Mt Buller, Australia... Friends and Family

Top of Little Buller Spur

The mystique surrounding an endless winter is hard to understand for those that don't snowboard or ski.  Going from one hemisphere's unforgiving and relentless winter to the other might seem like a brutal punishment, rather than and epic journey filled with good times, snowstorms and friends.

Sarah Baca, Brodi Bos and Nicole Gibson

This is my third neversummer in the Southern part of the world, but only my first in Australia.  For years I have heard about how fun Mt Buller was from my good friend and fellow competitor Ratty Sheidow, but I have never had the opportunity to experience it myself until now.
 

I arrived at Buller within 48 hours of arriving in Australia and it has been one good time after another with a tight knit mountain family.  Whether there is fresh snow or heaps of man made goodness, we manage to have an amazing time.  Up until now, many aspects of snowboarding concern the snow conditions and mountainous terrain.  At Buller that all comes second to having a great crew surrounding you. 

Diana Christie Smashing Box in Kofflers Park

Here we mob around the mountain laughing, buttering, smashing box and jibbing everything in sight.  It pushes you to be a better rider, to not take yourself so seriously, and brings you back to the root of snowboarding...  Fun.  

Jackson Hole Skier Mag... Infiltration By a Snowboarder!

Sarah Baca, Jackson Hole Tram Operator

So one day I got an email from the marketing guys at JHMR saying that the writers for Jackson Hole Skier Magazine wanted to do an interview with me about ski town jobs in the valley.  Of course I was stoked, so when Wade Mckoy sent me the questions, I was a little worried because maybe he didn't know that I rode on one plank instead of two.  When I got to the question about "How many pairs of ski's do you own?"  I had to reply proudly, "Well one pair of ski's and eight snowboards."  Luckily they didn't discriminate!  Here's the whole article, hope you enjoy it!

Jackson Hole Skier Magazine page 42

The Southern Winter... Mt. Buller, Australia

The end of the season in Jackson Hole was quick and dirty.  The sun showed it's face more often than not, and brought spring right on schedule.  It wasn't an epic continuation of winter like last year, rather it was a fast transition into the warmth and perfection of a summer in Jackson, Wyoming.  However, that perfection was not taken for granted but short lived, as I chose to leave the Northern Hemisphere and travel to the deep, deep, South for another season of winter in Australia.

I arrived last Tuesday in Melbourne and we headed up to the resort the next day.  There is a buzz throughout the entire village in anticipation of winters arrival.  As of yet, we haven't received too much snow but one of the lifts did open on schedule.  Currently we aren't getting any "formed snow" but it is in the forecast through the weekend.

The Aussie's have been more than welcoming and have greeted me with warmth and kindness.  I may be a long way from my mountain home, but the excitement here feels just like Teton Village in the fall.  Everyone is coming back from their long summer apart and reuniting on the hill for another great season ahead.  The feeling of winter is upon us, with cold temperatures, cloudy skies and the lack of electricity due to snow making...  Ahhhh, the wonders of the man-made world. 

3:45... No Big Deal

"I can't believe your a Pro!  I'm sooo much better than you!!!"

I get to see beautiful sunrises over the Teton's,
I get paid to snowboard on an incredible mountain,
I get to hang out with some of the most interesting people that have ever graced this planet,
I get to operate a machine that exemplifies the feats of modern mechanical engineering,

and

I get face shots for breakfast. 

What an amazing life this is!


Thank you to everyone that ever dreamed,
that ever conquered 
and 
that ever knew that this life is purely what you make of it. 




Much love from someone that truly appreciates every moment on this earth.

Our Fearless Leader

Tonight the sky enveloped The Grand Teton, and for the first time in nearly five days I lost sight of that magnificent peak. Just a few months ago I stood atop that grand mountain... 13,770 ft with my co-worker, friend and mentor Chris Onufer. We stayed on the summit for nearly 30 minutes while we ate our lunch and conversed about the abundant beauty of the valley below.

(Chris near the summit of The Grand)

Chris had a comanding presence and was a familiar face to everyone who frequents the Tetons. If you were ever on a chairlift in Jackson Hole and saw someone standing on the TOP of the Tram, above the cables, most likely it was Chris.

He never let a minute pass that he wasn't on an adventure or planning his next excursion.

