Jackson Hole

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High Adventure in Jackson Hole

An August 2003 trip to Jackson Hole by maitre2pitza

HikingMore Photos

Skiing - as extreme as dropping into Corbett's Couloir, (first 60 feet straight down), or as calm as a very steep, bumpy, double diamond, leg burner. Actually intermediate and beginner slopes are in abundance. Summer: Try climbing Grand Teton (13,770 feet)(My second time this year at age 54).

  • 14 reviews
  • 6 photos

High Adventure in Jackson HoleBest of IgoUgo

Overview

Winter: Take your warmup run on Apres vous mountain. Then slide left to the Gondola. Finally take the tram to the top of the ski area and head for the sign that says 'steepest way down'. You'll be greated by smooth, fresh powder and mogels the size of VWs. Watch for a temparture inversion that makes the top of the mountain 20 degrees warmer than the valley. On those days stay on the Thunder or Sublette lifts. On a calm day take a snowmobile from Flagg Ranch to Old Faithful riding on the closed, snow covered roads of Yellowstone as you dodge all sorts of wildlife.

Summer: Hook up with Exum Mountain Guides. One day of beginners school and two days of intermediate school and you are ready for a two day assault on the highest peak in the Tetons, Grand Teton.

Quick Tips:

Winter: Don't snowmobile after two or three days of warm weather unless you are prepared for a kidney transplant.

Summer: Time your trip to match the full moon in July. The second day of the assent on Grand Teton starts at 3 in the morning.

Best Way To Get Around:

There is a public transportation system (START buses) that works fine unless you want to go off the beaten path, which you will. We usually rent a car and use public transportation when we can.

Flat Creek InnBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

Flat Iron Hotel
Located across from the National Elk Refuge and between Jackson and the airport, this is a modernized old motel. Nothing fancy, just a clean bed and warm shower. It's great if you want a cheap, convenient place to stay. It's a long drive to the ski area.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by maitre2pitza on October 20, 2000

Flat Creek Inn
1935 N Us Highway 89 Jackson Hole, Wyoming 83001
(307) 733-5276

Grand Teton Ranch Exum Mountain GuidesBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Grand Teton Climber's Ranch"

This is a group of cabins owned by the American Alpine Club. The rate is less than $10/ night for a wooden bunk bed in a cabin. Showers are in a separate building and there is an eating area between the cabins for your own cooking. This is not where you take a friend who thinks camping is a hotel without room service
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by maitre2pitza on October 19, 2000

Grand Teton Ranch Exum Mountain Guides
668 Jenny Lake Complex R Jackson Hole, Wyoming 83012
(307) 733-2297

Spring Creek ResortBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

The first time we visited Jackson Hole, my late wife made reservations at Spring Creek. I thought it was sort of a last resort because everything else was booked. For the first two days in Jackson a heavy fog hung over everything and I thought this place was inconveniently placed on top of a very big hill. When we work up on the third day the sun was shining and the sky clear. Straight out our bedroom window we could see directly to the wall of the Tetons, with the Snake River below. I have never seen a better view from a bed! The resort is made up of hotel units that are small cabins, townhouses, single family homes and the ultra luxurious Amangani Resort. We usually rent one of the single family houses called a Choate Lodge (named for the architect). Ask for a unit away from the Jacuzzi for the best view of the Tetons. If the price is a little steep, try a Gruen unit in the range from 3101 to 3108. The resort is on top of a butte near the town of Jackson. There is a free shuttle to town and to the mountain. The accomodations and the views are world class.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by maitre2pitza on October 19, 2000

Spring Creek Resort
1800 Spirit Dance Road Jackson Hole, Wyoming 83001
(307) 733-8833

Stiegler's Restaurant & BarBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Steiglers"

Owned by the brother of Austrian skiing legend, Pepi Steigler, this restaurant serves fantastic Austrian food. They serve a veal dish that is one of Mamma Steigler's recipes. It will melt in your mouth.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by maitre2pitza on October 19, 2000

