Jackson/Moonlight TR and Pics

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03-12-2006, 11:51 PM
uglymoney

Jackson/Moonlight TR and Pics

Left after work on Friday afternoon. My dog summit knew exactly what was happening and wouldn't stay out of the car. She did not want to be left behind to suffer for another week of Iowa flatness, preferring to ride along on what would be a 2900 mile tour of the west.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/summitdeparts.jpg

After a few hours rest in the back of the Suby, non maggot friend Terry showed up in Cheyenne right on schedule Saturday morning, we put his box and quiver on my Yakima rack after some redrilling and rotating of the boxes. Two guys, a dog, and six pairs of skis, the skinny two were never used, the fat skis were all utilized. My AK Rockets from steep and cheap were freshly mounted and ready to slide.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/cheyennetransfer.jpg

I-80 was hairball with winds gusting to extraordinarily high levels. With two boxes on my roof it was full throttle to maintain speed where it was safe most of the way from Cheyenne till well past Elk Mountain. We averaged only about 17 mpg on that tank. Typical blowdown day on 80.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/truckblowover.jpg

A little closer to Jackson and things became slightly more promising. I always enjoy the last few miles up 191.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/191.jpg

Terry helped me get my skins shaved and ready for the trail. 110 mm BD Ascension Clipfix from sierra trading post for $89.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/es...vemotelsix.jpg

After a crazy night at the Rancher on Saturday, it was finally time to head into the mountains. We chose West Mail cabin for our first tour out of the Coal Bank parking lot. Two years ago we did the same tour, but did a few more laps this time on the way back to the car.

The first target. It always feels so good to me to finally get to take a walk through the mountains.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/finally.jpg
http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/gfinally.jpg
http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/hfinally.jpg

Pow! Terry lets rip with the Gotama's.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/ifinally.jpg

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/jfinally.jpg

Unknown telemarker rips the shoulder as we skin back up.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/kripper.jpg

Same party, different unknown ripper. Its fun to watch all the great skiers around Jackson tear up the mountains.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/lripper.jpg

Lapping our way back toward the car we spot the pretty work of some farmers. :confused:

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/mmail.jpg

Terry takes another lap.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/oterry.jpg

Laps.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/pterry.jpg

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/qterry.jpg

Monday we park at the top of the pass and wave to the camera. Amazingly, it captured the wave and a friend who was viewing it saved it off for us!

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/Te...umber_five.jpg

The Claw was skiing awesome so we tracked it to death. So good. :biggrin:

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/rclaw.jpg

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/sclaw.jpg

Uglymoney gives camera to friend for a couple of shots. He has some better shots on his better camera that I may post later when he sends them to me.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/tnateclaw.jpg

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/nateclaw.jpg

Terry again.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/uclaw.jpg

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/vclaw.jpg

Tuesday we did the boot back up glory and skied what I think is Chicken Scratch. Great snow on top. Non maggot Troy.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/wchickenscratch.jpg

The roller above the claw.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/xclawentrance.jpg

Troy on his Line Prophets.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/ytroyclaw.jpg

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/ztroyclaw.jpg

Tuesday night we stayed on the village road in a retro cabin, which put us close and within striking distance of the tram. Equiped with three $15 dollar off coupons sent to me by mntlion (thanks again) we took our last tram rides.

My final tram ride thirty years after I learned to ski at the hole. Now you see it.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/zatram.jpg

Now you don't. My personal hope is that its not gone long, replaced with something similar. I fall on the side of tram lovers.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/zbtram.jpg

Uglymoney posing before dropping into Granite Canyon's Endless Couloir.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/natepregranite.jpg

Taking in the view above Granite and then dropping in.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/zcgraniteview.jpg

Troy

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/zdgranite.jpg
03-12-2006, 11:53 PM
uglymoney

Terry
http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/zegranite.jpg

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/zfgranite.jpg
I really like this shot. Troy in ripping Endless.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/zggranite.jpg

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/zhgranite.jpg

The trip to Moonlight Basin/Big Sky took us almost exactly three hours. Deep snow on the west side of Yellowstone, lots of Elk sightings, and even some buffalo. It was my first time through the area, and I enjoyed the drive. In areas you come across a gas station every few miles that exist to service the snowmobilers.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/zibuffalo.jpg

We ended up skiing Moonlight on Thursday and Friday. Fun place that is pretty much all about the terrain above the completely flat bottom. Nobody was home, especially on Thursday with some cold air and wind, and lift tickets were cheap. I didn't make it over to the Big Sky side, finding plenty to keep me happy here:

