Your Guide to Cody Peak

I have a photo of Cody Peak framed on the wall of my office. Whenever I need some inspiration I take a moment and ponder the mountain. It is so iconically Jackson and the terrain on it will challenge every fiber of your being. If you have ever skied off of the tram or Sublette chair at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort you have most likely notice the jagged peak to the South. Cody Peak is an extreme skier’s dream. With access just outside of the ski area boundary and a short boot pack, average joes can access terrain that is seen in extreme skiing movies. The peak is not for the faint of heart and I would recommend only for expert skier with extensive backcountry experience. There have been countless avalanches on Cody Peak as well as avalanche-related deaths on the peak. It is out of bounds, therefore you will need to have appropriate avalanche training and gear in order to ski the peak.

Cody Peak has numerous aesthetically pleasing lines. From the open powder field known as the Powder 8s to the extremely steep Pucker Face and narrow couloirs and chutes with names like “Once is Enough”, Cody has tons of skiable terrain. To reach Cody you leave the resort through the upper gate in Rendezvous Bowl and follow a mellow trail along the ridge to the bottom of the boot pack.

The Hike

The Cody Peak boot pack is the scariest boot pack in the Jackson Hole sidecountry area. Depending on how much snow there is the first part of the boot pack can be more like a rock scramble.. with ski boots on. It’s a heart pounding experience. Plastic soles with no tread on icy rock is not a good combination. This, coupled with the fact that the peak is avalanches-prone means that it isn’t a good choice for early season skiing. The peak is best skied with a lot of snow, when the boot pack is more than likely to be filled in – with the exception of a few spots where you will need to scramble over rock outcroppings. Additionally, the peak is very susceptible to wind. If it is blowing more than 15MPH you most likely will not want to hike Cody, where you will be pummeled by wind during your entire hike.

Once you are above the scramble the hike becomes very mellow. You will hike down the ridge and around the back side of Cody Peak. Once you get to the top of the ridge you will have to make your decision on what you want to ski.

The Lines

There are 6 lines that you can ski off of the bootpack on Cody Peak. The first line that you will approach is called Pucker Face. It is an extremely steep face with a cliff ban in the middle. From the top all you can see is a roll over, right where the cliff ban is. It’s rather nerve wracking, not particularly knowing where the cliffs are. This face is also very prone to avalanches, so if you are the first one to ski it make sure you do a proper risk assessment.

The next line that you will reach is a bowl called No Shadows. It’s popular entrance is on the skier’s right of the bowl. Next up the ridge is Four Shadows, another steep bowl which is typically plagued by a large cornice on the top. The best way to enter Four Shadows is at the highest part of the bowl on the right hand side. Four Shadows and No Shadows are north facing, which means that they are good options during a drought when all of the southern aspects are baked or frozen. Up past Four Shadows is a north facing chute. Central is a hair raising, narrow no-fall chute with a mandatory air at the bottom. If you can ski it you most likely are a pro skier or should consider changing your career.

From the top of Four Shadows there is a bootpack traverse over to the south side of the peak. The first couloir that you reach is called “Once Is Enough.” With a sketchy entrance, this steep no-fall couloir is one of the most well known lines in the Tetons. You can see the line from the road, it’s the line in the notch of Cody Peak when viewed from the South. It’s a popular line to ski in the spring when the sun warms the snow and creates edgeable corn. If you look into Once and decide that it’s a little much for you, head up the peak further (to the East) and take a look at “Twice Is Nice.” As you can gather from the name of the line, it’s a more mellow option to Once with a nice hanging powder field that narrows into a choke. This steep line is equally fun during the springtime. These lines drop you into No Name Canyon. If you are looking to extend your day, keep right at the exit of both of the couloirs and take the traverse over to No Name.

Last, but not least, are the Powder 8s. This open powder field can be access by either skiing the North facing lines on Cody (Pucker Face, No Shadows, Four Shadows or Central), and then traversing over to the bottom of the bootpack, or by hiking the bottom of the bowl at the base of Cody Peak. The Powder 8 bootpack is relatively short and steep.. I mean, sweet. From the top of the Powder 8s you can ski the powder field or traverse over to No Name Peak or drop into No Name Canyon. The Powder 8’s are popular to lap.

