Northern Rockies/Alberta Targhee conditions right now?

[wyowindrunner]

Snow was good today. Morning report said 4" but many places were 2" past the handle on an inverted pole and some more. Fog broke for a little while around 11 am and then set in low- half way down from the Shoshone lift for a while. Some of the south facing lower slopes have a few crunchy and exposed rocks from about 1/2 way down. Stayed over in powder cache till about 11am then tried to get a new set of skis figured out rest of day (FX85).

 

[AmyPJ]

Sunday's forecast is looking great!
Tomorrow looks decent, too.

 

[wyowindrunner]

The snow forecast for today didn't start showing up until this afternoon, hopefully it arrives in the amounts NOAA says it will, they were still showing the same forecast at about 12:30 or so - starting coming about the time I left around 2PM. Snow was good- wind had filled in places with about inch or so of fresh and the crud piles were pretty soft. Keep your fingers crossed for tomorrow.

 

[AmyPJ]

The snow forecast for today didn't start showing up until this afternoon, hopefully it arrives in the amounts NOAA says it will, they were still showing the same forecast at about 12:30 or so - starting coming about the time I left around 2PM. Snow was good- wind had filled in places with about inch or so of fresh and the crud piles were pretty soft. Keep your fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Today was freakin' AMAZING. Spent a bunch of time on Blackfoot area, and had a blast. I was actually glad to see the sun for much of the day. We also left right around when the snow really started to fly. Can't wait to get back up there in January!

 

[wyowindrunner]

Yes it wasn't too bad, skied the headwall and the bumps below until the legs were shot. Snow is coming fast now at my house between Rigby and Ririe -three inches + in the last two and a half hours. Hope it keeps up! Hopefully you folks down there get some of this storm.

 

[wyowindrunner]

Forgot to ask-visibility was good today- how did you manage your fear issues or have they dissipated to a manageable degree?

 

[AmyPJ]

Forgot to ask-visibility was good today- how did you manage your fear issues or have they dissipated to a manageable degree?

So, I did great!! We messed with the cuff adjustment on my boots because the right one in particular just has NOT felt right since I got these boots last season. I skied the headwall with no real issues! I was still quivering about halfway down, but I think that's as much residual fear from last season as anything! I did it once, and then the other groomed run from there and did just fine. I decided that was enough and called it good and headed over to Shoshone. The snow in Chief Joe Bowl was really nice, too.

Can't wait to get back up there.

 

[wyowindrunner]

Targee skied great today- first"blower" snow of the season- was still coming when I left at 2PM. The bad thing is there is nothing forcast for the next few days. Glad to hear !

 

[wyowindrunner]

Up today for the first time since Monday. Sunny skies and no wind. Pretty nice for the 'Gee. Half of eastern Idaho was enjoying it ,too. Didn't cover a lot of real estate- stayed on the Headwall and the the bumps between the trees below- thought the headwall was pretty good- few scrapped off spots but still pretty soft. The "C" or black line in the bumps were iced up for the most part-the tops and sides were still soft. A little more grooming than usual for Targhee.

 

[AmyPJ]

Up today for the first time since Monday. Sunny skies and no wind. Pretty nice for the 'Gee. Half of eastern Idaho was enjoying it ,too. Didn't cover a lot of real estate- stayed on the Headwall and the the bumps between the trees below- thought the headwall was pretty good- few scrapped off spots but still pretty soft. The "C" or black line in the bumps were iced up for the most part-the tops and sides were still soft. A little more grooming than usual for Targhee.

How's it holding up with this ridge of high pressure, and no new snow?
I can see why you stay on the headwall. That's good stuff over there!

 

[wyowindrunner]

Snow seems good to me- still some fluff to it it.

 

[wyowindrunner]

Was up this afternoon for a while- skied the usual- snow is hard- lifties said it was in the 40's yesterday, working in T-shirts getting tanned (burned). Was certainly sunny today. mid after noon the lower level stuff by base was getting soft enough to leave some pretty good tracks in higher up not so much. Bumps in the G,B & U openings were iced in the troughs, the A & B parts were good- just quick turns to stay on the tops and sides. The open area below the east woods is getting some bumps among the traverse cuts and the snow is firm but not iced - is fun to ski. On some of the steeper, higher angle stuff rocks are starting to show. There is a little fluffy stuff left on the Headwall, but not consistent or predictable. The pic may make it look nicer than it is some is pretty firm. We,like everyone else, need snow.

