Jackson Hole Skiing
Jackson Hole Skiing Offers World-Class Opportunities For Jackson Hole Real Estate Owners
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
(307) 733-2292
Operating Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Season: Early December - Early April
Summit Elevation: 10,450 feet
Vertical Rise: 4,139 feet
Runs & Terrain: 76 runs, 2,500 acres in-bounds plus 3,000 acres accessed through open backcountry gate system; 10% beginner, 40% intermediate, 50% expert
Eleven Lifts: One aerial tram, one eight-passenger high-speed gondola, two high-speed detachable quad chairlifts, four fixed quadruple chairlifts, one triple chairlift, one double chairlift, one magic carpet
The Big One, or The Gentle Giant?
The split personality suggested in these nicknames has challenged Jackson Hole marketers since the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort opened in 1965. Fifty percent of the resort’s terrain is advanced, ranging from open bowls to head-spinning steeps and narrow chutes. Yet the other 50 percent of the mountain is dedicated to beginner and intermediate skiers. With 2,500 acres of skiable terrain, that leaves all skill levels with plenty of mountain to explore.
Still, take heed of the sign that welcomes skiers as they wind through the maze to board the aerial tram to the summit of Rendezvous Mountain: "Our mountain is like nothing you have skied before. It is huge. You could make a mistake. You could become lost. Please give this special mountain the respect it deserves." With more than 4,100 vertical feet, it is the big mountain mecca of American skiing.
In addition to the tram, the resort has a gondola, eight chairlifts and a rope tow to get you back to the base after skiing the far southern reaches of the resort. There is always something to surprise and delight even the most seasoned skier.
Grand Targhee Resort
(800) targhee
Operating Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m
Season: November 15 - April 13, 2003
Summit Elevation: 10,200 feet
Vertical Rise: 2,395 feet
Runs & Terrain: 63 runs, 10% beginner, 70% intermediate, 20% advanced, 2,000 acres
Five Lifts: Three quads (two high speed), one double chair, one magic carpet
Just fifteen miles across the Tetons (as the crow flies) or an hour's drive from Jackson Hole via Teton Pass and Driggs, Idaho, lies Grand Targhee Ski and Summer Resort, known for having the lightest, driest, most abundant (over 500 inches a year on average) snow of any ski area.
Wide open bowl and glade skiing at a fun, non-intimidating pitch makes The 'Ghee the perfect place for intermediate skiers to discover the incomparable feeling of floating on powder. Smaller crowds and plenty of space on Fred's Mountain increase the likelihood that you'll find fresh tracks even days after a storm. And the new Sacajawea quad chair opens yet another 500 acres of new terrain on Peaked Mountain.
Not to worry, powder hounds: The new chair hasn't pushed out Targhee's thrilling snowcat skiing operation on Peaked Mountain. One thousand acres and 2,400 vertical feet are set aside for small groups of up to 10, not including your mountain guide; seven to 10 runs a day adds up to 20,000 vertical feet of virgin powder.
Whichever option you choose, the incredible views of the Grand Teton and surrounding peaks are thrown in for free, but are worth any price.
Snow King Resort
(307) 733-5200
Operating Hours:10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Tues. - Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Sun. & Mon.
Season: Late November - Late March
Summit Elevation: 7,808 feet
Vertical Rise: 1,571 feet
Runs & Terrain: 15% beginner, 25% intermediate, 60% advanced, 400 acres
Five Lifts: One triple chair, two double chairs, one surface tow, one tubing surface tow
Ski all day and into the night. Since before the first tow was built on its lower slopes back in 1939, Snow King has been the locals' ski mountain. Back then, climbing up and skiing down Snow King was a popular way to relieve boredom during the long Jackson Hole winters. Today, with night skiing, a surface tow, three chairlifts and a tubing park, Snow King is a fun, convenient and inexpensive place to make turns for skiers of all abilities.
The advanced ski slopes beneath the Exhibition Chair heading to the top of Snow King may have you fearful that The King is difficult skiing, but worry not: The Rafferty and Cougar chairs are excellent for intermediate and beginner skiers.
If you need to break through to a new level of skiing, you may be able to find help at Bill Briggs' Great American Ski School, which has programs for skiers of all levels. And the "King Tubes" tubing park is a great evening activity for families, with speed and thrills aplenty as kids race down the slopes on giant inflatable inner tubes in a safe, controlled environment. //
