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experiencelifemag.com
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Out of Bounds
Long famed for pushing limits and surpassing snow-sliding expectations, Jackson Hole now delivers more than ever.
By Christopher Cross |
January-February 2003 |
Anna Olson was tense as she rode away from the tram at the top of the
mountain. A longtime skier, Anna was about to take advantage of Jackson
Hole's "open-gate" policy and venture outside the resort boundaries into the
great Wyoming backcountry. As she followed her guide into the unmolested
powder of the open wilderness, she felt that she might have gotten more than
she bargained for. This happens a lot in Jackson Hole.
"It can be a challenging thing to ski the inbound lines on these mountains,"
said Olson, communications director for Jackson Hole Resorts, "but it's a
whole other feeling to follow a guide into an untracked line. Crossing your
comfort level is part of the culture you experience here, and this mountain
will test you."
Testing, Testing, 1-2-3
Feeling tested is a common reaction to the Jackson Hole experience. Many
first-timers tell tales of pain and suffering – but they're almost always
coupled with the exhilaration of unparalleled sights and the incredible
terrain that Jackson Hole offers. Riders get hooked on the steep, deep
powder, the challenges of runs like Corbet's Couloir, and they inevitably
come back. Soon, the trips to Jackson become longer and more frequent, and
it's not unusual for those who learn to love and respect the mountains to
end up settling in and calling Jackson home for the winter.
"The scene in Jackson is actually about riding, in contrast to other places
where the scene seems to be about popularity and how to dress on the
mountain," says Lance Pitman, pro snowboarder and co-founder of Illuminati
snowboards. Lance made a name for himself hucking tricks in the park and
pipe, but when he moved to Jackson 13 years ago he learned a whole new way
to ride and enjoy his sport.
"Jackson taught me about riding mountains rather than parks. It's a totally
different scene. We have a tight group of friends that ride together, and
when we ride, we're riding chutes and cliffs and staying away from the park.
There are times when the park is the place to be, but most of the time, it's
all about the backcountry," says Pitman.
With all of this talk about the backcountry (more on that later) it's easy
to forget that Jackson Hole boasts some of the most challenging in-bound
territory in the world. The two mountains at Jackson Hole (Aprés Vous and
Rendezvous) have a continuous vertical rise of 4,139 feet, the longest in
North America, with more than 2,500 acres of riding area. Fifty percent of
the runs are designated as expert terrain. Chutes, cliffs, trees and deep,
deep powder can all be found in-bounds.
Jackson also has an insane terrain park for freestylers, as well as one of
the first super-pipes (taller walls and wider transitions make for greater
speeds and incredible airs). There are almost never any lines at the lifts,
and on most days every rider on the hill has a full acre and a half all to
themselves.
Out On Your Own
As if all this weren't enough, in 2000 Jackson Hole introduced its
"open-gate" policy, allowing all riders access to the area's 3,000 acres of
backcountry via gates located at various places on the mountain. In the
backcountry, there are no groomed runs, no chair lifts, and no ski patrol,
just acres of pristine wilderness and lots of deep snow.
While the backcountry is the only place to get the feel of really riding
among nature's greatest gifts, it can also be the place to meet nature's
fury – in the form of avalanches, tree wells and quick-changing weather
patterns. Outstanding cooperation between the forest and weather services
provides up-to-date information about snow conditions and inclement weather,
but once you cross that line and go "off-piste" you are on your own.
Backcountry adventures require extra equipment (avalanche transceivers,
shovels, tools for measuring snow depth, clothing for the worst kind of
weather) and a lot of know-how. Jackson Hole provides classes in backcountry
skills and safety. It also has guides, whose expert knowledge of the local
terrain could prove to be invaluable. The rewards of riding out-of-bounds
are endless, but the chance of danger must always be respected. Jackson's
open-gate policy can be safe for everyone as long as riders respect Mother
Nature, as well as the limits of their own abilities.
Ace in the Hole
The area around Jackson (named for Davey Jackson, a mountain man and trapper
from the late 1800s) has always been known for its remoteness and rugged
beauty. The granite spires of the Grand Tetons loom to the north,
challenging your imagination with their majestic presence. Yellowstone
National Park, with its geothermal features and abundant wildlife, is nearby
as well.
