Grand Targhee Big Mountain Telemark Competition | Full Report:

Bevan Waite | | Post Tag for Conditions ReportConditions Report
Competitors congregating at the top of the venue for the morning inspection run.
Competitors congregating at the top of the venue for the morning inspection run.

For the last 3 years, the Grand Targhee Big Mountain Tele-Comp has been hit by boat-loads of snow before and during the annual competition leaving multiple feet of fluffy white snow to cushion massive hucks, stomps, and violent tomahawks by the competitors.   This year’s comp, held last weekend, was hit so hard with snow and white-out conditions the weather unfortunately became a limiting factor of both the ability of the judges to judge, and even at times, the ability of the athletes to adequately navigate their lines.

Snow accumulated over all three days of the competition completely buried cars.

Freaking Awesomeness
It snowed so much it made cars literally disappear beneath piles of snow!!  Freaking Awesomeness!

Regardless of the limited visibility, the snow conditions were so incredible, and the venue was so filled in, no one seemed to mind that they could barely see their line.  And although day 1 was still socked-in, it provided competitors with the best visibility the weekend had to offer.

The top of the qualifying venue.

View from the finish of competitors at the top
Top of the qualifying venue.  P: Kayo Ogilby

The day ran smoothly as athletes ripped Tele turns down a nicely softened up venue by the foot of fresh that fell the night before.  Everyone seemed stoked regardless of if they had stomped or botched their line because the snow was so great you could go ski-off a bad line with a couple of pleasing powder runs off the Sacajawea lift.

Bevan Waite catching a small air.

Bevan Waite coming in to the finish.
Bevan Waite coming in to the finish.  P: Kayo Ogilby

Day 2 began with another foot of powder overnight, but unfortunately came with even worse white-out conditions.  Since the finals venue is considerably gnarlier than the qualifying venue, the judges made the call to use the planned weather day and delay the competition until Sunday.  Most people were indifferent about the finals being bumped to Sunday because, hell, there was 2 feet of fresh pow to be skied!  Thus, huckfest 2014 ensued and Saturday became one of the best days I’ve skied this season.  The resort was littered with rippin’ Tele skiers everywhere hucking cliffs, plowing face-shots, and having the time of their lives.  It was simply fantastic skiing—-no other way of putting it.

Some fun terrain
Some fun terrain off the Sacajawea lift.
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Junior Competitor: Dylan Henley stomping a 30 footer.  P: Tom Vollbrecht
Ty Dayberry playing in pillows.  P: @mountainniceness
Ty Dayberry playing in pillows. P: @mountainniceness
Bevan getting some..
Bevan Waite trying not to land in ze bomb-holes at the bottom.   P: Tom Vollbrecht

Unfortunately, on Sunday (day 3), the visibility was even worse than Saturday and the comp finals were eventually cancelled.  It was a bit of a let down as I had gotten myself SO stoked to ski the line I’d set up, but at the same time… it snowed another foot at night and there was now 3 feet of new snow that was just asking to be shredded… 🙂

View from the top of the Finals venue... Not looking great
View from the top of the Finals venue… Not looking great p:@mountainniceness
View from the Bottom of the Finals Venue on Sunday... What the judges would be able to see.
View from the Bottom of the Finals Venue on Sunday… What the judges would be able to see.

Since the competition only ran one day, and competitors only got one qualifying run, by Sunday it was almost as if there had in fact been no competition at all.  The weekend became something of a large tribal gathering of expert hippie tele-wackers all looking not to win, but just to have a freaking awesome time slaying powder turns and somersaulting tele-rolls down the west side of the Tetons.

For results of the single day-single run comp, click HERE.

Here are pictures of the venues from last year when you could actually see the terrain…

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Qualifying Venue (Day 1)
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Finals Venue
Finals venue from the bottom with the line I never got to ski dotted in :(
Finals venue from the bottom with the line I never got to ski dotted in 🙁

Some additional pics of the CRMS junior competitors.  All the following pictures are courtesy of the Colorodo Rocky Mountain School Telemark Team.  Thanks for sharing CRMS!  Keep droppin’ those knees and shredding it!

Competitors gathered around the finish to engulf each athlete in cheers, hugs, high fives and chest bumps after their line.
Competitors gathered around the finish to engulf each athlete in cheers, hugs, high fives and chest bumps after their line.
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Tackling competitors on at the finish of their line is not an uncommon occurrence between fellow junior tele-wackers.
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Henry Nadell making some nice freaking turns
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Tucker about to drop a deuce… and by that I mean two consecutive airs.
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The stoked Dylan face—if you know him, then you’ve seen this face before.
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Avery Kane squatting before he drops in.
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JT judging from the top because the judges at the bottom couldn’t see the first half of the run.
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Cormac’s got dat STEEZ
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Dylan dropping in and about to take flight.
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Free your heel, ski for REAL.
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Xu Meng being AWESOME…. Just like his SAT scores
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Xu Meng shredding it like Confucius.
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Some good ol’ shuffle board after-comp competition
Junior Men podium line-up
Junior Men podium line-up
Junior Women podium line up
Junior Women podium line up
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Avery Kane looking for a place to take flight after he drops in.
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you can actually see the bottom of the venue in this pic… must have only lasted a few minutes.
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Bevan Waite comin’ into the finish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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