Off to Euroland!

We leave in the morning for another epic winter trip to Europe to watch Marco race in World Cups in Garmisch, Germany and Chamonix, France!!! Yeehaw!

We are gone for 2 weeks, but in the meantime, you can keep updated on Marco's results on these sites...

Live Race Timing

Ski Racing results/articles

One benefit of an early load

...has to be sunrises like this! We caught this beauty over the weekend while working a ski race up at the Village.

WC skiing in Jackson?

The World Cup ski season is in full swing. We watched what is in our humble opinion the "coolest" downhill on the circuit, Wengen, Switzerland, last weekend at Rolfe's house with a few of the most dedicated Marco Rocks fanclub members!

Marco, on the big screen charging.

It might not have been live, we already knew the results, but it didn't matter, it was awesome watching Marco and all the rest of the guys throw down.

Marco, "paused" catching air. At this point, Marco was winning the race by .26 and we were pretty psyched.

Not all work

Chels and I spent the weekend working a ski race at the Village, but....., I did manage to sneak in a sled mission on Friday. Drew and I found the best conditions skiing and or sledding I have seen this whole winter. We were pleasantly surprised.

Drew, laying a fatty on a virgin slope.

Sun and fresh snow never gets old.

Wyoming Through a Ford Taurus Windshield

At least once a month I set off into the "Big Wonderful Wyoming" hinterlands to see kids for work. Luckily, I have a state issue Ford Taurus and satellite radio to keep things entertaining. The trips normally are a few days long and admittedly are better in the summer months as the roads are clear and I manage to sneak in rounds of golf after work. The trips take me to places in Wyoming that Jackson residents would normally not go to and scoff at. Wyoming has a ton of awesome places outside of Jackson!

Heading east, over Togwotee Pass early in the morning en route to Sheridan (9 hours from Jackson) with the snowplow trying in vein to move what is almost non existent snow banks.

The views were good out my office this morning!

Heading toward Thermopolis from Shoshoni. Big Horn River Canyon.

Interstate in WY? Yep, the nearest Interstate from Jackson might be three hours away, but I found I-90 between Buffalo and Sheridan.

Back through the canyon the next day heading home.

Always a welcomed sight......The Tetons on the drive back home after a white knuckle struggle in the Tauras.

"Black Betty" pulled into the empty (not open on the weekdays) MeadowLark Ski Area in the BigHorn Mountains, near the awesome town of Tensleep, WY.

Johnny Rips Lips

Holy shit!!! Scope this lake trout our buddy Johnny Ripley caught up on Jackson lake earlier this week! Well done Ripper! Rip threw it back after fighting it from the depths so it could be caught another day.

Why not

Last day of Katharine in town and we had planned on maybe skiing at the Village, but who wants to spend $80+ when the skiing isn't even that good? Not her. So moving on to Plan B...nordic skiing on Jackson Lake! Why not, huh?

Kat and Trev looking pretty excited about the wide open expanse in front of their skinny skis!

And look who it is....the only others we run across out there just happen to be Hager and Emily and her parents, entrenched in a riveting day of ice fishing...what are the odds. (Apparently, the odds of the fish biting where less that day than running into friends while doing something very random.)

Spotted. The perfect log for our lunch-time sit and ponder life session.

I think we may have pondered what was on our feet more than life.

Yay!

Someone had to bring the bright colors and you can never count on Katharine for that one.

We totally look like naturals, right? Alright, Kat's ski poles might be the dead giveaway that we don't do this activity that often.

Into the great wide open...

Sleddin n Skiing

Katherine and I went up to Togwotee to search for her first powder turns of the year. After a bit of road building by yours truly, the track was set to the top of Angle Mtn and the pow turns were found. Kat getting some with the Buffalo Valley and the Tetons in the background.

Aspiring sled-head? Kat did some driving, but it was a little too techy for her to climb to the top. Luckily for her, I am more than happy riding the sled and dropping her at the top and letting her try and find soft turns.

Lunch time reflection looking into Yellowstone.

The Wyoming-ites thought we were in a heat wave, the Californian thought it was freezing cold. Hmmmmm..

Hasn't snow yet again in longer than I care to remember, but if you hug the northerly aspects that have been in the shade, you can still find the goods.

Digging for the white gold.

We had a pretty solid set up going riding double to the top, then I would fire back down the road I built and Kat would pick a line of her choosing, then we would meet back up at the lower meadow and do it all over again. Poor man's heli strikes again.

Kat-Dogger in the Hole

Hello everyone! Katharine Lange Transue here, guest blogging live from Jackson Hole, WY. Just spent an awesome, spur of the moment, long weekend here hanging out with Chels and Trev. We have no snow in Tahoe, which means no tourists and no business in the restaurants (my weekend job). So, when I found out I was getting called off for the weekend, I just jumped in my car and headed for Jackson and the white stuff! Even though the locals don't think they have much snow here either, they actually do, and we took full advantage...Chels and Trev never fail to show their guests a good time! Day One started with an early morning hike up the Glory Boot Pack up on Teton Pass for me and Trevor. The snow conditions on the ski down weren't necessarily epic, but it was still the best skiing I'd had all year! One great adventure was followed by another as we headed up Granite Canyon on snowmobiles to dip in the hot springs. Riding with Trevor was quite the wild ride, and the hot springs were warm and gorgeous, even with the sub-40 degree creek crossing!


Early morning views from the top of Teton Pass.

Katharine checking out the valley below after a great hike.

Katharine and Trevor, all smiles after reaching the top.

Katharine, Jim, Blaire, and Chelsea heading up Granite Canyon...what a bunch of sled heads!

The lack of fresh snow made the boot pack track a little icy and treacherous in places, especially for someone in rubber-less ski boots!

After the cold creek crossing, you couldn't jump into the hot pool fast enough!

Armed with the appropriate supplies, we settled in for a nice long afternoon of soaking and relaxation.

Yay, so happy to finally be hanging out with Chelsea again!

Our gang of 5 was definitely the perfect number for this little pool...Katharine, Chelsea, Trevor, Blaire, and Jim.

Chelsea and Katharine...all warm, cozy, and smiley, even after a slippery and freezing crossing back through the creek.

Ring It In

I skied in the torchlight parade at the King while Chels documented. It was as awesome as ever.
All the tourches headed up the Cougar lift.

At this point in the parade, you are just pumped if your torch, which has been reduced to the size of a cigar, doesn't catch you on fire!

We LOVE our very own "town hill", Snow King.

Bring it on 2012!

Only in Jackson

can you have moose sharing the trailhead with you before you take off sledding. Note to all of those that think snowmobiles "disturb wildlife." The moose literally came right up to the idling sleds and were not spooked in the least bit. Pictures paint the picture........Dad.

Cold westbank sunrise warming the sleds up.

The ride up Mosquito Creek proved to be as much exploration as anything. A lot of the creeks have yet to fill in yet and have really steep/committed entrances and exits. Not to mention, running water. Here is my bud Drew, on his new, badass 12 RMk navigating across Mosquito Creek.

We do have snow, and it is a ton better in the backcountry than at the Village. This shot illustrates what happens when you have a bunch of fresh snow and little to no base underneath it to support it. This was Tim's trench he threw in sidehilling past me. Easily 3 feet deep. The technology on the new sleds are amazing!

Bullwinkle and his buddy coming to say hello, despite "all the noise" from the idling sleds.