In 1967, Paul McCollister founded Jackson Hole Ski Resort with the
idea of creating something unique. "Paul loved the mountains in Jackson more
than anything else in life," says Jerry Blann, president of the resort. "His
dream was to create a European village resort, and he succeeded beyond
anyone's expectation." Jackson's eclectic charm and ominous natural beauty
have been drawing some of the best skiers and snowboarders to its slopes for
decades. Skiers like Tommy Moe and Olympic champion Pepi Stiegler call
Jackson home, as do snowboarders like Travis Rice and Bryan Iguchi.
Because of its remote location, Jackson retains a real Old West attitude.
Both that and a great reverence for nature are reflected in the people who
have chosen to live there. "It's not easy to live in Jackson," says Anna
Olson. "Those who live here do so because they love the mountain. They live
for snow sports."
Historically, the remoteness that has given Jackson this unique character
has also presented an accessibility problem. Jackson is in the middle of a
vast wilderness, surrounded by national parks, endless forests and daunting
mountains. All major cities are at least a day's drive away, and while
Jackson has its own full-service airport, few carriers have offered regular
flights. But now, all that is about to change. This year, five major air
carriers (including Northwest) are offering daily nonstop flights directly
to the airport at Jackson, helping the resort turn an important corner in
its accessibility.
The sleepy European village has been undergoing some changes as well. Two
new lodges, The Snake River Lodge and Spa and The Teton Mountain Lodge, have
recently opened, offering rooms and services to meet a range of needs and
budgets. Old chair lifts have been replaced with high-speed quad-lifts, and
the new tram can take 63 passengers from the bottom to the top in just 12
minutes.
Although it's hard to imagine, if you do get tired of riding the slopes at
Jackson Hole, there is a wealth of other winter activities to enjoy. A maze
of cross-country ski and snowshoe trails weaves around the mountains. The
terrain makes for excellent snowmobile adventures, too, and there are other,
even more eclectic opportunities. Sleigh rides through an elk refuge,
heli-adventures, para-gliding and hot-air ballooning make up just a few of
the alternatives to snow sliding. "But if you're going to experience the
real Jackson Hole, you must have an interest in skiing or snowboarding,"
Olson points out. "If snow sliding isn't your thing, you might want to
choose another destination."
Of course, if snow sliding – any kind of snow sliding – is your thing,
you'll be hard-pressed to find a better spot than Jackson. Wyoming's state
slogan is "The Equality State," and that sense of equality and receptiveness
pervades the Jackson Hole environment.
Perhaps the best way to describe it is a feeling of openness. The mountain
is truly open to all types of riding and all types of riders. Skiers and
snowboarders are open to riding together and respecting each other for their
abilities (many locals partake in several disciplines). The backcountry is
definitely open, and it's up to each visitor to be open to the challenges
offered at this unique resort.
So prepare before you go, and once there, settle in. If you get a chance,
ride the lift with some locals, who are always friendly and willing to share
the mountain's hidden treasures. Then cross the gate. Step outside your
comfort zone. Go out-of-bounds.
Local Sights
Grand Teton National Park
Towering a mile above the town of Jackson, the
Grand Teton stands at 13,770 feet. Twelve peaks in the range reach heights
of 12,000 feet or higher and are home to dozens of mountain glaciers.
Although this is the youngest range in the Rocky Mountains, it contains some
of North America's oldest rocks.
Yellowstone National Park
A short drive north from Jackson, Yellowstone is home to geysers, hot
springs, canyons, pristine forests and abundant wildlife. Snowmobile trips
can be arranged in Jackson to take you on a tour through some of the park's
geothermal features and wildlife areas.
Other Area Resorts
Grand Targhee
Nestled in the Heart of the Teton range, this area gets
dumped on, with average snowfall of 500 inches of champagne powder. Take one
of their small-group SnowCat adventures and get in up to 20,000 vertical
feet of deep-powder riding in seven to 10 runs. That adds up to a lot of
smiles.
Snow King
Located on the edge of the town of Jackson, this mountain is the
first resort in Wyoming, and one of the oldest in the United States. The
Gros Ventre (French for big belly) mountain has more than 60 percent of its
runs designated as expert terrain.
Backcountry Lingo:
Peeps: An avalanche transceiver (a radio device used to locate a buried
victim).
Traverse: Crossing a shallow diagonal line across a slope.
Off-piste: The area outside the boundaries of a resort.
Couloir: A steep mountainside gorge or gully.
Split-board: A snowboard that can be separated into two skis for long
traverses.
