Jackson Hole Activities

Snow King's 70th Opening Day

jim — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:56:00 GMT

This season is special for the Snow King Ski Area. Snow King celebrated its 70th opening day in style with a cake cutting ceremony attended by many of the long time locals. Bill Briggs even managed to stop by for some early morning music and yodeling. Mayor Mark Barron was on hand to recite a proclamation highlighting the importance of Snow King Mountain (www.snowkingmountain.com) to Jackson Hole, youth athletics and the ski community in general. Jim Sullivan, long time Snow King Ski Area Manager, gave a quick speech on the history of Snow King and how not only home grown athletes, but those who come to train at Snow King have a history of Olympic competition success. But, history wasn't the only good thing going on this morning.

Although Mother Nature has been stingy with the real stuff this early season, cold temperatures and high tech snow making equipment made it possible for Snow King to open with great skiing. The "Town Hill" had solid coverage on the open runs this morning and those who came out to enjoy the steepest continuous vertical drop of any ski area in North America were treated to excellent conditions. This is especially exciting news for the Jackson Hole Ski Club which is hosting the Western FIS Race (http://www.jhskiclub.org/news/?id=1206 ) next week at the Snow King Ski Area. With more terrain scheduled to open this week, it should be a great event.

Hiking to Hidden Falls

kristine — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:32:00 GMT

Just returned from a conference in Winter Park. Although I love traveling to other mountain towns I always find that my heart belongs in Jackson Hole. The weather was amazing this weekend so we packed up the kids, called a friend to join us and headed off to Grand Teton National Park. Our 3 year old loves boats (who doesnt!) and since the season is slowing down we decided to take the ride across Jenny Lake to hike to the 80 foot high waterfall called Hidden Falls. I am sure we were quite the scene - Me, with a 3 month old strapped to my front, my husband walking while our 3 yr old toddled along the trail and our friend carrying her 2 yr old in a backpack. The trail was easier than I remember. Did they move it? Seemed shorter or not as steep. Maybe I am in better shape than I thought? The hike turned out great. The trail has some tricker areas with slightly steep steps but nothing our son couldnt handle. We looked for huckleberries (found 4 total), saw (dried up) raspberries and picked up some good walking sticks along the way. Since it is approaching off-season the trail was mostly clear of other hikers allowing us to meander our way to the waterfall. The area at Hidden falls offers good spots to relax under the shade of trees. We parked ourselves on a couple of boulders, unpacked our lunch and cooled off from the misty breeze that comes off the waterfall. Hiking down was a little more difficult for our son as he doesn’t handle the decline as well. With hand holding and slow moving, we made it down to the dock for a short wait until the boat returned for our journey home. Once back at the dock you will find a nice stretch of “beach” available for toe dipping in the lake. The kids immediately shunned their shoes for rock jumping in the cold mountain-fed water. The hike begins at Jenny Lake Visitor Center, which offers parking for all sizes of vehicles. The boat is a fast and fun way across the lake but if you choose, you can follow the trail around the lake, which is 5 miles roundtrip. Overall, once at the trailhead the trek is less than 1 mile each way. For those more adventurous, keep climbing the trail to Inspiration Point. Great views of Jenny Lake below with the surrounding valley.

Jackson Hole Farmer's Market

kristine — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:05:00 GMT

Woke up Saturday to a cold and not so nice morning. Thought....how easy it would be to stay home, eat banana waffles and watch Aladdin (the movie) for the millionth time cuddled under blankets. But, it is the middle of August and we dont have many weekends left before it is really too cold and my motivation is lost, so we packed up our 3 year old and our 3 month old in the chariot stroller, hooked it up to the tandem bike and rode on down to the Jackson Hole Farmer's Market. You couldnt have asked for a more perfect morning. I think most people decided to skip it due the cold and possibility of rain. The crowds were minimal and the produce was abundant. We munched on fresh blueberry scones while checking out the goods at each stand. Ended up with HUGE blackberries, amazing Utah corn, Wyoming tomatoes (for caprese salad), a massive zucchini (which I stuffed and baked last night..YUM) and a beautiful organic basil plant (from our local Cosmic Apple Gardens). The corn was so sweet and tender that a quick blanch in the boiling water was all it needed. I ate corn for dinner Sunday night - no protein, no starch, just corn. Loved it. We then moved on to the Art Fair that was happening in Miller Park. Seemed to be much larger than in year's past. Booths were assembled all over the park offering an array of paintings, photography, sculpture, clothing, jewelry and furniture. Live music, food vendors and a kid's art area rounded out the event. We snuck into the middle of the festivities to play on the slides, monkey bars and swings at one of our son's favorite local parks. I am so glad my laziness did not get the best of me. We had a great morning experiencing Jackson at its finest. Community runs deep here. This is why we love it so.

