What I've Been Up To

Honestly, it's been hard to even check my email with the chaos that I have going on in my Jackson life. I wake up early, eat, go snowboarding, come home and head off to work. Sometimes I get a full day off in which the work part of the day is replaced with late night chats in my kitchen with friends. Regardless of this tough life that I lead, I get to have some fun every now and then...haha.

Saturday morning was spent out in the backcountry shooting this beautiful backcountry kicker at sunrise. It took hiking up in the dark in sub zero temperatures and nearly freezing my fingers off fiddling with my equipment all morning, but I guess you gotta be committed to get the shots. Robin Pitt and I shot photos, while David, Matt Arvidson, Halina Boyd, & Ed Dujardin got after it, taking laps from sunrise on. I'm gonna keep some of the shots concealed, but just to give you and idea of what ideal conditions we were shooting in......

The beauty of these mountains never ceases to amaze me.

Ed hikes back up to give it another go.

Robin takes in the view.

Not the most mellow of hikes back to the top.

Robin searches for new angles.

Soaking up the morning sun.

Early Season at its Finest

La Niña years typically equal snow for the Northwest and Northern Rockies. To much delight, those predictions have rung true and brought us Jacksonites an early Christmas present in the form of massive amounts of snow. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort secured record pre-season snowfall and opened "wall-to-wall" It's been amazing so far, and besides the fact that people are just barely in-shape enough to ride, we've had a blast.

Rock Springs powder turns - Day 2 of JHMR.

First time we've seen Cody Peak in a while. Gorgeous day.

New to the resort this year is a series of terrain parks design by Burton called the "Stash Parks." They are placed in random locations all over the resort and contain (fairly massive) terrain park features made out of natural materials...aka tree jibs, bird's nest pillows, wall rides, etc. I thought the wall ride would be pretty sweet to shoot on a random snowy day.

David hittin' the Stash Park.

Finally, we started our morning right today with a "dawn patrol" up at Teton Pass. My friend Julie had an early appointment so she and our friend Robin convinced us to get up for a sunrise lap. Needless to say, it was totally worth it. Who needs sleep anyway when you can snowboard?

Sunrise behind Cache Peak.

Earn your turns -- you won't be disappointed.

On another non-snowboarding related note, I've had some pretty sweet views from work lately. The elk are migrating back to the elk refuge and I guess the Amangani is on their way. I've been checking out these guys for the past week or so. Such beautiful animals.

Winter has Arrived!

My winter has officially begun as I went to Grand Targhee Resort for my first day back on a snowboard this season. Ever since I've gotten back from Arizona, Jackson has been stuck in a blizzard. It just doesn't stop! Not that I'm complaining or anything...

Beautiful snowy trees!

Sketchy, yet manageable driving conditions on Teton Pass.

Elk on the move.

Saguaro Series

At this point in my life I'm so used to the various species of pine that I see that I nearly forgot about my hometown plant...the saguaro cactus. I've been hiking around a lot here in Phoenix and I got some shots of these fascinating creations...

Vail Family Photos

I've been in Phoenix for the past week meeting with friends and family. It's amazing to be back home in Arizona. The temperature is hovering just below 80 degrees and the sun makes a daily appearance. I had the pleasure of shooting portraits for the Vail family when I first got here. We had no shortage of beautiful sunshine, not to mention a gorgeous location on the golf course where they live. Here are some of my favorites:

Rare Colors

I grew up in Phoenix where a beautiful sunset was an everyday occurrence. When I moved to Seattle the sun was covered by gray clouds and skyscrapers. In Jackson Hole, the sun gets blocked by the massive Teton mountain range so we rarely get that breathtaking evening show. When all elements are in line, with fluffy clouds dotting the sky, we just might get that color display that we all love.

First Snow &hearts

Today officially marks the beginning of winter. After a violent rainstorm last night, I woke up to a few inches of the fluffy white stuff dusting the ground. The snow continued to fall all day so I thought I would head out and capture these rare moments when the seasons change. Many of the trees around here are clinging to their leaves which makes for an interesting contrast between the vibrant colors of autumn and the bleak white of winter.

Finding fun in the Fall

From what I've heard, this has been one of the most beautiful, lengthy falls in Jackson Hole. I can't say I can argue with that. Last night the first snow fell on Teton Pass. The bright yellow leaves are like a blanket on the ground and recently carved pumpkins adorn front porches. I feel as if I've made the best of this beautiful season and have had the best time doing it.

A couple of weeks ago David and I headed to Seattle for the University of Washington homecoming game. It was a blast. We got to see so many of our friends from college and we both performed our respective activities as alumni! (David was a cheerleader and I was the feature twirler for the UW when we met.) The current twirler, Catherine Watters and I led the Husky Band onto the field at pregame and met the Oregon State twirler Kailey Taylor to salute America during the national anthem. I had an amazing time performing for the 65,000 fans that came to cheer on the huskies!

There were quite a few alumni cheerleaders that came back to perform at the game and brush up on their stunting skills. Not to mention, we beat Oregon State in double overtime! What an amazing evening!

Alumni group shot!

Stunting at the tailgates.

Sideline seats to watch the Huskies beat the Beavers!

After a fantastic trip to the Northwest, we came back to Jackson and celebrated three years together by staying at the Amangani, my beautiful place of work. It was truly a night of luxury and relaxation!

Enjoying my welcome drink on our balcony.

Fall colors.

Pure luxury at the Amangani pool.

Three years together. Couldn't be happier!

Soaking up the sun.

Bathtub with a view.

Comfy beds.

The sitting area and fireplace in our suite.

Lounge chairs in our room.

Morning view from our room.

Needless to say, it was a wonderful stay and we felt so refreshed and relaxed afterward. The mountain opens in about a month, so expect to see some snow photos coming soon!