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Out of Bounds
Long famed for pushing limits and surpassing snow-sliding expectations, Jackson Hole now delivers more than ever.
By Christopher Cross | Head Out Department,
January-February 2003 |
Anna Olson was tense as she rode away from the tram at the top of the
mountain. A longtime skier, Anna was about to take advantage of Jackson
Hole's "open-gate" policy and venture outside the resort boundaries into the
great Wyoming backcountry. As she followed her guide into the unmolested
powder of the open wilderness, she felt that she might have gotten more than
she bargained for. This happens a lot in Jackson Hole.
"It can be a challenging thing to ski the inbound lines on these mountains,"
said Olson, communications director for Jackson Hole Resorts, "but it's a
whole other feeling to follow a guide into an untracked line. Crossing your
comfort level is part of the culture you experience here, and this mountain
will test you."
Testing, Testing, 1-2-3
Feeling tested is a common reaction to the Jackson Hole experience. Many
first-timers tell tales of pain and suffering – but they're almost always
coupled with the exhilaration of unparalleled sights and the incredible
terrain that Jackson Hole offers. Riders get hooked on the steep, deep
powder, the challenges of runs like Corbet's Couloir, and they inevitably
come back. Soon, the trips to Jackson become longer and more frequent, and
it's not unusual for those who learn to love and respect the mountains to
end up settling in and calling Jackson home for the winter.
"The scene in Jackson is actually about riding, in contrast to other places
where the scene seems to be about popularity and how to dress on the
mountain," says Lance Pitman, pro snowboarder and co-founder of Illuminati
snowboards. Lance made a name for himself hucking tricks in the park and
pipe, but when he moved to Jackson 13 years ago he learned a whole new way
to ride and enjoy his sport.
"Jackson taught me about riding mountains rather than parks. It's a totally
different scene. We have a tight group of friends that ride together, and
when we ride, we're riding chutes and cliffs and staying away from the park.
There are times when the park is the place to be, but most of the time, it's
all about the backcountry," says Pitman.
With all of this talk about the backcountry (more on that later) it's easy
to forget that Jackson Hole boasts some of the most challenging in-bound
territory in the world. The two mountains at Jackson Hole (Aprés Vous and
Rendezvous) have a continuous vertical rise of 4,139 feet, the longest in
North America, with more than 2,500 acres of riding area. Fifty percent of
the runs are designated as expert terrain. Chutes, cliffs, trees and deep,
deep powder can all be found in-bounds.
Jackson also has an insane terrain park for freestylers, as well as one of
the first super-pipes (taller walls and wider transitions make for greater
speeds and incredible airs). There are almost never any lines at the lifts,
and on most days every rider on the hill has a full acre and a half all to
themselves.
Out On Your Own
As if all this weren't enough, in 2000 Jackson Hole introduced its
"open-gate" policy, allowing all riders access to the area's 3,000 acres of
backcountry via gates located at various places on the mountain. In the
backcountry, there are no groomed runs, no chair lifts, and no ski patrol,
just acres of pristine wilderness and lots of deep snow.
While the backcountry is the only place to get the feel of really riding
among nature's greatest gifts, it can also be the place to meet nature's
fury – in the form of avalanches, tree wells and quick-changing weather
patterns. Outstanding cooperation between the forest and weather services
provides up-to-date information about snow conditions and inclement weather,
but once you cross that line and go "off-piste" you are on your own.
Backcountry adventures require extra equipment (avalanche transceivers,
shovels, tools for measuring snow depth, clothing for the worst kind of
weather) and a lot of know-how. Jackson Hole provides classes in backcountry
skills and safety. It also has guides, whose expert knowledge of the local
terrain could prove to be invaluable. The rewards of riding out-of-bounds
are endless, but the chance of danger must always be respected. Jackson's
open-gate policy can be safe for everyone as long as riders respect Mother
Nature, as well as the limits of their own abilities.
Ace in the Hole
The area around Jackson (named for Davey Jackson, a mountain man and trapper
from the late 1800s) has always been known for its remoteness and rugged
beauty. The granite spires of the Grand Tetons loom to the north,
challenging your imagination with their majestic presence. Yellowstone
National Park, with its geothermal features and abundant wildlife, is nearby
as well.
