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WARNING: NO ACTION SHOTS, LOTS OF SCENERY/ANIMALS, PERSONAL REFLECTION and GOPRO FOOTAGE. SCROLL DOWN AT YOUR OWN RISK.


This has been a strange winter for me. I seem to find myself with little time to get into the mountains this winter, yet I have accomplished nothing in a professional sense. I am fully capable of driving 30 minutes from my house to the mountains and getting out of the smog, yet I choose to stay in it. Instead of waking up early and checking off some big lines on my list I would rather read others TR's and watch as they lay down big days and awe inspiring lines. I'm getting fat, I shaved my beard, what the fuck is going on??

....... I had to head home to Idaho for the weekend to give a fly tying demo at Jimmy's fly shop in Idaho Falls. After two failed attempts this year to tour up at the pass or in the park I figured I would take an extra day and bring the gear along. The demo went great and it felt good to share some flies and fishing stories. It always is surprising when people are actually interested in stuff that I have created.

Like the wasatch, the tetons suffered from a prolonged high pressure system in Janurary. The recent storms had created a dangerous deep slab condition with a few feet of snow over a persistent weak layer. I had wanted to get the spoon couloir or albright peak but quickly realized that wouldn't happen on this trip. I slept in a few hours later than I meant to and started the 1hr 45min drive from my parents house to the park. It would have been a lot faster to just tour something on the pass, but there is something so special about touring under the high peaks.







I started skinning from the death canyon closure and quickly arrived at the base of wimpys. It took longer than I thought it would to skin to the top, but the views were outstanding and I love the vertical relief of the teton's. It felt great to be standing 3000 feet above the valley with sleeping indian and the gros ventres glistening in the distance. I took a few moments to admire the summit of the grand and reflect on my hike up to the summit this fall. I love a lot of mountain ranges the snow of the wasatch, the couloirs of the sierra, the beauty of the cascades, and the terrain of the coast range. However the teton's are the mountains that truly capture my soul.





Having never been on wimpys before I followed some tracks down a NE aspect to avoid a sun crust I felt on the way up. The turns were great and the terrain was super fun. Lower down a few little bumps and drops added to the fun. They were unexpected and I couldn't fully capitalize on them. I would love to go back and hit them proper. I skied out of the flat exit back to the car and went looking for animals before I headed home to catch some of the super bowl with my family.



On the drive back across the tetons I realized how much I really love splitboarding. I realized that it is always worth and that I should stop making excuses for not going. I realized that the mountains are where I need to go to get my head straight. It's February, the season is halfway done and I feel like i've barely started. Time to stop hoping for better weather or better snow, and just enjoy what we have. Soon enough the snow will melt and it will be running and fishing season.














oh yeah and there was powder in the Wasatch last week!

Awsome photos! I am originally from Idaho Falls, I love the Tetons and that area of the country!

Nice TR. I too suffer at times from being too warm and comfortable in my house. Once I push myself out the door, whether it is to play in the ocean or in the mountains it is always worth it and creates a lasting high.

Funny, lately I find myself thinking more about flyfishing too. I'm getting my days on snow too, just nothing worth spraying about around here.


^^^Quoted for Truth.

Great photos, thanks!

Very nice and honest TR! I dig it!

And I hear ya as I've felt exactly like that many, many times.

Although to my excuse the Eastern Sierra is a little further than 30 min and I have to drive through hellhole LA, but same problem. And I'm working on that.
I often used to be like that with surfing. Not enough swell, tide too high, too cold, whatever. Same concept! In the end, the simple truth is, it's just lazyness (although, funds can also play into it a little for mountain trips). Luckily I got over that and now I just go as soon as there is something rideable and have something to keep my head straight on a regular basis.

It's never too late to change and get back into it!

And listen to this song, best anti-procastination song ever written:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny1lr0Jknvc

Nice post and pics! I spent the summer in the park and absolutely fell in love with the tetons and their wildlife. There is something magical about that area. I hope I get the chance to take the split their this winter.

Sometimes Im in the same boat as you. To lazy to get out even though I have the time. You just have to remember how lucky you are to live on the doorstep of the greatest snow on earth. And how many people would love to be in our shoes. Even if the snow is crap and you are just meadow skipping, you are doing something that people take vacations to do.

Way to get back at it dude!

well done dan. sorry i missed it.
great shots . . . I especially like the antler silhouette.

It is, as you say, always worth it. Nice writeup and pics.

Last year was such a tough year for me professionally it absolutely killed my motivation for anything. It's easy to allow the snowball effect of negative thoughts kill all desire. I noticed that just in your TR organizing your thoughts or whatever you let go of the negatives and were able to focus on the positives how small they may be which can have a motivating cause and effect. Anyways, blah blah......great words and pics. Looking forward to getting out. Take care.

Nice write up! it's good to hear others suffer similar slumps. For me, the winter of 12/13 is off to a sluggish start as well. But it's mostly due to some new priorities, got married, had a kiddo, and work is busy. All good problems to have, but it is at the expense of days on the splitter.

While this season may not work out for me getting in a ton of touring, it has it's own rewards and next year I'll be sure to make up for lost time on the skiboard.

UB

Very awesome Dan. Aren't Bald Eagles fairly rare in mid-winter?

At times I feel the same way. Why is that? Its weird. I guess we just have to stay positive and keep trucking.

Dan awesome shots like always On the subject are you doing any 50K or 50 mile races this fall?

nice words and photos. thanks.