So there you have it. I have skied all of the lines on Cody Peak except for Central and Once. The terrain is heart pumping and exhilarating. It is really amazing to have such challenging terrain just steps outside of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort boundary. If you are a serious backcountry skier I definitely recommend fitting a hike up Cody Peak into your trip!

Backcountry Skiing in Grand Teton National Park – The Delta Lake Shots

We have the luxury of having a breathtakingly beautiful National Park in our backyard. Thousands of people explore Grand Teton National Park during the summer    months, but during the winter the park becomes rather inaccessible due to the fact that they don’t plow the majority of the park road and you need to have skis or snowshoes to explore it. The road from the South Entrance in Moose is plowed until the Bradley and Taggart Lake trail head. On the north end it is plowed until Signal Mountain Lodge and Flagg Ranch (see A Trip to Polecat Hot Springs for a fun excursion in the north end of the Park). The South end of Grand Teton National Park is a haven for the winter enthusiast – there are lots of backcountry ski objectives, miles of trails for snowshoers and the Park grooms the road for cross country skiers.

I have done a number of different backcountry ski objectives in Grand Teton National Park, but last weekend’s objective was by far the prettiest. My friend Katie and I decided that we were going to sacrifice a long, consistent ski run for breathtaking views on a blue bird day. She suggested that we ski the Delta Lake shots. Delta Lake is one of my favorite lakes in Grand Teton National Park and I’ve hiked to it numerous times during the summer, but I’d never been to it in the winter, let alone ski down to it so we packed up the car and headed to the trail head. The one thing that I don’t like about skinning and skiing in Grand Teton National Park is that there are a bunch of small foothills that you must negotiate between the trail head and the beginning of the mountains. This means that there is some up and down on the skin track, which is one of my pet peeves – I hate having to go down just to go up again.

After the foothills we reached Bradley Lake. The lake, which is frozen for the majority of the winter, provides a gorgeous up and close view of the Teton Range. After the lake, we finally reached the base of the mountains. We skirted around face of the mountains for a little bit and then began our ascent. Thankfully, someone had already put in a skin track. It took us 4 hours of zigging and zagging up the mountain side until we got our first view of the Grand Teton. It was absolutely gorgeous. Until we realized that we were on the wrong ridge. Thankfully there wasn’t a huge depression in the mountain to get to the ridge that we needed to be on. I did protest a little bit as we started downhill towards the correct ridge. After a short uphill we were standing on top of one of the Delta Lake Shots, staring down on Delta Lake. The mountains were silhouetted by a brilliant blue sky. I took about a million photos and then started to take off my skins and prepare for the descent.

After a quick assessment of the snow pack and discussion of where our safe zones were, Katie dropped. I watched as she skied the smooth powder down to the agreed upon safe zone. I dropped after her and met her at the safe zone and then she skied down to the lake and watched from afar as I took my turns in the wide chute. The view from the lake was equally stunning. All I kept thinking was “this is heaven on earth.” I feel so fortunate to live in such a beautiful place! After taking more photos on the lake we skied out of Glacier Gulch and traversed across until we got closer to Bradley Lake. The snow had warmed up under the sun to soft corn. We both laughed giddily as we skied down to Bradley Lake. Once on the lake we put our skins back on and trekked back to the car.

We both agreed that a celebratory beer was in order so we drove to Dornan’s and cheers-ed to our ski tour while admiring the peaks that we were just skiing in. Dornan’s was packed with fellow skiers, all sharing the tales of their ski objectives and trading high fives. It’s a really cool atmosphere and it’s a must if it’s your first time touring in the Park. In fact, I took my Avalanche 1 test at Dornan’s after skiing in the Park for the first time for my avalanche course.

