les tetons

I climbed this peak 12 years ago but was afraid to go to this point.

teton glacier...the scale is up to your imagination

Just perfect weather! The clouds in the background are actually plumes of smoke from wildfires.

Interestingly, after a decade of cramponing up steep snow and skiing down, the snowfield on this route was petrifying without crampons and down climbing it was unthinkable. So much so that I chose to down climb wet fifth class rock instead. Twelve years ago, before I had ever used crampons, I dashed up and down the snow field in leather boots and one alpine axe without hesitation.

summer ski camp week 3

 cronies

summer ski camp week 2

Week 2 was game day. I posted up here at this amazing bivy site. 

This was the main objective. On the first try I was turned back by high wind (ancraophobia) and forced to the other side of the canyon were I gained this amazing vantage as well as an amazing run. What an awesome view of this mountain, 3rd highest in the range!

The ranges namesake formation

The savy will recognize this one. The shot is 30x and looking North Westish from the same location as the second photo.

The second shot at the main objective went down like a special forces raid.

About to de-Send!

rest days

While skiing off the highway I ran into a character who told me about an experience with a "spirit animal" that told him what he needed to know about life. I have never had such an experience. We discussed whether his experience came from outside or from inside, like a subconscious projection thingy. His conclusion was that it didn't matter, only the message was important, not its source. 

While resting for week two I scoped out the trailhead where I had been warned of marmots eating radiator hoses and break lines. I came equipped with chicken wire, although my research indicated that this was more of a spring time problem and it was, after all, summer.

I woke in the night to the sound of teeth on metal, my favorite! I lept from my truck expecting to see a fat marmot or two scurrying away, but no, nothing. Back to sleep, repeat several times...this was not marmot behavior. Years ago in the Crazy Mountains I was visited by a similar character. After repeated shouts, projectiles and even a stern kick from within my bivy sac the visitor returned. 

This time I got out the headlamp. Holy crap, my spirit animal! Unsure of its intentions I stabbed it three times with a ski pole. Its mass was impressive. I was sure there would be blood, but the creature only let out a soft hiss with each pole thrust.

In the morning I awoke wondering if this had really happened. As if on cue, the creature made a rare day time appearance and spent the following night harmlessly chewing on my frame, weird!

Spiny Norman at ease.

Spiny Norman, stressing

how do these things mate?

posted up for the night

Mr. Rosy finch picked seeds from the snow/grass boundary all day

And there's usually one of these near the trail head...

uh....

When I first pulled in this guy landed on my side view mirror several times, very curious.

gumbies and otens

Lured by crazy easy access, gumbies and otens throw themselves at 50 degree headwalls beneath 747 sized rotting cornices like it was liberty bowl on Lone Peak. I launch into an old favorite, friend photographing from rock star vantage.  The snow pack in the tooths this year is pushing 200%, meaning cornices really are 747 sized and head walls are higher and steeper; As I crest the horizon and commit to the line this becomes clear. Suddenly, everything I know about steep skiing flowed back in and snapped into focus. One of the best things about this sport is that an athlete can call on decades of muscle memory long after most other sports' athletes have hung up the cleats. In this sport one is the ball. My biggest kick is rolling the ball down the most asthetic least probable lines. Remember Marble Madness for 8-bit Nintendo? You are the ball.

Most folks on the Highway are trying to be seen at the poma lift in their summer swag, the older gentleman keeps a lower profile. Summer swag is cool, but winter swag is always in the pack. I round a bend in the highway and a liter of rain and gropple is forced through my half-open window by a 50 mph gust.

Most folks also use the highway as an end in itself, as I did once. This year skiing on the highway was simply training for the main objective. In addition to skiing, cycling at 11,000 feet is a pretty unique opportunity (cycle up, ski down, repeat). This helped me take my pulse rate from 77 to 50 in just two weeks (!).

As the week ended I cemented plans and took two full rest days (crucial). Week two would be game day.

Summer ski camp week one training pics

Ty and his pooch with June Coulie in the background

Ty opens up the head wall

wonder dog was hesitant

Jono from Kansas!

Mike opens the centerpiece. Nice photos Ty, thanks!

amazing light! just before I dropped in the clouds parted!

Dave Anderson opens up Hanging Coulie. Dave has been skiing the Beartooths for 56 years (fifty-six!) Skiing with Dave was a day long beta stream on the Beartooths and world travel adventure. Thanks for sharing!

Made For Aces, not in

The old '57 Chevy that busted through the old wooden guard rail