Mid Season Break

jim — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:04:00 GMT

Even the most diehard powder skier can enjoy a little break.

Jackson Hole saw a ton of snow fall in January. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Snow King and Grand Targhee all saw their snow base measurements increase dramatically over the month. By mid January many locals were starting to compare this winter to last year's record snow fall. I only strapped on skis about 10 times the first half of January, but it seemed like every day was a big powder day. As much as I enjoy skiing the deep stuff, it can be kind of nice to wear a little lighter gear and put on the sunglasses for a couple days.

The last few days of January provided exactly that break. The skies cleared and the thermometer increased just enough for the end of January to feel a little bit like spring. I spent the last couple days in January skiing the back country with trips up to the peaks in Grand Teton National Park. The views of Jackson Hole and surrounding terrain on a blue bird day with crystal clear skies are unbeatable. Some Alpine skiers took advantage of the clear blue skies to take a sleigh ride in the National Elk Refuge or snow mobile up at Togwotee or Yellowstone National Park. Others chose cross country or skate skiing as an option.

This is not to say the slopes were empty or the skiing was bad. Fair weather skiers enjoyed some of the best conditions of the season and those competing in ski races enjoyed excellent runs. If a skier was lucky enough to visit Grand Targhee the end of January, the views of the Grand Teton were so clear it looked like you could reach out and touch the mountain from the Dream Catcher chairlift. The chairs at the Casper restaurant located mid mountain at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort were full of sun bathers every day and I don't think the outdoor heated pool at the base of the Snow King Ski area saw as many visitors even in the summer!

With winter hitting its mid season stride there is no better time to enjoy Jackson.

Opening Day at Snow King

dana — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:10:00 GMT

Opening Day on Snow King! The mountain snowmaking crew connected the dots and got a very skiable strip of snow open just in time for opening day. It skied FAST but fun and Paul (our Spa Manager) and I skied lap after lap on Cougar – we’re figuring 35 seconds downhill without stopping and then a 5-7 minute lift ride up… maybe 15 runs? Fun.

Great way to break in the ski-legs and since I am lucky enough to be able to walk to the lifts from home, nothing could be better. The Figure Skating club was putting on it’s afternoon show of “The Grinch on ice” which added an element of chaos to the parking lot (cars EVERYWHERE) but once they settled in the mountain itself was ours.

Can’t wait to get out on Snow King again – it’s gonna be another ripping ski season!

Can't Beat the Lamb

dana — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:04:00 GMT

I enjoyed the most wonderful rack of lamb EVER on Saturday night!

My friend Peggy & I headed off to a late dinner reservation at the Blue Lion restaurant on a whim and had a great time. Ned Brown (Blue Lion owner) was graciously offering a 30% discount off your entire bill as a celebration of his 30^th year in business – and the restaurant was ROCKING! It was such fun to dine in a room full of locals all enjoying the delicious food, wonderful wines, gracious service and high spirits brought about by this celebration of early winter. I’d been in earlier in the week for a birthday celebration and had a similar experience – the lamb was just the best EVER!

Thanks Ned for a wonderful time – keep doing what you do ever-so-well and I expect to enjoy 40% off in 2018 for your 40^th anniversary!

Early Season Turns

jim — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 21:40:00 GMT

I woke up this morning convinced a big snow storm had struck the night before. My blinds were only cracked, but I could see a bit of the white stuff coming down. I haven't skied yet this year and the itch to strap planks to me feet and go flying down a hill regardless of the snow coverage is becoming increasingly strong. Unfortunately, when I finally opened the blinds the cloud of snow I was seeing was only a regional phenomenon created by the diligent snow makers from Snow King Resort next door. Looking away from Snow King the skies were clear and blue. If I wanted to ski today, I would need to work a little bit harder then walking out my front door and grabbing the Snow King Chairlift.