Please note – Backcountry skiing is inherently dangerous and I do not suggest that you try to go for a ski tour in Grand Teton National Park unless you have proper training, gear (beacon, shovel, and probe), are in excellent physical shape and have a good awareness of the area and your objective. With that being said, touring in the Park is an unbelievable experience and I highly recommend it to any serious backcountry enthusiast.

Dawn Patrol on Teton Pass

I wake up to Passenger’s “Let Her Go” playing on my alarm clock. For a moment I think about just staying in bed. The song is like a lullaby, coaxing me to just lie back down and close my eyes. Then I think about my friend, Julie, who I promised to meet at the end of Old Pass Road in Wilson at 6:30AM. I can’t let her down. And then I think about how skiing soft, blower powder makes me feel. Okay, I’m up.

Like the majority of other Jackson Hole residents, I have to be at work by 9AM so if I have a prayer of skiing powder it means getting up before the sun and heading to Teton Pass. On powder days us 9 to 5ers are up early, hiking the Glory boot pack in search of our powder fix before heading in to work. We like to call these type of backcountry missions “dawn patrols.”

The issue with dawn patrols is that you typically don’t have a substantial amount of time. The most common early morning run is to park at the top of Teton Pass, hike Glory, on the north side of the pass, and then ski Twin Slides, Shovel Slide or First Turn. I am always impressed by the sheer amount of people on the Glory boot pack at 7AM. Doesn’t anyone sleep around here?

This morning Julie and I decided to park a car at the bottom of the pass (at the end of Old Pass Road) and drive another car to the top. We determined that we would rather hike a shorter distance and get a longer run down to the bottom of the pass instead of just back to our car at the top of the pass. We hiked Chiver’s Ridge, which is on the south side of Teton Pass. Most dawn patrolers go for Glory and so we got the first tracks down Chiver’s. Of course this required breaking the boot pack but the hike is a quarter of the length of the Glory boot pack.

As we suspected, the snow was soft and deep. We floated between the trees with huge grins on our faces. When we got to the bottom we contemplated a second run. And then we looked at the time. Drats! Sometimes work can really be a burden.

When I got home I complained to my husband that I had to go to work. He looked at me like I had two heads. He said “You should be ecstatic right now! You just skied powder. Most of our friends back East won’t get to do what you did today all year.” He was right. I have become the jaded local. Lift lines are always too long, there isn’t enough powder, the run isn’t ever long enough, all of these complaints are totally ridiculous in comparison to what my eastern friends are (or more accurately, aren’t) experiencing. After all, there is always tomorrow. That’s the only draw back to early morning Teton Pass runs. You get a nice taste of skiing powder, but then you have to go to work. I guess that I will just have to put the memory of this morning on repeat until I get to do it again tomorrow.

Skinning Snow King

What do you do when you have to go to work and you want to get a quick work out in? Skin or hike Snow King! To learn more about the Snow King Ski Area visit one of our previous posts or visit their website. Snow King opens at 10AM every day (except Mondays) during the winter season, which means that you can skin or hike up straight up the mountain with your furry friend before work and take turns on untouched groomed snow. Snow King is a steep mountain, so it is hard work, but worth the reward. Most of the time when I skin Snow King it is mainly for the work out.

To skin Snow King when the resort is closed, start out at the base area next to the hockey arena and head up the first pitch. Take a slight left once you get to the top of the first pitch and then follow the tree line up until you hit the cat track. Once you hit the cat track, turn right. This will take you to the top of the Cougar lift, their triple. Once you reach the top of the triple continue left up and around the patrol “shack” and then take a left onto another cat track that will take up through the woods. This cat track switchbacks three more times until you reach the summit of Snow King. This is the way to access the top via skinning when the mountain is closed. When the mountain is open, no dogs are allowed and you must follow this map.

If you don’t have skins and want to hike Snow King, follow the boot pack set on the right hand side of the Exhibition trail under the double summit lift. This boot pack is very steep and direct. You will want to be in good shape if you plan on attempting the boot pack. From the summit there are a lot of great trails to ski. My favorites are Elk, Cougar and Exhibition.

