Hardcore skiers and snowboarders live by the conviction that skiing isn’t a winter sport, it’s a snowsport.
This past Memorial Day weekend I took the phrase to heart, skiing two of three days in the Southern Wyoming Snowy Range outside Laramie. While the temperature in town was a seasonal 65-70 degrees, the higher elevations were a bit more brisk, still held by winter’s last grasp.
The mountain pass over Wyoming Highway 130 opened for the first time this summer on Thursday, opening not only the road separating Saratoga and Laramie, but also the steep snow-ensconced slopes of the Snowy Range above it, a panoramic view skiers like myself salivate and daydream about all winter long.
It’s a high Alpine zone inaccessible in the winter months by any mode of transportation other than snowmobile or tank, or a more than 7-mile trudge on foot. Therefore, once the road is plowed, it’s game-on for diehard snowsport enthusiasts like me who don’t know when to hang it up or can’t shake their powder addiction.
I have a propensity for going to foolhardy lengths to pursue skiing. In 2023, I flew out to California in mid-July to get a couple days in at a ski area that was still open there. Last year, I also managed to ski all 12 months, a streak that’s been extended to 17 months so far in 2024.
The Journey Begins
This Memorial Day weekend was different and perhaps a little less desperate than these prior efforts, proving to be an experience I won’t soon forget.
Arriving at the parking lot Saturday morning, my friend Nick and I were greeted by the surprising sight of mid-winter conditions, trees coated with so much snow they looked like frosted pretzels. A couple of inches of snow had fallen overnight and the temperature hovered around freezing, making the day feel much more like February or March than late May.
As I breathed the crisp mountain air deep into my lungs, I knew the time for skiing was nigh, but not before the ever-painful experience of having to earn those turns.
There is no chairlift, rope tow or mule available to reach the slopes in the Snowy Range. It's backcountry skiing at its finest and that’s what makes the quality of riding so great, the fact that it’s hard to come by.
We use a fabric that sticks to the base of our skis called “skins,” which allow us to hike uphill and not slide back down the hill. With each “whooshing” sound, our magic carpets took one stride closer to the top, but not before every part of my body became covered in sweat.
Upon reaching the top ridge, we were greeted by falling snow and poor visibility. Some of the steepest and best skiing on the Snowy Range can be found further up, but because of the avalanche-prone conditions and poor visibility, we opt to go down the safer, lower slopes.
Although these runs were a little less steep, they were still a heck of a lot of fun. With each powder slash, we’d let out a hoot or holler of glee.
Each turn felt like cutting a knife through homemade cake: soft, sugary and enticing. Typically, late-season snow is of a much wetter, muckier variety, but this batch had a near-midseason consistency, allowing one to easily cut turns through the new soft blanket.
It was so good that we went back up again, and again, and again.
Nick Fadial of Laramie enjoys midseason backcountry skiing conditions in Wyomng's Snowy Range over the Memorial Day weekend. (Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily) 
A strong spring snow season has left the Snowy Range mountains flush with snow. (Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily) 
Nick Fadial catches a little air over Memorial Day weekend. (Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily) 
Laramie resident Nick Fadial prepares for the ski down the hill. (Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily) 
The Snowy Range offers a wide range of backcountry options well into the summer months for hardcore skiers and snowboarders that aren't quite ready to hang it up for the season. (Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily)
To Do The Unexpected
After a long day of skiing in late May, one might think I would be ready to hang it up for the summer.
Nope.
I went back to the well two days later to feed my insatiable thirst, and was greeted with more pristine conditions. Even though more fresh snow had fallen, it was about 20 degrees warmer, offering the conditions one would typically associate with late May. The clouds parted as well, offering jaw-dropping views of the mountain peaks stretched across the bright blue canvas of sky.
This time, I hiked much higher and peeked into some of the incredibly steep chutes that make up the Snowy Range. Alas, skiing these will have to wait for another day, as I was by myself, which is a big no-no for extreme skiing of this variety.
As I made my way down a more mundane run and into the goopy snow down below — thicker than the August air in Alabama — I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointment about not getting the run I wanted.
Well pal, that’s life. Plus, there’s always skiing in June.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
