The words "Jackson Hole Mountain Resort" bring tremors of fear to novice skiers and riders and tremors of excitement to experts. This adrenaline junkie's mountain paradise boasts steep slopes, deep powder and tight tree runs, accessible only to those who have elevated the short radius turn to an art form.
Mountain Stats
The Jackson Hole Mountain Resort rests at a base elevation of 6,311 feet. Its summit sits at 10,450 feet, giving it a 4,139 foot vertical drop. This means that the trails are not only challenging, but also long. Of its 116 trails, 50 percent are for experts and 40 percent suit intermediates. Only 10 percent of its trails are beginner-friendly While Jackson Hole is not as high as other Rocky Mountain ski resorts, the combination of slope pitch and relatively high elevation might challenge sea-level visitors. Take a day for acclimation or stick to easier trails on the first few days of your visit.
Layout
The Jackson Hole mountain Resort has two mountains. Most of its expert trails line the slopes of Rendezvous Mountain, and the resort's limited beginner and intermediate terrain sits on Apres Vous Mountain. The resort receives an average of 459 inches of snow each year. These deep-powder conditions might challenge New England and Midwestern skiers and snowboarders. A lesson with one of the resort's professional instructors will help you master the art of powder skiing.
For Novices
The Eagle's Rest Trail, located at the base of Apres Vous Mountain, is Jackson Hole's learning area. A magic carpet lift services this fenced-in area. The Eagles Rest Double Chair and the Teewinot Quad Chair services the resort's advanced beginner terrain. Despite their green, or beginner, ratings, these trails might be rated blue or intermediate at other ski resorts, says Charlie Leocha of SkiSnowboard.com.
Intermediates
The Sweetwater Triple Chair provides access to advanced beginner trails as well as easier tree runs like Wide Open and Sleeping Indian. If you enjoy the wide-open trails typical of western ski resorts, take the Apres Vous Quad for access to trails such as Moran, Ventre and Werner. The resort grooms about 22 percent of its intermediate terrain. Follow the solid blue lines for groomed terrain and the broken blue lines for powder and bumps. Jackson Hole Mountain guides give free intermediate mountain tours every morning. Tours meet in front of the Mountain Host Building.
Corbet's Couloir
Forbes.com calls it "America's scariest slope." "Travel and Leisure Magazine" takes it one step further, listing it as one of the world's scariest slopes. Welcome to Corbet's Couloir. Mountaineer Barry Corbet discovered this narrow chute in 1960 and it has a nearly vertical pitch at the top, which requires skiers to jump into the chute and make a sharp right turn to avoid the rocks on the left side of the trail. The 500-foot trail eventually flattens to a 50-degree pitch -- "flattens," of course, being a relative term in this situation.
Member Comments