2008, by powderjunky

June, summer is finally here, pools are open, tourists swarm town like flies on poop, and oh yeah, backcountry skiing is still on!!! In light of the longest day of the year, this Friday we left the Lupine Meadows trailhead around 7pm and made it to camp around 10pm, just as the last light was fading. We had some pretty heavy packs filled with camping, skiing and climbing gear.

Doing my best to keep upright!

In order to coax my fiancé into going on these ‘silly excursions’ ( her words, not mine) I usually have to bear most of the load. So like a retired, past his prime pack mule I was loaded up with two sets of skis, tent, sleeping bags, pads, clothes, ice axe, water, and a bear container filled with only the most nutritious snacks Albertson’s has to offer (more on this later). Getting the pack on was the crux of this whole adventure, and once up and walking I was sure not to squat to low as I may never have been able to get back up.

Hiking along with a heavy pack, and shotty ski boots.

Like an old man in a rocking chair, we had no real agenda. But we knew we wanted to be in the heart of the Tetons and do some skiing. Waking up fairly late for the mountains on Saturday , we decided it would be a good day to cruise up the south fork of Garnet Canyon and just see how everything is looking.

Skinning up the South Fork of Garnet Canyon. With Couldveil Dome in the background.

Snow coverage is still just amazing up high and there ain’t too much dry ground around. We headed towards the saddle between the South and the Middle Teton, but got distracted at the nice snow fields directly below the Ice Cream Cone, just east of the South Teton. We booted up and had lunch on a nice outcropping and watched the snow on the south aspect of the Middle Teton shed like fat from a soccer mom on Atkins.

Further up the canyon with Spalding Peak and Gilkey Tower in the background.

We hiked a little further up to about 11500 feet and decided it was getting late in the day and should start our ski descent back to camp at the Meadows.

Getting some good turns for late afternoon.

Heading out of the canyon with Spalding peak behind us.

The turns were great, and surprisingly not too slushy. We steered left as we headed down the canyon and caught the Cave Couloir in great conditions! It is always awesome when you can ski quality snow in your t-shirt, shorts, end of June, and at 2pm.

Entering the Cave Couloir.

We skied back to camp and feasted on Swedish fish, licorice, gorp, and bacon. Meal of champions indeed! We still had about 7-8 hours of daylight left and really just enjoyed sun bathing and doing nothing. When was the last time anyone had 7 hours to just do nothing? Pretty awesome. The Middle Teton continued to give us a fireworks display of snowfall and avalanches. The noise that echoes off the canyon from these releases is just heart stopping.

In the middle of the Cave Couloir.

However it was at this time I realized my dislike for twin tip skis. Sure they are great for rappelling, skiing backwards, and generally boosting one’s awesomeness by 10 percent. But I could not sink my tips into the snow very deep to make a lounge chair, and that’s just not cool.