Teton Winter Offerings
The Grand Tetons lure cross-country skiers, snowshoers, and backcountry skiers, while the ski resorts in the surrounding communities provide acres of inbound runs. Idaho and Wyoming’s stunning Teton mountain range spans most of Grand Teton National Park, which is just south of Yellowstone National Park. There are three ski resorts in the area to accommodate fresh powder seekers; Grand Targhee, Snow King, and Jackson Hole. These ski resorts are slightly lower in altitude than the Colorado Rockies, with base elevations at a maximum of 6,300 feet and summit elevations topping out at 10,500 feet.
Teton Valley averages 450-500” of snowfall annually making this mountain terrain world famous for its dry and fluffy powder. When booking a Teton ski trip or any ski trip, it’s important to remember that traveling during the winter can prove difficult at times. Flight delays, cancellations, route changes and road closures are commonplace so it's important to be flexible and have a backup plan. Spend your winter vacation hitting the slopes and relaxing in style all within a short trek from your ski resort village. Once your plane comes into view of the Teton Mountains you will see why many consider it a playground all year long! Exquisite views surrounded by National Parks and nearby mountain resort destinations offer luxury lodging, fine dining, spas and winter culture.
Plan Your Trip
It's important to plan your trip to Teton Valley prior to boarding the plane or packing up the car to get the most of your adventure! There are a few basics you want to cover: What is your method of transportation? When is the best time of year to visit? Where are you going to stay? What adventures do you want to take on while you're there?
There are so many amazing activities to choose from! Skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, exploring the backcountry, cross country skiing, or just relaxing in a laid-back mountain town. We have put together a few different guides below to help you make the most of your trip or move to Teton Valley!
Backcountry Expeditions
Teton Valley is famous for it’s snow and landscapes. Each day skiers, snowmobiles, snowshoes, boarders, hikers, and climbers enjoy easily accessible trail-heads into this pristine backcountry snow. Backcountry skiing means off the beaten track, so how do you get to the backcountry? If you're an extremist, then you'll set off under your own power from Greater Yellowstone's many hundreds of trail heads towards a snow covered crag. However, this is not a decision to be taken lightly -- the terrain can be dangerous if you are inexperienced or ill-prepared.
There are hundreds of trails to explore but it’s important to remember you have left the protection of ski areas and need proper gear. When exploring backcountry be prepared for avalanche dangers; unknown terrain combined with unknown snow conditions can quickly become dangerous. There are a variety of companies that offer backcountry guides to provide a safe but thrilling route through the Tetons. Check out Yostmark Backcountry Tours for a wide variety of tours and locations!
Know Before You Go: About Tetons Backcountry
Remember that the gift of backcountry also comes with responsibility for avalanche safety. Each day, hard-working ski patrols make the terrain inside of ski area boundaries extremely safe from avalanches. If you don't own avalanche equipment or feel that you have the right skills, no problem. You can utilize local guides listed below that can set you up with the proper gear, keep you safe and lead you to the good stuff to make the most of your vacation.
Get the Equipment: Everyone should have a transceiver, shovel and probe on their person and know how to use them.
Get the Training: Take an avalanche course to learn obvious clues to danger and how to read the terrain.
Get the Forecast: Consult the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center website before heading out for critical avalanche information and education resources.
Get the Picture: Recent avalanches on similar slopes mean dangerous conditions.
Backcountry Skiing
Various outfitters and guides offer day tours and overnight hut trips for alpine and telemark skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing in the Grand Tetons of Wyoming. Below are a couple memorable of backcountry ski spots!
Teton Pass
(Jackson Hole) Interested in maximum vertical with minimum approach? Try Teton Pass. Teton Pass is a popular backcountry skiing destination outside of Jackson Hole Wyoming and Teton Valley Idaho. You can easily access this area by driving west on hwy 22 from Jackson Hole or west on hwy 33 from Victor Idaho.
Towgotee Pass
(Dubois WY) Towgotee is a region more than just a pass and the whole region provides many skiing opportunities, many touring and some backcountry downhill. Towgotee Pass receives over 600 inches of snow annually and there are many around the touring areas I include where you can bushwhack some good downhill turns.
Beehive Basin
(Big Sky, MT) Beehive Basin Ski Trail is a moderate 5 km single-track loop near Big Sky. The trail begins with a few switchbacks, which are a bit steep. The route then flattens out for about 1 mile before turning steeply uphill. Near the end is a very steep hill. The view is spectacular. Near the end of the trail you will find a shallow lake surrounded by vertical cliffs. Avalanche hazard areas are common. Ski route goes into Lee Metcalf Wilderness. In the fall and winter Beehive Basin and nearby Middle Basin are THE spots to get some early season powder turns in Big Sky. Skinning and snowshoeing are viable ways to travel through the snow, but often the trail is already boot packed most of the way. As a word to the wise, anybody who plans to hike Beehive in the snow should go only with others who have knowledge of the area. It's agreed that certain places shouldn't be hiked without avalanche gear. Avalanches are a reality at Beehive. According to the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center, on Jan. 20, 2008, a skier was buried and killed there by a slide. This trail is not groomed. map
Hyalite Canyon
(Bozeman Montana) Hyalite Recreation Ares is quickly becoming a very good backcountry skiing resource around Bozeman. The Blackmore and Grotto Falls trailheads will lead you to great skiing. Another option is the History Rock trailhead. The short approach and smallish open meadows means it may get tracked out faster but it's great for a few quick runs. This is a busy back country destination so it is best to arrive early. Also, it's a long way to Blackmore Peak so consider arriving as early as possible and doing a few laps on the actual face.
