Republic Pass II

We finally got back to Republic Pass on a sunny day. This time we could really see the mountains surrounding the pass. I think this is my favorite of the places we have skied so far. Perhaps that should not be surprising because these mountains are part of the Absarokas. When our friend Ben first introduced me to the Yellowstone ecosystem we backpacked in the Absarokas and most of Dave and my subsequent backpack trips have also been in this range. The range extends for 80 miles so we still have lots backpacking to do! The name "Absaroka" is what the Crow people called themselves. It translates to "children of the long beaked bird" and probably refers to ravens rather than crows.