Home Site Observation - April 2011

I wrote this entry up about a week ago after walking around my house just observing the existing conditions. This is an essential, often overlooked opportunity to plan for a good design.

In the Tetons, heat is everything. As spring slowly comes to Jackson, giant piles of snow begin receding, exposing the sleeping earth below them. Buried equipment, chairs, and even forgotten beer bottles all come out of the snow, exposed for the first time in 6 months. It is here, in the melting snow that heat and solar radiation perform their handiwork.

The snow recedes from south facing areas first, especially near buildings and other dark structures. Last May Spencer and I learned just how much of an affect this has on snow while climbing up the Skillet Glacier on Mount Moran. Whenever we ventured too close to a rock wall we would abruptly sink several feet down in the snow, often up to our chest or even neck. The thermal mass of the rock had radiated heat downward below the snow surface, making it rotten.

As I walk around my house, the location for my garden will be the south wall of the garage. The full sun it receives has already melted some of the soil, so I will be able to plant in it with just a little preparation.

At the Mountain Meadows Garden, I’ve been working to speed up snowmelt in the garden by throwing used soil on the snow. This decreases the albedo or reflectivity of the snow. As the soil absorbs solar radiation the snow heats up more quickly than normal, and causes it to melt irregularly, forming a jagged landscape of dirty snow spires.

Insulation is also of key importance in Teton gardening. Today I was moving gravel that I had been storing outside on flattened cardboard, and noticed that dozens of plants had sprouted beneath it. The small stones and paper had acted like a blanket over the soil, prompting the seeds to germinate or awoken dormant roots, which sent up fresh shoots.

The short, difficult growing season in Jackson demands the attention of permaculture design in order to be successful. Proper site design to maximize free benefits of nature combined with appropriate technology such as greenhouses, hoop houses, cold frames, and row cover will allow for a bounty of local food.

Spring 2011

Well, life seemed to have happened for the past 6 months and I've missed a whole season. Wait, not missed, but thoroughly enjoyed, grabbed by the horns and held on to for dear life! I've been so fortunate to have enjoyed a year of fun and adventure all over the Rocky Mountain West. I'll have to play catch up in coming months, but for now here is my first post for the spring of 2011.

It’s been one year since I moved to Jackson, WY. April in the Tetons is a dynamic period; winter storms still blow in and hammer the mountains with snow, while migrating osprey and blue birds return from their warm southern winter retreats. The silence of winter has been broken by sounds of songbirds flitting around shrub branches around my house. I’ve been gone for two weeks studying permaculture at the Lyons Farmette in Colorado, and in that time summer has become more than just an abstract thought.

Farming in a cold zone three area where it can snow any month of the year and the growing season is only a few short months may seem somewhat crazy, but it is being done with success. Tomorrow I begin an apprenticeship at the Mountain Meadows Organic Farm, located just south of Snow King Mountain, which rises 1,500’ above the little town of Jackson. I visited with owners Dick and Sandy Shrumptine a few weeks ago, when the whole valley was still in the grip of winter to visit and discuss ideas for the summer with them. Walking around the property, we could just see the tops of the fence posts used to keep out deer from Dick’s garden. “They eat pretty much anything they can except for the spruce trees,” he told me. With a snow pack over 120% of normal life hasn’t exactly been easy for the deer. As if to prove the point in that moment I looked out the window and watched one happily browsing on a tall blue spruce in his yard.

Wildlife are just one of the challenges for high alpine farming, season extension another. In preparations for the still distant summer we will be working to get the hoop house ready, and taking advantage of the greenhouse attached to the south wall of Dick and Sandy’s house to start all of our plants for the year. It is a wonderful thing to be able to work alongside deep piles of slowly melting snow while knowing that we will be able to enjoy skiing the steeps of Grand Teton National Park for another 2 months. Here’s to looking forward but thinking present!

Spring in Lyons, CO
















Spring in Jackson, WY
















Yup, Spring in the Tetons.

