Barbed wire, manure and farm equipment. The KGB crew is out with their sixth webisode installment of Wyoming Triumph. We find them building a western-style jib course that looks like it’s a wonderful way to lose a limb while snowboarding. Prior webisodes can be found on their YouTube channel. Tetanus (I double-checked that spelling) shots and all.
A chunk of land and cattle (including three trout ponds) is for sale minutes from downtown Jackson. The price of owning a working ranch just outside of town? $175,000,000. That seems a bit steep. Though you might be paying for more than the cattle: “This is arguably Jackson’s most desirable ranch that remains essentially unencumbered by development restrictions.” It’s the perfect spot for my dream mega-resort. Maybe I’ll even go Dubai-style and build my own ski hill to compete with Jackson.
via Moldy Chum
Wyoming has a fantastic looking homebred ski movie coming out on Saturday called Wyoming Triumph, A Story of Deep Proportions. It was shot entirely in the state over two years by KGB. The premier is tomorrow at 6 and 8:30pm at the Pink Garter Theater in Jackson. I know what you’re thinking…Pink Garter…Deep Proportions…it’s not that kind of film.
via Teton AT
Teton Gravity Research is selling the chance to ski with Dash Long and Chris Benchetler this winter at Jackson Hole. The catch? You have to be a kid interested in going to ski camp. Fall Line Camp offers a three-day camps that cost $555 if you already own a season pass and $555 if you don’t. Is this what kids do instead of Space Camp these days? If so, it seems they’re much cooler.
It should be noted that legendary bar Shady Lady is included in the purchase of the Snow King resort in Jackson Hole. And, of course, you’re guaranteed a front row seat to the annual uphill snowmobile race and everyone will let you cut the line to get more beer if you own the place. The owner and current Snow King himself, Maul Lopez, is hoping to pass the entire operation off to someone, and he would like to do so in the next month or so.
One humble request. If you do buy the resort and become the next Snow King, please knight me.
Photo by Melensdad
Wyoming’s governor is calling for more snowmobiles to be granted access to Yellowstone? It must be fall. Calling on his extraordinary expertise on Yellowstone and ecology, Gov. Matt Mead pulled the number 540 snowmobiles per day out of thin air. While the NPS conducts another impact study, the current limit is about 330 snowmobiles and 80 ‘snowcoaches’ per day. I’m not sure what a ‘snowcoach is, but based on a quick search it’s either a covered, tow-behind sled or a huge snowbus from the 1960s. Regardless, all look like they would do a wonderful job terrorizing Yellowstone wildlife.
Skiing on the Fourth of July brings to mind people wearing Hawaiian shirts, shorts, and generally acting like idiots. But a skier from Wisconsin sought to take advantage of the record snowpack and vacation weekend to put in a ski mountaineering trip in Grand Teton National Park. Things went awry and he took a fall down Ellingwood Couloir on his skis and wasn’t able to self-arrest on the way down. Friends called in the park service and they were able to stabilize him and get him to a hospital where doctors say they’re cautiously optimistic about his recovery. Skier rescues on the 4th - it has indeed been a long season.
NPS photo
A 39-year-old skier making his way to the summit of Teewinot Mountain in the Tetons made it about 500 feet from the summit when he slipped and fell. He was with two friends who’d been climbing since about 4am, and he came to rest 2,500 feet below the summit. A skier witnessed the fall and skied down to the man and provided first aid until two park rangers would hike up to help with the evac. On their way in, the rangers dodged at least one avalanche before getting the skier safely out.
How do you know it’s been a record snowfall year? When the US Forest Service has to reopen an avalanche center for Memorial Day weekend. Snow is still packed over 13 feet deep in some parts of the Tetons, and the danger of avalanches is high - even in places that haven’t seen an avalanche in decades is high. Get your daily avalanche warnings online this weekend.