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/zjmoonlight.jpg

Walking on the ridge with ski boots that have worn souls is a little hairball. AT boots, or Tele boots with vibram souls seemed to be the way to go. In places, a slip or a fall means a ride over shale, and so I took my time as I made my way across the ridge.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/zkmoonlight.jpg

A look up from the bottom.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/zmmoonlight.jpg

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/znmoonlight.jpg

A picture of Big Sky that will taunt me until I return. I just couldn't fit it into this trip. Amazing terrain. The last time I visited was in 1997 which was also a good snow year, but it was nowhere near this filled in.

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney4/zobigsky.jpg

:) :)
03-13-2006, 12:00 AM
rideit

Sincerely, THANK YOU for re-kindling the stoke as to why I live here. I take it for granted sometimes, I really do. Great photo's, great writeup. Sounds like a classic JH roadtrip.
I, for one, vow to get after some in Coal Creek (Taylor) tomorrow, it is but 5 miles from my house, and I do not visit nearly enough. Kudos!!
03-13-2006, 12:06 AM
fez

nice job ugly,
looks like a hell of a trip.
03-13-2006, 12:09 AM
XtrPickels

awesome roadtrip. props for the stoke
03-13-2006, 12:16 AM
truth

You win BIG with $$$ conditions. That view down granite was to die for.
03-13-2006, 12:34 AM
janus

fucking great
03-13-2006, 12:40 AM
Brooks

dude do you have a mini colle?.... gay
03-13-2006, 12:48 AM
rideit

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brooks

dude do you have a mini colle?.... gay

Weak sauce, Brooks. Please come back next time when you have the energy to ennervate. As it is, you are as lame as a thirty day old mylar balloon on the floor of a chuckie cheese. PS SUCKS, BTW!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll
03-13-2006, 12:52 AM
Brooks

Quote:

Originally Posted by rideit

Weak sauce, Brooks. Please come back next time when you have the energy to ennervate. As it is, you are as lame as a thirty day old mylar balloon on the floor of a chuckie cheese. PS SUCKS, BTW!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll

you faggot. ill murder your mother
03-13-2006, 12:54 AM
Brooks

that was AKA
03-13-2006, 12:55 AM
kush1

Quote:

Originally Posted by rideit

Weak sauce, Brooks. Please come back next time when you have the energy to ennervate. As it is, you are as lame as a thirty day old mylar balloon on the floor of a chuckie cheese. PS SUCKS, BTW!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll

Why does PS suck? What has "post script" ever done to you?
03-13-2006, 12:58 AM
rideit

Post Script ruined my life...The obnoxious, overused form actually.....

killed my mother.

PS: Jackson Rocks!
03-13-2006, 01:00 AM
alpinepronghorn

Um, not to interupt, but...

Sweet pics, monkey. It's been great to have winter back in Jackson, and I'm glad you got after it. Thanks for sharing, makes me want to get back into some of those places that aren't in my regular rotation.
03-13-2006, 01:02 AM
rideit

Yup, back on track, great TR, as stated.
And now back to scheduled cunting.
03-13-2006, 01:03 AM
Brooks

what are those orange skis that guy has?.... is that them fancy powder skis I heard so much about....
03-13-2006, 01:07 AM
upallnight

Nice TR! Way to catch the return to winter conditions!!

Great road-trip, and thanks for the (local) stoke.
03-13-2006, 01:51 AM
Ak_pride

that picture of lone peak is amazing. So many lines in there filled in that are not normally possible.
03-13-2006, 01:58 AM
brettf

Awesome TR. Love to see some road trips being thrown down!!
03-13-2006, 02:11 AM
Endlessseason

WOW! Great TR and pics! Thanks for posting this. I've got to get back up there.
03-13-2006, 08:29 AM
skiing-in-jackson

great pics! and that's coming from a guy who lives in Jackson
03-13-2006, 09:02 AM
hev

well played.
03-13-2006, 09:18 AM
roll - gybe

give Thanks

Are those first few pics Thanksgiving Bowl?

