JH Underground – news, sports and music blog from Jackson Hole, Wyoming news, sports and music blog from Jackson Hole, Wyoming

In the midst of last week’s storm-induced mayhem on the roads, two more avalanches reached Highway 22 on Teton Pass, likely triggered by humans using snow-riding devices. The Wyoming Department of Transportation is said to be losing patience with backcountry users and again is dangling the possibility of not plowing the parking/pullout area atop the pass.

Should make for a lively Avalanche Awareness Night. Sponsored by Skinny Skis, the event will be from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday. Admission is just $5.

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Posted under Environment, Ski Resorts, Sports, Weather

Tags: avalanches, backcountry, powder, skiing, snowboarding

One of the funniest men on the planet died yesterday. Teamed with the Zucker brothers, Leslie Nielsen gave us comedy that left the eyes watering with laughter. Here are clips of cinematic gold from Airplane! and the Naked Gun trilogy to remember Nielsen by.

I have a few regrets in life, and one of them is not following through on an opportunity to be a movie extra. While visiting a friend in L.A. years ago, I had signed up with a talent (or lack thereof) agency that promised good pay for bit parts. One day the agency called me and told me where and when to meet for filming, but there was one catch — I had to bring a tuxedo. My friend’s wouldn’t fit me, and as I’d had my chain jerked a few times already when shoots didn’t pan out, I decided to bag it and went to the beach instead.

I thereby missed out on being in the audience for the Academy Awards scene in Naked Gun 33 1/3. Long live Lt. Frank Drebin.

Posted under Deaths, Entertainment, Humor

Tags: films, Media

U.S. Ski Team racer Resi Stiegler of Jackson Hole placed 25th in a World Cup slalom today in Aspen, Colo., her first finish in more than a year after recovering from a broken leg.

“It’s been a long, long road to get back to this point, but wow does it feel good to be here,” Stiegler told the U.S. Ski Team.

The 25-year-old skier has missed most of the last three seasons with a succession of injuries, including breaking both legs, tearing knee ligaments and breaking a foot. She crashed in a training run last November at Copper Mountain, Colo., causing her to miss the Vancouver Olympics.

USA Today has a profile of Stiegler on her long road to recovery, including seeing a sports psychologist to help get over the fear of falling.

Stiegler was more than 4 seconds off the winning pace set by Marie Pietilae-Holmner of Sweden; U.S. teammate Lindsey Vonn placed eighth. Next up for the U.S. slalom skiers are NorAm races in Loveland, Colo.

(Photo by Doug Pensinger, via U.S. Ski Team)

Posted under Sports

Tags: resi stiegler, ski racing, skiing

Even in a recession, we can’t catch a break.

Given that U.S. supplies of natural gas are at an all-time high, and that gas is drilled 90 miles away and transported to Jackson by pipeline, one would assume that at least we could keep our homes warm this winter. But Lower Valley Energy has just raised the price of natural gas by 16 percent, notifying customers in a letter earlier this month.

The price hike comes after two years of decreases. Lower Valley has a balancing account to absorb small price fluctuations in the market (without passing on every change to customers), and for some time had been returning excess funds to gas customers. In essence, the price has returned to what customers were paying before the balancing account accrued a surplus.

As a member-owned cooperative, Lower Valley does not make a profit and strives to keep prices low. But it’s always worth questioning these moves, particularly when people elsewhere are paying less for natural gas.

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Posted under Economy, Environment

Tags: conservation, oil and gas

Top to bottom, wall to wall, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort will open all of Rendezvous Mountain for skiing and snowboarding Saturday.

Resort officials announced the decision this morning via Facebook, ending days of speculation. Ski patrollers paved the way by beginning avalanche hazard reduction work Monday using the Jackson Hole Aerial Tram.

The opening may rival some of the storied first days of yore, including Dec. 7, 1996, when riders whooped through chest-deep powder beneath bluebird skies.

Jackson Hole has received 113 inches of snow since late October, and a blizzard raging today could deposit 12 to 24 more inches of feathery powder in the Tetons. The settled snow depth this morning at the bottom of Rendezvous Bowl was 55 inches. Even the base has received two feet in the last few days.

This marks the first time the resort ever has opened the tram in November, and the first opening of the upper mountain on opening day since the late 1990s.

Hobacks, Lower Faces, Union Pass — it’s all going to be open Saturday.

(Photo by Chris Figenshau, courtesy JHMR)

Posted under Economy, Ski Resorts, Sports, Weather

Tags: jackson hole mountain resort, powder, skiing, snowboarding

Good luck to all the travelers flying in and out of Jackson Hole this Thanksgiving.

In addition to worries about weather and holiday traffic, flyers now have to deal with X-ray body scanners and TSA grope-downs. And a nationwide protest Wednesday about these security procedures, likely to create further delays.

Fortunately, for those seeking to keep screeners from sneaking a peek at their junk, a Colorado entrepreneur has invented special underwear with scanner-blocking fig leaves to hide your genitals.

The Wall Street Journal weighed in yesterday, criticizing the TSA as terrorists, too, for turning America into an “ever more invasive police state.”

Posted under Crime, Entertainment, Holidays, Humor, Politics

Tags: Media, travel