No recent updates because of the recent outpouring of good news: a happy royal wedding with no snafus, two patrollers finding out they are preggers, and the fantastic news about bin Laden. Fuck right we should celebrate. I hope they shoved a pork rind up his ass before they killed him. I heard a snippet that the internet traffic was huge in the last 24 hours or so; I believe it because I was trying to download a large file last night and could never quite get it. Now I know why.
Anyway, Philthy, no helmet cams but a few photos from the Saturday class. Lots of snow, and it is not going away quickly. From my window the Tetons look like its February.
Not the best photo.
Here's a better one:

The valley floor is clear but oodles of snow up high; I spoke to a patroller friend who lives and work for the major concessionaire company in GTNP and he was concerned about getting the snow cleared off walkways, paths, and roofs in time for the opening of several lodges and buildings in the next four weeks. He also said there is enough snow in the mountains above Jackson Lake to fill it completely three times over, and that parts of Teton County is under a flood watch this spring. I believe it.
Couple photos from the class:
Hauling in a break-apart sled for the class. We never really used it and could have left it at home.
Getting ready for our Rutschblock test.
Two small surface avalanches triggered by two skiers in our group. No injuries or captures; crown depth was about 8 inches by 20 feet across; very heavy snow (probably 25% water); debris pile about 30 feet across by 60 feet long by 2 feet deep; didn't run very fast but if you were underneath and completely oblivious, you could have easily been knocked over and partially buried. Steepness of the slope where triggered: about 35 degrees.
More silliness in store with more 2011 world championship snowmobile hillclimb videos to come. Whee! I luvs the smell of two-cycle!
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