TR; this last weekend at Bridger

P Nut gave me an excuse to take pictures of some trees.

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238483053

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238483082

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238483112

Then it got all emo.

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238483146

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238483169

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238483187

Side trip:

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238483447

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238483474

Goin' for a little ride!

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238483496

Chalky jump turns:

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238483656

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238483767

A few good turns to end the day was nice.

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238484215

Two more days left till I'm out for two weeks. Looks like good times ahead, be sure to document the exploits for me fellas.

Finally managed to snap a picture of the elusive Tone Capone on Monday
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3466/...83b9b59f_b.jpg

And I just wanted to say thanks Tony for putting in the effort to take and post all the pictures this year. Way to keep the thread going. I'm glad you're getting a little dumpage for your last couple lift served days of the season:yourock:

So for those of you guys who couldn't get on the on3p's because of bsl issues, they will have demo bindings on them starting tomorrow. PM me if you want to get on them, the only stipulations are a ride report to iggyskier and possible mandatory PBRs at the end of the day. I also now have FKS 155's with 113mm brakes and a bunch of spare parts that need a home...

I have been living vicariously through the photos posted here for the past two and a half months, keep it up!

Any word on a possible ops extension? I've heard possible, weekend-only-type stuff.

Hard to believe it's almost over! Been getting some great turns.

^^ya no shit. today was fucking awesome

FZ
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...l/P3310087.jpg

Wheeeeeee!!!! Fun fun fun! Wish I didn't have to work later. Found myself in the white room a couple times today!

Also fantastic news - Bridger/DP lift replacement postponed at least one year. DP will soldier on for another season!!!

Should be hearing about extended ops pretty quick here. Lifties would like to know if they'll have a paycheck next week or not, I imagine.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by workinforturns

^^ya no shit. today was fucking awesome

---

yeah, sweet april fools prank on the snow phone. no way was that "5 inches overnight"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jumper Bones

Also fantastic news - Bridger/DP lift replacement postponed at least one year. DP will soldier on for another season!!!

---

I heard that may have been an April fools joke :confused:. Regardless, the snow today was no joke!

Stolen from the BB site,

Due to the continued cold and wet forecast into next week we will extend the season and make Monday April 13th our last day. Starting on Monday the 6th we will operate Snowflake, Powder Park, Bridger, Pierre's Knob and Schlasman's (weather dependent.) Jim Bridger Lodge will be the only food service available. Day tickets will be $30.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by butterscotch

yeah, sweet april fools prank on the snow phone. no way was that "5 inches overnight"

---

Sorry, no joke...that's what happens when we get 8", 6", 4", 5" back to back, baby!

Happy B'day telemarc! Thanks for an awesome run this morning!

Safe travels, Tone....we'll keep the light on for ya here.

oh yeah, the lift replacement postponement is not an April Fool's joke either...I'm not necessarily strongly advocating for the plan, but I can see its merits skiability wise, and the existing lifts will need to go at some point...they're both over 40 years old...I'm 40 and I know I get tired!

Enjoy the 8 extra bonus days through the 13th!

That's a sweet pic! Is that you Telemarc? Nice guys. Looks like a great run.

One last pow day for me today.

A little sequence of the Dozamonster having fun.

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238630339

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238630368

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238630391

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238630965

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238630456

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238630479

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238630500

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238630520

Hopefully not the last pow run of the season.

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1238630676

glad you boys are having fun up there. Jealous of the extra week of skiing

Very sweet video of the day today Telemarc

Yeah, good skiin' guys, some stompage and some quality rippin. Don't let the sweet bounty of spring go to waste!

I've never been down the fourth in so much untouched snow...:tongue:

too bad yer gettin all slow and bitched-up in yer old age marc, hope freeTaco night was fun...
glad y'alls get another week to spin liftlaps
glad I get one last yr on the bridger lift too
3rded on thanks for the vicarious shreddin'
plannin the preseason skiparty at our new digs already
cheers

Joe - when do you get here?

fun stuff kept up today looks like-->http://www.bridgerbowl.com/mediagall...eo/2009/04/02/

we'll be back 'bout the 1st wk of aug-
90% of the same gear I left town with 8yrs ago, prob under half the stamina and 4times the kids...
/end PM- archive sunset over bb scenic:)
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...78300_4314.jpg

First off thanks for the Bday wishes and the powalicious fun!!! Taco night was a success I vomited and Sam smashed her face...good times...

Tone that is me in Pic/Vid of the day, what a great present for my 35th Bday.

Joe can't wait till you and fam get back to BB, lookin forward to good times at the griz next year with the clan.

On a side note, looks like more is on the way....sshhhh....;)

layindowncarves took these pics of our first tracks down Colters today at 11:30.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f...sburstmode.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f...4/P1000344.jpg

thanks roche

Nice pics from Colter's. I think I saw you transporting/playing over in PK land shortly after that. Dang it was nice today.

