paul@hpfclk.UUCP (01/28/84)
Well, here it is. A report on the trip by the HP SKi Club in Ft. Collins, Co to Jackson Hole from Jan 19 to Jan 22. COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD and HARDPACKED! It was real hard getting up the first morning (we stayed at the Jackson Hole Racquet Club). The temp at the base of the mountain was a bone chilling -30 degrees (still air temperature) and it was a balmy -4 at midmountain. After a bus ride over to the ski area, we all went inside to unfreeze our feet and get ready for the first run. At least it was sunny, and a beautiful day. We froze pretty good on the first couple of runs, but then started to warm up, and had a generally good day. The conditions were not what I consider very good - it had not snowed since Christmas (over 3 weeks ago!) and the runs were extremely hard packed. The bumps were challenging too. Even with the sun out most of the the day, they never softened up. There was still plenty of snow, however, so we had no problems with rocks. The upper bowls (Laramie, Rendevous, Cheyenne, etc) had pockets of good snow, but they were few and far between. You did not want to fall, for it meant a lOOOng slide down the mountain; an ice axe was almost needed to self arrest. Off the trails at mid mountain one could find lots of "ice cubes" to toss and turn you. Although it seemed hardly fun at the time, it did teach most of us a few new things about this crazy sport in which one slaps 6 ft boards onto the bottoms of ones feet. Finally, on the last day (we skiied 3 days), snow fell - about 2 inches on the bottom and 5-7 inches on top. Now the bowls became somewhat more fun (if you wanna call whitoeut conditions fun!). After that day of skiing, we boarded our bus for the long trip back to Ft. Collins. What do I think of the ski area? I have really mixed reactions. It has some really steep and neat terrain, although some of the best skiing is hard to find because one is always afraid of falling off a cliff. It seems like quite a few of the other runs have the dreaded double fall lines, which are a pain in the ass. I would not want to be skiing there when it is crowded; although a big mountain (over 4,000 ft of drop), there are only 6 lifts and 1 tram (the tram seems like it is always crowded). There are only 2 tiny mid mountain eating places, and no big eating establishment down below. Yes, I would do it again, but I would like to have about 10 inches of new snow every morning! Paul "It's Better in Utah" Beiser
hogue@hsi.UUCP (01/31/84)
Ah yes you found out about Jackson! I have been there 6 times for a week
each time. The conditions have ranged from those described to powder so
deep you can't ski it without a snorkel to warm spring conditions in
january. But non the less there is more terrain and wide open skiing
at Jackson than anywhere else I have ever been. Its high on my list.
--
Jim Hogue, Health Systems International, New Haven, CT
{kpno, ihnp4}!hsi!hogue