Take the SHow Anna!

Luckily when Anna is in town, we have a much better photographer to make the rest of us look good.  Scope some shots from yesterday that she put up on her blog at 

www.annagoody.ca

So much fun having Marco, Anna, and Lizzy in town.  Fav peeps.  Got to meet and hang with Anna's super cool parents Russ-dog and Sarah. 

Almost Comparable to the Hannenkahm....

 Ok, maybe that is an exaggeration, but......, the hillclimb is one of the longest standing winter events in the valley and is probably the coolest.  Not only is it a hugely positive motivator for the end of winter economy of Jackson, it has donated close to 700k to local charities over the past 15 years, and......., well, the action is unlike anything else in the sled world.  These boys can straight ride a sled.  Whether you sled or not, you are missing out by not going to the HC.  

This year was the most crowded I have seen it yet.  The Sun and warm weather brought the masses out.  Over 10k people on the hill on Saturday to take in the festivities.  Drew and I spent the day lapping the summit chair watching the awesomeness.  

 "Hill Help" chasing after and tackling a sled before it tomahawked down the King in a furry of expensive parts lost.  

 By the end of the weekend, the trenches that the riders were forced to negotiate were easily 5 feet deep and really hungry to swallow both rider and machine.

 Quite the spectacle.

Keith Curtis, this years winner, on a Polaris, charging up the hill on his eventual winning run and "open modified" fire breathing dragon of a sled. 

Yet another solid weekend of playing...

 Not really all that different from any other weekend, but, I was pretty sled focused this past weekend.  It was the 39th Jackson Hole Hill Climbs at Snow King, which were amazing as always.  Drew and I got a ride in on Friday and the conditions were surprisingly good, but you had to search for the goods.  Spring snows makes it such that you can climb and get to places that you wouldnt normally be able to in the winter.  See above!!  Ripping turns just above Hwy 22 over Teton Pass.

 Drew got this good one of me pinning it to win it.  

 Upper reaches of Mosquito creek with the town of Jackson in the background.  

Drew finding a nice line toward the end of the day.

 

 THe sleds looking north toward Mt. Taylor and Glory Peak.

I really hope I get more of these types of turns before the winter is done.

 

Well done Drewski..

 My good bud Drew deserves all the credit in the world today.  He raced in the Hillclimb.  So stoked for him.  He was in the amateur division which is super competitive.  All the pro's have factory sponsorships, their own mechanics, truck and trailer rigs that are over 100k, etc.  Drew did all the work on his sled himself (required screws in the track, swaping non-stock parts for stock gear, etc) and showed up in a truck worth nothing and did awesome.  For the love of the sport, I tip my hat to you Drew, for keeping it real.

 Getting ready to send it.

The pits with all the non pro folks.  The scene is a lil different when the big names come in with 30k moded sleds, outwear that has more advertisements on it than a nascar car, etc.  Cant wait for a weekend of riding sleds and going to the Hillclimb.

Mixed Bag of Thoughts.

It's certainly that time of year......my heart is with sledding and skiing, but my mind........, is down south, in the desert, shorts, t-shirt's, cold beers, moto, etc.  

Yesterday in Jackson was full on winter.  The moto  is getting ready for the desert season come April.  Yahool

Sunshine at the right time

True to form, it either is sunny or it dumps in March.  Last Friday it was sunny and absolutely beautiful.  We went up to Togwotee again to chase after north facing pockets of snow up high.  We ran into this frozen waterfall in a cliff.

 

 Enjoyed lunch up on Austin Peak at over 11,000ft.

 The 360 degree views were insane.  All the way up to Yellowstone, Montana, down to the Red Desert, out toward Dubois, the  Tetons, Gros Ventures, Winds, etc.

Using the sled as a wind stopper.

Skiing?

 Friday morn rocked!  Yes, I did go skiing, and yes, it was with Chels, and it was awesome.  Jackson got voted the number #1 ski area in the country by some lame ski magazine this year and the crowds have come in full force.  However, when it hasn't snowed for  few days and things are super firm, the mountain can still feel like it is your own private ski hill.    Chels and I went out and ripped some fun groomers in the sun.  