In 1967, Paul McCollister founded Jackson Hole Ski Resort with the
idea of creating something unique. "Paul loved the mountains in Jackson more
than anything else in life," says Jerry Blann, president of the resort. "His
dream was to create a European village resort, and he succeeded beyond
anyone's expectation." Jackson's eclectic charm and ominous natural beauty
have been drawing some of the best skiers and snowboarders to its slopes for
decades. Skiers like Tommy Moe and Olympic champion Pepi Stiegler call
Jackson home, as do snowboarders like Travis Rice and Bryan Iguchi.
Because of its remote location, Jackson retains a real Old West attitude.
Both that and a great reverence for nature are reflected in the people who
have chosen to live there. "It's not easy to live in Jackson," says Anna
Olson. "Those who live here do so because they love the mountain. They live
for snow sports."
Historically, the remoteness that has given Jackson this unique character
has also presented an accessibility problem. Jackson is in the middle of a
vast wilderness, surrounded by national parks, endless forests and daunting
mountains. All major cities are at least a day's drive away, and while
Jackson has its own full-service airport, few carriers have offered regular
flights. But now, all that is about to change. This year, five major air
carriers (including Northwest) are offering daily nonstop flights directly
to the airport at Jackson, helping the resort turn an important corner in
its accessibility.
The sleepy European village has been undergoing some changes as well. Two
new lodges, The Snake River Lodge and Spa and The Teton Mountain Lodge, have
recently opened, offering rooms and services to meet a range of needs and
budgets. Old chair lifts have been replaced with high-speed quad-lifts, and
the new tram can take 63 passengers from the bottom to the top in just 12
minutes.
Although it's hard to imagine, if you do get tired of riding the slopes at
Jackson Hole, there is a wealth of other winter activities to enjoy. A maze
of cross-country ski and snowshoe trails weaves around the mountains. The
terrain makes for excellent snowmobile adventures, too, and there are other,
even more eclectic opportunities. Sleigh rides through an elk refuge,
heli-adventures, para-gliding and hot-air ballooning make up just a few of
the alternatives to snow sliding. "But if you're going to experience the
real Jackson Hole, you must have an interest in skiing or snowboarding,"
Olson points out. "If snow sliding isn't your thing, you might want to
choose another destination."
Of course, if snow sliding – any kind of snow sliding – is your thing,
you'll be hard-pressed to find a better spot than Jackson. Wyoming's state
slogan is "The Equality State," and that sense of equality and receptiveness
pervades the Jackson Hole environment.
Perhaps the best way to describe it is a feeling of openness. The mountain
is truly open to all types of riding and all types of riders. Skiers and
snowboarders are open to riding together and respecting each other for their
abilities (many locals partake in several disciplines). The backcountry is
definitely open, and it's up to each visitor to be open to the challenges
offered at this unique resort.
So prepare before you go, and once there, settle in. If you get a chance,
ride the lift with some locals, who are always friendly and willing to share
the mountain's hidden treasures. Then cross the gate. Step outside your
comfort zone. Go out-of-bounds.
Local Sights
Grand Teton National Park
Towering a mile above the town of Jackson, the
Grand Teton stands at 13,770 feet. Twelve peaks in the range reach heights
of 12,000 feet or higher and are home to dozens of mountain glaciers.
Although this is the youngest range in the Rocky Mountains, it contains some
of North America's oldest rocks.
Yellowstone National Park
A short drive north from Jackson, Yellowstone is home to geysers, hot
springs, canyons, pristine forests and abundant wildlife. Snowmobile trips
can be arranged in Jackson to take you on a tour through some of the park's
geothermal features and wildlife areas.
Other Area Resorts
Grand Targhee
Nestled in the Heart of the Teton range, this area gets
dumped on, with average snowfall of 500 inches of champagne powder. Take one
of their small-group SnowCat adventures and get in up to 20,000 vertical
feet of deep-powder riding in seven to 10 runs. That adds up to a lot of
smiles.
Snow King
Located on the edge of the town of Jackson, this mountain is the
first resort in Wyoming, and one of the oldest in the United States. The
Gros Ventre (French for big belly) mountain has more than 60 percent of its
runs designated as expert terrain.
Backcountry Lingo:
Peeps: An avalanche transceiver (a radio device used to locate a buried
victim).
Traverse: Crossing a shallow diagonal line across a slope.
Off-piste: The area outside the boundaries of a resort.
Couloir: A steep mountainside gorge or gully.
Split-board: A snowboard that can be separated into two skis for long
traverses.
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