By Jim Stanford on February 5, 2008
Over the weekend we passed the 100-inch mark for snowpack in the Tetons, which back before the current drought set in used to be the benchmark for a solid winter. The Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center reports anywhere from 5 to 7 feet of snow in the last 10 days, and the forecast calls for an additional 12 to 15 inches later this week.
For those keeping score, that makes an average snowfall of more than 4 inches a day for the last 10 weeks. 2000-Grr8 rolls on.
After weeks of contentious debate over backcountry etiquette, Cloudveil and Friends of Pathways are hosting a happy hour Friday where skiers and snowboarders can discuss Teton Pass and give input to the U.S. Forest Service over management of the area’s most popular winter trailhead.
The gathering will run from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Cloudveil Store, 120 W. Pearl Ave. Free beer will be served, courtesy of Snake River Brewery. Teton Pass Ambassador Jay Pistono will be on hand, along with Forest Service and Friends of Pathways reps.
Cloudveil will donate 10 percent of its sales this weekend to FOP’s winter ambassador program, which assists with management of the pass. The Jackson-based clothing company will have a banner atop the pass from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday (near the kiosk on the south side), and backcountry users are invited to stop by, grab a snack and submit suggestions in a comment box.
Also, snow riders can sign a giant thank-you card for the WyDOT plow drivers.
Several readers have been critical of the tone of the comments on recent blog posts. Here’s a chance to get together in person to talk about the issues, rather than lob insults at each other in cyberspace.
Posted under backcountry, skiing, snowboarding
Good turnout for the happy hour and positive dialogue with Friends of Pathways and the Forest Service.
Some of the ideas skiers and snowboarders were asked to consider included plowing more parking near the top of the Old Pass Road (by a private contractor, charging a fee), carving out a bigger lot by tearing into the hillside, and a commercial shuttle operation.
The pass has been closed for 2 days because of high winds and an avalanche two miles west of the summit. Conditions permitting, WyDOT will reopen the pass on Saturday, and Pathways and Cloudveil reps will be up there to take more input.
Those pictures are great. I hear he is a great skiier and a great person… we like seeing him on here.