It's Ski Time In The Absarokas

November 14th, 2006 at 11:29am Vanessa Pierce 8

Early season skiing is scary in Jackson Hole. I take that back. Skiing any time of the year is scary in the Wyoming Rockies. It always takes more snow to fill in the rockiness of the Rockies here. So we skiers wait patiently, checking the weekly forecast online, watching what the clouds are doing, and twiddling our thumbs. Without enough snow, there are carnage possibilities in these mountains full of cliff bands, rock features, and steep couloirs reminiscent of the European Alps. So we wait.

The first big dump of the season came this weekend unloading fresh powder atop a decent base. It was time. With my ski crew, we decided to head out to Togwotee Pass, about a 65-mile drive from Jackson. This area is known for it’s lighter, almost Colorado-esque powder. Slednecks know it well; it’s one of the most popular sledding destinations in the country. Jackson is located among the sharp, jagged Tetons, but just a little ways north through Grand Teton National Park, the pass straddles the continental divide at 9,658 feet in the Absaroka Mountains. It is named after a Shoshone sub-chief. Togwotee, means "From here.” The pass annually receives more than 600 inches and plenty of early season snow. So spending a mid-November day skiing on the pass with views of the Grand Teton in the distance was like gobbling up an early Thanksgiving feast (of powder of course). It was winter wonderland.

The key to touring on the pass is to have a friend with a snowmobile. Getting towed out to the base of 10,217-foot Two Ocean Peak, about a mile from the highway, is key to avoiding the flat approach. Once there, it took a little over an hour to skin up to the peak. The sun was reflecting off the untouched crystal powder. The only thing we could hear were the movement of our steps and the purring of sleds a thousand feet below us. Two Ocean is an amazing mountain because each side of it is a skier’s paradise. There are cliffs, rocky steeps, and deep powder stashes.

Our poison was a rocky face; maybe not the best decision for an early run but the slope was taunting us. A few “sharks” chomped on our skis, but in places it was deep with blower powder. We skinned up one more time and skied it again, jumped off a few little cliffs, and headed home – tired and happy. While up there, we scoped a few other mid-season possibilities. Can’t wait. Ski time is on!

If you don’t have a personal guide, Togwotee Mountain Lodge offers daily adventures like snowmobiling, snowcat skiing, dog sled tours and accommodations, minutes from the top of the pass.

For more information, visit Togwotee Mountain Lodge.

Entry Filed under: Wyoming, Jackson Hole, Adventure Sports