Best Ski Day in Jackson Hoke!

2/11/2018

You haven’t really skied in the wild west until you have skied in steep chutes of Jackson Hole! That is, of course, after you get through the parking line, ~1 hour long lift line to get on your first run! Jokes aside, Jackson is truly the mecca for advanced skiing and it continues to be unparalleled. The terrain varies from steep groomed “double blues” (yes they are really just black runs everywhere else in the world), some kick ass chutes and wide beautiful bowls. Jackson is the boyfriend you always wanted to have: exciting, challenging and sexy.

Anyway, if you want to have the best day in JH, I recommend these must do’s!

Big red Tram: Jackson’s iconic tram will take you a whopping 4139 feet in only 12 mins with some epic music to get you into your skimojo going. Before battling the winds at the top of the tram, saunter into the Corbett’s Cabin for a world famous waffles!
Corbett’s Cabin: Stop here to carb load for the rest of the day…I mean until lunch. Now you’re ready to drop into Rendezvous bowl to ski some awesome black runs before heading down to chutes or making your way to other chair lifts.
For the brave and advanced skier: You CANNOT beat Jackson Hole chutes. They are steep and gnarly and will you the wildest thrill. To cross off your double black for the day, head out over the Sublette chair to the Alta Chutes. The notorious Alta 0 is almost never skiable, but the remaining Alta 1-3 offer chute options at all levels. My favorite is Alta 2 – steep, tight but relatively forgiving. Once done with the JH chutes, you have completely earned your beers for the afternoon. JK – you have a lot more to cover ;)
Tree skiing: If you’re looking to for some accessible tree skiing, head over the Thunder chair, which offers blacks and double black options for excellent tree stashes. Another one of my favorites is Wally’s World, which is accessible by both the Tram and Sublette.
Lunch: Have a quick lunch at Casper Restaurant with some hot chocolate and delicious fries! The veggie chili bowl (as a vegetarian – this makes me so happy) is awesome. They also have several beers on tap. I also strongly recommend bringing a flask of schnapps to spike your hot chocolate ;) – this makes for a nice warm afternoon!
Casper Bowl: One of the best groomed runs on the mountain, this area sees decent traffic and offers consistent beautiful ski runs. From an easy blue to double blue, the runs are well groomed and stay in good condition throughout the day. This is a must do if you’re an intermediate skier. Many days, I am just lapping Casper improving on my ski techniques.
STEEP skiing: Jackson Hole is nothing if not steep. Since the opening of the Teton Chair, some incredible steep black terrain has been made accessible. The eponymous chair offers classic JH ski terrain with long groomed ski runs and some outstanding off-piste pow pockets. As you end your day, head over here to ride the best of the Wild West.
Saratoga Bowl: Last, but CERTAINLY not the least, make your way all the way to skiers left, the northern boundary of the resort to the tree filled Saratoga bowl. This is a less frequented area, offering incredible stashes and amazing tree skiing. There are several cliffs and chutes surrounded by trees, so there are a ton of areas to play! The best part – the traverse back to the main ski area is fast and easy! (I often hate the traverse back to JH from the out of the way slackcountry areas). Saratoga Bowl is JH’s best kept secret! Sshhh!
Apres: It’s finally my favorite part of the day! If you’re looking for great views, head to the Handle bar and snag a table outside by the fire pits to end your ski day. If you want to hit a bit of the local scene, go to Spur! For those of me that are always cold, get the famous Hotty Toddy! And for those that can keep it down, you MUST try the Insomnia (White Russian + Espresso), and you’ll be ready to party the night out!

This is definitely a busy itinerary, but trust me, Jackson Hole leaves you hungry for more and more! Hope you try to tick off at least some of these things, but if not, I really hope you are visiting JH for more than a day :)

Ride on Cowboy!