With temperatures hovering in the 50s and the sun out in full effect, the mood was set right for Gaper Day at Jackson Hole and everyone came out in full force. The perfect conditions on the mountain plus a 3.5 hour ski break made up for my being so miserable about having to work all day. Unfortunately, I was not as prepared as Ryan who had the day off.
Once I got out and met up with Ryno, we went straight to Thunder bumps under the lift per his request. Heading up the chair I realized why he was so adamant about heading there.
There was well over a hundred people hanging out above the Thunder bumps most in full costume looking absurd. And by the time we got there they had already started building a little booter.
Even though my gaper outfit wasn't nearly as flamboyant as people like my buddy and coworker James and his lady friend Claire...
I had to make up for it with plenty of hot doggin'. Flashy pole plants and tricks of yesteryear like helicopters, daffys, and spread eagles were a must. You know the routine.
Some people were throwing back flips and one kid even threw one with snow blades on. The landing was almost but not quite.
As if the little booter wasn't fun enough the Thunder bumps were a perfect place to witness anything from a dude in a cow suit flying down the bumps on a shovel to impersonations of awful skiing... and retro moves always welcome as well. This was the most people I saw on any given trail at Jackson all year. It was the perfect spot coming down under Thunder and with all the non neon/costume outfitted skiers looking down from the tram above.
Gaper Day was basically and end of the winter halloween on the mountain. Couldn't have asked for a nicer day.