Even though early season backcountry skiing can be risky with the normally covered rocks and stumps still poking through the snow, that danger can be minimized by choosing an area that holds snow well and has a grassy slope. Since I know just the place, only 15 minutes from Snow King, I loaded up the ski gear, Mutt and some snacks and headed out for a day of Touring that would hopefully produce a few good Alpine turns as well.

I chose an area that overlooks Jackson Hole, WY and took advantage of those crystal clear blue skies to not only enjoy the exercise and camaraderie with the Mutt, but also the astounding views unique to Jackson Hole, WY. I spent two hours skinning at about 8500 feet. This took me around the rim of a horseshoe shaped section of mountain range. Once I was on the other side of the rim the slope below looked well covered with snow with even a bit of the good fresh stuff on top. I locked down the bindings and headed down hill - First Alpine Turns of the Season!

The snow was much better then I expected. There was about 5in of fresh snow on top of a spungy crust. I never broke through the crust and enjoyed very fast powder. The Mutt wasn't quite so lucky because she was breaking through the crust every third or fourth lunge. There was definitely some paw licking and limping around a little later that evening for the Mutt, but she was good as new the next day.

There is No Such Thing as Bad Weather!

jim — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:09:00 GMT

So many times I hear the same complaint from my couch potato friends: I don't want to go outside. It's not sunny. I'm afraid I'll get wet. It's too muddy/slippery to run. The list of excuses goes on. This past weekend in Jackson Hole, Wyoming was not sunny and the potential to get wet was high and even though the weekend TV sports line up was good, not spending some time outside would have been a big mistake.

When I woke up Saturday morning and looked outside the first thing I noticed is that it was lightly snowing, but not too cold. I grabbed warm clothes, running shoes and the Mutt and headed out for a short run. The trails were definitely a bit muddy, but it is easier to run with the Pooch off the pavement - less cars to think about. I am lucky enough to live right next to National Forest access and the Snow King Ski Area. Snow King snow makers were already filling in the base area with man made white stuff, but my corner of the hill was untouched so before long I was out of the Snow King base area heading up towards mid-mountain. The trails were definitely slick, but with some careful footing the rewards were well worth the mess. The views of Jackson Hole are spectacular from Snow King. The town was still peppered with red and orange Aspens living out the last of their fall colors while the sprawling meadows of the National Elk Refuge just to the north was filled with mist and looked like something out of a postcard. All the various mountain ranges - Gros Ventres, Snake River Range and the Tetons were in full snow capped view - even the cables for Jackson Hole Mountain Resort's new Aerial Tram were fully visible.

It was time to watch my feet instead of the scenery for a while as I left the mud and entered the snow. As I neared the summit of the Snow King Ski Area I couldn't help but notice how quickly the snow was starting to accumulate. The Pooch was giving me that "My paws are cold!" look so I figured I better start heading down hill. Instead of heading back the same way I decided to take a side trip home via Ferrin's and Cache Creek. During the summer these trails are perfect for mountain biking, but this time of year the trails are empty so a break neck slip sliding run down them with the Mutt leading the charge was nothing but tons of fun. We did get a little muddy and a short run turned into a long run, but the shoes came clean and after a few minutes of rolling around in that new snow so did the Mutt.

Fall has officially arrived

lisadridenour — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:52:00 GMT

This past weekend was the first in a while that has been weather dependent. I attended the Moose Cross and the Grand Teton Brewery's Oktoberfest in Victor, Idaho on Saturday. The day began with a clear beautiful morning but the dark clouds quickly rolled in during the afternoon races and festivities at the Brewery. We watched the sky as a wall of rain swept across the the Big Hole Mountains and into Teton Valley, deciding whether we should withstand the down pour and continue to hold on to summer flip flops, brats, and brews outdoors or if we should swallow our pride, jump in the car, and head to the Knotty Pine for dinner. As the clouds grew closer, we chose the latter option. Sunday was similar. We were able to sneak out for a hike in the afternoon, but brought our rain jackets just in case.

