Cowboy Powder

The show is on in the Tetons, with a Thanksgiving tour report from Karhu skier Eric Henderson:

It’s a tough time of the year to decide where to ski in the Tetons – weighing the grassy smooth slopes of Edelweiss Bowl, or the upper elevations that promise deeper snow but ever-present rocks. Yesterday we went for the upper elevations of the western slope on Mt. Wow, around 10,300 feet. After the first two hours of walking/skinning we were finally knee deep in the goods. Plummer Yurt was covered in snow and quietly awaited its holiday guests. As we continued to skin into the white room of the Mt. Wow drainage our souls and passion for skiing quickly returned to our pace.

(First skin of the year. Photo courtesy of Eric Henderson)

An hour later at 9,800 feet, my “cheap beer” fall training program started to show its ugly head, and I wondered why I always insist on going big on my first tour. Much like last year, and the year before that, I was with one of my major suffer tour ski partners. Dave Barnet has been on my past few years of from the “couch to the slopes” tour, and he always seems to step in and pull me to the top with perfect timing.

(Eric gets a powder grin. Photo courtesy of Eric Henderson)

We thought the weather would clear once we summited, and we would get a clear view of the Teton ranch. No such luck. The winds continued blow, the snow deepened, and the temps seemed to be dropping – time to click in for the first fall-line of the season. Mt. Wow is 1000-foot alpine bowl that leads into rolling glades and open meadows. The turns were fast, filled with light powder, and seemed to end too soon – a true Cowboy Powder experience. Good thing we have a short memory for pain, and we will be doing it again tomorrow.

(Toast to the turns. Photo courtesy of Eric Henderson)

This skier has many things to be thankful for this winter, but one especially is a strong and committed family of skiers that share the same passion for adventure, suffering and smooth powder turns in the Teton. Thanks and happy holidays.

-Eric Henderson