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HarkinBanks

Booting up
Skier
Joined
May 4, 2017
Posts
19
Location
Wydaho
IDA to GTR = JAC to GTR in drive time.

Rental Car - CUV/SUV/Truck with AWD/4WD and All Season Tires or Snow Tires. This is a must for anyone. No chains. Don’t buy them.

Storms can hit and close any/all roads - Teton Pass/Hwy 33/Hwy 26. Pass just closed Saturday for a slide on the Idaho side. Realize roads can close while you’re at GTR (ie, you can’t get out of the Valley).

Stay up at GTR if you want the convenience (but realize you’ll hear the snowcats all night), but you’ll probably end up going down into Driggs anyway for dinner. Royal Wolf, Teton Thai, Tatanka Tavern, Warbirds. Stay at Pines Motel if in Driggs.

Don’t bring any ski under 100mm waist.

Cat skiing can be hit or miss. Be at least an upper intermediate/lower advanced, off-trail, Western Resort skier. Be ready to stay outside all day. Tip your Guides.

GTR is 1 layer colder than the Wasatch. Dress appropriately.

Go to the Trap Bar.

Drink lots of H2O if coming from lowlands. GTR does get its fair share of Accute Mountain Sickness patients who have just flown in from LAX or ATL, over-exerted themselves (and over imbibed), and suffer from dehydration.

Yes, it’s cloudy/foggy at GTR. Snow comes from clouds and it snows a lot at GTR.

Stop by Summit and see the Avi Dogs.

For those who are coming, PM me and I’ll try and arrange my schedule to meet up.

HB
 
Last edited:

agreen

Getting on the lift
Skier
Joined
Nov 28, 2015
Posts
223
Location
So Cal/OC
Great info Harkin as always. Thanks very much and I may take you up on your offer this season. Looking like it's going to be a good one! I'm thinking of opening weekend or weekend after Thanksgiving depending on the weather. Would love to make turns with any fellow Pugs.
 

Bigtinnie

Formerly 'sbooker' in another world.
Skier
Joined
Aug 20, 2016
Posts
221
Location
Brisbane Australia
IDA to GTR = JAC to GTR in drive time.

Rental Car - CUV/SUV/Truck with AWD/4WD and All Season Tires or Snow Tires. This is a must for anyone. No chains. Don’t buy them.

Storms can hit and close any/all roads - Teton Pass/Hwy 33/Hwy 26. Pass just closed Saturday for a slide on the Idaho side. Realize roads can close while you’re at GTR (ie, you can’t get out of the Valley).

Stay up at GTR if you want the convenience (but realize you’ll hear the snowcats all night), but you’ll probably end up going down into Driggs anyway for dinner. Royal Wolf, Teton Thai, Tatanka Tavern, Warbirds. Stay at Pines Motel if in Driggs.

Don’t bring any ski under 100mm waist.

Cat skiing can be hit or miss. Be at least an upper intermediate/lower advanced, off-trail, Western Resort skier. Be ready to stay outside all day. Tip your Guides.

GTR is 1 layer colder than the Wasatch. Dress appropriately.

Go to the Trap Bar.

Drink lots of H2O if coming from lowlands. GTR does get its fair share of Accute Mountain Sickness patients who have just flown in from LAX or ATL, over-exerted themselves (and over imbibed), and suffer from dehydration.

Yes, it’s cloudy/foggy at GTR. Snow comes from clouds and it snows a lot at GTR.

Stop by Summit and see the Avi Dogs.

For those who are coming, PM me and I’ll try and arrange my schedule to meet up.

HB

Is the bus from Jackson to and from Targhee reliable? What time does it get back in to Jackson at the end of the day?
 

Tony

tseeb
Skier
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Posts
1,284
Location
Northern CA
Is the bus from Jackson to and from Targhee reliable? What time does it get back in to Jackson at the end of the day?
Guy I shared room with and I were scheduled to take bus from Teton Village to Targhee in Feb. 2014. We had new snow every day and it warmed up a little each day to where it was about 32 at base of Tram towards end of my 5 days. On the morning we were scheduled the wind was strong when we woke up and we heard Teton Pass was closed due to avalanche.

When we called at 6:45, they said trip was on as they had an alternate route (which probably was down Snake River Canyon to Alpine Junction, then 26 to Palisades). At 7:20, we were outside the Hotel Terra next door for pickup. The wind was nearly strong enough to blow down ski racks. After sharing a breakfast burrito, I went inside the hotel where they told me trip was canceled as slides now blocked both routes.

I think we were lucky because, even though we missed a free powder ski demo day at Targhee, as I later heard that alternate route is much longer and that Targhee had a white-out most of the day. Instead, I used being ready early to be one of the first in line at JHMR where I skied 10" new for 50% off using my MCP.

According to this link, the return arrives at 5:30-6.
 

Bigtinnie

Formerly 'sbooker' in another world.
Skier
Joined
Aug 20, 2016
Posts
221
Location
Brisbane Australia
^^^
Thank for that. I’ll try to plan my day trip to Targhee for a no snow day. It’ll still be fun to check out the mountain. And I might get to take in some Grand Teton views.
 