Stiegler's Restaurant & Bar
The Aspens On Teton Jackson Hole, Wyoming
(307) 733-1071

Bubba's Bar-B-Que RestaurantBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Bubbas"

Get there before 6:30 or prepare for a wait. This is a picnic table type family place for grilled chicken and ribs. Drinks are served in Mason jars. Your kids will love it
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by maitre2pitza on October 19, 2000

Bubba's Bar-B-Que Restaurant
515 S Us Hwy 89 Jackson Hole, Wyoming 83001
(307) 733-2288

Mangy Moose Restaurant & SaloonBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Mangy Moose"

This is THE hang out at the ski area. Half the crowd is eating their meal while the other half is drinking their meal. Everyone is lying about which advanced expert area they conquered during the day and how many runs they got in. If they could bottle the atmosphere, it would sell like hotcakes.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by maitre2pitza on November 16, 2000

Mangy Moose Restaurant & Saloon
3285 W Mccollister Dr Jackson Hole, Wyoming 83025
(307) 733-4913

Anthony's Italian RestaurantBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Anthony's"

The smell of the sauce fills the street. No self respecting Italian could walk by and not stop to eat. This place gets crowded. Leave your name and either sit in a barber chair while you wait or take a walk to the nearby stores. The pasta is primo with sauces that are authentic Italian. Don't miss this place.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by maitre2pitza on February 5, 2001

Anthony's Italian Restaurant
62 S Glenwood St Jackson Hole, Wyoming 83001
(307) 733-3717

Jedediah's Original House of SourdoughBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Jedediah's House of Sourdough"

Due to the cabin setting, at first you wonder if the place is going to be modern enough to have a kitchen! As the door opens, the smell of home cooking greets you and draws you inside to a table. Not only is the bread good, but the main courses are both tasty and filling. This is also a great place for lunch on a day of shopping. I had a bowl of stew that was rich and full bodied. Interestingly the vegetables were somewhat crisp rather than having that mushy "I’ve been on the steam table all day" texture. Needless to say, the bread was to die for.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by maitre2pitza on February 5, 2001

Jedediah's Original House of Sourdough
135 East Broadway Jackson Hole, Wyoming
(307) 733-5671

Dornan's in MooseBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Dornan's"

I've only been here in the summer when they have the outside kitchen under a teepee. I had just come off two days of climbing on the Grand, only eating freeze dried food, so I was in the mood for a little red meat. I asked the cook to cut me a hunk of prime rib "this big" (indicating about 5 inches). To my surprise he did just that. I suddenly had more meat than my mother cooked for a family of six! After a valiant effort I took the leftovers (and the two women I met) back to the Grand Teaton Climber's Ranch. The guys loved the food and the girls were almost as popular! It's been a few years since I first wrote this. This past summer I had hoped for a repeat with a group of Boy Scouts including my sons. Unfortunately the food was awfull. The prime rib was gone and the chicken was dried out
  • Member Rating 1 out of 5 by maitre2pitza on February 5, 2001

