The Mountain Murmur

Down on the Bayou

Jim Stanford wrote this on Monday, February 8th, 2010

Me oh my oh, are they having big fun down in New Orleans.

The crescent-shaped city at the mouth of the Mississippi has a special relationship with many of the mountain towns upstream, forged through music. Each spring, seeking relief from cabin fever, winter-weary mountain dwellers descend on the Big Easy for Jazz Fest, home of hot jams, spicy food and arguably America’s best music lineup. In turn, New Orleans musicians hit the road to escape the torrid heat of summer and find refuge playing in the cooler high elevations of ski towns. This cultural exchange has made bands like Galactic, Rebirth and the Dirty Dozen favorites from Asheville, N.C., to Quincy, Calif.

So when the Saints pulled off a shocking, 31-17 upset of the Indianapolis Colts last night, mountain music fans celebrated with the good people of New Orleans, who not only endured 43 years of mostly lousy football prior to this season but also extreme poverty, suffering and, yes, the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. New Orleanians always faced this despair with a hopeful outlook, sure that one day things would be better and the Saints would win the Super Bowl.

As the Times-Picayune newspaper bannered this morning, “Amen!”

Nature News: Snow at Last, and Icy Cold

Cathy Shill wrote this on Thursday, February 4th, 2010

(Bear claw marks on aspen tree.)
We ended January with snowpack at 65 percent of normal and 223 inches of snowfall reported so far this season. We now have a 70-inch base at Teton Village, which [...]

A Powder Day for Chamonix Freeride 2010

Jessica McMillan wrote this on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

Life is good in Chamonix! I just won the the first stop of the Freeride World Tour. It was a crazy day. The face received two feet of new snow and many of the first [...]

Bad Parent, Part 2

Craig DeMartino wrote this on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

“This is serious …” I’m trying to get Will’s attention as he plays with his fork in the Silver Nugget restaurant in Ouray, Colo. We’ve just come from getting him some boots and crampons so [...]

Super-Secret WNY Backcountry Ski Mission

Andy Fleming wrote this on Friday, January 29th, 2010

I love telemark skiing. Love the deep powder turns, being surrounded by a 360-degree mountain view, the solitude hiking in the backcountry, and leg burn that focuses me on the present moment. I have planned [...]

Outdoor Retailer: Fuzzy Underwear and Adventures with a Gold Pass

Frederick Reimers wrote this on Thursday, January 28th, 2010

The Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City, the twice-annual gear banquet where manufacturers woo retail shops to order their wares, is everything you’ve heard. It’s like the largest REI in the world, thousands [...]

Rock!

Jim Stanford wrote this on Thursday, January 28th, 2010

This video has been making the rounds, shot by two climbers last fall in canyon country.
Talk about a gnarly downclimb. We’ve all had misadventures like this where we suddenly get way more adventure than intended.
Such [...]

Is It Accumulating?

Jim Stanford wrote this on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

(Waldo found: JHMR athlete Andrew Whiteford needs a snorkel. Tristan Greszko photo.)
Last week’s storm brought some impressive snowfall around the West, including 66 inches at Silverton and 82 inches at Alta. After the chart from [...]

Where the Powder is Deepest

Jim Stanford wrote this on Friday, January 22nd, 2010

Update: The folks at Silverton, Colo., may beg to differ, after a 50-inch dump the last few days.
There’s been a lot of grumbling around Jackson Hole this winter about the lack of snow, but cheer [...]

Big Wally Memorial

Jim Stanford wrote this on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

Last week some 500 people gathered at Teton Village to celebrate the life of Jackson Hole ski patroller Mark “Big Wally” Wolling, who was buried in an avalanche while on duty Jan. 6.
Brad Boner, photographer [...]

Cold Smoke, Hot Music and a Yoga Getaway

Jim Stanford wrote this on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

A couple of events recommended by our contributors:

Today at the Trap Bar at Grand Targhee, against a backdrop of fresh powder in the Tetons, Alaska Backcountry Adventures is giving away a heli-ski day, reports Cloudveil [...]