Carpe Skiem: Spring in Jackson Hole #3: approach to Skillet Glacier

After we skied Apres Vous, we knew we had time to make it up to the National Park Visitor Center, where we could talk to a ranger and make plans for the next stage of the trip. It was a tough decision, as we got some tempting views up Avalanche Canyon, but we decided to stick with our original goal of the Skillet Glacier on Mt. Moran. The rangers gave us lots of good info about camping and skiing options in the park in general, as well as a fascinating exchange with a college-age ranger who, as we were discussing our plan to do a hiking approach to the Skillet via Bearpaw and Trapper Lakes said something like:

"Trapper Lake, oh yeah, there are tons of bears up there."
"Sounds like we should be sure to bring bear spray."
"Yeah, if you have bear spray around, yeah, you should probably bring that..."

...Never mind what he would recommend if we didn't have bear spray already...like we shouldn't move heaven and earth to get some.

Loading up in the parking lot the next morning.

Walking along Leigh Lake on the approach, with a view of the Falling Ice Glacier on Moran.

A view up Paintbrush Canyon from a meadow at the north end of Leigh Lake.

At Trapper Lake, where the hiking trail ended and we proceeded to bushwack up to the runout of the Skillet.

As we 'schwacked north of Trapper Lake, we worked around the shoulder of Moran and the views changed from the Falling Ice to the Skillet. I have to say, this was the first time in years that I had looked up at something from a distance and literally felt my heart racing at the thought of skiing it. This line was significantly intimidating from a distance, even knowing that things often look far gnarlier from a distance than they do once you're stepped in to your skis. It felt like my first time hiking the Tuckerman Ravine trail, at the point where you first get a view of Boott Spur, and Dodge's Drop and even Hillman's took my breath away.