Coachella Music Festival 2010

Coachella Music Festival--Indio California

The timing of Coachella Music Festival couldn't be better. As soon as the ski resort closes for the season, Coachella Music Fest is happening a few days later. It's just a quick 14 hour drive to Indio California. My skin has been longing for warm weather and sunshine. I'm still not used to the LONG winters in the Rockies. Especially, when everyone I know from the south are gardening, enjoying patio dining, hiking, biking, being out on the lakes, etc, beginning in March. Anyway, Coachella was easily the most organized & clean music festival I have ever been to. We car camped on the Polo fields. The grass was short and perfect like a golf course so shoes were only an option. There were clean showers, sinks, porta potties which were hosed down and cleaned out 4x a day, food vendors galore, free pinball games, a roller skating rink, an internet & wi-fi area, re-entry was allowed in case we needed to go to the grocery store, there was a shuttle to take people from the venue into town, bikes were allowed, there were water fountains, air conditioned tents, and before I forget to mention it-- FIVE STAGES OF GREAT MUSIC playing from noon until 1am for THREE DAYS!

After Coachella, we headed for Zion National Park to go on a 5 day backpacking trip and to enjoy more of the the sunny warm weather before heading back to the Tetons for mud season. We camped one night in Zion and were literally flooded out by a massive storm circulating over the entire state of Utah. The rain began around midnight and continued for the next two days. Our tent was probably 30 feet from the river when we set it up that evening, but by morning, we were nearly 8 feet from the swift rising water. Needless to say, we quickly packed our wet tent in the car and drove all the way home. I was really looking forward to more sunshine and a great first backpacking trip of 2010. Oh well. Hopefully we'll try again this fall.

Hurricane winds

Some of the lifties took this video at the top of the chair lift at the resort in Jackson last week. The winds reached up to 110 mph! On the western slope of the Teton range, where I live, the winds topped out at 85 mph at Grand Targhee Resort.

Easter Snow

Grand Targhee received nearly 40 inches of snow in the last 5 days! Here are a few pictures from today and the last few days.

Hero Snow

Yesterday, I rode my snowboard till my legs gave up. I could barely make it back to the base area and to the car. It snowed nearly a foot the night before so we raced up to the ski hill first thing in the morning and were the first people on the first chair lift. Obviously it was a GREAT way to spend the day.

Ranger Pics

Here are a couple of pictures of the area I worked in as a backcountry Ranger. The group of people I'm with were the volunteer trail crew. They spent a week volunteering their time and skills on badly eroded trails in the Jedediah Smith Wilderness. Working as a Ranger, I spent my days and nights alone in the wilderness, so it was nice to have these folks here for a week. I really miss that job.

Snowboarding, Scenery and a happy dog

Surrounding Scenery

Priscilla's Visit

Priscilla is extremely determined to learn how to snowboard while she is visiting me from Tennessee. She picked it up so quick that we have been on every lift to the top of every mountain at the resort. It's been great watching her get better each day on the hill. Here are a few pictures from this week.

Valentines Day Breakfast

Happy Valentines Day everyone! Not my favorite holiday AT ALL! Quite possibly my most loathed holiday. However, when I fried the bacon this morning with breakfast, they took on an "L" shape. And when I put the bacon on the plate next to the biscuit... WHA LA!

Danna's Birthday Disco Party

Since Danna had a birthday during her visit we figured, "Hey, why not rent out the TeePee in Alta for the party?" After all, the TeePee is one of the most unique buildings I've ever been in. It was a great turn out! Everyone dressed in appropriate 70's disco attire. I think I can confidently say that she had the best birthday EVER!

Huckleberry Hot Spring in Yellowstone National Park

For Danna's birthday, we cross country skied out to Huckleberry Hot Spring in Yellowstone National Park.
It was snowing all afternoon while we soaked in the spring. The water temperature was PERFECT! We were ready to make it our permanent residence but the Park Service probably wouldn't like that too much.

33 inches of snow in 24 hours!

Here is Danna modeling what 33 inches of snow looks like. And this is only the parking lot! It was waist deep on the mountain.

Danna takes on Idaho!

Yesterday my Tennessee buddy arrived in Jackson Hole. We had quite the welcoming party for her once we made it back in Driggs. We have so much planned for her to do, see and experience in the short week of her visit. Today she cross country skied for the first time and did great! Tomorrow she is going to get on a snowboard for the 2nd time in her life with 25 inches of new snow that has fallen in the last 24 hours! Monday, she'll be watching her first Broomball match, Tuesday (her birthday) we are skiing to a hot spring in Yellowstone for a soak, then later that evening we are throwing a 70's disco party for her. I think she may be ready to move here by the end of the week.

New Years Eve

I love New Years Eve! Every New Years has been special to me. Even the ones where I'm sitting at home watching the ball drop on T.V. or even sleeping through the New Year festivities! These are a couple of pictures from the evenings events. I don't need much of a reason or excuse to wear a feather boa.