 

[PisteOff]

Thanks for all the updates. I booked lodging for the 23rd to the 26th. It's a little closer to Jackson than it is Targhee but our plan is to ski Targhee the first two days and than hit JH on the third. Plans can always change...... We were going to do Aspen/Snowmass (MCP) but they just don't have much of anything open there yet. I'd rather hold off until Jan/Feb but I have to work around my son's school schedule. I'm already pulling him out of school for a week to do the Utah Gathering.

 

[wyowindrunner]

Another sunny day at Targhee. Didn't get up there until shortly before noon. Nice after driving up from Rigby/ Ririe area- foggy and got worse on the way until about River Rim- same going home at 4:30- But who cares about the ride right? Two inches of fresh that was not very tracked up made skiing the crusted crud bumps tolerable. The headwall was firm- think a lot of the new snow was blown away. There are some rocks peeking thru 10-15 feet below the cat track.Farther below, above the trees and into the start of the bumps it was good snow. There were some small (emphasis on small) in the north side of some of the trees down below the Good ,Bad and Ugly, and got a few good runs thru the bumps before the two footed snow removal teams started to work on removing any sign of fresh snow in the troughs. The groomers below the Blackfoot lift were tracked out but there were some nice spots below Steamvent that had no tracks and held some nice snow for the conditions. Ventured over to The Sacajawea side and made one run. Lower elevation here has not been kind to the snow . There is a lot more crap exposed here, and the lower stuff has the froze and refroze crud piles. Getting to the feeder back to the lift, cut to the right and got above the feeder about 70 yrs or so to the east. This is in the shade most of the timed had some nice snow- soft and fluffy and no crude bumps- or maybe it just felt that way after coming down Birdwomen. Supposed to get some snow between now and Saturday night- think they are saying 1-3" both Friday and Saturday-Rode up once with a guy from CO- pass holder at CB- says there is not much there.

 

[wyowindrunner]

A little fresh snow and most of the un-groomed stuff is skiing pretty well until reaching the lower south facing areas above the main cat track leading back to base. The headwall is ok and the stuff near the Blackfoot lift still has some soft snow. a lot of the more traveled routes in Ravenwood/ Powder Cache are getting pretty tracked out. There was some powder left in the low angle aspens above the cat track leading back to the Blackfoot lift. The troughs between bumps in the trees below the Good and Bad are scrapped bare - not likely to improve until some big dumps occur and the board hordes lessen after the holidays. The snow in the Ugly was still pretty good until getting new the bottom- then it's scrapped out too. Was cold today-in the teens or less.

 

[slowrider]

Thanks for the updates. We'll be spending the first week of March at Targhee.

 

[blah]

Great to read. Heading out there the week between Xmas and New Year's. Hope more snow will be in the forecast.

A little fresh snow and most of the un-groomed stuff is skiing pretty well until reaching the lower south facing areas above the main cat track leading back to base. The headwall is ok and the stuff near the Blackfoot lift still has some soft snow. a lot of the more traveled routes in Ravenwood/ Powder Cache are getting pretty tracked out. There was some powder left in the low angle aspens above the cat track leading back to the Blackfoot lift. The troughs between bumps in the trees below the Good and Bad are scrapped bare - not likely to improve until some big dumps occur and the board hordes lessen after the holidays. The snow in the Ugly was still pretty good until getting new the bottom- then it's scrapped out too. Was cold today-in the teens or less.

 

[blah]

Actually, I'm a little intrigued by the Targhee cat skiing operation. Do conditions warrant a cat skiing day? Or save it for later in the season for more snow?

 

[wyowindrunner]

Actually, I'm a little intrigued by the Targhee cat skiing operation. Do conditions warrant a cat skiing day? Or save it for later in the season for more snow?

I it was my choice,if scheduling allowed, wait for some sustained cold and a couple big dumps.

 

[Bob Peters]

I it was my choice,if scheduling allowed, wait for some sustained cold and a couple big dumps.

This seems like exceedingly good advice.