Summer in the Tetons part 1

Better start summer off with skiing the Tetons, because it was pretty much the sickest thing I have ever done. Mt Moran, which rises straight up 6000' vertical feet from the shore of Jackson lake, is one of the most iconic peaks in the Tetons. It happens to have an incredible glacier called the Skillet which when filled in from the winter storms becomes an epic 5000' vertical plus line.

I've been wanting this one since I found out I was moving to Jackson and was able to convince Spencer to make the drive up from Fort Collins for the mission on May 30th. There are a few ways to get to the base of Moran; in the winter it's a long skin across the lake, once the snow in the valley disappears you can hike in from the south, or when the ice on Jackson lake disappears you can canoe there.

Being water loving folks (and not stoked about a long difficult approach) we chose canoes, and were just in time for the ice to melt. Canoeing would allow us to set up a comfortable base camp and so it was no surprise that Finn and Kelly decided to join us for the canoe/camp portion of the hike. We loaded our gear into two canoes at Spaulding bay and began the leisurely paddle towards our campsite in bearpaw bay.

The paddle provided ample viewing and scouting opportunities of our line, our anticipation was high. We enjoyed glassy water almost the whole way there and a peaceful night stuffing ourselves with a hardy dinner prepared by Finn the master camp chef.

There had been lots of discussion about what time Spencer and I should leave camp in the morning and feeling confident we decided to get up at 4am to begin the ascent. This decision almost wrecked our mission. We groggily put boots on, strapped skis and snowboards to our packs and set out on a bushwack to the base of the glacier. It immediately started getting light and a small thought of panic began growing in my head. We were still hiking through the woods with only patches of snow and over 5000' steep vertical feet of climbing ahead.

When we finally broke out of the trees and onto the snow field, the east facing Skillet was in full sun and my heart sank, another two hours of sun and we would risk being caught in dangerous wet slides coming down the mountain. However, we were optimistic and kept on climbing, enjoying the early rays of sunshine at our backs.

After a thousand or so vertical feet we looked up to see a cloud growing atop Moran, winter was coming back to the top of the mountain! It was all we needed and with renewed enthusiasm we continued our ascent. Every step took us closer to the top and into deeper and deeper powder.

We booted up the skillet pan and then made a slight right up the handle for the final push. Both Spencer and I fell into mini crevasses created by heat radiating from nearby rocks. We were almost to the top and had broken trail through what had to be 4000' of powder turns all for the taking. At the last 100' the snow abruptly changed to boiler plate and I watched as if a few rungs down on a ladder as Spencer used his crampons to kick steps into the 50 degree plus slope.

Suddenly there was no where else to go, we had summited and had a huge descent ahead! After carefully navigating the boilerplate we opened it up and made big arcing turns down the handle. The fresh snow from the day before amounted to only a few inches and ripped out into mini sluff slides with our turns. It was a thrill to race down the mountain ahead of it, occasionally pulling off to the side to let it by. Snow conditions continued to be great into the pan and it was not until we had made the majority of the descent that the snow began to get sloppy. We made our last turns all the way to the snowline before collapsing exhausted, it had been almost 8hours since we began our hike.

The Tetons are a wild place, from technical mountains to abundant wildlife. On our way back we found fresh bear tracks, reminding us of why our site was called bearpaw bay and why bear spray is an essential part of backcountry excursions in these parts. Sure enough, we drove past an adult and juvenile black bear on our way out that afternoon. It is trips like these that give me the drive to keep pursuing and enjoying the amazing places we are fortunate to have. The friends that come along are another integral part, and I am happy to have had Kelly, Finn and my partner in crime Spencer for this mission.

Spencer and I with Moran in the background

Camp at Bearpaw bay

By the dawns early light - Finn came out to enjoy the sunrise with us.

Booting up and away from Jackson Lake

Spencer kicking in steps at the crux, it's all downhill from here!