Snow King is also fun to skin after work. Night skiing goes until 7PM so you have to follow the uphill traffic map if you go before 7PM but seeing the town lit up below you is always spectacular. Last night I skinned up Snow King with some friends under the light of a full moon. The view of the Tetons lit up by the moon in the background and the twinkling lights of town in the foreground were breathtaking. It is so great to have a little mountain like Snow King located right in town. I have seen many sunrises and sunsets from that mountain, each more breathtaking than the last. So go skin or hike Snow King! Challenge yourself. You won’t regret it!

Early Season Skiing at Grand Targhee

After the first major snow storm of the season everyone in the town of Jackson has the same thing on their mind – is it enough to ski? And if it is enough, will it have good coverage and be worth the effort? The ski resorts don’t open until Thanksgiving but the backcountry skiing season starts as soon as there is enough snow to slide on. Popular places to ski early season are Togwotee Pass, Teton Pass and Grand Targhee. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has a no uphill traffic policy that keeps backcountry skiers off of their slopes. Targhee, however, has no such policy. They have a sign at the base that says that the ski resort is closed and therefore hazards are unmarked but they do not prevent you from hiking or skinning the mountain.

Grand Targhee is quickly becoming one of my favorite early season ski spot. The base of the mountain sits at an elevation of 7,408 feet and boasts a 2,270 foot drop. Due to its high elevation it tends to have better coverage than Teton Pass and provides a more consistent run. On Teton Pass you may find yourself hiking or skinning up after running out of snow.

Targhee is very popular early season so if you are looking for solitude I suggest you go somewhere else. The parking lot in the morning on weekends is full of backcountry skiers, families looking to sled and dogs. Lots and lots of dogs. Once you gather all your gear, head over to the base area and start skinning or hiking up the trail to the left of the Dreamweaver high speed quad. The trail is easy to follow up the mountain and takes about an hour and fifteen minutes to skin up to the top of the Dreamweaver lift. You can also split off to the left and ski the Blackfoot lift. If you ski Blackfoot be aware that you will have a short skin or hike to get out of the area.

Targhee consists of mostly mellow runs with awkward fall lines that drop you into gullies with long cat track run outs. Fortunately, they do groom the cat tracks – not necessarily for backcountry skiers but rather to compact the snow in preparation for the opening of the mountain. One of my favorite runs is skiers left off of the top of the Dreamweaver quad – Crazy Horse to Happy Hunting Ground. I find that the runs off of Dreamweaver aren’t as tracked because they deposit you in the base area instead of the top of the Shoshone lift. The benefit of being deposited at the top of the Shoshone lift is that it makes multiple laps easier. You don’t have to hike or skin out of the base area again.

While skiing Targhee early season is a ton of fun, know that it is still a backcountry area that is not being controlled for avalanches. I strongly suggest that you have your Avalanche 1 course completed as well as all of the backcountry tools necessary for backcountry travel – beacon, shovel and probe. The resort isn’t open so ski patrol will not be coming to your rescue in case of an accident. The early season snow pack can be very unstable due to the lack of depth. There have already been two avalanches reported this season and the ski resorts haven’t even opened yet! Information on those avalanches is available here and here. Be safe and go out and have fun sliding on some snow! Winter has arrived in Jackson Hole.

The Allure of Backcountry Skiing

I took my avalanche level 1 certification class my first winter here in Jackson, 4 years ago. I was the only female out of 20 classmates. It didn’t bother me, I was used to playing with the boys. However, it is sometimes preferential for me to backcountry ski with women. They don’t push my skiing ability like the boys do (sorry gals) but it is nice to enjoy the hike or skin – it’s not a race to the top.

Last night I went to an all female avalanche awareness night, sponsored by She Jumps. A lot of girls showed up to learn about safety in the backcountry and express their interest in becoming backcountry skiers. So what’s the allure when there is lift access at incredible mountains like Jackson Hole Mountain Resort or Grand Targhee? Why risk skiing out of bounds or in the backcountry?

