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

On a day when pro triathlete Adam Wirth of Boise captured the PPP crown, a huge crowd gathered at Teton Village to celebrate spring’s arrival during the Jackson Hole Mountain Festival.

Perhaps as many as 4,000 people turned out Saturday for the PPP awards party, music by Lazy Eyes beneath the tram and the featured concert by Black Mother Jones and O.A.R. Parked cars lined the village entrance road all the way to Highway 390, in what may have been the largest turnout yet for the festival.

While the selection of the headliner generated strong opinions, one thing everyone could agree on was fine weather and free music make for a great party. Tailgates with generous spreads of food and beverages could be found from the PPP finish line at Astoria to the village parking lots. Most of the buzz around O.A.R. was whether rock star Dave Matthews — staying at Teton Village on vacation, skiing and snowmobiling — would join them onstage. (He did not.)

The diehard music fans pushed the festival into the wee hours of Sunday night, when the Providence, R.I., rock group Deer Tick played the Pink Garter.

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Posted under Entertainment, Music, Ski Resorts, Sports

Tags: festivals, jhmr, pink garter, ppp, rock

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

Looking ahead to spring, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort already has booked the popular rock band O.A.R. to headline its Mountain Festival on March 30.

The free concert is the centerpiece of a weekend that features the 38th annual Pole Pedal Paddle race, Coombs Classic and other music and events. Lodging and lift ticket specials are available.

O.A.R., for Of A Revolution, rose to prominence playing the college circuit and through word of mouth. Like the Dave Matthews Band, to which it is often compared, the group went on to achieve mainstream success, selling out Madison Square Garden in 2006.

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Posted under Economy, Music, Ski Resorts, Sports

Tags: center for the arts, festivals, jhmr, ppp, rock, teton village

Whether skiing, biking, paddling or skating for the Jackson Hole Moose hockey team, Spencer Morton can do it all.

Morton retained his title as the best all-around athlete in Jackson Hole yesterday by winning the racing class of the 37th annual Pole Pedal Paddle.

On a day that began with pouring rain and ended with brilliant sunshine at Astoria Hot Springs, Morton survived a grueling nordic leg and edged triathlete Adam Wirth of Boise, Idaho, and Dave Bergart of Victor. Morton’s total time for the 4,139-vertical-foot downhill, 10-k cross-country ski, 20-mile bike and 10-mile paddle was 2 hours, 22 minutes and 49 seconds.

Katie Engelman won the women’s racing class by one minute over Kathleen Crowley, finishing in 2:41:21. Peter Neal, 14, won the men’s recreational class. Complete results are posted here.

Afterward, competitors enjoyed music in the sun at Teton Village by Jackson bands Lazy Eyes and Elk Attack, followed by Mountain Fest headliner G. Love and Special Sauce. It was a perfect ending to one of the biggest PPPs in recent history.

For more on the event, see Monday’s Daily and Wednesday’s News&Guide.

Posted under Entertainment, Sports

Tags: bears, cycling, Nordic, ppp, river running, skiing

Despite the spring melt-off, the nordic leg of the Pole Pedal Paddle appears to be intact heading into Saturday’s race.

Carrie Boynton, Jackson Hole Ski Club director, says organizers are making every effort to retain the cross-country 10-k at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

“There are a few holes, but otherwise it looks good,” Boynton said of the course.

So, too, does the weather forecast for the week, calling for a mix of sun and clouds and temperatures in the high 40s and low 50s — a far cry from the frigid and downright blizzard conditions competitors have endured in recent years. Roads are dry, and the flow of the Snake River is up slightly.

Today is the deadline to sign up for the 37th annual PPP without paying a $15 late fee. The club has mulled relaxing the late fees, but it helps organizers to know in advance how many participants to expect, Boynton said. Fun class registration is likely to be up this year, with reduced entry fees and Snake River Brewing Co. offering a $250 party to the team judged to have the most spirit.

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Posted under Sports

Tags: cycling, Nordic, ppp, river running, skiing