Quick photo at the top, let's ski some pow!

Relax Spencer, you still have 2000' vert to go!

2009-2010 Ski Reflections

Why do we ski? For many it is an obsession, where from November-April it takes the highest priority and everything else just seems to lack in relevance. In my own pursuit of powder snow I have bid farewell to my best friends and family, traveled hundreds of miles, and spent hours working a job I hated just for the opportunity to wake up and ski 7 days a week if I chose to do so. Dolores LaChappelle argued that it is "powder snow (that) teaches us how to live," I have indeed learned much in seeking it out.

1. It's Always worth it. Quit making excuses for why something isn't worth doing and get out there!

2. Powder is always better shared amongst good company, I love and miss you all friends!

3. The dorms were way cooler when I was 18.

4. Drinking the night before and Dawn Patrolling don't mix.

Enjoy the photos:

Aftermath of my first storm in the Wasatch!

Herd of pack animals headed up to the Ruby Jewel Yurt (Spencer, Jordy, Wes and Dan. March 2010)

17in Powderday at Wolf Creek with Jordy!

JB dropping into Homicide Chute, Little Cottonwood Canyon, UT

JB and Kate booting Suicide Chute, Little Cottonwood Canyon

Booting up Suicide Chute

Alta Slack Country - Photo: Gregg Trawinski

Alta Slack Country - Photo: Gregg Trawinski

The Morning after Kate and JB - Deep Creek Range eastern UT

Our line (in red) down Peak 10,696' Grand Teton National Park - April 2010 (Grand Teton at far left)

In bounds powder stash at Alta

Deep Wasatch blower - Hellgate Backbowl Little Cottonwood Canyon. My last day at Alta.

Dawn patrol with JB to the Pfeifferhorn, Little Cottonwood Canyon

4-9-10 Welcome to Jackson Hole

Despite last weeks heavy dose of winter pow (much enjoyed all week by backcountry riders, myself included), spring is here. Spring is a time of new life, where plants and animals alike move to retake what are now distant memories of the past summer. Last Sunday (April 4, 2010), I packed up my car and headed north to Jackson Hole, WY for a new beginning at the Teton Science School. I have not been the only migrant and many more are to come. In the last week, Mountain Bluebirds have arrived to their summer homes and dart about from fence posts, looking for their first meals. Below, Uinta Ground Squirrels, just awoken from their long winter naps, scurry about with their young. Driving down from a ski on Teton pass today (ever the one to deny spring and pray for powder) I found Osprey had returned to their nests along the Snake River, and watched trio of Sandhill cranes glide motionless across the dusk sky.

I have come to the Teton Science School to learn how to better understand and share the natural world with others.

With the closing of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort last weekend, many of Jackson’s snow riders practice their own migrations. Some head south for a mud season beach retreat, others across the country where they work tirelessly over the summer to stock up their monetary larders for the next ski season. To migrate here during this time seems to run contrary to ski town logic, but I could not be more excited. After all, it is spring and much more growth awaits.

The Tetons from Mormon Row

Skiing with Amy, friend of Karina, and her trusty hyper companion on Teton Pass.

Alpen Glow covers the Gros Venture range from Teton Pass

Cherene atop Glory bowl.

TSS interns Liz, Vanessa, and Finn on their day off.

TSS Jackson Campus

Name games with Pura Vida kids before heading into Grand Teton National Park

It's SPRING in the Tetons! Wait, just kidding back to winter!

Welcome

Hello! I have been very fortunate to have an adventure filled life and have created this blog to document some of my travels as well as anything else going on around me. I hope you enjoy the pictures, quotes, and words; be inspired to tread your own path in this world we share.

I currently reside at the Alta Peruvian Lodge, tucked away in Little Cottonwood Canyon, above the suburban sprawl and smog of Salt Lake City. Inbounds and out of bounds terrain are plentiful and easilly accessible so I spent most of my time out exploring when not working/sleeping.