Bridger Bowl Backcountry
(Bozeman Montana) Bridger Bowl is world-renowned for its fantastic terrain and great powder. Bridger is unique in that it offers vast amounts of steep, backcountry terrain accessible to those with a beacon, but within the ski area boundaries. Skiing the Bridger Ridge is more accessible, especially since the addition of Bridger's newest amenity: Schlasman's lift, which carries skiers to just below the Bridger ridge.
Bell Lake Yurt
(Pony Montana) The yurt will be equipped with a full kitchen including a gas stove top with BBQ grill, wood burning stove and sleeping accommodations for up to eight people. Guests will find a wide variety of terrain for the knowledgeable backcountry skier, snowboarder or winter traveler adjacent to the yurt for multi-day adventures.
Snowmobiling (Boondocking)
Teton Valley Idaho sits at the foot of the Grand Teton Mountain Range south of Yellowstone National Park and over the hill from Jackson Hole Wyoming placing it smack dab in the middle of the best snowmobiling in the world. Island Park Idaho west of Yellowstone and north of Teton Valley, and Teton Valleys own Big Hole Mountains has an extensive trail system. Just south is the Bonneville/Bingham county trail complex. This Array of snowmobiling possibilities provides thousands of miles of groomed trail opportunities opening up hundreds of pristine open bowls.
Not too confident with your avalanche skills or lack the equipment? Feel free to take advantage of local guide operators who would love nothing more than to get you to the top of the perfect, fresh powdered run of your dreams safely. These guides will provide all the equipment and knowledge to deal with the terrain safely while finding you the best adventure. Even without avalanche skills, equipment or a guide, there are areas that you can safely backcountry ski in. Stick to terrain generally less steep than 30 degrees and out from underneath steeper slopes. Below are some excellent Guide Operators:
Helicopter Ski & Snowboarding
Heli ski trips include a guide to lead a team, usually no more than five persons, and these guides are trained to find the best skiable snow on the highest peaks in the area. High Mountain Heli-Skiing Effortless excitement, untracked powder and the majesty of the Tetons is waiting for you with High Mountain Heli-Skiing! The unreachable mountain face you once examined, where you see a promising run of snow with bottomless powder fields is now reachable. Helicopter skiing and snowboarding will take you to new heights and untouched snow guaranteed to be the best run of your life. The Greater Yellowstone Region has a plethora of awesome mountains around the periphery of Yellowstone and Grand Teton Parks that make for perfect Heliskiing. The mountains of the Absaroka Range, Beartooth Range, Gallatin Range, Madison Range, Centennial Range, The Grand Tetons, Snake River Range, Wyoming Range and the Wind River Mountains all have fabulous heliskiing opportunities.
Snowshoeing
Teton Valley Trails and Pathways maintains numerous multi-use trails throughout the valley that are open for walking and snowshoeing. Snowshoeing may be the easiest and quickest ways to get out there and explore Teton Valley’s expansive national parks and beautiful terrain. Grand Teton National Park offers a variety of snowshoeing options, including a brochure with trail-specific information. They also offer a handy winter trip planner to help visitors make sure they're ready for what snowshoeing in the Tetons involves. A couple of memorable snowshoeing recommendations from Teton Reserve:
Bradley and Taggart Lakes
Cache Creek
Granite Canyon
Teton Canyon
Darby Canyon
Cross-Country Skiing
Cross country ski beneath the majesty of the heart of the Teton Range when the winter rolls in. Teton Valley is one of the top places for winter vacations activities in the country featuring an overabundance of fresh snow and incredible views. Yellowstone has miles of trails for the adventurous skier and snowshoer. Whether you are skiing a groomed trail in a developed area or venturing into the backcountry, remember that you are traveling in wilderness with all its dangers: unpredictable wildlife, changing weather conditions, hydrothermal areas, deep snow, open streams, and avalanches. Nearly all of the unplowed roads in Grand Teton National Park become cross-country ski trails during the winter. However, some areas are closed to protect wildlife. Check with local Park Personnel to plan your route.
Five groomed Nordic Trails provided by Teton Valley Trails and Pathways
Alta Nordic Trail
Driggs Nordic Trail
Sherman Park (formerly Pioneer Park In Victor)
Teton Canyon
Teton Springs Trail
About Bridget Tetons Backcountry and Sidecountry
Know Before You Go
Remember that the gift of backcountry also comes with responsibility for avalanche safety. Each day, hard-working ski patrols make the terrain inside of ski area boundaries extremely safe from avalanches. If you don't own avalanche equipment or feel that you have the right skills, no problem. You can utilize local guides listed below that can set you up with the proper gear, keep you safe and lead you to the good stuff to make the most of your vacation.
Get the Equipment: Everyone should have a transceiver, shovel and probe on their person and know how to use them.
Get the Training: Take an avalanche course to learn obvious clues to danger and how to read the terrain.
Get the Forecast: Consult the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center website before heading out for critical avalanche information and education resources.
Get the Picture: Recent avalanches on similar slopes mean dangerous conditions.
Get out from Harm's Way: Travel one at a time on avalanche slopes and get out of the way at the bottom.
Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center
No matter where you are in the state, always make sure to check local conditions before entering Tetons backcountry. For current avalanche conditions throughout Teton Valley, education on avalanche preparedness, or to sign up for workshops/tutorials, please visit: www.jhavalanche.org/