That drive looked like mine. I saw about 20 overturned 18 wheelers on the way up. It was a really scary drive. I thought I was in mad max.
03-13-2006, 09:22 AM
ubertele

Wow! That looks like it was a pretty sick trip.
03-13-2006, 09:36 AM
xboat

NICE! you guys scored big. great pics!

i may be up for a trip like that next year. does terry got some dreads going on? that goofy fucker.
03-13-2006, 11:23 AM
Jumper Bones

thank yoouuuuuu, soooo looking forward to getting to Bozeman on tueeesssssssday......!!!!!!!!

w00000000000000t!

just LOOK at the coverage on Lone Peak! Best I've ever seen!
03-13-2006, 12:26 PM
skier666

Granite Canyon looks good...:fmicon:

I'll be there at the end of this week, so thanks for the update! :cool:
03-13-2006, 12:45 PM
Seldom Seen

ROOADDDDDTRIPPPPPP! Hell yeah, great TR way to stoke it up!
-Seldom Seen
03-13-2006, 01:26 PM
uglymoney

Quote:

Originally Posted by xboat

NICE! you guys scored big. great pics!

i may be up for a trip like that next year. does terry got some dreads going on? that goofy fucker.

I think his girlfriend makes him keep his hair combed out :) He's actually only goofy part of the time, but he likes to ski all of the time, so it all balances out.

I should have stole his digi. Its a nicer rig and contains at least a couple of gems. Should get them up with time.
03-13-2006, 02:00 PM
uglymoney

Quote:

Originally Posted by roll - gybe

Are those first few pics Thanksgiving Bowl?

Nope. Thanksgiving bowl is behind Avalanche bowl, or just west of the pass ridge, accessed from top of the pass (page 6 and 7 of the JH Ski atlas). It was pretty mucked up with tracks already during out outing. Those shots were of Windy Ridge and the next line over which are farther to the west (page 11) .

Quote:

Originally Posted by roll - gybe

That drive looked like mine. I saw about 20 overturned 18 wheelers on the way up. It was a really scary drive. I thought I was in mad max.

We saw a mobil home that had been thrown into the ditch and was just completely smashed. Quite a site, but the pic came up fuzzy. The wind was torrential.
03-13-2006, 02:38 PM
gonzo

great report!
03-13-2006, 02:46 PM
upallnight

Quote:

Originally Posted by skier666

Granite Canyon looks good...:fmicon:

I'll be there at the end of this week, so thanks for the update! :cool:

It's all skiing really well right now - especially north-facing stuff (hint hint)
03-13-2006, 02:47 PM
grskier

Great report, I'm hoping to fit a Jackson trip in this year, but with Silverton next weekend, and maybe Europe in April, I don't know.
03-13-2006, 02:52 PM
skier666

Quote:

Originally Posted by upallnight

It's all skiing really well right now - especially north-facing stuff (hint hint)

Noted...planning on hitting areas off that ridge for a couple days, including Gunsight, etc. I have a local guide named Sven Skierstein ;) showing us around, so I'm not worried on getting some fresh. :fm:
03-13-2006, 02:57 PM
upallnight

Quote:

Originally Posted by skier666

Noted...planning on hitting areas off that ridge for a couple days, including Gunsight, etc. I have a local guide named Sven Skierstein ;) showing us around, so I'm not worried on getting some fresh. :fm:

Just skied Gunsight earlier today. Snow is very good/grippy in there, making it pretty easy right now. That said, it's on the narrow side + there are a bunch of rocks (in awkward places) right at the bottom amking it a little challenge to air over. They're right before things open up to the apron.

You can also hang a left before the final choke and get a continuous line (or cleaner air). You'll know it when you're there; it seems like it wouldn't go because you have to jog to your left just before the end of the chute.

Enjoy! It's a fun line...just don't be the 10th person down it.
03-13-2006, 06:13 PM
upallnight

Gunsight for you:
http://ericbalog.com/gunsight/gunsight_with_notes2.jpg
03-13-2006, 06:48 PM
skier666

Nice....that's what I call service!!!!!!!!

Yeah, I have a buddy up there who's been down it this year....we hit laps on it last year when the whole mountain was firmcake, and Granite was wind-blown goodness.

Check it:

http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26493
03-13-2006, 08:52 PM
upallnight

Quote:

Originally Posted by skier666

Nice....that's what I call service!!!!!!!!

Yeah, I have a buddy up there who's been down it this year....we hit laps on it last year when the whole mountain was firmcake, and Granite was wind-blown goodness.

Check it:

http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26493

Nice. You might find some more of that familiar "firm" stuff here this year, too. Errr...bring your skinny rock skis?

See you on the hike in or the traverse out!
03-13-2006, 09:16 PM
climb2ski

WOW... That was a lot of Pics... Great work!!