Me, spread eagle'ing the valley.

 Really glad I didn't have a booger in my nose to mess up the shot of beautiful Chels!

 Super crowded.

 Leave apartment, twenty minutes later load this bag mamba jamba, and literally, a half hour from our apt, you are ripping what some feel is the number one ski area in all the land.

 And when you get views and turns like these, it is really hard to argue!

Bad Moon A Risin....

One more shot from yesterday.  Nice view in the Gros Venture's with the moon coming up. 

Wednesday Mid Week Break Up

 Wait, I forgot my sunglasses and the sun is out for the first time since December??? Damn, it is really bright out!  

We snuck out of work a couple of hours early this afternoon and did some sunny day shredding.  Super fun.

 The snow has gotten a bit rotten down low, but up high, on north facing aspects, it is still sweet.

Riding the cornice line about ready to launch.

So freaking in love..

 Last Friday was one for the ages.  Yet again, rain and grossness in the valley gave way to a full on, white smoke powder day up high.  We had to roll up to 11,000ft to find it, but hot damn, so well worth it!  Got to ride into one of my favorite basins, chase after a few new lines, spend a lot of time in the white room, truly couldn't of been any better.  

Me super pumped in Jewels Bowl with many of  the filled in lines I have skied in the past.  Never seen them so filled in, ever.  Amazing.  

 Yep, Drewski full getting after it.  My favorite pic I have ever taken sledding.  It embodies everything that is so cool about the sport.  

 Drew took this of me and with a lot of photoshop love it came out pretty sweet. 

 I have tried to link this line up on a sled before from the bottom, but there has never been enough snow.  After a lot of scouting and some pretty aggressive moves, Drew and I pioneered it!

LOVE THIS PLACE!

Feeling pretty damn lucky...

 March always makes me feel so fortunate to live where we do.  Being able to work a full day, then head up deep into the mountains and ride for a few hours after work is amazing.  Drew and I left town at 4 and were up in this scene by 4:30.  Outstanding.  It was a treat seeing the sun for a change of pace.  

Groundhog Day...

This wonderful scene has been unfolding each and every day sledding this winter.  Literally, everyday has been a powder day since 2014 came to town.  Last weekend it was heavy enough snow that it was sticking to my goggles which requires a ninja like move with your left hand (non throttle hand) to get the snow off and keep going all in one fluid motion. 

Random Shots from a Random Weekend

When your best buds move snow for a living and it has been dumping for a month straight, sometimes you have to find time to ride when it's dark out!  Drew has been going non stop with plowing snow of late and finding time to ride hasn't been as smooth as normal.  Luckily, he is always game for a ride, no matter the time, place, and or fatigue factor.  Last night we went up Cache Creek in the dark and rode bottomless pow.  Riding at night requires a lot of finesse,  patience, and some yellow lenses.  

Drew, ripping a dark turn aided by my sled light.  

 Today we managed to get out for a huge 7 hour mission up in our favorite stomping grounds, Mosquito Creek.  Keeping consistent with this funky weather pattern, it was a rain snow mix in the parking lot and completely blower up high.  

 Dude......, your are shinning the light in my eyes.

Deep trenches are fun no matter the time. 

March is coming in like a big ol lion!

 Well, ol man winter continues to brew up good stuff for us.  Fittingly, the first day of March came in strong this morn.  We are supposed to get close to 4 feet by Monday.  SKiing this morning on Teton Pass was sweeeeeet!  Super fun mission with the whole Weikert family who is in town (our buds from Germany).  

Francesca doing her best to thumb us a lift back to the top.  No sooner did we get back to the top of the pass, they closed it.  

 Me and Andrea getting pelted with snow hitchhiking in the back of a truck at 50mph!  It was Andrea's first pass mission.  She was all smiles!

The whole Weikert crew.  Andrea, Manni (today was his 50th bday) and Francesca in a blizzard on top of Glory.