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Anonymous
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Just got back last night from 8 days in Jackson Hole. Stayed at a friend from Boston College parents retirement (future) home. Needless to say it was nice, and considering the conditions, it was nice to have a place to hang out in that wasn't just a single room with a tv. <BR> <BR>As for conditions, they were pretty dissapointing. The first day i was there it was a hard crust, everywhere. In speaking with locals i found out they hadn't had any significant snowfall in about a month, and it showed. Being on the mountain when conditions were mediocre makes you realize how small the place really is. With bowls and trees basically unskiable the few groomers were so crowded that by mid morning all but the flattest areas had formed decent moguls which precluded carving or anything but super tight turns. Of course i had only brought my Rossi Scratch BC's expecting some snow and left the Atomic R.11's at home, and the Atomic's would have been 100 times better in the conditions we experienced. On our second day the mountain claimed 9" of new at the top. This was nice, but wasn't exactly a great "powder" day, as the snow was merely a blanket disguising the rock solid crust underneath the new, turning was easy, but once you went to stop you'd hit the crust and slide out, what i would call true "variable" conditions. This was our best day, as after this storm it got clear and very warm, with (late) spring conditions on all but the very top of the mountain, heavy snow, soft bumps on groomers, and lots of t-shirt skiers around. Kind of dissapointing when you go out to this mecca of an area for a week and this is what you get for a week. And of course the forecast is for a major storm this middle of this week. <BR> <BR>Our best day was at Targhee, mainly due to their efficient grooming, greater snow retention, and low skier density. We had a great time at this mountain, even two days after this storm there were pockets of fresh, and i agree with the article on it on the main page. <BR> <BR>I'm rambling now, but if you are ever out there, rent some snowmobiles from Recreational Rentals in Jackson and head out to Togwanee Pass. Snowmobile mecca for all you slednecks out there. <BR> <BR>The only saving grace to the mediocre ski conditions is Jackson itself, this is a unique area, in terms of location, demographics, and its seemingly "integrated" nature. I mean, we had to stop for bison crossing the highway, and moose on our snowshoe trail staring us down, not to mention listening to trumpeter swans calling back and forth for a while in a tributary of the snake river. Jackson is a place i could easily fall in love with, regardless of the skiing. <BR> <BR>I'm heading back to utah (the canyons) in a couple weeks for my last trip out west this year. Hopefully the conditions will make up for ones in jackson, but all in all my trip was very enjoyable.