I just had an amazing (!!!) four days skiing in Wyoming, including Jackson Hole, Grand Targhee, and the backcountry of Teton Pass. And you could have been there, too. While in Wyoming, I met (in person, randomly) at least 10 people that changed their New Years plans and headed from other areas of the country up to the Tetons. And there were probably a ton more that made the trip that I didn’t meet.

A friend tweeted to me that I was “lucky” to get such good snow, and I replied that it was 10% luck and 90% meteorology. Weather forecasts aren’t always spot on, but they can frequently get you in the right place at the right time. Here’s a play-by-play on how to chase powder and some inside tips for getting the most out of a snowy adventure in Wyoming. Oh, and thanks to our sponsors for keeping me warm (Helly Hansen), making me feel like a pro skier (Wagner Custom Skis), and keeping us safe with a beacon, probe, shovel, and Float 36 airbag (Backcountry Access).

1) Look ahead one week

I can predict individual storms about one week in advance (beyond seven days is more of a guess than a credible forecast). This doesn’t mean that I (or other meteorologists) can predict exact snow totals or the perfect powder day seven days out. But a week ahead is a pretty good time to start planning your next trip in search of snow. Want proof? Here was the blog post I wrote on December 24^th, 5-7 days before the best powder days in the Tetons of Wyoming.



2) Drive there when it’s not snowing

You might have to drive an hour to find snow, or in this case, eight hours from Boulder to Jackson. And why wait until the last second to drive the whole way in the snow, potentially doubling your drive time? Try to get there before the storm starts…going 75mph on a dry I-80 through Wyoming is easy as pie. Going 45mph on a snowy, windy, icy I-80 through Wyoming is a pain in the rear. This storm lined up perfectly so that we could drive up on Wednesday and largely miss the snow.

[caption id="attachment_5334" align="alignnone" width="575" caption="Heading west on I-80, with plenty of fuel (Burritos)"][/caption]

3) Meet locals and eat well

Nothing beats a local host. I was fortunate to know Jeff Brines (founder of www.EarlyUps.com, an awesome site with constantly updated videos of snow stoke) who took us in and gave us the low down on where to park, where to ski, and where to get the best burger in town.

Where to park? The ranch lot of Jackson Hole is free if you carpool with three or more people.

Where to eat? Get a Billy’s Burger at the Cadillac Grille. Scrumptious! I’ve heard that Friday and Saturday nights are 2-for-1 drink night, but we didn’t get to take advantage.

[caption id="attachment_5335" align="alignnone" width="575" caption="The lounge in the Cadillac Grill. Burgers and sandwiches are scrumptious."][/caption]

4) Jackson Hole: find your leg strength and be patient

The down side with the first part of the storm on Thursday (12/29)  was that it was windy and warm. This meant the lifts were on wind hold for a while, and the warm temperatures also created heavy snow, which sent avalanche danger skyrocketing. It took some time for Ski Patrol to complete their avalanche control work, but we didn’t let this deter us.

The first run is 100 times better than the second run, and so on. So rather than skiing some of the lower mountain and then getting on the other higher lifts when they opened and getting 3^rd tracks, we waited in line (a looooong line) at the Gondola and at Thunder so we could get first tracks. And it was totally worthwhile (especially because the Chanman Roots Band was playing live music).

[caption id="attachment_5337" align="alignnone" width="574" caption="The Chanman Band throwing out the tunes. It makes waiting in line seem like a pleasure. More ski areas should do this!!"][/caption]

Here's a quick video (30 seconds) with a few powder shots and the brilliance of a local 9-year old on full display:



One note about Jackson Hole: the vertical is serious. When you get to the top of the gondola, it’s about 3,000 vertical feet to the bottom. So at the end of the day when it’s time for the “last run”, remember that you’re a loooooong way from an end-of-day beer. On the plus side, there is some fabulous wildlife spotting on the descent:

[caption id="attachment_5339" align="alignnone" width="575" caption="It's important to always wear the brightest and most form-fitting colors on the mountain."][/caption]

 5) Head to Grand Targhee the night before & get early tracks

We left the town of Jackson Friday afternoon so we could get to Grand Targhee before the second storm on Friday night. We got there just in time. This was my first time at Grand Targhee and the mountain is awesome, but more on that in a second.

