NASTC, Jackson Hole Off-Piste Camp
January 20-26, 2002
By Victor Gerdin

NASTC’s first ever event in Jackson Hole offered us exactly the kind of skiing Jackson is know for -- Steep and Deep. Nearly 3 feet of snow fell during the week making every bowl and every chute a truly exciting and varied experience. Our students plus NASTC trainers Victor Gerdin, Chris Fellows, Mike Hafer and logistician Alaina Henry thoroughly enjoyed themselves!

Our group met on Monday, after more then 12 inches of snow had fallen overnight, and warmed up on Apres Vous mountain -- the 2,400 vertical foot “smaller” of the two peaks that make up the ski area. The aggressive group immediately split off for untracked snow in Teewinot bowl and the smart group stayed on the intermediate trails gaining the skills offered by on of their first “deep” experiences. The next run into Saratoga Bowl set the stage for the rest of the week -- great conditions and exciting terrain.

On Tuesday, the group boarded the 8:30 Tram (30 minutes before the general public) with the help of a JH Mountain Guide after another foot of snow had fallen over night. Rendezvous Bowl from the summit of Rendezvous Mountain was a 35-degree wall of untracked new snow. Then on to the Hobacks, 2,500 vertical fall-line feet perfect snow, for more. The rest of the day was more of the same. Our NASTC Trainer, Victor Gerdin, knows his way around after having lived in Jackson for 16 years. He led the group to places like the Alta Chutes, Toilet Bowl, Expert Chutes, Bivouac Woods, Buffalo Bowl, Sublette Ridge, Moran Face and the Cirque. The group also looked in to Corbet’s Couloir but saved it for another day -- because it was closed and the drop in was 20 feet plus.

There was no new snow on Wednesday which made it a perfect day to use skiboards (90cm twin tip skis with a 6 meter turning radius) to explore movement pattern changes at very slow speeds. Everyone in the group make great progress in modernizing their technique on the boards experiencing a radical turn shape, allowing the inside to track parallel to the outside ski, and feeling the whole body move through the turn with skis. At first the group thought this exercise was a fun diversion. But by the afternoon they realized the major changes they were feeling in their movements -- and how much they were laughing in the process!

One day was enough without new snow because it snowed another foot on Thursday. On Friday the group boarded the 8:30 tram again with a Jackson Hole guide to explore the remote stashes great snow and very interesting lines. The group realized through the rest of the week that many of the new movements from the day on skiboards were now permanent changes allowing the skiers to be more effective with control on the steeps and in the trees.

It was a true Jackson Hole week for the group with every square inch of the 3,000 acres and 4,100 vertical feet was great skiing. Participant and Jackson Hole resident, Peter Hobler, extended the hospitality of his home for apres ski tech talks and video sessions -- not to mention great recommendations for local restaurant. The week’s only drawback was that it was over too soon!