(photo right: the summit)

(photo left: Chris repelling off the top of The Grand Teton)

Sadly on Wednesday, he was claimed by the mountains that he loved. Chris and Steve Romeo were on an ascent of Ranger peak to ski the south coulier when an avalanche broke and claimed the lives of two beloved brethren.

I never had an opportunity to meet Steve Romeo, but I heard Chris tell stories of their numerous mountain adventures throughout the years, which have been immortalized in my memory.

Chris was an inspiration to climbers, skiers, mountaineers and athletes alike. The first summer I became friends with Chris he drove to Coeur d'Alene, ID to compete in the Iron Man competition there. He finished the hellish endurance race one weekend and the next he climbed Mt. Rainer and came 1,100 ft from summitting and skied down. He then drove back to Wyoming and worked his work week and on the next weekend he completed a tri-athalon in Driggs, ID. The man never slowed down for one minute. Whether he was working, mountaineering, skiing, biking, running or whatever he chose for the day, he always put forth 110% of his energy and knowledge.
(Chris on his birthday ski break 2011, Top of the tram)

(Chris and I waiting below the last three pitches on The Grand)

I feel fortunate to have gotten to know and love Christian Onufer. He taught me more than I could ever relate in words. Whether he was showing me the intricacies of the Tram mechanics or teaching me about the mountains that we love, he would always bestow his knowledge and experience with me and all those around him. I will never forget his larger than life personality, complete with millions of "one dollar" bets, laughter and smiles. He has taken me up The Grand Teton, convinced me to climb and snowboard down The Ice Cream Cone Coulier on The South Teton, not to mention taking me on the best ski runs I have ever had the opportunity to ride here in Jackson Hole. He has given me a passion for exploration in the mountains he loved. He was my guide, my teacher and my friend.
I will miss seeing your face everyday and learning everything that you knew. I will watch for you now in the sunrise over Sleeping Indian and in the sparkle of the granite in the Teton's. I will listen for your guidance through the wind and the roar of the machine. And I will feel your presence in the deepest snow and steepest of couliers. I'm going to miss you Chris, but happily your spirit lives on in each of us.

in memoriam: Steve Romeo and Chris Onufer

A Rodeo in Jackson Ain't What it Used To Be

Dick's Ditch Classic was this past weekend here in Jackson Hole which is the on mountain equivilent to professional bronc riding! The weekend was complete with crazy weather and big, fast banked turns. The JH Park and Pipe crew did a phenominal job building and maintaining the Ditch. Karen Fisher of P&P said that they tried to replicate the original course from the first year that they held the event.

(The "XX" rider's club. Chica's Only, Sarah Baca and Karen Fisher. Photo by: Cecilia Kunstader)

The first day of competition started out with heavy snowfall and low visibility. Elizabeth Koutrelakos and myself decided to take the Tram to the top to warm up.

We began by jumping into Corbett's Coulier first thing with our friend Chris Onufer. The entrance to the Coulier was straight forward and the snow once you were in was blower! The three of us ate powder for breakfast and headed strait down to Lonnie's in the Expert Chutes. What an amazing start to a race right?!

(Pow slash by Sarah Baca, Photo: Daniel Fiddler)

The course itself was fairly fast and really fun! For the Women's Pro division the top three qualifiers were Cecilia Kunstader, Karen Fisher and myself in that order. The three of us have been friends for a few seasons now and so it was great to share the top qualifying spots with such amazing girls.

The second day of competition turned out to be blue bird and warm, which changed the course slightly but made it faster and ridiculously fun. Being as my warm up the day before had worked so well, I decided to start out the day the same by jumping into Corbett's again. This time it was my brother and fellow tram operator Frank that shared the warm up lap with me. It was Frank's first time in the Coulier and he nailed it!

Once I got down to the top of Dick's I took a few practice laps. Later I ran a fairly smooth race shaving 25 seconds off my qualifying time. I was able to maintain control throughout, with one bobble in the middle setting me in 3rd place for the final. Cecilia walked away with the coveted belt buckle and young gun Amber Nelson from Idaho Falls took 2nd.

Congrats to everyone who participated and made this event possible! Until next year, that buckin bronc they call Ditch's Ditch will remain untaimed!

Y'all have a good night, ya hear!

( Sarah Baca, Cecilia Kunstader, Amber Nelson on the podium. Photo: Frank Baca)

http://jacksonhole.com/cmsfiles/file/2012DicksDitchResults.pdf