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On a weekend that saw a Washington racer capture the Town Downhill crown, another skier quietly extended a feat stretching more than 12 years.

Ed Bushnell, the former journalist and videographer turned prosecuting attorney, returned to the Tetons and skied the backcountry Saturday, his 149th consecutive month of skiing.

Last we checked in with Ed, his streak had eclipsed 10 years. He has been skiing at least once every month since Bill Clinton was president.

To put it in perspective, when Ed began skiing year round in the fall of 2000, there was no Facebook, many of us still had dial-up Internet and it would be three years before I owned my first cell phone.

Now a deputy prosecutor in Clackamas County, Ore., Ed cobbled together gear and charged up Mount Glory with friends. He skied powder in the north-facing woods and found conditions so good that he went for a second lap.

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Posted under Sports

Tags: backcountry, ed bushnell, powder, skiing

An avalanche in Grand Teton National Park has claimed the life of snowboard mountaineer Jarad Spackman.

Spackman, a well-known Teton County resident and realtor, was caught while ascending the Apocalypse Couloir near the mouth of Death Canyon. He was carried approximately 1,000 feet, and his partner was unable to revive him, according to a park release. He was 40 years old.

The full press release follows after the jump.

Spackman was an experienced mountaineer who notched dozens of difficult descents throughout the Teton Range in the last 10 to 15 years. Only two weeks ago he explored a new route in the same area of Death Canyon with his brother, Brandon, and writer Christian Beckwith, who chronicled the experience.

This horrific news leaves many of us numb right now. My deepest condolences go out to Jarad’s family and friends.

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Posted under Deaths, Environment, Sports

Tags: avalanches, backcountry, grand teton national park, skiing, snowboarding

The Bridger-Teton National Forest Avalanche Center began issuing its online forecasts this week loaded with new graphics and features, in what forecaster Bob Comey calls a “soft opening” for the site.

Avalanche hazard and mountain weather forecasts are available for the Teton area twice daily, at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Forecasts for the Greys River and Togwotee Pass areas are posted each morning.

New this year is a section called “Avalanche Problems,” which explains the type of hazard backcountry users should look for. A graphic illustrates the aspects and elevations where the problem can be found, and other metrics show the size, likelihood and distribution, as well as whether the trend is growing worse.

The center received grants from the Forest Service and 1 Percent for the Tetons to upgrade the service, which received more than 1.3 million visits via web, email and phone (307-733-2664) last winter. Online page views were up 65 percent, while the number of phone calls dropped in half.

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Posted under Environment, Media, Ski Resorts, Sports, Weather

Tags: avalanches, backcountry, jhmr, powder, skiing, snowboarding

With the Tetons freshly capped in snow for the first time this autumn, the timing couldn’t be better for Saturday’s screening of Further, the second installment in the backcountry riding trilogy from snowboarder Jeremy Jones and filmmaker Teton Gravity Research.

Picking up where he left off in Deeper, the film finds Jones continuing to push his limits as he ventures into more remote terrain — without the use of lifts or helicopters. “Through research, patience and hard work, the crew was able to live in caves and on glaciers to ride untouched lines without another human in sight,” TGR explains.

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Posted under Entertainment, Environment, Media, Sports

Tags: backcountry, films, powder, skiing, snowboarding, teton gravity research

Steve Romeo lived to ski. He loved the mountains. And boy, did he love his gear that allowed him to ski, run and fish the Tetons.

The late ski mountaineer accumulated a Matterhorn’s worth of gear while working as assistant manager at Skinny Skis and running the satellite shop in Moose each summer. And in recent years, thanks to his blog, Teton AT, he received all sorts of free products for testing and promotion.

To honor his memory, friends and family are selling much of Romeo’s gear. The sale will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday (and Sunday, if any remains) at 3025 Aster Lane, just north of The Aspens and C–V Ranch on Highway 390.

Skis, boots, poles, bindings, clothing, packs, ice axes, helmets, tents and sleeping bags will be available. There also will be waders and fishing gear, other climbing accessories and a wide assortment of running shoes.

Proceeds will benefit the Steve Romeo Memorial Fund, which his family hopes to use for youth skiing/mountaineering scholarships or conservation.

Rando Steve would want us all well equipped. This way, we can carry his spirit into the mountains with us on our next adventure.

Posted under Sports

Tags: backcountry, climbing, gear, hiking, skiing