Not that I wasn't tired before!
And now we have to tackle a 2500 mile trip home!
The last three days were some of the most memorable days of the trip. Jackson is truly an old western town with some modern flair. The mountain is a beast too. The steepest and deepest in the country. Nothing else even comes close or so I'm told. They have had 200 inches of snow so far this season and most everyone we talked to was disappointed with that?!?
So we arrived on Wednesday evening after driving 6 hours from Sun Valley, Idaho. The drive which was only 250 miles was slow going at best. We checked into our hotel (The Inn at Jackson Hole, right in Teton Village...the base of the mountain) at about 10pm. We crashed.
The next morning, we got right to it. The conditions were perfect. Sunny skies, 30 degrees and the snow was well groomed and I thought there was plenty of it. We finished the day with a few (more than a few!) beers at the Mangy Moose Saloon. This après ski bar is right at the base of the mountain and is the spot for drinks after a long day of skiing. We had the best plate of nachos you have ever had and we made a few friends. We were the last to leave.
Friday morning was another perfect morning for skiing. The light was a little flat all day (meaning it's tough to see the the height and depth of the snow). Regardless, Mike and I got in 4 runs before we stopped for lunch.
And lunch was a treat because we had been invited to the Shooting Star Golf Club by Head Golf Professional Matt Morman. The club van picked us up at 11:30 and drove us the mile over to the club. Matt gave us the full tour of their amazing clubhouse. The golf course was obviously under snow but the property was impressive nevertheless. After lunch with Matt and his first assistant, Kali, we were dropped back off at the mountain.
Following an afternoon session on the mountain, we of course went back to the Mangy Moose for some root beers.
For dinner, we went to downtown Jackson to the Sweetwater Restaurant. Kali met us for dinner and so did my friend Lyndsey from Villanova! Lyndsey had been in Salt Lake on business and decided to come hang out with us in Jackson for the weekend!
After dinner and a drink at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, we all headed home in anticipation of fresh powder for Saturday morning. Lyndsey and I met early for skiing but Mike got up really early and met Kali for hiking/skiing the Glory Bowl, a backcountry pass that requires avalanche gear.
So Mike survived but had energy for only two runs on the mountain in the afternoon. As for me, I put in a super full day making almost 15 runs. I skied with Lyndsey and a bunch of her friends for most of the day. Following skiing, we again all hit up the Mangy Moose pub. Mike and I successfully helped close the bar again. I think Mike's credit card was swiped 7 times in 3 days at the Moose.
So this morning, we left Jackson to sunny skies but that could be the last time we see the sun for a few days. After a very slow drive through the Bridger-Teton National Forest, we made to Interstate 80 only to find out that it was closed. After failing miserably at some alternate routes, the highway finally reopened around 330pm. Mike and I then drove over 200 miles in the worst weather imaginable with absolutely terrible road conditions. Wind, snow and ice made driving scary. Visibility was 50 yards at some points and my nerves were shot. We eventually accepted defeat and found a hotel in Laramie, Wyoming...home to the University of Wyoming Cowboys. After having a beer and some food at "the Library," we checked into the Hampton Inn in Laramie.
So here in lies the problem. We are sitting here watching it snow. We also discovered a nearby ski resort. We also know the forecast for the next few days across the Midwest is crummy at best with snow expected just about everywhere.
So the short term plan seems to be skiing at the Snowy Range Ski Area tomorrow morning before we continue to head east. Who knows though!
Thanks again for reading and wish us luck on our drive home.
Check out some of the amazing pics from Jackson Hole below.
Reed
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