Six new inches of snow has refreshed the Jackson Hole backcountry. The view above shows the line we’d soon be riding – that left face, the one with the two tracks.
Rajat Bhayani lays out a high speed carve.
Ryan Vanlanen boosts a method off a windlip.
Rajat airs a cliff.
Jack,
This is your best winter series yet! The first shot is my favorite…love the clouds, light, and terrain. #2 almost gave me vertigo! Awesome!
That’s first shot freaked me out! I’m completely thunderstruck by the stuff you people are riding.
Absolutely incredible images!!!
Hey Jack, those are some impressive lines. What kind decision making process do you have when considering riding that terrain? Have you taken avy courses? Keep up the impressive photography and ride on. Looking forward to more posts.
Hi Ryan,
This “slackcountry” terrain is accessed from the Jackson Hole ski area, and therefore gets ridden quite frequently when the conditions are good. When the conditions are sketchy/dangerous, most sane people don’t even think about heading out there; however, on this day we were all pretty confident in the avy conditions. It hadn’t snowed a significant amount previously for almost a month, and the bulk of the snowpack was stable. The main concern, then, was the fresh 6″ surface sluff. It was pretty firm powder so not too much of a worry there either. In fact, 2 of the 5 riders I was with that day (pictured here) didn’t even have their backpacks with them, but decided to go anyways! (They did have beacons on, fwiw). All in all, this day was pretty low danger. That line was totally tracked up within about 10 minutes after we rode it!
I have taken an avy course, and am very much avy conscious when traveling in the backcountry. I know I don’t talk about it much on my websites, but every line we do is carefully considered with avy danger in mind.
Jack
Thanks for the comment on avalanche awareness. I love your photography but always am concerned about the risks you might be taking.
And I love your Sin Nombre photo. It takes my breath away everytime I look at it. So bone-chilling cold, but mesmerizing and breathtaking and it draws me in and I want to be there!
This is the most beautifull photo I have ever seen!