SEQUOIA SNO GO NEWSLETTER
Sequoia Ski Club  Established 1935  Member FWSA  January, 2012
 
 
JACKSON HOLE SHINES BRIGHTLY
SPECIAL REPORT ISSUE
    
Eleven members of the Sequoia Ski Club joined other members of the Sierra Council and about 350 total members of the Far West Ski Association for a glorious week of skiing and partying at the famous Jackson Hole Ski Resort near Jackson, Wyoming.
     Possessing more snow than any other western resort, Jackson Hole gave skiers great weather all week and even better snow.  Generally the days were either sunny or partly cloudy with the temperature starting off early about 5 degrees and rising to the mid 20s or higher by midday.  There was one fairly windy day but only one small storm which produced about 2 inches mid-mountain and 1 inch at the base.  The snow was packed but cold and dry and the groomers did a fine job on the most of the blue and double blue runs.
     Although two club members were limited in the area of skiing (one recent surgery and one because of illness while at the resort), club skiers had plenty of terrain to choose from and even more off-slope activities.  While some FWSA members stayed 12 miles away in the town of Jackson, our club members stayed in the Teton Village near the lifts at either the Snake River Resort or in the nearby condominiums.  Those at the lodge were just a few steps from the lifts. 
     Several club members were involved in the races during the week, including the council challenge.  Other members spent their entire time free skiing on the slopes.  The individuals in the club and the council all did quite well during the week, winning more than any other council. I am hoping to get results for the next newsletter.
     Here is a day by day account of the highlights.
     Saturday was check-in day. 
     Sunday was occupied by free skiing most of the day along with the qualifier race.  One of the highlights were the mountain tours provided by the resort.  For every tour guide there were no more than 8 skiers and it was a great way to learn the layout of the mountain.  In the evening was the welcome reception in Jackson at the Town Tavern, only one of two events held in town.
     Monday was probably the worse weather with early strong winds especially higher up and an overcast most of the day which made it difficult to see the snow.  Slalom races were held on this day and the pub crawl was held that evening with most of the businesses being in town once again.
     Tuesday was a special day as many members of the club, council, and association took the trip to Grand Targhee on the other side of the mountain.  The day was clear and cool with no winds, and the snow was outstanding at both resorts, making for one of the best days of the week.  That evening was a great Council Dinner at the Alpenrose Restaurant in the village.  The featured entrees were Bohemian with bratwurst and sour kraut along with salmon.  Everyone raved about the meal.
     Wednesday featured giant slalom races for the racers.  This was BBQ Lunch day with lunch served in a big white canvas structure near the tram building with plenty of food and a portable heater that kept it comfortable inside.  Even though it was a lunch only, for many there was enough for a complete dinner.
     Thursday was the Council Challenge Race.  After a day of skiing hard once again in great weather, the Farewell Dinner was held at the top of the Bridger Gondola.  The dinner and party was from 7 to 11 pm with the theme "Country Hoe Down."  At night over 2,700 vertical feet above the base, the lights from the valley shone brightly.  350 skiers ate and ate some more and celebrated the week-long activities.  
     Friday was the final day of skiing and it didn't disappoint as more sunshine splashed the white slopes and provided plenty of good skiing for many tired legs.  The sixth and final day is always bitter sweet.  You don't really want to leave but sometimes the body is telling you that it is time for a break.  At the end of the day, there was another big Apres Ski Party at the Mangy Moose, one of the most popular restaurant/bars in the Teton Village.  One again there was plenty to eat and drink.
     Saturday was time to return to regular civilization with the long wait until next year's ski week at Aspen Snowmass.
 
CLUB MEMBERS REACT TO THE WEEK
     Half of the 10 club members attending other than the editor who was also there responded to some questions I asked them about the highlights of their week.  Here are a few of those responses.
     I asked them about their own personal highlights on slope during the week.  George and Debbie Stewart thought the mountain tour at the beginning of the week was outstanding.  Joe Shimasaki enjoyed Wednesday morning first tracks with diamonds sparkling on the groomed slopes.  He also enjoyed the Gondola ride.  John Rose simply said that the highlight was that no body parts were broken.
     Rosalie Fisher said, "The Apres Vous runs were wonderful.  I loved the snow on those groomed runs.  Of course, Gros Ventre was so much fun because it was a continuous top to bottom run and so scenic with nice twists and turns."
     Personally I enjoyed all those groomed runs and others including Amphitheater Bowl and even the couple of challenging runs down Rendevous Bowl.
     There seemed to more of an agreement on the off slope, non-skiing highlight of the week.  Almost everyone seemed to feel it was the Council Bavarian dinner with the great food and good cheer of the 50 plus members in attendance.  Joe Shimasaki did have a different angle, one which I tend to agree with also, at least for the few of us who took advantage.
     "Drinking beer at the Snake River Lodge between 5 and 6 pm with the special 2 for 1 price," Joe says was a highlight.  I would add that the sandwiches they served at good prices were delicious.
     As far as the service at the resort was concerned, everyone agreed it was outstanding for the most part.  A special mention went to the ski valet at Snake River which allowed for ski-in and almost ski-out.  The ski valet kept your boots on heaters overnight.  John Rose added a comment that most of us would agree with, "Everyone was so nice.  The people were so friendly."
    Most skiers had a WOW moment while skiing at a big resort like Jackson Hole.  For Rosalie Fisher it was skiing with Joe, J. D., and John.  For Debbie Stewart it was winning a medal for racing.  For George Stewart it was the off piste skiing.  For John Rose it was going to the downtown museum and seeing a Visalia saddle on the center display.
     My WOW moment was the same as Joe Shimasaki's, the Tram Ride.  Joe said that once was enough as the run from the top wasn't easy for him.  For me the top part was difficult but very doable.  What I remember most is the ride itself:  the length, distance from the snow, the speed, the big crowd, swinging back and forth at the towers, and the sheer vertical.  It was really impressive each time I took it.
     I'm sure the other club members attending the ski week had their own highlights.  If you didn't go on the trip you might ask them when you see them.  Onward to Snowmass.
 
