TR: EC Gaper goes to JH

**vano** · 02-28-2006, 04:53 PM

So two weeks ago I finally flew out from Jersey to Jackson Hole to see what everyone has been talking about. Well having skied there, I can say that they were all right, that hill is awesome. When I got there I thought I was an advanced skier, when I left I felt no better than an intermediate EC gaper.

The snow was bad, didn't snow for 5 days straight, but since I came with the goal of skiing Corbets I was determined to try it no matter how hard and windblown the snow was. I know many of you guys ski Corbets switch while checking email on your blackberry, but for me this is a challenging run.

Day 1, Feb 9 -- Corbets looks way too scary, no way I am going in there. The landing seems pretty hard, only one set of fresh tracks in it by noon.

Day 2, Feb 10 -- Corbets still looks scary, but now I am thinking I might be able to pull it off. The landing is even worse, snow is even harder, no new tracks that i can see.

Day 3, Feb 11 -- Look into Corbets again and now I am really thinking I can do this. I see Tommy Moe jump in and stick it, but later on tells me the snow hard, fast but edgeable.

View from below:

Day 4, Feb 12 -- Show up at Corbets on the fence.

Scoping out the initial landing in yellow jacket:

Move back cause a few people stepped up to do it and then backed out:

Finally a brave soul goes in, but its not looking good for him:

At last I realize that I am just being a pussy and go for it:

Definitely came out fast, the snow was edgeable but to smooth to scrub much speed. First right hander is easy. I could have been more forward and attack the left hander but didn't. As I leaned left for the turn to get away from the rock face on skier's right and heard my outside ski pop off. The moments and follow are always priceless - the "oh shit, here we go again" just waiting for the full extension starfish maneuver to begin. I was able to self arrest after the third time my head hit the snow and climb back up to get my ski which was sticking out of the snow.

Im going back next year, hopefully with more fresh snow and more skill, and doing it right.

**MacDaddy** · 02-28-2006, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by vano

. I know many of you guys ski Corbets switch while checking email on your blackberry, but for me this is a challenging run.
At last I realize that I am just being a pussy and go for it:

I like this quote but dont forget "those guys ski on super fat skis so they are core

Nice work vano!
It takes balls to ski off that in any condition, much bigger heuvos on day like that!

**smolakian** · 02-28-2006, 05:09 PM

Way to sack up man. Hucking to hardpack most definatly takes balls especially when you are from the east and don't get to huck on a daily basis.

That said:
I've never been to Jackson BUT every time I see a pic...
Corbet's just doesn't look that hard to me.

**Lloyd Braun** · 02-28-2006, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by vano

When I got there I thought I was an advanced skier, when I left I felt no better than an intermediate EC gaper.

let this be a lesson to all you EC shittalkers, you know who you are!

DUDE,

Props to you for hucking into Corbet's! Nice work!

**Mountain Junkie** · 02-28-2006, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by smolakian

That said:
I've never been to Jackson BUT every time I see a pic...
Corbet's just doesn't look that hard to me.

Pictures don't convey the hacked-out cement-like snow conditions in the LZ of Corbets.

**Core Shot** · 02-28-2006, 05:45 PM

Jump, Forest Jump!!

**"The Big One"** · 02-28-2006, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by smolakian

That said:
I've never been to Jackson BUT every time I see a pic...
Corbet's just doesn't look that hard to me.

well pictures like the first one dont even come close to showing its true steepness and narrowness. When you ski up to it and look down your asshole will tighten and you will be scared like hell. It is no easy run and trust me it is that hard. Vano, nice try. You'll get it next time, at least you didnt slam into the wall

**roorfan** · 02-28-2006, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by smolakian

Way to sack up man. Hucking to hardpack most definatly takes balls especially when you are from the east and don't get to huck on a daily basis.

That said:
I've never been to Jackson BUT every time I see a pic...
Corbet's just doesn't look that hard to me.

that's what is said until i stood above it this year and looked down on it... definately takes time

**biggins** · 02-28-2006, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by Lloyd Braun

let this be a lesson to all you EC shittalkers, you know who you are!!

...whatever, I'd have boosted the fence into the coulie myself, in racestock no doubt.

Nice stuff vano, my ECgaperass is headin' west next week.

**Art Shirk** · 02-28-2006, 06:16 PM

I don't know anything about Corbet's so humor this jong question. From the pics, I can't tell if the proper entry is just "stationary --> huck off the center of the opening --> land on hard pack and ski down" or "stationary --> what appears to be some side-slipping down one side of the entry --> to hard pack and ski down." So, did you jump in, slide in, or a little both?

**corn dog** · 02-28-2006, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by Mountain Junkie

Pictures don't convey the hacked-out cement-like snow conditions in the LZ of Corbets.

