Wyoming: Taming The Teton Wilderness -
You can’t help but stop and take a deep breath in the untamed Teton wilderness of the vast state of Wyoming. A smattering of resorts can’t begin to canvas the territory, but the ones there should not be ignored.
You'll discover 2,500 acres of wild, leg-burning runs, a 4,139-foot vertical drop, and 120 square miles of open-gate backcountry at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. It just may be the gnarliest mountain in the lower 48.
There are actually two mountains and personalities in Jackson: Après Vous and Rendezvous. Après Vous, with its long groomers and ski school classes caters to intermediates, while Rendezvous is the gateway to extreme tree and chute skiing. Beginners can play off the Teewinot chair, but you better learn fast or you’ll be quickly bored.
There’s no better après scene when your big dayfinishes than at the Mangy Moose Saloon. Grab a pint, then go back to your room, shower, and head downtown to the gunslinging of the town of Jackson for spot-on resort nightlife.
Snow King, across town, looms ominously above city center. It’s small, but seriously wicked. Sixty percent of its terrain is expert, with its longest run nearly a mile. They also offer 110 acres of night skiing if you just can’t get enough during the day.
Much more awaits you 90 minutes from Jackson. That's when Teton Pass is clear, of course. It's Grand Targhee and its 3,000 acres of lift-serviced terrain. The snow there is as light as Utah’s and often as deep if not as steep. Cat-skiing can bring you even better freshies. Expect wide open bowls and glades, rather than steep, tight couloirs.
Wyoming’s two smaller resorts provide the same air-like powder without the price and crowds. White Pine Resort in Pinedale, and Hogadon, 11 miles south of Casper, should whet your appetite. White Pine's two state-of-the-art triple chairs access over 25, mostly intermediate trails. You’ll have the place to yourself midweek in Hogadon, and plenty of time to explore the mostly advanced terrain on 60-plus acres.
Heading to Wyoming takes you into the wild, wild west – no matter you slice it. Choose wisely, Cowboy, because although there may not be four resorts per square mile, the few this mountain state does have will rock your world.
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