Dornan's in Moose
Moose Jackson Hole, Wyoming 83012
(307) 733-2415

Exum Mountain GuidesBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

If you have never climbed before or if you are an old hand, the Exum school has something to offer. For beginners, class begins with learning to handle and tie a rope. You progress to climbing commands and rappelling down a moderate incline. You end the day with a simple climb. On day two (intermediate class) you firm up belaying technique and do several multi-pitch climbs. You do one rappel of about 60 feet and one of about 100 feet with no wall contact. We rested for a day and on day five met our guide at Lupine Meadows at about 9:30 a.m. It was a very hot day for Jackson Hole (90 degrees) as we started hiking from about 6,000 feet. You slowly gain altitude using a switchback trail. Eventually you come into a stone canyon with glaciers. After rock scrambling and one wall which requires a rope assist, you reach a plastic quonset hut at an area known as the lower saddle at about 5 p.m. The temp has now dropped to about 30 degrees and the wind howls. About 30 others try to sleep in the hut with you while dealing with high altitude flatulance! At 3 a.m. you awake and after some hot soup begin the final ascent. The first hour is steep hiking but then you are on the wall. As the sun rises you can watch the shadow of the mountain decend in the mists to the west. You summit at about 9 a.m. After a few photos it's down you go to the bottom. We got to the parking lot at about 5 p.m. with very sore feet. I headed for the nearby stream and soked my feet in the ice cold water for half an hour. This is a very safe, but very thrilling 'change your life' experience. Anyone in reasonably good shape could do the easier of the two routes which Exum uses to reach the top. It's called the Owen Spaulding Route. For more of a thrill try the Exum Route. I wrote this after my first climb. I did it again this summer with my sons and their Boy Scout Troop. The first day seemed like 8 hours on a Stair Master with 3 short breaks. It didn't matter. When I stood on the top the next day with my sons I had a rush that reminded me of the days when each was born! This is a MUST DO on the life list of all non-couch potatoes.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by maitre2pitza on October 19, 2000

Exum Mountain Guides
668 Jenny Lake Complex Jackson Hole, Wyoming 83012
(307) 733-2297

Jackson Hole Mountain ResortBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

JH has terrain for beginners, intermediates, experts and beyond. While most people focus on the expert terrain, this mountain has more green and blue slopes than most mountains. The ski school is fantansic with children. Our children learned to ski here. Only the crazies ski Corbett's Couloir but you have to see this slope. It can be viewed from the gondola or by skiing down the left side of Rendezvous Bowl. To look down the slope you will need to remove your skiis and lay down on the snow to look over the edge. One of our favorite trails is an ungrommed area called the Hobacks which is larger than most other ski areas in the USA. It is really a combination of three areas that are wide open. (Access is from Rendezvous trail) Start your day on Apres Vous mountain. (Right side looking at mountain) This is great crusing terrain and we use it as a warm up. From here you can connect over to the mid-mountain restaurant and the triple chair. From the top of this you can keep moving over to the left (facing Mountain) or go to the bottom for the gondola or the tram. Caution -- the tram only serves expert terrain. Many people take a ride up and then ride it back down. Tip: there are two trams, figure out which one is going to serve you and get right near the gate early. When the door opens move right to a window on the front left corner. From here you'ss get the best view and you'll not be as crushed as those in the middle.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by maitre2pitza on October 19, 2000

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
1405 N Beckley Park Way Jackson Hole, Wyoming 83014
(307) 733-7510

Yellowstone National ParkBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Yellowstone"

Yellowstone
In the winter the roads are all closed. Several snowmobile operators run tours into the park from Jackson. The best time to go is when it is cold and after a fresh dump of snow. After two or three days of warm weather the trail becomes a washboard that will trash your back.

In both winter and summer, wildlife is everywhere. A camera is a must. The geysers and hot springs are too numerous to mention. See photos.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by maitre2pitza on October 25, 2000

Yellowstone National Park
P.O. Box 168 Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190
(307) 344-7381

Hiking in the TetonsBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Hiking
This hike starts out on a tree lined path and eventually breaks out into alpine meadows traversed by switchback trails. You gain altitude quickly and if you're moving quickly your heart is pounding. (See the photos). A great workout with a fantastic view. Most people turn around when they hit the part of the trail that becomes large boulders. Just past this part of the trail you encounter the first of the glaciers along the path. After about a mile of boulders you come to a wonderful alpine meadow with a cold cold stream. After a couple more miles and another 2000 feet in altitude you come to the beginning of the stream coursing from the mountain. This water tastes soo good.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by maitre2pitza on October 24, 2000

Hiking in the Tetons
From Lupine Meadows Jackson Hole, Wyoming

About the Writer

maitre2pitza
maitre2pitza
West Chester, Pennsylvania

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