At last, straight from Jackson Hole, an action shot! Ann goes full tilt on the pleasant 4-mile loop to Taggart Lake in Grand Teton National Park. It’s a little windy today, which feels pretty cold with the below zero temperatures. There’s also a nice cloud bank rolling in, which we hope will provide some snow.…

Rendevous Mountain reports three inches of new snow, so Ann and I head for the mountain with Jon and Katja to give it a try. The new snow is just enough to soften the icy base and make it fun. Jon and Katja give us a good tour of the mountain, starting on Apres Vous…

We plan to hit the ski lifts at Teton Village while we’re in Jackson, but we’re hoping for some new snow first. In the meantime, I head out with my dad and Sarah for another cross country outing, this time to Shadow Mountain. Once again we follow a forest road packed by snowmobiles, but this…

We’re in Jackson Hole, Wyoming with my dad and Sarah, staying with Ann’s uncle Jon. Dad has bestowed upon me a piece of gear I’ve dreamed about for years, a Voile split board. It splits into wide skis with skins for touring up the hill, then joins into a snowboard for bombing down. I can’t…

On our third try in as many weeks we finally make it to the Snowy Range Ski Area for an afternoon of turns. This is the place where I learned to snowboard back before Burton figured out that snowboards didn’t need fins like surfboards. It kept me out of at least as much trouble as…

I actually had the trail up to Lookout Mountain in mind for a snowshoe outing today, but not knowing the area Sean and I stop just a bit too soon at Crystal Mountain Road, and start up that. It’s uncannily warm compared to recent temperatures, and perfectly still. We’ve soon peeled down to short sleeves.…

The weather is gorgeous in Fort Collins, so we head north in high spirits to try a little skiing at Snowy Range. It is not to be. Many times I’ve seen the weather go to pot right at the Wyoming border. Today the border brings ground blizzards. In the bright sun it doesn’t seem too…

Even though the snow at Bogus Basin was not quite as good today, I left with a real fondness for the place. With perfect blue skies and not a breath of wind, we were treated to one visual feast after another. Orange sun on spruce trees with every needle encrusted in snow. A bright half…

We explore another small ski area. This one is near Boise, has six lifts, and is playfully named Bogus Basin. Once again we’re fortunate to hit decent snow, and several inches more fall while we’re there, keeping it fresh. The area is spread out, requiring some traversing from lift to lift. It has good trees,…

We need some activity to break up the long drive to visit Ann’s family in Nampa, Idaho, so we stop at tiny Pomerelle Mountain Ski Area. We’re lucky to hit beautiful weather and a nice foot of fresh powder. I’m reminded of the virtues of little podunk ski areas like this: easy access to your…