First, there is lodging up on the hill. Sure, you can stay in the towns of Jackson, Victor, or Driggs, but on the night before a powder day, it’s fun to stay slopeside. Also, I was impressed with the family-friendly nature of the place. Options included a horse drawn sleigh ride to dinner, a naturalist talk for the kids, and smores made over an open fire.

[caption id="attachment_5340" align="alignnone" width="575" caption="Sleigh ride to dinner."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5341" align="alignnone" width="575" caption="A retired naturalist (who looks like Santa) talking with the kids about local animals."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5342" align="alignnone" width="574" caption="Time for smores!"][/caption]

All pretty cool things to do, but we hit an early dinner at the Trap Bar and called it an early night. Because….

…the Early Tracks program was calling. For $69 (or $49 if you buy lodging), you get the privilege of loading the lifts at 8am, a full hour before anyone else. Sometimes I am skeptical of these guided groups because they stop often and the guides don’t really get after it. Not here. We had a strong group, and basically skied top-to-bottom runs of untracked snow for over an hour, with nobody else on the mountain. Just looking back at the pictures reminds me of how amazing this was. If you head up to Grand Targhee and want to enjoy the mountain with just a few close friends, sign up for Early Tracks. Seeing the sunrise from an empty, powder-filled mountain was incredible. Ahhh...after 3 days of snow withdrawl, I'm ready to go back!



Also, here’s a little secret about the mountain: it’ll make you feel like a hero. Much of the mountain is between 30-35 degrees, which isn’t too steep or too flat…but just right (for reference, think of the back bowls of Vail). There are steeper sections and there’s a cliff band that you can huck (later in the season when there’s more snow), but overall this mountain will make you feel like a hero as you charge through open bowls or widely spaced trees. It was awesome!

6) Hit Teton pass. Yessiree.

Not much to say here, expect that this was the best backcountry skiing I’ve ever done. I am not a fan of long gradual climbs while in the backcountry. I’ve done plenty of tours of 5+ miles with gradual elevation gain. And that’s fine. But I’d rather maximize the efficiency of my effort, and Teton Pass does that. See the video above for visual proof.

Leaving from the parking area at the top of the pass, west of Jackson, there’s a boot pack that goes uphill for 1,500 vertical feet. Locals that are in superhero shape can complete the climb in 30 minutes, and first-timers might take about an hour. Either way, when you get to the top of Mt. Glory, it’s all downhill through glorious powder and with the proper pitch. Our local guide showed a safe yet fun way down to the road, 2,000 vertical feet below. The runs around Teton Pass are generally in the sweet spot for avalanches (35-40 degrees), so you’ll want to read the local avalanche bulletin and choose terrain wisely. It was amazing. Great turns, great snow, nicely spaced trees (on the run we chose), and it was a quick hitchhike back up to our car. We had to head back to Boulder, but locals can sometimes do five laps in a day. Spectacular! 

7) Drive home when it’s not snowing

This is much like the first piece of advice. Snow is awesome, but an eight hour drive is awesome enough in and of itself, so no need extend it with snow. On the way back, the Wind River range was gorgeous off to the east, and although it was closed when we rolled through, there’s rumor of a fantastic Thai restaurant in Rawlins, WY just off of I-80. Seriously. You should check it out and report back.

[caption id="attachment_5348" align="alignnone" width="574" caption="Wind River range in Wyoming, north and east of the way back home on Rt. 191"][/caption]

So that was five days (four ski days), two resorts, and some backcountry. Lots of powder, good eats, and mostly easy highway driving. Usually, that’s enough to make a fantastic trip. But there's one more thing.

Skiing with great people is more important than any amount of powder or the right line. And I was lucky to link up with Sari Levy, Jeff Brines, Sally Francklyn, Kevin Luby, and Robbie Williams, which was about the best group of skiers and knee-droppers I could have hoped for.

Grab some friends, find a favorable forecast, and go shred the gnar. You’ll be smiling for a long time (the grin hasn’t left my face:-).

JOEL GRATZ

Just so you know…

Many of the costs of this trip were covered by the resorts. This is awesome (I’m no millionaire at this point), but it in no way influences my assessment of the trip. In complete honesty, this was just a super fun trip all the way around, and I would say that whether it was mostly comped or I paid in full.

Link to more pictures.

Link to the Ski Magazine article about the powder in the Tetons.