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May-hem Prevails on Teton Pass

Brigid Mander

“I have to say, I am pretty proud of my fellow Jacksonites.” The guy who just said this looks at us with a big white grin, and proceeds to put his skis on his pack. “May 7^th! Gettin’ ‘er done.” He continues to marvel, smiling.

I have to realize my furious irritation that my friends and I just had to park in the overflow lot, adding 10 minutes walking along the snowy highway, getting sprayed by slush from passing vehicles up to the start of the Glory bootpack (which is currently an endless stream of bootpackers), despite it being 8:45 am on a weekday morning, in MAY! should give way to the fact that well, alright, this is pretty cool.

Like the reports from skiers from the PNW and British Columbia down to Colorado, the Tetons have been getting hammered, well, more or less since closing weekend at JHMR. And this year, it is definitely not just a die-hard few hikers out there: conditions are good. Really good. Spring can wait for now-the sun peeks out, and we cringe. Weather rolls back in, and we relax.

For spring, whether it’s the barrage of white room, face-shot crack-book photos posted, or the fact that the weather has been so bad all you can do outside is ski, people are still (or re-) stoked on skiing. Mid-winter Teton Pass powder day mayhem is unfolding right in front of us; it is one of many powder days in a row here; part of a spring that is much powderier and winterier than our recent winter.

So I smile too, shoulder my pack, and join the mayhem stomping up to the summit. I guess (occasionally) it is pretty cool to not have it all to yourself. Although, in full disclosure, I felt even better later on when we got first tracks and face shots all down some of the most fun chutes on the pass. It was the best of both worlds. As in excellent, fellow skiers: thanks for showing up, stoked and smiling…and for skiing something else.