After 4 years of skiing in the backcountry it really just hit me this past week when my friend and I had an especially tense ski episode in the backcountry. The snow pack wasn’t very stable and my friend got the snow to collapse (or whomp) underneath him when he was traversing just above a cliff ban. We spent about 10 minutes evaluating the snow pack and determining how we were going to get ourselves out of an area that we really didn’t want to be in.

Once we were safe back at the car I realized that we put ourselves at risk every time we go into the backcountry and to the backcountry skier, that skiing in backcountry terrain was worth risking your life for. Last winter was a clear example of that. There were multiple well respected backcountry skiers who died in avalanches last year. I’m not saying that I value skiing untracked powder over my life, every time I ski in the backcountry I am constantly evaluating the snow pack, weather, and data from the avalanche report. I am merely acknowledging the risk. I am more likely to die in an avalanche than someone who is a resort skier.

So what is the allure of backcountry skiing? The fresh untracked powder for one. That would be enough for me. However, I also enjoy spending time in the mountains on the ascent. Being with a friend or two, enjoying the quiet stillness and seeing the familiar landscape blanked in white snow. You see things differently. The woods that you thought you knew take on new meaning – the perfect glade run. Or the canyon that you enjoyed hiking in all summer becomes a scary terrain trap where avalanches can release on the slopes above you and bury you underneath feet of debris in the canyon. Yet winter allows you to freely to explore the terrain without sticking to established trails. Grand Teton National Park becomes unfamiliar as you ascend mountains where there are no trails during the summer months.

When you travel in the backcountry during the winter you need to constantly be thinking about the terrain that you are traveling through and be ready to have a back up plan for your descent. A good knowledge of the snow pack as well as a keen awareness of the terrain is essential if you decide to venture into the backcountry. Don’t just follow someones ski tracks because you don’t know how experienced they are or what their ski objective is.

Over the years backcountry skiing has become more popular and technology has become more advanced. However, remember just because you have an airbag pack doesn’t mean that you are invincible and shouldn’t get your avi 1 (avalanche level 1 certification). Education provides a solid foundation for safe backcountry travel

Also, don’t forget about the human factor. Many uneducated and inexperienced backcountry skiers and riders follow friends into the backcountry or sidecountry at the resort and don’t speak up when they feel uncomfortable. Do yourself a favor and spend the money to get educated if you are interested in skiing out of bounds. Knowing how to use your beacon properly as well as being able to evaluate the snow pack, terrain and weather are invaluable tools that an avalanche education will provide.

There are plenty of classes in Jackson Hole. If you are visiting Jackson and think that you want to get into backcountry skiing try to plan your visit to overlap with an avalanche class. The classes are 3 days and typically consist of 1 classroom day and 2 days in the “field. Not only will you get educated but you will get to play in the field out on Teton Pass and in Grand Teton National Park. You will learn where to go so that you can confidently ski Teton Pass or GTNP without blindly following someones tracks. Here are some of the companies in Jackson Hole that offer Avalanche Level 1, 2 and 3 courses:

Jackson Hole Mountain Guides

Exum Mountain Guides

American Avalanche Institute

If you are interested in skiing the sidecountry or backcountry on vacation and don’t want to get certified, I suggest that you hire a guide. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort offers guides for sidecountry and backcountry skiing and both Jackson Hole Mountain Guides and Exum Mountain Guides offers guided tours in the region (Teton Pass and Grand Teton National Park).

Either way, backcountry skiing is a ton of fun, just make sure that you get properly educated so that you may ski and travel safely. Also make sure that you always go out with a partner and someone that you trust. Experiences in the backcountry will strengthen your friendships and relationships. Just make sure that you feel comfortable talking with your backcountry partners about the snow pack and what makes you nervous or comfortable and why. Above all, stay safe, ski some powder and end your day exhausted but with a grin on your face because you earned your turns (and that beer!).

