March 3, 2021 Nature Update
Provided by Cathy Shill, founder of The Hole Hiking Experience
www.holehike.com
There are two ways to live, one is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is. -Albert Einstein
The month of March begins with bright sun and blue skies. The warmth of the sun brings a welcome change after all the recent storms in Jackson Hole.
In general, wildlife waits until a storm ends to move through the landscape. Animals do their best to preserve calories and reduce energy loss. They wait to move to give the new snow time to settle and condense. Animals get quite active about three days after a storm.
A highlight of winter touring is the story of the landscape. Animal tracks show us who moves through an area and what they are doing. These diverse photos show a moose track, the waddle of a porcupine, the slide of an otter and wing prints of a raven looking for a meal. It’s fun to observe and interpret the scene.
Join us to learn about tracks and the stories of the forest. We discuss how animals move or travel. Four legged, long legged animals alternate when they walk such as canines, deer family, sheep and mountain lions. Members of the rodent and rabbit family hop and weasels will bound. Moving through snow leaves a story and you can observe and reflect on what happened and who it may be. Animals in the same family move in a similar way. Enjoy the photos and if you are curious whose track, just let me know.
I travelled to Sun Valley earlier this week and as soon as we left our white landscape, we began to see birds on their way to Jackson Hole. The song of red-winged blackbirds filled the air. A song sparrow came to greet us and the start of the day. We saw both northern harriers and red-tail hawks hunting over the fields. They are following the warm wind and melting snow and will soon be seen in this valley.
Enjoy the sun and warm temperatures. South slopes will be the first to melt so look for the mule deer on the hillsides above town. Spring is definitely in the air this week and more winter will come so enjoy!
The Hole Hiking Experience | www.holehike.com | 307.690.4453
Trip Report: Sunny Day in GTNP
Temps rising into the 30’s with bright sunshine meant shedding layers on our annual ski of the entire length of the GTNP road from Signal to Bradley Taggart.
Conditions: (barely!) skier tracked from Signal to South Jenny, and then of course groomed from there to BT parking lot.
Doesn’t that look like a fake backdrop (rhetorical question)?!?
-Annie H., Mary B. Laurie H., Lynne H.
Nominate JHNordic for Best Family Friendly Activity and Best Website!
Nominations for Best of Jackson Hole 2021 are now open. You have until Friday, March 5 at 12 p.m. to nominate your favorites! We’d love your nomination for our website and as Best Family Friendly Activity. Nordic skiing is fun for all ages and our website provides all the tools needed to get out on the snow with 100+ GPS trail maps, grooming info and resources!
Trail Creek
Last Updated: 3/3
Three Days and Counting!
In less than three days this nearly empty field will be filled with lots of Covid-safe racers, having a great time wrapping up the 2020-2021 season with the last major youth event of the year, the Western Youth Championships. Actually Friday is course inspection day with racing on tap for Saturday and Sunday. In order to keep racers safe, the method will to be to launch racers in different waves throughout each day, thus keeping the numbers on snow at any one time not too high. All the details are available at the Western Youth Championship webpage.
One item of note, all of the racing will take place in the fields and while grooming might be a bit unpredictable over the weekend, skiing should be fine in the woods with the end of the Old Pass Road the best access point.
Today’s grooming focused on the fields in preparation not only for the upcoming race, but also for the big practice session this afternoon. All skate lanes in the fields were thoroughly reworked, also the close woods in the moose and elk zones received skate grooming as well. All classic and skate lanes have been groomed in the past 36 hours and are in mostly really nice shape as temps have not gotten warm enough yet to cause significant ice. If you can make it out today, it will be a great ski!
Groomer’s choice for today is the sunny fields.
Teton Co./Jackson Parks & Rec
Last Updated: 3/3
Cache and May park are groomed and in good shape. Game creek is groomed and in good shape.
Cache Creek
Last Updated: 2/20
We rolled Cache Hagen Sidewalk and Hagen Highway this evening and will snowshoe the trails near the trailhead this weekend.
Grooming provided by Friends of Pathways.
Teton Pines Nordic
Last Updated: 2/27
| Trip Report Sat. Feb 27th update: Wide open spaces with friendly , occasional, passing encounters, families, friends, couples all enjoying the sunshine and perfect grooming at Teton Pines. Look forward to more of these conditions all week! Groomed every morning. Call us for specific retail questions (307) 699-3394 or tetonpinesxc@gmail.com. Our hours are 9am-4pm daily. |
Shooting Star
Last Updated: 2/28
It looks to be a full week of calm weather and sunny skies! Nordic skiing should be extremely enjoyable and fast! Beginning today and again on Monday, GCM will be packing down the snow & laying down corduroy on top of the greens with our snowcat. (Please, Do Not Walk or Ski on the Greens!) This is needed to support our walking rotary push spreaders that apply the black colored sand. The sand is the same natural material we use in the summertime but is the color black. The dark color absorbs the sunlight and naturally assists with a faster snowmelt on these surfaces. The black sanding process will likely begin Tuesday and last through Thursday or Friday. On Monday we will shift our daily grooming to the evening hours beginning at 6pm and continue this pattern until we are finish with this practice. The evening grooming is needed to allow our staff more maneuverability in the morning hours to efficiently complete this time sensitive operation. Please, note that skiers will likely encounter our equipment (snowmobiles & snowcat) throughout this week and the trails could have a few rougher sections around the areas we are currently working. I will send our next update towards the end of the week once we have finished. Enjoy and soak up the sunshine!