NEXT MEETING SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 16
     The next club meeting will be held on Thursday, February 16 at Marie Callender's Restaurant with a 6:30 social, followed by the meeting at 7 pm.
     During the last meeting held on January 16, several members were preparing for the annual FWSA Ski Week at Jackson Hole from January 28 through February 4.  It was also announced at the meeting that the Ski Week for 2013 would be held at Snowmass at Aspen, Colorado during the week of February 2-9.
     Barbara Mayeda announced she is ordering more tee shirts, that she ran out of some sizes.  President Woody Hogan announced that our club insurance was paid, and the cost was reduced from that of last year due to a decrease in membership.
     Woody also announced that the annual club birthday party would be held Sunday, March 4 at China Peak.  He will also try to schedule his Rotary Club to join us.  Lift tickets for China Peak can be purchased at a small discount at Cosco, Sport Chalet, and possibly Shell Gas.  Further discussion of the party will be held at the upcoming meeting.
     The next club social at Brewbakers is scheduled Thursday, March 1, at 5 pm.
 
 
JACKSON HOLE
THE REST OF THE STORY
THE GIANT HORSE AND RIDER
     The symbol of Jackson Hole is the rider on a bucking bronco.  It can be seen everywhere on clothing, the side of each gondola car, etched on lifts and buildings, and just about everywhere one turns. Yet its most unusual rendering was somewhere no one expected, a cross country ski trail in the flats at the bottom of the resort.
     There in all its glory the trail was made in the design of the symbol over several acres in a field nearby.  The cross country skiers traveled the trail in the shape of the horse and rider and it could be seen clearly by alpine skiers on many high places on the mountain.
     The horse and its rider was huge and stood out when the sun hit at a certain angle.  Skiers on the mountains tried to get pictures of the unusual design.  Certainly it provided a source of conversation among the many who noticed it.  Somehow it just added to the ambiance of the resort as being part of the old wild west.
 
UNUSUAL SKI RUN NAMES
     The rating system at Jackson Hole was green, blue, double blue, black, and double black.  There were only a few greens, many blue and double blues, and even more black and double blacks.  To say that the resort has many steep runs is an understatement.  In skier surveys each year the resort always ranks near the top in the category of challenging terrain.
     Like most resorts it offered up a number of unusual names for its runs, many common names of locations in the area.  Many of those at Jackson Hole were French and allowed for a number of wild pronunciations.  Many didn't sound like they were spelled.  Among those were Gros Ventre, Teewinot, Apres Vous, Togwotee Pass Traverse, and Nez Perce.
     There were many open bowls like Rendevous, Laramie, Amphitheater, Buffalo, and Cheyenne.  Some were named after people like Rawlings Bowl, Dick's Ditch, Moran, Werner, and Wally World, named after a patrolman who died when a dynamite charge accidentally blew a cornice down on top of him into some rocks during avalanche control.
     With such a steep mountain, many traverses allowed skiers to go across the mountain until they found runs they could handle.  The groomers did a good job with many of the runs, always smoothing the same long signature blue and double blues each night.
 
LONGEST CONTINUOUS VERTICAL RISE IN NORTH AMERICA
     There it was in front of us, the famous Jackson Hole Aerial Tram, rebuilt several years ago after the old one was finally retired, a modern marvel.  Most of us didn't ride it on a regular basis but ride it we did because if you are there, you have to do it.  It's not an easy ski down at the initial top part of the mountain, but we braved it anyway to say we had done it.
     We filed with other skiers in the fast line as the man at the entrance let in exactly 100 skiers to catch the next car.  As one car goes up on a cable, another comes down on another cable.  They cram all of us standing up holding our skis and off we go.  What a wild ride!  Here is why.
     We rise 4,139 vertical feet to the top of the mountain in 9 minutes, the highest continuous vertical rise by a single lift in North America.  We rock back and forth as we cross each gigantic tower, high above the snow below us.  We travel at 25 miles per hour and we go exactly 2.4 miles straight miles to the top.  If you chicken out skiing you can ride the tram back down, but of course that won't happen.  If you need a break before skiing down you can take it in quaint Corbet's Cabin and have some waffles first.  The Aerial Tram at Jackson Hole is a once in a life time opportunity.
 
NEXT MONTH:
     Sequoia Ski Club featured in Skiing Heritage Magazine.
A story of Corbet's Couloir at Jackson Hole, one of the steepest runs anywhere, and how kids as young as 5 years old skied it last season.