That was my impression looking into it a few days ago. The rest of it wasn't particularly steep, and not narrow. I didn't do it, didn't fancy the direct huck to rather stationary landing, at least not without a much bigger reward

A snowboader kind of slid down the wall on his ass, then a skier hucked to the stationary landing, uncompressed himself and skied off no worries.

**upallnight** · 02-28-2006, 08:44 PM

Props to you for going for it! It's pretty easy to back on when you're standing at the top -- but you didn't!

Originally Posted by commonlaw

I don't know anything about Corbet's so humor this jong question. From the pics, I can't tell if the proper entry is just "stationary --> huck off the center of the opening --> land on hard pack and ski down" or "stationary --> what appears to be some side-slipping down one side of the entry --> to hard pack and ski down." So, did you jump in, slide in, or a little both?

Well, the most common (read: easiest) way in is toward the skiers left. typically, one sideslips in a bit down a little ramp (call it 50 degrees) facing left--maybe 5' down. You then make a right-hand jump turn (this can involve a bit or no air in the big years). The jump turn puts you on a goat path which rockets you toward a rock wall on the skier's right of the couloir. The crux is making a left-hand turn w/o hitting the rock wall. You've got a nice, 35-40 run after that.

All sorts of variations exist...including skiing up to the edge and launching it -- going over the goat path. Bigger air, but usually a softer landing. Folks have managed to get more than 100' of air in there (Sick Rick comes to mind).

**adipose** · 02-28-2006, 09:08 PM

Hey, I saw you hiking back to get your ski. I was with my kids and wanted to take a photo but thought "if that guy turns around and sees me taking a pict of him hiking back to his gear he'll really be pissed". Wish I would of now, you would of got a kick out of seeing it from below. I took a look from the top myself a few minutes before you jumped in, the landing looked a little hard for my 44 year old knees.
Way to sack-up.

**Trackhead** · 02-28-2006, 09:14 PM

Nice work getting it done.

This pic is funny. "I'm not getting any closer than this. I'd like to look down it, but I'm not getting any closer."

**skiing-in-jackson** · 03-01-2006, 07:14 AM

congrat's on jumping in...I've looked many times and never quite bit the bullet...

**yooper** · 03-01-2006, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by smolakian

I've never been to Jackson BUT every time I see a pic...
Corbet's just doesn't look that hard to me.

We just had a group of 15 out there. Many for the first time. ALL of them studied pictures beforehand and most agreed it wouldn't be that hard and they would definitely do it.

I tried to explain that you can't make that decision until you are standing at the top. No one believed me.

2 did it. That number surely would have gone up a bit with fresh snow. We unfortunately had hardpack.

I'm not saying you wouldn't do it, but it is intimidating.

**Sensisnow** · 03-01-2006, 08:39 AM

Way to sack up Vano! I'm going to be in the same boat as you in a couple of weeks. I've been eyeing corbet's for years and didn't get around to hitting it last time I was in JH due to an unexpected early departure. Hopefully my balls will prove to be as large as yours once I'm standing on the top!

**gincognito** · 03-01-2006, 08:48 AM

Nice action, vano! Makes up for your puking at the Bodies display...

Sick and ashamed and happy (and, for the record, myself and three other maggots stood at the top of it during last years Summit and didn't even come close to considering dropping in),
d.

**vano** · 03-01-2006, 09:55 AM

Thanks guys. I am definitely going back to do it right next year.

Originally Posted by commonlaw

I don't know anything about Corbet's so humor this jong question. From the pics, I can't tell if the proper entry is just "stationary --> huck off the center of the opening --> land on hard pack and ski down" or "stationary --> what appears to be some side-slipping down one side of the entry --> to hard pack and ski down." So, did you jump in, slide in, or a little both?

Here is my approximate line:

Every year is different but you basically stand at the edge of the drop, with the dropoff right under the toes of your boots and compress and lean in. The key actually is not NOT get too much air but be as snug as possible with the vertical snow wall. That way, instead of impacting hard on the solid snow you will transition from the vertical snow to the 60 degree snow a bit more smoothly. I didn't do a good job with this so i still had a fair amount of impact when i landed - it is approximately 15 feet of air.

Once landed the terrain will naturally flush you right, away from the rock that is on skier's left. That is not the harder part, the hard part is to make the next left hander, that is ultimately you speed control turn. At this point you have the speed from the 15 feet of air plus one GSish turn on 60 degree hard sufrace - so you are moving. Thats where i got a bit into the back seat and had the outside ski release.

**jrbd** · 03-01-2006, 10:55 AM

Bob Peters wrote up some good stories from his years of guiding Corbet's at Epic a few months ago. The thread is here, Bob's "story" responses are #'s 13, 53, 59 and 68. Great stuff, and the last one alone is enough to keep me from ever trying it (as if).