Teton Village Pathway
Last Updated: 2/17
Teton Village Pathway from Lake Creek Bridge north to just south of the GTNP moose-wilson road south entrance was groomed this morning. Nice for an easy , flat nordic ski, fat bike , or trail run. Or if you’re commuting by ski or bike from Wilson or Jackson!
Groomed by Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, and funded by Teton Village Association .
Grand Teton National Park
Last Updated: 3/2
What a beautiful day to be grooming in GTNP. Taggart Lake Trailhead to South Jenny
Turpin Meadow Ranch
Last Updated: 3/3
The trails have been getting reset in the warmth of the afternoon and firming up under clear skies overnight. If you or a friend have been thinking about getting up to Turpin now is the time! The days are long so you won’t have to worry about driving home in the dark. Plus, there are only 3 more days of lunch service, lessons and tours, and daily grooming for this season so come on up and don’t forget your sunscreen!
https://www.turpinmeadowranch.com/adventures/winter-adventures/
https://www.turpinmeadowranch.com/the-ranch/live-conditions/
https://www.turpinmeadowranch.com | 307.543.2000, office
Grand Targhee
Last Updated: 3/3
Cross Country/Fat Bike 15k: XC OPEN (Last groomed 3/2/2021, Fat Bike CLOSED.
Trail Etiquette: Please keep your dogs leashed in the parking lot and be sure to clean up after them!
Alta Track
Grooming Schedule: Tuesday, Thursday, & Sunday
Last Updated: 3/1
Skate: Set | Classic: Set
Ginzued the skate lanes Monday night. It is firming up nicely. Classic track was still in great shape from yesterday. I saw the biggest and longest shooting star I have ever seen at about 8:30 pm. It was in the western sky and it was HUGE! I love being out there at night! Tuesday morning should be great. Enjoy the sunshine! Happy March.
Please do not park in the library parking lot. Please be sure to keep your dogs on a leash and to clean up after them.
Driggs
Grooming Schedule: Monday, Wednesday & Friday
Last Updated: 3/3
Skate: Set | Classic: Set
Smoothed the skate track with drag this morning. Left the classic track alone.
Sherman Park
Grooming Schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Last Updated: 3/3
Skate: Set | Classic: Set
Groomed the skate track and the walker\fat bike trail. Trail is in decent shape this morning. Did not reset the classic track. The set for Monday was still in decent shape and I did not think I could improve it. Get out there and ski before the sun softens everything up. Enjoy!
Teton Canyon
Grooming Schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
Last Updated: 3/2
Skate: Set | Classic: Set
Tuesday afternoon: Tried to take advantage of the warm afternoon, mainly to be able to reset classic track. Turned ot well, for most part. Skate track is nice and firm, a bit rough first mile, but quite nice beyond.
Southern Valley Nordic
Grooming Schedule: Tuesday, Friday, Sunday
Last Updated: 3/2
Skate: Set | Classic: Set
A groomed Campground and Yetis loop’s this morning. I think this is going to set up really well and make for an incredible day of gliding. I did not reset the classic track as it was still in good shape. Enjoy the incredible weather and beautiful sunshine.
No dogs December 1 – April 15.
Teton Springs Nordic
Grooming Schedule: Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday
Last Updated: 3/1
Skate: Set | Classic: Set | Singletrack: Set
All trails set.
No dogs allowed.
5th Street Singletrack
Grooming Schedule: As needed
Last Updated: 2/18
Singletrack: Set
Got the trail packed in and buffed out yesterday afternoon. It will be good till the next round of snow arrives.
Southern Valley Singletrack
Grooming Schedule: As needed
Last Updated: 3/3
Singletrack: Set
Rolled the power line from Mike Harris to lower lady slipper and lower ladyslipper singletrack. Should be good once everything refreezes tonight. Enjoy!
No dogs December 1 – April 15.
Darby Canyon
Grooming Schedule: As needed
Last Updated: 2/26
Groomed to Pinnacle TH – 2/25
South Leigh Road
Grooming Schedule: As needed
Last Updated: 3/3
Grooming 3/3/2021
Pinnacle Trail
Grooming Schedule: As needed
Last Updated: 2/26
Groomed to upper meadows – 2/25
Nordic Masters Recreational Clinic
TRAIL CREEK NORDIC CENTER | WILSON, WYOMING
THURSDAY, MARCH 4th
Time: 11am -12:30pm – Meet on snow outside the JH Ski Club Nordic cabin.
3 Nordic coaches from the JH Ski Club – 3 small skier groups based on ability. This clinic will focus on classic XC techniques. BYO Mask.
Trail Creek Nordic trail pass is included for the day for Clinic season pass holders and drop-in participants ($35). Stay on and explore the trails after the clinic.
14th Annual Togwotee Winter Fat Bike Classic
BROOKS LAKE PARKING LOT | TOGWOTEE PASS EASTSIDE 7:00AM-3:00 PM
SATURDAY MARCH 06, 2021
Togwotee Winter Classic is a not-for-profit and currently the longest standing, contiguous fat bike race in the Lower 48. The ride takes place on groomed snow and/or snowmobile trails at 8000′ to 9,600′ in elevation on the Continental Divide under extreme winter conditions.
Entry Fee: Free
Registration: 74 Racer Limit — please register on Athlete360 to reserve your spot.
We’d love to hear about your outdoor adventures, what your doing to stay healthy, safe, respectful of community health guidelines – send pictures or post on FB and Insta – #JHNordic
