Yellowstone/Togwotee/Wyoming Range

[marty700]

So... Our planned trip to Northern Ontario - scheduled for March 6 to 13, got cancelled at the last minute due to lack of snow and warm weather. Actually, the tour company/guide called us four days before we were scheduled to leave and offered to give us our money back. First time he's done that in 30 years! At the last minute, our organizer - Bob - put together a trip out west for about the same cost, including sled rentals and airfare! (Just goes to show you how hard the economy has hit the snow industry.) We stayed in downtown Jackson Hole at the 49er and took day trips each day for four days of riding. Guide picked us up at the motel each day and dropped us off in the evening. None of us had ever ridden the high back country before - we're long-time high mileage trail riders. We were determined to get a great trip in, so it was time to adapt. Day one, Yellowstone; day two, Togwotee, days three and four, Grey's River (Wyoming Range). We had serious issues with the rental sleds (only the Arctic Cats - the Polaris sleds never had a problem). We only got halfway through the Yellowstone tour and had a major issue on the first trip to the Grey's River area. The tour company made good on all accounts, but we really only got about 2.5 days of riding in. It was still awesome. The guide was a serious expert and one fo the best mountain riders in the area with over 30 years experience as a guide in the back country. He took us past tracked up areas, up horse trails and through narrow openings, into fresh untouched deep powder. He also kept us out of trouble.

I doubt we'll change from trail riding to boondocking, but we all had an amazing time. We'll defintely be going out there again.

Here are some Yellowstone shots:

 

[marty700]

More Yellowstone shots:

 

[marty700]

Pictures from Togwotee area: (Our Guide, Dave, is the guy in red in the first picture. He was a HOOT!)

 

[Firecatguy]

nice...are you addicted to the west now?

 

[marty700]

More from the Togwotee area: (Sundown over the four Tetons.)

 

[marty700]

nice...are you addicted to the west now?

You bet! I've loved skiing at Jackson Hole for many many years, but I can't wait to go back and sled there. (I still like trail riding in Wiconsin and the UP, though - and I hope we can get that Ontario trip in next year!)

 

[marty700]

Saved the best for last - the mountains above the Grey's River in the Wyoming Range. Here, there was actually more snow and a lot of deep, untracked powder. We also encountered some hard wind-packed snow up very high.

 

[marty700]

More from Grey's River area: (Third shot is our group organizer - Bob. Thanks, Bob, for all your hard work organizing TWO trips!)

 

[marty700]

More from Grey's River:

 

[marty700]

Lunch at the Box Y Ranch: (Its true, look at the brand over the fireplace/furnace!)

 

[marty700]

All in all, what a way to save a snowmobile trip-gone-bust! Go West! I can't wait to go again. (By the way, the mechanics at the Togwotee Mountain Lodge saved the day for our us by having enough spare parts to fix our broken down kitty. We'll probably rent from them next time.)

 

[freezinbevr]

Marty, Looks like a great trip and lots of fun.

Was the Artic Cat kicked in the groin just before the pic?

 

[marty700]

That was my third Arctic Cat for the trip. On that one, a bolt came out of the connecting assembly - a milled aluminum block. The thing was hel in there with lblue ock-tight. The result was a ski flopping around as I was trying to make a turn at a relatively low speed. Two minutes earlier, I was going about 60 mph down a straight-a-way. If I'd lost that ski then, I'd have lost control of the sled for sure and wrecked the sled - at which point everyone would have been blaming me for driving too fast (or DUI, or some other deal). Makes me wonder about some of those serious crashes we read about. As for the first AC - the higher mileage Yellowstone four strokers just kept overheating. The second AC was a nice mountain sled which looked to be in excellent working condition - until the recoil cheezed. That's the one the mechanic a TML fixed while we ate lunch. After the third one damn near wrecked me - our guide found us all some nice Polaris Shifts.

 

[freezinbevr]

Marty,
Glad to here you made it off that one OK.
I can only imagine that letting loose at trail speeds!

This may be a testament to the "why we are loyal to a brand of sleds" thread...I keep riding things that don't mame!! (YET) Knockin' on some wood.

Looks like an awesome trip, especially on short notice. Some buddy's, who don't ride much, want to go out West next year on a fly in, rent, fly home deal. Was it as fun as the pix represent? Looks like with a little extra fresh snow it would have been even better!

Thats the beauty of this sport, memories are what we do it for!!

