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

With 9 inches of snow reported yesterday and more falling today, April already has surpassed January for snowfall in the Tetons, as a typically dreary mountain spring masquerades for prolonged winter.

The Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center has measured 52 inches of snowfall in Rendezvous Bowl so far this month, compared to 45 inches for all of January, which was plagued by cold drought.

The center ceased issuing avalanche and weather forecasts yesterday but will continue to post automated readings for temperature, wind and snowfall.

The water content of the snowpack in the upper Snake River basin above Jackson Lake now measures 106 percent of average — which is about right, after an average winter.

Props to the spring break-starved prankster who made his or her feelings known about the weather last Tuesday along Pearl Avenue. For the winter weary, relief is on the way, with the National Weather Service calling for sunny and near 60 by the end of the week.

Posted under Environment, Ski Resorts, Sports, Weather

Tags: powder, skiing, snake river, snowboarding

Today’s chilly morning, with a temperature of -8 degrees at Jackson Hole Airport, made for lots of annoying “I’m glad I’m on spring break” Facebook posts, but it was not a record, according to meteorologist Jim Woodmencey.

The record for March 25 in Jackson is -27 degrees, set in 1965, he said.

The meteorologist noted colder temperatures in Bondurant (-18) and at Yellowstone Lake (-19) this morning. The lows may have been even a few degrees colder before dawn, he said.

The recent blast of winter has ensured that there will be a nordic leg for the 38th annual Pole Pedal Paddle on Saturday. The Jackson Hole Ski Club will set a course at the base of the mountain by the Teewinot and/or Eagle’s Rest lifts.

Today is the deadline to register for the PPP without paying an additional $15 registration fee. Sign up to participate individually or with a team here.

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Posted under Ski Resorts, Sports, Weather

Tags: cycling, jhmr, Nordic, ppp, ski racing, skiing

For a second straight year, Snow King’s annual Pond Skimming Party falls on St. Patrick’s Day. And while the recent spring weather would have been ideal, perhaps even filling the pool, the snowstorm predicted for Sunday will only heighten the stakes for skimmers.

Festivities run from noon to 4 p.m., with music, food and sudsy beverages. Last year organizers poured green beer, and there has been talk of coloring the pool. Check out the resort’s Facebook page for photos and more details.

For those looking to celebrate their Irish heritage off the slopes, tonight Center for the Arts hosts the acclaimed Celtic band Lúnasa. Tickets start at $15.

And over in Teton Valley, Fitzgerald’s Bicycles throws its 10th annual St. Patrick’s party at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at the Wildwood Room. Snake River Brewery has made a special batch of Irish stout, and The Flannel Attractions will perform.

This video is from the 2010 pond skim. To all the hardy participants, Sláinte!

Posted under Entertainment, Holidays, Ski Resorts, Sports, Weather

Tags: beer, parties, skiing, snow king, snowboarding

Snow King Ski Area will open its Cougar and Summit chairs to the public Saturday, finally kicking off lift service this winter at the Town Hill.

Skiers and snowboarders did not wait. As documented in the clip above, many hiked the mountain Monday and rode deep, smooth powder, after a storm dumped a foot of snow on the upper slopes.

Wyoming’s first ski area originally planned to open Dec. 8, but warm weather hampered snowmaking and rendered the mountain Rain King.

With a little help from Mother Nature, snowmakers have been catching up. Today the Cougar chair operated for a race, and the resort finally groomed the frozen chunks of death cookies on the lower slopes into a carpet of corduroy.

A two-hour lift ticket is $20. The warming hut by the Alpine Slide is serving as season pass office while Snow King Center is undergoing renovation.

(Video courtesy David Gonzales of TreeFight)

Posted under Economy, Ski Resorts, Sports, Weather

Tags: powder, skiing, snow king, snowboarding

The mercury may have been hovering around -10 the last few mornings, but this year is likely to be the warmest ever recorded in Wyoming, according to the National Climatic Data Center.

Temperatures for January through November were 4.3 degrees above normal. Given the mild start to December, 2012 is projected to surpass 1934 as the warmest year since record keeping began in 1895.

Three of the warmest years in the state’s history have occurred since 2006, according to NOAA data. 2007 was the fourth-warmest, and 2006 ranks sixth.

The trend is in keeping with the rest of the nation, as 2012 likely will be the hottest on record in the lower 48. Northern and Western states showed the greatest increases in temperatures, with only Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada and North Dakota exceeding Wyoming’s deviation from the norm.

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Posted under Environment, Weather, Wyoming

Tags: climate change