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

Back to Front Country

The season in the West is just ramping up, with fresh snow flurries the valley rushes into the mountains. The people who inhabit the Hole, that is Jackson, are not your usual breed of human being. The majority of us choose to live our lives in the wilderness that is our backyard and dwell in the grandeur that no multi million dollar home could provide. Yes there are those that come in private jets, stay in their perfectly furnished mountain home and have a personal chef to grill up the most delectable buffalo steaks this side of anywhere; but the majority of us here live to get out of the walls that confine us.

As beautiful as the summers are here in Jackson Hole, the town buzzes with a certain excitement as fall draws to a close and winter fast approaches. People start wearing their boots, bundling up against the cold and fine tuning their equipment in preparation for the coming of Old Man Winter.

We began this season by venturing out into the open to get fresh tracks as well as fresh air on Teton pass. We see all the usual suspects that have reconvened for another Jackson winter. Each one hiking, skinning and trekking to the fresh lines that await us for the year. Those of us that have congregated in the mountains know and appreciate the magnificence found here.

As you hike up you feel your lungs and legs burn as you ascend Glory... and it is... glorious I mean. The beauty of this valley still takes my breath away and I am left contemplating how one could ever go back to a life that most consider "normal." At this point, I wouldn't want to consider anything less than what I do as "normal." I will watch the sunrise from 10,450 ft. as I drink my coffee and start my day of work. I will behold the beauty of the wilderness as part of my daily life. And I will never take for granted what an amazing place this valley truly is.

Ice Cream Anyone???

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.

Ride Breaks VS. Lunch Breaks

"Umm... Mountain Station, not sure if you care but there are two skiers coming down Casper Bowl right now."

"Oh, we care. Bridger?"

"We're on it."

Radio banter as the evening turns to Blue Bird. With the Tetons blanketed a North Westerly wind pulls the covers over the valley and all those below the headboard of this mountain range pursue their apres ski dreams.

For me, The Clash plays in the background as I watch the bright sun rays set behind the Westerly peaks.

My day began flying Car 1 in a 60 mph NW wind and swinging too close to tower 5 with the TGnaR crew and our savvy Tram Mechanic Josh. However it was a swift recovery from there. I was fortunate to get the 9:00 break... the "Garth" break, 50 minutes during the opening hour of public operations.

1st Tram with my Amer friend from Ogden, straight to South Hoback. A buffed bowl, to Our Trail to my sickest south boundary run of the season. Then halfway back up Union Pass lift I hear over the radio that we had beat our own Tram by a sizable lead. We decided to go for a second lap, but this would require me beating my own Tram again and being ready on the dock in order to relieve Virgil, my fellow operator who had just flown me to the top for my second run. Risky move... I know, but worth it if it can be done right.

And it was. Racing down a milk bottle Bowl, with no visibility and a bit of vertigo I began to question my decision to poach another run. I caught my breath, by slowing my turns and clearing my head. I had told Mike that it was going to be a fast run, but I ended up loosing him before getting to Sublette chair. Apparently Cheyenne Gully was too inviting.

One look back, no signs of my friend... A-line to Lower Tram Line, to sick pow slashes directly underneath Car 2 and the knowledge that I am going to make it in time to relieve Mr. Virgil Swords. What a break!
Who needs lunch when you eat powder for breakfast?

Party on Wayne, this is Garth signing off. Much love from JHMR!

A New Year

1-1-11

The Close of the New Year's first day is painted with lavender of the sunset and hue's of blue as the depth increases to the valley. The Snake now slithers across the frozen valley in negative temperatures.

The Grand, she is cloaked in clouds and a white dress of snow... steadfast, magnificent and strong. Pushed by forces beneath the surface that force her growth and keep her young.


Cody in the background of the Tetons is shadowed in orange with the sunlight illuminating the north westerly wind blowing in at 30 MPH. Straight off the nose and then swirling into the bowl. Recycled lines from the south side fill in Pucker Face.

The sun is nearly set and yet I don't want to go into the cabin. When surrounded in such a wilderness unlimited possibilities abound. The New Year has buffed out the old, just as the wind does to the bowl. It's going to be a good one, I can feel it. The world is there for our taking and we can take any line we choose.

The Wisperings of the Wind

It's 4:31 at 10,450Ft
- wind speed 30 mph, gusting to 45 mph
- 16 degrees F
- visibility, poor
- light, flat
It's snowing currently, the sun is setting and I am anticipating a blistery Wyoming night on Rendezvous Mountain.

Radars tell us a storm is churning to the West of us... a foot and a half expected by Monday. RPK 2 tonight and a 7:00 X-car. Mmmm... the smell of sulfur in the morning and the dynamite blasts to bring up the sun.

The wind is telling stories of the past; the stories that dwell in this Hole. Moran to Hoback, with the Snake winding down the center. Teewinot, The Grand, Middle and South, Cloudveil, Fossil, Buck and Owen. My Great Horned Owl peaks are enveloped in weather, but the stories are told through the cracks of the shack. There are stories of persistence and perseverance. Every living creature in this valley fights for survival in this Arctic/Alpine desert. There are stories whispering through the windows of pain and joy, of victory and defeat, along with secrets of those that mill about below the wisdom of the mountains.

As we approach Winter Solstice, I am drawn back to the reality of nearly 200 inches of snow falling upon us during the interim of winter. Christmas is around the corner and the festivities abound, with Santa repelling form Car 2 of the Tram and into the village commons. I now sit quietly at the top of the world and listen to the radio chatter of Ski Patrol, as they sweep the mountain of any overnight guests.