Brad

 

[attack_06]

great pics what was ur rental costs total costs

 

[marty700]

Brad,

Yes, it was an absolute gas. While none of us had much (if any) experience as boondockers, there are ways a really good guide can bring you along and get you far, far off-trail. We actually told our guide we wanted to favor riding some of the awesome trails - and his reply was: "that's what all first timers from the flat-land say." He also told us to trust him and if, at any time we wanted to head back to the groomed trail, he'd take us. That business lasted about one hour. With the right sled and a little practice, and a guide who keeps you away from avalanche risk (which was considerable), you can really get into some steep, deep powder. Ths photos don't really do justice to how deep the powder was near Togwotee and in the high bowls above Grey's River - and this was an off-year for snow out there! One of our guys literally buried his sled and it took six of us a half-hour to get it out.

As for brand loyalty, I'm actually a Ski-doo guy. Also, I really liked the Arctic Cat I was riding, right up to the point it almost wrecked me. The sled climbed several very steep ridges in deep snow and was very nimble for a long track. But, I was very surprised that the steerring arm didn't have a through bolt through the ball joint, but rather just a bolt going into a milled aluminum block - held there with lock-tight.

Your friends would probably have a great time riding out there. As long as you go into the trip with the thought that its a new adventure, you'll have a lot of fun. The mileage isn't high, but the terrain is just so awesome. You'll want to rent sleds unless you own top of the line long-track mountain sleds. I think its far more economical to fly out there, than to trailer your own machines. Our airfare was $285 round trip. Like I said in my original post, we're not about to give up great trail riding and become serious boondockers. However, in a year when the only snow was out West, we had to go for it or cancel the trip entirely.

Marty

 

[marty700]

Attack_06,

I'm not sure what the sled rental cost was because it was a package deal, but the airfare was $285 round trip to Jackson Hole from Chicago. The outbound flight was a direct flight and the return, while scheduled for a non-stop, had to divert to Denver for fuel due to delays in Chicago. The total trip cost was about $1400 for four days of riding. That price included airfare, shuttle bus service to/from the airport to the motel, rental sleds, a guide, a nice lunch daily, Yellowstone park permits and five nights of lodging at a nice motel in downtown Jackson Hole. Then, because we had out Yellowstone tour cut way short due to sleds breaking down and because we had to end one day at about 11:00am and drag a broken down sled 30 miles back to the trailhead, the tour/rental company gave us 75% off one day and then 100% off the next. So, in the end, then fixed cost for the trip was about $1100. Add to that some rather expensive dinners and drinking in Jackson Hole and misc. expenses and I'd say I spent about $1600. Another thing about renting is that the fuel/oil costs are included.

Now, I'm told that demand was exceptionally low this year due to the economy. I saw first hand how empty the town of Jackson was. I ski there frequently and I've never seen the town so empty. That's a combination of mediocre snow conditions at the ski resort and the economy. The point is that I doubt our trip would have been so cheap during a good year for snow and/or an improved economy. I've tried to get into Yellowstone on short notice before and been turned away (and that's when they allow hundreds more sleds in there per day). In contrast, we got a reservation for the Yellowstone tour with only three days notice.

Our initial source for putting the trip together was Jackson Hole Central Reservations. They turned us on to the motel, rental/tour company, etc... and they got us the package rates. Our group organizer also busted his but to pull the trip together on such short notice.

 

[marty700]

As an aside, there are many ways to do a trip out West. You can go with day-tours as we did, you can stay at a lodge right on the trail (like Togwotee or Brooks Lake Lodge), you can trailer your own sleds or rent sleds, - there are lots of options. That's part of the beauty of the sport - there's something for everybody. Costs will probably go up next year(assuming the ecomony improves as we all hope it does), but this kind of a trip can be done very economically or very expensively, depending on your approach. I liked the way we did it, and I'm sure we'll do it again soon - just as soon as we get that Ontario trip under our belt!

 

[techsledder]

(By the way, the mechanics at the Togwotee Mountain Lodge saved the day for our us by having enough spare parts to fix our broken down kitty. We'll probably rent from them next time.)

Top notch dude's, 'eh! If you bring your own Poo or AC they have the expertise there to take care of you. Sold a couple of items to my group when we were out there this early March.

 

[marty700]

Absolutely! How many outfitters have spare recoils on hand? (Unless they know they're prone to failure, I guess.) True mountain outfitters are just very resourceful folks - couple that with a good mechanic and you're covered!