Arrived late December in JH and this what greeted me.  A view from the front porch.  Not long ago, this Ridgeline was virgin territory but Jackson Hole is getting divided up especially among the wealthy.  I built my cabin in the mid-1970s with a chain saw and a horse.

This view never changes.  The North Face of the Grand Teton is one of the great alpine ascents in America.  I climbed this with Craig McKibben in 1968–a jolly good time we had.  About 6 years later, Roger Johnson and I did the North Ridge (the skyline on the right).  In 1967 Roger and I did the complete Exum Ridge, named after Glenn Exum who did the first ascent.

Snake River Overlook is the location where Ansel Adams took his famous photograph and is a balm for sore eyes.  Left to right are Buck Mt., Wister, Static Peak, New Perce, Cloudveil Dome, South Teton, Middle Teton Teepee Spire (named after Frederick Teepee who died there in 1925), Grand Teton, Teewinot and on the right border is Symmetry Spire behind the tree.   The Snake River cuts river terraces through the “Hole” and has for eons.

While the Parks are closed due to the Government Shutdown, the mice will place and I catch this fellow lighting off his drone at Snake River Overlook.  I step in and take issue and suggest (ranger-style) a better location.  What folly to shut down our parks, yet keep the DOI oil leasing office open……true story.

….and it’s clearly marked.

There is nothing like a hike up the Butte above my house with commanding views of  Jackson Hole.  This winter was one of the heaviest snow years I can recall–perhaps since 1972.

The view toward Sheep Mountain which the locals call Sleeping Indian.  I once climbed the belly-button.  My uncle, David Abercrombie owned a 3000 acre ranch just to the left of this mountain called the Gros Ventre Ranch.  His brand was the A Lazy D which I now own.  The Jackson Hole Elk Reserve is at the very bottom and has recently become controversial with chronic wasting disease making inroads in Wyoming.

Of course, I must get a ski run in–it’s only been 10 years.  With good friends at Targhee Ski Resort–a 45 minute drive from Jackson and worth the effort.  Powder here is exquisite.  The Tetons have a reversed profile from the west.

After, it’s dinner and friendship…..and a warm fire.

Dornan’s Bar in Moose hosts a hootenanny or however you spell it much of the year.  Bill Briggs hasn’t missed a night in 60 years and continues to be a bit of local color.  He made the first ski descent of the Grand Teton nearly 50 years ago.  He’s hell on wheels with a banjo or autoharp too.  Catch him at the Stagecoach Bar in Wilson any Sunday evening.  Thanks, Bill for all the years of music and interesting conversations.  It’s on to Tucson and Northern Arizona for the rest of the winter.