On our way to look for some leftover powder.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...o/IMG_8521.jpg

Avy danger is high but the dude in the full face saves us having to dig a pit.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...o/DSC_1495.jpg

After he hucks the cornice 4 times we figure it's stabile.:D
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...o/DSC_1520.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...o/DSC_1521.jpg

Powderfin gets some airtime.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...o/DSC_1573.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...o/DSC_1591.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...o/DSC_1617.jpg

Judd is liking it!
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...o/DSC_1642.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...o/DSC_1644.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...o/DSC_1650.jpg

And back up again and again....
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...o/IMG_8525.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...o/IMG_8532.jpg

Some more pics from Pfin
Old fart and Judd
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...ris-138fix.jpg

Me=stuck
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...ris-148fix.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...ris-174fix.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...ris-192fix.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...ris-196fix.jpg

http://images.townnews.com/bozemanda...dger_thumb.jpg

19-gun salute to Bridger Bowl history

published on Monday, April 6, 2009 8:28 PM MDT

By JODI HAUSEN Chronicle Staff Writer

Early Monday morning as the sun peeked over the mountains just east of Bridger Bowl, less than a dozen people witnessed a historic moment at the 50-odd-year-old ski mountain. But no one there seemed terribly sentimental about it.

United States Forest Service rangers and Bridger Bowl ski patrollers fired off the last remaining 19 rounds of 75-millimeter shells from a recoilless rifle formerly used to trigger avalanches. It was the last military weapon used at a Montana ski resort, and it sent its last 4-foot-long artillery shell towards the ridge Monday.

The circa World War II rifle — more like a cannon, really — was installed just southeast of Pierre’s Knob in 1978, said retired USFS snow ranger Don Michel, the snow ranger from 1968 until 2000.

The 114-pound gun is the last of four formerly used at the mountain and is obsolete, said USFS Bozeman District Ranger Jose Castro. Ammunition hasn’t been manufactured for it since the mid-1950s, and many ski areas and the forest service have switched primarily to using hand charges thrown by patrollers from ridge tops. The opening of the Schlasman's lift to the top of Bridger’s south ridge this year makes it even easier for patrollers to control avalanches from above.

The concussion from each discharge Monday reverberated within witnesses’ chests as they watched the red tracer lights head towards a cliff face just below the ridge where they landed and reported back with a bang a few seconds later. Not much snow slid but that wasn’t the point. It was about retiring the gun by eliminating the last of the ammo.

None of those assembled were sad to see the gun go, they said. However, in their time, “they were a godsend up here,” Michel said. “It saved a lot of patrolmen from doing a lot of grunt work to make the area reasonably safe for the public. Using the gun made it much easier to get the place open by 9 a.m.”

“We’d have lost some people (in avalanches) if we hadn’t had them,” he added.

“It was a great program at the time,” agreed current USFS snow ranger Brian McNeil.

Although Randy Elliott, Bridger Bowl general manager, was happy to wave a fond farewell to the big gun, he also knew it had served its purpose.

“But it’s time to stop shooting,” he said, adding that the occasional dud that didn’t explode after hitting the side of the mountain meant searching for it in the warmer months. All the shells exploded Monday.

“I’m glad there won’t be any more duds,” Elliott said.

Retired Bridger Bowl ski patroller Marvin King worked at the mountain for more than 30 years and was there to see the last of the shells hit the mountainside.

“They’re not anything to be around,” he said, gesturing towards the back of the cannon where fire shot back several feet with each detonation. It’s dirty, it’s loud, it sends shrapnel flying and, other than witnessing the occasional big slide, he preferred using hand charges.

“I’ve always looked at these guns as work,” he said.

Getting to the four gun mounts — located below Pierre’s Knob, North Bowl, South Bowl and Alpine — in the dark via snowmobile after a significant snowfall was often the most adventurous part of his day, King said.

“Some of the best stories I have is just getting to the gun mount after a big dump,” he said. “Half the job was just finding it.”

Bridger Bowl and the USFS plan to make a monument of the rifle, both Elliott and Castro said. They hope to install it near the Deer Park Chalet as an interpretive display and tribute to the patrollers and snow rangers, like Michel and King, who worked with it.

“It’s been interesting over the years, that’s for sure,” Michel said.

I was lucky enough to be present as the gun was fired for the last time...wow is that mutha loud up close! The gun mount has one of the best views of the ski area I've ever seen, and it was cool to witness a part of our great mountain's history. At some point we'll most likely have some video on the BB website. I'm off to Utah for some spring skiing at Alta/'Bird, Solitude and Snowbasin....thanks for the great season...especially March and the first week of April! Have a great off-season, be safe and we'll do it again next year...yahoo!

One more avy gun pic, one of Saddle and Mundy's and a couple of scenics from a nice sunrise...