Sunsets from the top of Rendezvous Mountain are unparalleled. As far as you can see in any direction are mountain tops and the assumption that valley's lie between them. As the sun sinks lower on the horizon, I contemplate the winter that is coming our way.Supposed civilization carries on thousands of feet below Corbett's Cabin as I anticipate the first flurries of snow fall. Generally here the snow precedes the fall,which reminds us that Mother Nature is in control. In ski towns there is always a bit of excitement when the days start getting shorter, and the air a bit more brisk.
The summer here in Jackson Hole is beautiful, but short. Our Spring began with 200 additional inches of snow, bringing our season total to a record 730. Summer work started and we were still chipping ice and shoveling snow.... but riding too.
Everyday that I have worked the JH Tram this summer we have carted snowboarders and skiers up the mountain to enjoy the remnants of this ridiculous winter. Tourists gape at our local die hards as they watch them carry their boards and planks off the Tram and into the back country.
However, there are others that continue to work harder for their summer lines... and they are the ones climbing the mountains with their ice axe's, crampons, and backpack's full of gear.The Teton's are a playground that could take a lifetime to explore but luckily I have a good guide. One of our Tram Mechanic's, Chris Onufer (who kills it all year round) offered to take me up The South to snowboard. We started at 500 A.M. in Teton Village with daylight on the brink of the peaks.
It was azure skies on our ascent of the South Teton, with wildflowers like yellow balsamroot and lavender lupin covering the lower mountainsides. The trail was quiet and calm as we climbed up Garnet Canyon. We hiked over immense scree fields with snow runoff raging in creeks underneath us.
When we arrived at the Meadows there were a handful of climbers who were barely waking up to start theirs day's journey.The snowline dipped just below 9000 ft and with The Grand and the Middle Teton towering above us we began our boot pack up to the saddle then onto the Ice Cream Cone Coulier. A storm was brewing to the SW and as we approached the top of the coulier the black skies moved in quick. We strapped on our gear at 12,200 ft, 300 ft shy of the summit. Socked in, but with our line in mind, we dropped in.
3500 vertical ft of snowboarding on perfect summer corn... not bad for July 11 in Wyoming. Muchos gracias La Nina.