Early Season Skiing in Jackson Hole

With Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Grand Targhee Resort scheduled to open this coming Saturday the outlook is bleak at best, but I’m not complaining. Typically I would whine about the lack of snow, rainy weather, warm temperatures and the inability to make snow during this weather. However, after 3 winters in Jackson I have figured out how mother nature works.

She always evens things out.

Last year we had plenty of snow early season and then a drought in December and a drought again in February and March. I was skiing in October last year. This year I would have been skiing on pure sage brush in October, which isn’t exactly edgeable. I would be lying if I told you that I haven’t wanted it to snow more, but I understand now that the longer the wait, the more there will be when it really counts – in the heart of February and March. So I wait, not so patiently, for the beginning of the season. However, no season isn’t complete without an early season skin or hike up a mountain and taking a run through rock landmines, obscured by a few inches of deceptive powder.

I had some friends visiting last week and I knew that they were itching to ski. Teton Pass had a base of 6″ but Grand Targhee was reporting a base of 22″ – surely that was enough to keep us afloat and away from any snow snakes! I was encouraged also by the fact that they do some summer grooming, which means that they have cleared some trails of small boulders and sage brush. Skiing over a boulder or sage brush can result in a season ending injury.

I set my alarm for 7:30am but was up at 6:45am. I was so excited to go skiing! I hadn’t made turns since June. Last Thursday morning it was a gorgeous sunny day – not a cloud in the sky. A perfect day for a backcountry tour. We reached the parking lot of Targhee around 10:30am and were greeted by fellow skiers with the same idea. Excitement was in the air. We didn’t have to break trail, a plethora of other anxious skiers did that for us.

The first skin is always awkward. Over the summer you get used to hiking with little on your feet. All of a sudden you have a 6 foot extension of your feet that you must shuffle along up a narrow skin track. Fortunately, the beautiful weather and good company distracted me and we made it up the mountain in good time – not without some casualties. Towards the top I started feeling blisters forming on my heels. My friend, Nicole, ended up taking off her ski boots and socks three quarters of the way up to try to deflect pressure in her boot away from her already formed blisters.

However, once we reached the top of Targhee and took in the view off the back side looking off towards the Tetons, all was forgotten. We snapped some photos and prepared for the descent. The turns were everything that I was looking for – smooth and rockless. Unfortunately, two of my ski partners were not as fortunate. My friend Max ended up with a core shot and my friend Nicole had a long gash running down one ski. Such is the risk you take when you ski early season.

Once we reached the bottom we slapped high fives and headed to Grand Teton Brewing Company for a beer (or two). How nice it was – ski season had returned. I realized that’s what I had been missing: not the act of skiing itself, but the enthusiasm and camaraderie which skiing fosters.

For many locals, ski season is in full swing. My neighbor does consistent dawn patrols, disregarding the fact that the conditions are mediocre at best. I think that his motivation is in the spirit of skiing, not the act itself. I look forward to taking many more turns this winter and sharing the experiences with my ski buddies. There is nothing better than having a beer with friends after a great ski day. Here in Jackson our friendships aren’t just solidified by common interests, but rather the experiences that we share.

Powder Day in Jackson Hole – Lift Strategy

Any good powder day starts off the same way: alarm blaring at 7am, stumbling around the house making sure that I have everything that I need to ski. There is nothing worse than making it to the mountain only to realize that I forgot my ski socks or even worse, ski boots (been there, done that). On the way to the mountain I grab a coffee or burrito to help soften the blow of standing in line for an hour and a half before the lifts open.

You think I’m crazy? Tell the other 200 people in line for the tram at 8am. Ah, the tram. Now here comes the million dollar question: is standing in line for the tram actually worth it? On big powder days (anything 8+ inches) I have come to expect a delayed opening. The mountain almost always opens the same way on a powder day. First Teewinot, the beginner lift, opens simultaneously with Apres Vous. So if you are in a time crunch and need to get your powder fix standing in line at Teewinot and making up to Apres Vous (also known as AV) first thing is a great approach. The terrain isn’t as challenging as it is off the Tram, Sublette or Thunder, but if you only have a few hours early in the morning or if you would rather spend your morning skiing than waiting in line it’s your best bet.