Although the weather has seemed to turn for the colder, rainier days, there is a low buzz around town . . . people are already talking about skiing and their winter plans. I am still crossing my fingers for another Indian Summer.

But if fall has truely arrived, I embrace it. The colors of the changing leaves fill the valley, there are less people downtown, and there still tons of events and activities to enjoy. In particular check out concerts, dance performances, and more at the Jackson Hole Center for the Arts. Another big fall event is the Teton Wellness Festival.

New Arrow Mountain Bike Trail: A Great Ride for All

lisadridenour — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:52:00 GMT

The Arrow Trail, recently constructed by the Jackson Hole Boy Scouts, is a new mountain bike trail on Teton Pass, linking Phillips parking area to Phillips Canyon Trail, an already constructed downhill and rocky trail. This new single track trail has created a scenic adventure through what used to be a simple forest service road. The trail is a 7 mile out and back (if you turn around at the junction with Phillips Canyon) and is a great ride for those looking for mellow but scenic and fun single track.

Trail Description: Park at the Phillips Parking Area about 3/4 the way up Teton Pass. Ride up the forest service road until you see a trail marker that says Phillips Canyon to the left and Arrow Trail to the right. The Arrow Trail begins about 10 feet after the sign off to the right of the road. The trail maintains relatively the same rolling elevation for the first section. It then crosses the power line road and begins its true ascent, which for anyone who enjoys riding on Snow King or the Big Holes, will quickly appreciate the amount of winding this trail provides during its ascent. I think it adds on an extra mile just to make a mellow ascent, keeping the exertion level totally manageable. The trail then disappears into the trees and then back out to views for a few sections, one including a large tree bridge, with an easy go-around if you aren't feeling up to it. Although bumpy in areas because of loose rock and tree roots, the quality of the trail is impressive for being only a month old. This is a classic cross-country trail. You never really feel like you are ascending or descending because there is a little of both in each section. The fastest section is actually back toward the beginning (or end) of the trail. Otherwise the tight corners on the main switch back area require a slower speed on the descent.

Riding this trail out and back takes a little over an hour, making for a fabulous end of the day or quick ride. If you haven't yet, make your way up to Teton Pass to try out the new Arrow Trail.

Black Canyon Mountain Bike Ride: Dusty, Rocky, but a Ton of Fun!

lisadridenour — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:29:00 GMT

A local mountain bike trail begins at the top of Teton Pass. After a short mellow uphill ride, you arrive at the highest point south of the pass overlooking Jackson Hole and Black Canyon. This is the beginning of the descent. A lack in rainfall over the past few weeks has made this trail extremely dusty so be prepared for clouds of dust if you are riding with a group. Beware of the first few switchbacks, covered in loose large rocks that can easily toss your tires around. But after that it’s smooth dusty sailing around a series of switchback turns that seem like they will never end. Once you descend down into the shaded valley, the switchbacks end, and the trail becomes buff, cool, and excellent. A few creek crossings, a few scrambles over fallen trees, and rollercoaster like terrain, make this ride quite an adventure. Go slow if this is your first time on this trail as a few features seem to jump out at you without notice. No matter what, when you arrive at the end, you are bound to take a deep breath, smile to your buds, and say “that was fun.”

Horseback Riding on Snow King Mountain is a Fun and Western Way to See the Area

lisadridenour — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:37:00 GMT

The earliest horseback trail ride you can reserve on Snow King Mountain departs at 9am, early enough that the mountains are lit with beautiful morning light and late enough that the air is warm and pleasant. It was a small group, only 5 of us. Two local teenagers, two adults over 70 years old from northern California, and me, 27. It was a great mix of people and everyone had a great time.

Our guide, Billy, initially warned us not to let our horses eat any of the grass along the trail, or else we would end up spending an hour eating instead of riding. We left the stables at the base of Snow King Mountain, just next to the scenic chairlift, and started winding our way up the mountain along a horse-only trail. Many locals use the main hiking trail on Snow King as their daily excersice and we appreciated, as much as the hikers did as well, that we had our own horse trail to follow up the mountain. Although mostly in the sun, the trail weaves through a few forested sections for some much needed shade. About half way up the mountian, the trail veers left across the mountain toward the top of the Alpine Slide, which is where we begin our descent.

