Last week it dumped hard and then high pressure rolled in setting up a powerful inversion. In the valley life stopped as temps dropped to -30F, meanwhile at 10,000 feet folks skinned and hiked shirtless through a perfectly-still, +30F, crystal blue sky.
All that bitter cold air in the valley is heavy so it flows like water down the path of least resistance. This provides strong steady wind in the rolling terrain near Ririe, Idaho. It blew 30+ across fields of powder, and thanks to the previous reconnaissance of the Jackson Hole Kite Mafia (notably Wayne and Will), I was there.
Now -30F is cold and 30+ mph winds doesn't make it feel any warmer. As this video starts, Wayne's driving through a foggy river bottom at -30F. Surreal conditions.