The next lift after Apres Vous to open is typically the gondola. Thunder follows the opening of the gondola. The tram will open next and then Sublette. Sublette is a fixed gripped quad that runs up an exposed ridge. It isn’t unusual to have a no singles rule on windy days or to close it entirely. The tram, however, rarely closes due to high winds.

This morning, I arrived at the mountain at 9:30am. I knew that it was going to be a delayed opening but with 25 inches in the past 24 hours I really wanted to ski the mountain when it first open. I walked past the tram line, which snaked up the hill to the Cafe 6311 and then back down around again. Too long, I thought. As I passed the tram line it became apparent that the singles line for the gondola line was so long that the tram line and line for the gondola almost touched. People, skis, snowboards and poles were strewn everywhere. I made my way to the back of the gondola line and checked the time: 9:45am.

By 10:30 I was starting to get restless. I dropped my skis and headed off to get a coffee. When I returned I was greeted by whoops coming from the gondola line. At first, I thought that they had opened the gondola. Then I saw a PBR can fly through the air. A fellow skier was trying to ease the burden of a long lift line with no projected opening by throwing cans of PBR into a crowd of thirsty skiers and riders.

When I returned to my place in line the rumors were flying: “Someone said that they weren’t going to open the Tram at all today” to which a skier responded “Well, I heard that the mountain may not open at all today!” BOOM. Another blast from a bomb dropped by ski patrol. “Well that’s another 20 minutes” says another. The rumor is that Patrol waits 20 minutes after throwing their last bomb before opening the mountain. But that’s what they all are, rumors.

At 11:30 I was told by a reliable source that the gondola wasn’t going to open for another hour or two, so I decided to leave my spot in line and go get some lunch. After waiting for 2 hours I was hungry and tired of standing in line. Literally 2 minutes after I got out of line the gondola opened. Point being: no matter how many rumors you hear, none of them are likely to be true so just sit tight and hold your ground. Unfortunately, there is no trick to knowing when the mountain is going to open, you just have to be prepared for a long wait on powder days. The ski patrol needs to do their job well in order to keep us all safe, so be patient. After all, once you get on the lift and start skiing the powder you tend to forget about all of the waiting.

Jackson Hole Après Ski

Depending on the day, I go skiing just so that I can have an après ski. I take a few runs and then call it a day, my craving for a frosty beverage overwhelming my desire to ski. I know that I am not the only one who does this. When the skiing isn’t that great, sometimes you just want to be surround yourself with a great après ski atmosphere: everyone clunking around in ski boots, beer in hand, crushing some nachos or wings. There are many places in Teton Village to après ski (yes, après ski is a verb, at least according to me), and, depending on your mood, each one of these place may be just what you need after a long (or short) day on the hill.

Cascade

The atmosphere: Crowded at times, sit down and hang out with your buddies

Hands down, Cascade, located on the ground floor of Teton Mountain Lodge, is my favorite place to après. I may be biased because I used to work there, but their buffalo sliders  and nachos are so good! Somehow they manage to make sure that every chip has cheesy nacho goodness on it. Their specialty drinks are delicious, especially their spicy margarita (try it in passion fruit or blood orange!) and Orange Crush. Unfortunately, at $9 a pop, their large (served in a pint glass!) alcoholic concoctions can add up quickly.

Mangy Moose

The atmosphere: Loud, après ski party with live music on occasion

Not necessarily family friendly, the Mangy Moose (bar, not the restaurant) is where you go when you are looking for a lively après; one that may segue into an exciting night. With a variety of beers on tap and two bars, one upstairs and one large one downstairs, the Moose can accommodate a crowd. But sometimes that’s exactly what it attracts: a crowd. Depending on the afternoon you may find yourself fighting over a table and getting stepped on by someone who has had too much to drink. The eclectic decorations, such as a moose hanging from the ceiling and signs decorating the walls makes this a great après ski spot. The Moose is also an awesome concert venue, providing entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights.

