First day in jackson

Thanks to Albertsons and their customers.  For not towing me or anything, and for not giving me strange looks while I shaved in the grocery store bathroom.  In fact, it seemed normal.  They even have wireless internet.  

My parking spot, below.  I thought next to the winnebago was a good bet.  Indeed, when I got out of my truck this morning someone was curled up similarly in the truck next to mine.  I'm still on eastern time, so I woke up at 6 and waited until the sun started to come up.
First order of business: can I ski here for reasonable $?  

I drove to the village (of jackson hole mountain resort), and looked into my ski options.  The drive to the resort was spectacular.  Rebecca and I never saw the mountains, and Jackson is surrounded by mountains.  The gros ventre range, the tetons, and the bridger wilderness sort of converge on jackson, resulting in tons of mountains and with all different characters.  The gros ventre are shallower peaks but a wider range, while the tetons are steep.  Not only mountains everywhere but variety!!  I got excited on the drive to the resort.

Unfortunately I could ski 20 days for $1300, or weekends only for $850, or get a season pass for $1800 or so.  All terribly expensive and simply not enough skiing.

Okay so I need to get a job at the resort, or somewhere related that will give me a discount. Nearly everywhere I went I heard the same phrase: hiring freeze.  One hotel needed a banquet manager and an accountant.  haha

Disenchanted, now, I got my snowshoes repaired and got some advice on local snowshoeing.  I headed for cache creek, just on the outskirts of town below the same ridge of Snow King resort.

There was a trail, but it was pretty flat and I wanted to go to the top of something.  So I chose the ridge.  I must have small snowshoes, because they sunk me above my knees, and if you've seen snow king, you know it's steep, too.  It was supremely frustrating.  I dont think I've ever been so close to giving up on a physical pursuit simply because it was really hard.  Take a step, kick in your next, step, sink, stumble, tumble...

Before I thought of giving up I saw this tree and wondered how it was still alive.  It was riddled in these little holes.  beetles?

Well eventually I could tell the top was coming so I made it.  Here's the town of jackson looking to the north. (the slope I climbed was north facing and didnt see sun all day).
gros ventre to the south I think.   Not a good view, but the wilderness goes on for quite some time.
And the tetons peaking out to the northwest.

What a great spot for backcountry skiing, I thought.  Decent pitch, nicely spaced trees, lots of space.  No tracks!  I deduce that there are places even better, and I will find them.  When I first started my hike today I thought, "oh yeah this is sweet maybe I'll do it again with my board."    2 hours up, about twenty minutes down.  No repeats thanks.  Maybe once I acclimate and get my fitness back.

Came back to town, got my 60000 miles stuff done, tires rotated, oil, whatnot.  Found a funky little internet cafe with some live music, and that's where I started this business.  

I dont think I'll stay in jackson, but I'll first try to find some folks to go ride with.  The mountains here are incredible and for that reason I will try to stay, but the town is overpriced and so is the skiing.  I have one skiing contact that I'll call when I leave the cafe.  Other than that I was told that the best places to find people to ski with are bars.  sounds like a plan.  A couch would be nice, too.