It hasn’t snowed in a couple weeks. Many of my friends are complaining. I’m not. Two thousand feet of untracked powder snow sits silently waiting below my ski tips.
Before descending, I pause and admire the extraordinary winter landscape. On the other side of Indian Creek, where my couloir empties out, stands a wall of unnamed and untracked 9,000-foot peaks. Farther north, familiar landmarks, including Mount Baird and Palisades Peak, stir memories of epic exploratory ski tours.
Mount Glory and the Grand Teton punctuate the horizon. Worthy of its reputation as a world-class ski mountaineering destination, the Teton Range has been the primary focus of skiers in Jackson Hole. The iconic beauty of the Teton Range and its seemingly limitless snowy couloirs, bowls, basins, canyons, and peaks justifiably captivates a skier’s eye. However, when you are mesmerized by the Tetons, it is easy to overlook the hundreds of other worthy ski objectives that surround Jackson Hole.
Eventually succumbing to the pull of gravity, I slowly gain momentum and large cold crystals of frozen dew scatter in my wake. Arcing my skis I bend down the fall line and begin a series of effortless turns. In this frozen alpine realm of snow, rock, and pine, I feel connected. Life’s distractions are swept away. I’m in the moment and euphoria permeates my mortal soul.
On my return trip, I’m greeted by stupendous views to the south and east. Guarded by the frigid Snake River, the untracked north face of Bradley Mountain rises like a medieval castle—its white gold guarded by an icy moat. Beyond, the Salt River, Wyoming, and Gros Ventre ranges form a primordial mountain landscape of snow-covered peaks beckoning to be skied.
I’m ready to answer the call. Are you?
If the answer is yes, you need a copy of Thomas Turiano's Jackson Hole Backcountry Skiers Guide: South, the latest of his steller guide books. Order one today!
"For the intrepid backcountry skier, untracked snow slopes are blank three-dimensional canvases mounted on easels of majestic mountains. Grace the snow with your creative stroke, and be instantly rewarded with an exhilarating burst of sensation and satisfaction. Whether it is a steep carpet of velvet corn or an undulating sea of cold fluff, the untracked promises adventure, risk, and infinite unknown rewards. Jackson Hole’s vast untracked paradise beckons." - Thomas Turiano
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