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Excellent stuff, Jim -- thanks! ---------- Marc Guido, Editor First Tracks!! Online Media 3018 Sequoia Av Salt Lake City, UT 84109-2327 V: 801.634.5896 Skype:marcguido Toll-free voice & fax: 866.293.9107 [log in to unmask] www.FirstTracksOnline.com www.UtahSkiAndSnowboard.com -----Original Message----- From: Vermont Skiing Discussion and Snow Reports [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jim Crowley Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2008 11:22 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [SKIVT-L] (Non-VT) Wasatch and Teton ski touring (Jan. 20-26) Met up with buddies Bob and Ed in SLC on the 20th for a week of ski touring, first in the Wasatch and then the Tetons. It was a superb trip with knee-deep powder on every run, excellent terrain, a stable snowpack, nice weather, and good comradery. Day 1 was an afternoon tour in Big Cottonwood Canyon, skiing such classics as Short Swing (aka Mill D trees) and Reynolds Bowl. Day 2 was also in BCC, where it snowed about 1 foot during the day. We started in Butler trees where the powder was light and fluffy in the aspens. We then headed up to Wilson Peak and and skied Chute #2. It was excellent with the new snow, no wind, and few tracks: http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247299830-A-LB http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247301282-A-LB http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247301773-A-LB http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247302546-A-LB http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247301401-A-LB We re-ascended Wilson Peak: http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247302778-A-LB And descended the south bowl in deep powder: http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247303028-A-LB Day 3 was sunny and cold, with 16" of new snow reported at Alta. It was a perfect day for the Tri-Canyon tour from Little Cottonwood to Big Cottonwood to Mill Creek. Before heading out of Little Cottonwood, the slope below Flagstaff Peak (opposite Alta) was in such good shape that we had to do a run there. The locals say Flagstaff is rarely in such good shape because it normally gets blasted by the sun, but this morning the temp was only 6 degrees. It was good: http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247306133-A-LB http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247306465-A-LB http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247306465-A-LB So good that the cameras were out: http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247304098-A-LB In this case the PW's shooting Black Diamond athletes skiing these lines: http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247304298-A-LB http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247304147-A-LB As good as Flagstaff was, we had to start covering ground so we wouldn't run out of daylight. We traversed along the ridge above Days Fork, getting views of Superior's NE face: http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247304354-A-LB The descent into Days Fork on a run called Banana Days was nice: http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247305065-A-LB We crossed the road in Big Cottonwood, skied up Mill D North Fork, past Dog Lake, and down Big Water Gulch into Mill Creek Canyon, coming out at the head of the canyon where the road in the summer ends. It was a 4 mile downhill skate on a groomed x-c trail to our car that we had spotted in the morning. With more energy and time, we could have done a more exciting descent into Mill Creek, but there's always next year. Day 4 was a morning ski in Mill D North Fork before driving north to Jackson, WY. Day 5 also started clear and cold (-16 F), so we knew it would be a great day for crystal clear views, so we headed up to an area called 25 Short that is just south of the Grand Teton: http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247308553-A-LB The views alone were worth climbing 3000 vertical feet. The Grand: http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247307153-A-LB Buck Mountain: http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247307203-A-LB The skiing wasn't bad either: http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247305255-A-LB http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247308146-A-LB http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247308375-A-LB Day 6 was blustery with snow showers that deposited 4-6" of fluff. I love skiing when it's sunny and snowy at the same time: http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247307625-A-LB We booted up Glory Peak from Teton Pass, dropped down the NW side into Coal Creek, hitched a ride back to the Pass, then spent the rest of the day south of the Pass in Mosquito Creek and Mail Creek, not seeing any other skiers or tracks in those places. http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247308676-A-LB http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/gallery/4228363#247307968-A-LB Another hitch from a car with cold reebs waiting for us brought us back to the Pass, at which point we went to the Stagecoach for another cold one. Day 7 was overcast and warmer (20 F). We spent it on a popular touring spot west of the Pass called Fred and Oliver's. After 6 hours of touring we departed, Bob and Ed going to SLC and myself back home to Boise. It was a wonderful trip in perfect conditions on some of the best touring terrain in the country. Although these areas are sort of like backcountry ski resorts with many folks out there, we had no trouble finding fresh snow. The upside of all these skiers is that we were only breaking trail about 25% of the time. All of the photos can be found here: http://jimcrowley.smugmug.com/ I have 4-day yurt trips in ID & OR in Feb. & Mar., respectively, then I'm going to Newfoundland with Bob and my brother John in April.....it's shaping up to be a quite a season. Jim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SkiVt-L is brought to you by the University of Vermont. To unsubscribe, visit http://list.uvm.edu/archives/skivt-l.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SkiVt-L is brought to you by the University of Vermont. To unsubscribe, visit http://list.uvm.edu/archives/skivt-l.html