AmyPJ

Skiing the powder
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Ogden, UT
Are they 100% open then with that base?
Don't know. I'm sure nothing will be announced until opening day. Those storms and that cold air are just sitting 100 miles or so north of us here in the Ogden area. Frustrating! I don't see the local mountains opening by Thanksgiving unless it cools off a LOT, and quickly.

@HarkinBanks , thanks for the info! Pines Motel, I'll have to look into that. Last year, we stayed slopeside, but the on-hill dining options weren't fabulous. Trap Bar is way fun, and serves great REAL adult beverages. Something I miss in UT.
 

HarkinBanks

Booting up
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Joined
May 4, 2017
Posts
19
Location
Wydaho
Don't know. I'm sure nothing will be announced until opening day. Those storms and that cold air are just sitting 100 miles or so north of us here in the Ogden area. Frustrating! I don't see the local mountains opening by Thanksgiving unless it cools off a LOT, and quickly.

@HarkinBanks , thanks for the info! Pines Motel, I'll have to look into that. Last year, we stayed slopeside, but the on-hill dining options weren't fabulous. Trap Bar is way fun, and serves great REAL adult beverages. Something I miss in UT.

What opens on 11/17/17 is determined by Management, with input from Mtn. Ops, Lift Ops, Ski Patrol, etc. This decision making process will probably happen 1-2 days before the 11/17 opening and will probably be posted on the GTR website.

FYI, YTD - 90”, CJB Mid-Mountain Stake - 52” settled.


HB
 

wyowindrunner

Getting off the lift
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Joined
Aug 26, 2016
Posts
430
sacac belowJPG.JPG ski patrol.JPG

About 2 PM today. Perfect day for skinning-sunny and no wind. A few clouds blowing up from Blackfoot. The snow is settling and the groomers are out on the Teton View trail, the Headwall cat track and the cat down to Chiefs Joe's bowl from Blackfoot. Groomers have made a few runs down the ridge above the Good, Bad, and Ugly, too. The snow is creamy today but will settle a bunch more on the south exposures. Did find a couple of rocks on the way down- can't really turn it loose yet. Went up on Sunday and just turned around and went home. the upper lot was full. Today was much better-40(?)cars in the lot maybe some of those belonging to folks working. Looked like the Nordic trails ha been groomed also.
 

AmyPJ

Skiing the powder
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Ogden, UT
View attachment 32766 View attachment 32767

About 2 PM today. Perfect day for skinning-sunny and no wind. A few clouds blowing up from Blackfoot. The snow is settling and the groomers are out on the Teton View trail, the Headwall cat track and the cat down to Chiefs Joe's bowl from Blackfoot. Groomers have made a few runs down the ridge above the Good, Bad, and Ugly, too. The snow is creamy today but will settle a bunch more on the south exposures. Did find a couple of rocks on the way down- can't really turn it loose yet. Went up on Sunday and just turned around and went home. the upper lot was full. Today was much better-40(?)cars in the lot maybe some of those belonging to folks working. Looked like the Nordic trails ha been groomed also.
Jealous!!
 

wyowindrunner

Getting off the lift
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Joined
Aug 26, 2016
Posts
430
Targhee 11-17.JPG
Opening day at Grand Targhee today. 13" of fresh as of morning report and still coming down. Didn't take the camera up-would just would have been just white streaks anyhow. Pic from down by the parking lot. Got at least 5-6" more between 8:30 and 2PM and hit some good squalls in Teton valley on the way home. Terrible skiing- nothing groomed! Too much powder. (oops wrong thread- belongs in that S'bird one).
 

SBrown

So much better than a pro
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Nov 8, 2015
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Colorado
How are Targhee conditions at the moment? I know someone who might go there next week ...
 

wyowindrunner

Getting off the lift
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Joined
Aug 26, 2016
Posts
430
How are Targhee conditions at the moment? I know someone who might go there next week ...
Was up Tuesday -had about 2" of very granular under a slab crust- rained up there Monday nite. The skier cut stuff was OK- it was skiing, any how. Ha been warm and the grooming report says they are not grooming due to very soft snow. On the good side, freezing levels should drop. They are saying rain showers for us here Sunday and Monday so Targhee should see some snow. Web cam looks pretty foggy right now.
 

SBrown

So much better than a pro
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Nov 8, 2015
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Was up Tuesday -had about 2" of very granular under a slab crust- rained up there Monday nite. The skier cut stuff was OK- it was skiing, any how. Ha been warm and the grooming report says they are not grooming due to very soft snow. On the good side, freezing levels should drop. They are saying rain showers for us here Sunday and Monday so Targhee should see some snow. Web cam looks pretty foggy right now.

Thanks ... I may ask a few more questions in the next couple days. Trying to decide if it's worth a road trip, snow sounds like it could be a little sketchy though.
 

AmyPJ

Skiing the powder
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Nov 12, 2015
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Ogden, UT
Cooler weather is forecast next week, so hopefully that will help. And a storm. If we don't get snow here in the Wasatch, we might head that way again next weekend...Last weekend, conditions were really good.
 

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