. Bopping around trees and over ridges and cat tracks was a real treat! We would stop every few minutes to regroup and let the heart rate drop a bit by allowing the blood to leave their pumped legs before doing it again. The snow was absolutely perfect, as it always is. This time perfection came in the form of about 6 inches of dense and lightly windpacked snow over a soft base.

Another Gondola and we were told that Thunder was open so we rushed over to Thunder for a few laps. The wind was honking up near the exposed top of this iconic lift that accesses some of the most varied and amazing riding terrain anywhere in the world. When I first rode Thunder it was an old two seater. Now it is a lovely and padded four seater.

Paintbrush, Amphitheater, Dick’s Ditch, Rock Garden, Grand…what a morning! And I only lost my clients once, which is a near miracle considering the blowing snow, which came from the SW and blasts your face as you ride the chair up. Every time you come to the topmost part of the lift, the exposed section above the Eggshells at the top of Tower 3 Chute, the mood on the lift tends to become a bit more somber as everyone does what they have to to protect themselves from the hammering, wind driven snow. For me this is, today at least because it was fairly warm (around 25 degrees), is putting my mittened hand on the left side of my face to block the direct stinging of the wind and snow.

As the lift line grew, it became all the more evident to my clients the advantage of hiring an instructor and being able to take the staff line, which is normally a much shorter wait. Eventually it was time to go get onto the beautiful big red box, knows as the new 31 Million Dollar Tram and only way to the top of the mountain.

Once through the top traverse and half way down Rendesvous Bowl, I could finally tell which way was up and knew I did not have frostbite on my nose and cheek. The wind was blowing so hard that if I was trying to climb a mountain I would have descended or dug a snow cave and hunkered down. It was FULL ON! I loved watching my clients and the rest of the snowboarders and skiers make their way across the top of the Bowl to their desired descent spot, braving the full onslaught of the wind and driven snow. Conditions for riding? Only in Jackson Hole!!

My clients had so much fun they signed up for tomorrow’s early tram with me as their instructor. I will do my best to instruct them well and keep them together and safe.

After a couple of laps on the Hobacks it was time for a long lunch and then some tips to dial in their toe side turn by driving their knee and turning their hip. It worked well and my client was making small radius turns in quick succession right down the steeps off of Apres Vous. Great work Melissa!

Here is a link to the Jackson Hole Trail Map. http://www.jacksonhole.com/jacksonassets/images/maps/0809wintermap.jpg

Enjoy!

Until next time…