Jackson Hole

Jackson Hole has a well-deserved reputation for having much of North America’s most advanced ski terrain. The shape of the mountains (steep), their size, and the fact that so much of the hillside is designated skiable, means that a lot of skiing is packed into the area. Around half the resort’s trails are black or double black. There are crazy chutes, moguls, steeps, deeps, trees, and thousands of acres of backcountry.  

Rendezvous Mountain, via the Tram, has to be the place to start, with the ultimate views. If you are feeling fit, there is 4,139 vertical feet (1,261 m) to ski down to base, almost entirely on black trails. Prevailing conditions will affect your day-to-day plans at Jackson Hole, with narrow gullies staying in shape long after powder bowls have been skied out. But when the powder’s fresh, the Hobacks are the place to go—a collection of bowls to the extreme (skier’s) right of the resort. Part of the charm is their distance from lifts and their remote feel—you return to base via a low-level traverse.

Jackson Hole's Rendezvous Bowl is also unbeatable, if frequently windy and cold. It’s steep, but wide and clear of obstacles, allowing skiers to let rip without fear of collisions. From the Sublette quad, Laramie Bowl and the steep Alta Chutes are easy to find and can be skied without returning back to base each time. Likewise, for bump trails, Thunder (served by the Thunder quad) allows high-level skiing—ideal if it hasn’t snowed for a while and the lower mountain becomes tough, bumpy, and has more natural hazards exposed.

In case of snowy weather, the Moran Woods between Headwall and Après Vous are the place for tree skiing. Also from the gondola are gates to Casper Bowl for more powder.

Expert skiing at Jackson Hole
Jackson truly deserves this category, as distinct from “advanced.” Along with much of the backcountry, there are plenty of real challenges, from Corbet’s Couloir, near the top of Rendezvous, downward. Corbet’s infamy stems from the view from the Tram as much as anything: seeing skiers from above making the ten- or twenty-foot leap (6-m) from the cornice into a 50-degree couloir is the closest many people get to this kind of skiing. But it’s not the toughest trail in Jackson Hole. The nearby Expert chutes from Thunder quad are part cliff, part steep chute and forgive very few mistakes.

In 2004 the Crags terrain was opened to the public. Previously a permanently closed inbounds area, it provides approximately 200 acres and 1000 vertical feet of expert terrain located above the Casper Lift area. Bowls, chutes and tree skiing are all accessible via the Headwall “Stairway to Heaven” or from the top of Après Vous. For an averagely fit skier the hike will range in length between 25-35 minutes. The Crags is snow controlled and has an opening schedule based on weather conditions.

Backcountry skiing
Jackson Hole's backcountry, accessed by several gates around the resort, is big. Rock Springs, Cody, and Casper Bowls are the main areas. All this terrain requires that groups are properly equipped and, ideally, accompanied by a guide.

Hiring a guide for backcountry trips is not just a safe option, but the way to find the best snow and terrain suited to the group’s abilities. The terrain is not exclusively in the expert category, though it is peppered with natural hazards, requiring skiers to be able to operate in full control, whatever the conditions.

A backcountry yurt was built for the 2002/03 season. Just outside Jackson Hole's resort boundary in lower Rock Springs Bowl, it gives skiers the opportunity to experience a backcountry hut-and-ski touring trip without venturing too far off the beaten path.

There is also heli-skiing available in the nearby Snake River Mountains with High Mountain Heli-skiing (307-733-3274).