Down days

So the snow stopped about a week ago. Which is fine, because it had to stop at some stage... Right?

Yes, I did stop. 4 days in total. It currently dumping again. Probably around an inch an hour down here at our apartment. Which is pretty positive!

I'm getting a little jumpy right about now watching all this snow accumulate. Its been almost 4 days since I've skied. Not because I'm a total powder junky and refuse to ski anything other than untracked powder... I have actually been battling with a bit of a back injury. Nothing major I hope. But it is a reoccurring injury that has been bugging me for a while now.

I felt 90% this morning and almost went skiing. I decided to take it easy, keep up the rehab and wait for tomorrow, as we could be looking at a couple feet of new snow by morning. Tomorrow is sure to be a pretty good day.

The view from our apartment.

The team grow's stronger.

Thursday the 28th of January I enjoyed a bit of a sleep in, followed by a very causal breakfast. No rush needed today, no new snow, and its a weekday. Plan for the day was a little backcountry mission to an area just outside the resort know as 4 Pines.

Blue bird day, no wind, prefect weather! We got out the gates of the resort and started on a nice hike up towards 4 pines. Nothing major involved here only about 35 to 40 mins total hiking.

Once we got to the top we noticed that we were definitely no the only people that had been up into this area. Still a nice run down got some very fresh turns. Great to to get out of the resort and see first hand the conditions out of bounds.

Later on that day the rest of the crew are set to arrive into town. Andrew from NZ, flew in in the afternoon. And the 4 Aussie's, Brodie, Kat, Kim and Bobby from Melbourne were arriving later that night.

An unbelievable transformation

5ft of snow was the outrageous clam by some locals... The amount of snow needed to 'Save' the season. I mean if it didn't snow, its not like I would have come home. But the thought definitely crossed my mind...

5ft is a lot of snow, further more if this magical 5ft of snow was going to arrive on our door step, was almost certainly not something that was going to happen over night, or at least even over a few nights. Or was is..??

On Monday the 19th of Jan it started snowing... Hard, and continued: Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri and Sat. Then stopped briefly, and then started again, and continued for another couple days. Finally ending this afternoon, when the clouds actually lifted for the first time since our arrival, and we were actually able to see outside our apartment. To our surprise, we have quite the amazing view!

Beween these two storms that ravaged the Jackson over the last week. We topped out at just over 5ft of fresh snow. At its peak, we had something like 50inch's in 72hours. leaving our season snow fall total at 244inch's.

The skiing day to day as you could imagine was out of control. Deep turned to deeper which turned to drowning and choking on powder.

We skied some amazing areas the last few days. Some spots were particularly amazing as they had not been open all season.

No skier or boarder had had the privilege to plough trenches down the prefect white powdered slopes. Until now.

Tuesday morning, we got up early. Strait up the gondola the on to a hike known as the 'Elevator.' There's no other way to say it, but this hike SUCKS. The reward however is worth it. Over and over again.

We skied an area called the Crags. A good way to describe this area in words would be. Super Mario Land. Ski down as hard and a fast as you want hopping, jumping and flying from soft powder pillow to powder pillow. So much fun! The photos speak for them selfs.

Photos by Tristan Greszko

The first couple days

After arriving in Jackson and getting settled into our new pad and our attention quickly shifted to the weather forecast.

General chat around the town was not very promising. The 3 of us were actually a bit stunned at the apparent negativity and general depressed state of the town. I knew that the snow this season had so far been pretty limited. But the overall effects of the low snow year were definitely unexpected.

Our first day on the hill really put into perspective what everyone in town had been talking about. Parts of the mountain were virtually unrecognisable. Massive rocks and cliffs visible in normally smooth open runs.

Back to the forecast... There was some snow on the 7day lookout, but really no more than a few inch's here and there. Talk around the locals was even worse. "This has been happening all year, a storm would line up to be a few days away, then break apart leaving next to nothing." "We really need 5ft of snow, then we will be back on track."

That night it started snowing. We woke up the next morning to snow dumping outside the window.

Day two on the hill, things were on the improve. The quality of skiing was better, but our body's were not too happy with this sudden burst of activity.

The snow continued to fall steadily. However the forecast didn't look all the promising...

Transit

Now traveling for me is normally quite a hassle. It generally involves very large bags, excess baggage, and trying to get away with as much as possible.

This year was no exception.

Yes, I am going to be living in a ski resort. But that doesn't mean I will be traveling with skis...

4 bags: Camera bag, containing 5 cameras of different verities. Backpack containing clothes. Large 2m+ board on wheels containing my windsurfing board, a couple masts and a few bit and pieces. Sail bag containing 2 sails, boom couple pieces of clothing and a pair of thongs.

Later on in my travels I will be in Maui Hawaii, so this gear might come in handy then.

Definitely not easy process carrying all this gear around an airport, but I managed. Only having to pay $125 excess between Melbourne to Jackson Hole. No where near what I was supose to pay,but through great confusion and a bit of magic I got away with it.

To my surprise all bags arrived in Jackson on time.

On our arrival in Jackson, Sam Hoop's and I were greeted by my sister. All set to go with my Chevy van, loaded with all my new skis boots etc and all my left over gear from last season.

We were back!!!

A weekend in NZ

Well after an amazing and busy christmas new yeas period it was time to pack my bags and get ready to get back to the USA.

I left on the 15th Of Jan at about 1pm. Feeling a little shady after a great night at True South Brewery in Black Rock, catch up with friends.

Luckily I didnt have to travel too far, only 3 hours to Auckland.

Flew in to Auckland in the late arvo met up with my friend Andrew and drove north to the holiday town of Omaha. About an hour from Auckland, its the Portsea of Melbourne. Really beautiful place had and amazing dinner with Anderw's girlfriend's family, feasting on fresh Snapper.

Up relatively early the next morning, quick coffee, jump in the car and off to the boat ramp for a bit of skirfing. Then back to the house for a big cooked breaky.

Then it was back to Auckland for the afternoon for the final of the Heineken open, which some how we had free tickets to. Second row seats too. Great game, that went to 3 sets finishing in a tie break.

After the tennis it was onto the after party, which involved many drinks and some great music.

One thing lead to another and somehow it turned into a pretty big night...

Sunday the 17th came around before I even knew it. I met up with Nick Hooper and Sam Winstone, and we were off the the airport. Next stop USA.