Casper Lodge

Atmosphere: Outdoor deck for socializing and soaking in the sun, a party

Located on the mountain, some may argue that drinking and skiing is a bad idea. They are absolutely correct. But it is hard to resist temptation, come spring when the outside deck is filled with as many pitchers of beers and spicy Bloody Mary’s as people. Compared to any other après ski venue, the atmosphere of this mid-mountain bar is unparallelled. Why? The views are gorgeous, the sun is stronger and the booze may be as well! If you don’t want to sit outside there is a large fireplace in the lodge with a couch and comfy chairs surrounding it. When I am chilled to the bone my favorite thing to do is sit on the hearth with my back to the fire and sip on a Faceplant: hot chocolate with Baileys, Kahlua and Gold Schlagger. Just make sure you don’t drink too much because it is a mid-mountain bar. Luckily, the trails to the bottom from the Casper Lodge are all greens and blues, but still, it’s not the best idea to get absolutely hammered and then attempt to ski down.

During the springtime Jackson Hole Mountain Resort hosts Tram Jam, which is live music under the tram from 3:30 to 5. I will let you in on a little known secret: in Teton Village it is virtually impossible to get an open container fine. Since all of the restaurants and hotels properties abut each other and they all have liquor licenses, you are legally allowed to walk around with a beer outside. So during tram jam I suggest that you go to the liquor store, located under the Mangy Moose, and buy yourself a six pack to enjoy.

I hope that you have found this post helpful. Just remember: drink responsibly and never drink and drive. The START Bus is a great option if you are looking to get back to the town of Jackson. We even have a bus stop on site (Pearl and Jackson), so there is no excuse to drink and drive! Now get out there, ski your butt off and enjoy après skiing in Jackson Hole.

My Favorite Groomed Runs at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

So you’ve come to Jackson Hole for the holidays to ski “the big one.” You showed your office buddies the Forbes article, stating that Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is the number 1 ski resort in the country. You’ve heard the famed tales of Corbet’s Coulior and stories about the rugged terrain. However, when you arrive in this proclaimed paradise you find that the Tram isn’t even open yet due to a lack of snow. Not only that, but on your first day on the slope you take a core shot to the base of your ski. The untamed moguls have turned into a minefield of rocks and stumps. This is not what you expected. What to do when your vision of a perfect ski vacation gets turned upside down?

Head for the groomers! Though Jackson Hole is not known for their groomed runs, there are some fun ones. Sharpen your edges, get some good tunes pumping on your ipod and rip it up! As much fun as skiing the Moran Woods, Hobacks and Alta Chutes can be, I still find going fast downhill on groomers very riveting. Carving so hard that you almost fall over, soaring down the slope at daring (but in control) speeds can be enjoyable. There are only two lifts that you need to know to take you to this speed racer haven: Casper and Apres Vous.

Apres Vous (known as AV by the locals) is a high speed detachable quad, which allows you to cram in up to 10 laps over the course of an hour. There are three groomed runs from the top of Apres Vous. I would suggest skiing in the morning before the trails turn into sheets of ice. Early apres ski is always an option.

Casper also has three groomed options, however, the triple was built in 1974 so it is rather slow and the chairs are uncomfortable to sit on. The runs are fun, and the area usually boasts a Nastar course, a family favorite. At the base of Casper is a lodge, serving lunch, as well as alcoholic beverages. Lift Line, located under the Casper chair, is my favorite groomed run on the mountain. Casper offers blue terrain whereas Apres Vous offers two blues and one black trail.

At the end of the day, remember you are on vacation. So don’t get stressed if the conditions aren’t great. Just think of it as a way to explore more of the Jackson Hole area than you normally would. Other off slope activities that you could do include a sleigh ride in the elk refuge, snowmobiling to Granite Hot Spring, cross country skiing, or heading over the hill to ski Grand Targhee. Still at a loss? Read this post on other family activities to do in Jackson during the winter. I hope that you enjoy your holiday and hopefully the snow will start to fly soon so the rest of the mountain can open.