Here in Jackson Hole, 09-10 was shaping up in a rough way…dismal snowfall, a hateful snowpack, and nothing but dry, dry, weather forecasts. Things were bad, although recently, someone drunkenly informed me at a party…el nino was dissipating. He must have been right, because now it is snowing and it is deep.

Sure, it’s not the only huge snowfall of the season in North America, but for Jackson Hole, up until a few days ago, hurting for snow was putting it kindly. Add to that the fact that no one was expecting the recent transformation from a buy-a-plane-ticket-to-the-tropics ski season to relentless, over the head choking powder, at a resort empty of tourists, and you have an absolutely epic event. Over five feet in the Tetons in less than a week has created a new world.

And it is deep, really deep, perfect consistency snow, thoroughly delivering purpose back into ski bums’ lives. The comments of “I just had the best run of my life!” and “That was the best/deepest/sickest/most ridiculous I’ve ever skied that” etc., have been nonstop since Friday-even coming from long-time locals. And hopefully, with more storms on the way, this could be the status quo for the near future.

http://www.jacksonhole.com (43″ in 72 hours) & www.grandtarghee.com (48″)