Because it is such a steep mountain, coming downhill on a horse made me a little uneasy on the corners. But after Ginger, my horse, slowly guided me around two bends, I was reassured that the horse does this every day and knows exactly where it's going. Our two guides, Billy and Kevin, were fantastic and pointed out landmarks and other Jackson Hole activities. Although a little dusty, it felt great to be on a horse again and to sample a little taste of Jackson's western flair.

Bar-T-5 Covered Wagon Cookout: Great Food and Song, but not very P.C.

lisadridenour — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:14:00 GMT

I attended the Bar-T-5 Covered Wagon Cookout adventure on Friday night with 30 friends. No, I didn't just round up a group to go. It was, in fact, the rehearsal dinner. Although instead of rehearsing we enoyed a covered wagon ride up Cache Creek, a hearty cowboy dinner, and a little song and dance. It was a fun evening and a great idea for a rehearsal dinner.

Our group was split into three to ride up the road to the cookout site, which took about 20 minutes. The kids that we were with loved this part and kept asking if they could drive the wagon. If you hike and bike up Cache Creek, you may be surprised that this little stage and outdoor dining room even exist. It is well hidden. Once we were deeper into the forest we were suddenly surprised with two figures coming toward us on horseback from the woods. Sure enough, as the old west stories say, they were Indians. They were "whooping" and calling out. It was, to say the least, a little absurd and offensive. But this is Jackson tourism at its finest.

When we arrived we were ushered to the front four tables. The host made a few announcements and then directed us to grab a plate and line up for the grub: salad, rolls, corn, beef and chicken, baked beans, and lemonade or water. The staff brings each table their own pot of brownies later in the night. For a cowboy dinner, the food was delicious. During dinner, we enjoyed music by a team of four: two guitarists, one bass, and one fiddle. They sang about life out west and living off the land. And, of course, they couldn't avoid including the bride and groom in a few skits, where they made fun of them terribly. After dinner, we loading up on the wagons again for our return back to town.

A great evening to share with family and friends, especially if you are looking for great food and a little entertainment. But if you bring the kids, you may want to add a short disclaimer about the cowboys and "Indians." Go to www.bart5.com for details.

Horseback Trail Riding returns to Snow King Mountain

lisadridenour — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:32:00 GMT

From now until the end of September, Snow King Mountain will be offering horseback trail rides through JH Trail Rides, an outfitter that has been operating trail rides in the valley for over 30 years. The horse corral is located at the base of the mountain, right next to the scenic chairlift. The trails weave along the lower half of Snow King Mountain through forest and open wildflower meadows, offering fantastic views of town, the Elk Refuge, and the Grand Tetons, and only cross other hiking and biking trails here necessary.

Horseback Riding is a great addition to Snow King's many summer activities. Great for the whole family over 7 years old, trail rides last one hour and depart numerous times every day. Children under 7 years old have the option to ride a pony around the corral, with supervision of course. The length of the trail rides are perfect for a visitor to the area. Just enough time to get to know your horse and to see the beautiful mountain side and views. Anything longer would make you walk funny for the rest of the afternoon. Reservations are recommended by calling (307) 733-5200 ext.7762 or Contacting the Concierge

Summer Finally Arrives for the Summer Solstice

lisadridenour — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:14:00 GMT

When the local forecast read “frequent snow showers” two weeks ago, I started feeling pretty pessimistic about summer 2008 in Jackson Hole. But a little over a week ago, the sun broke through the clouds, rain, and snow and has been shining ever since. Snow still lingers in high mountain valleys and on top of most peaks, but it is officially summer in the valley with temperatures pleasantly reaching the 80s during the day. You can tell summer has arrived simply by everyone's attitudes. People are smiling, talking about all the exciting things they did over the weekend and making plans for the next. But if you ask a Jackson native about this year’s late onset of summer, they are quick to tell you that this is nothing unusual and that we are just used to really EARLY summers that have occurred over the last ten years. Summer seems to fly by in Jackson Hole and with the summer solstice this past weekend, days are already getting shorter. Whatever the case may be, summer is here and I'll be sad when it leaves. There are plenty of sunshine filled months ahead to explore the area and partake in many of Jackson's outdoor activities and events.