TETON VILLAGE, Wyo. -- Jackson Hole Mountain Resort regularly shows up near the top of lists of the toughest or most challenging ski resorts. Its Corbet's Couloir run also tops lists of tough/crazy/famous trails, and it's just part of Jackson Hole's mystique that there's at least one (unmarked) trail even harder than Corbet's.
Photo Credit: Rebecca Tobin
The hotel just last year finished a major renovation project where the lobby, rooms and Spur restaurant were completely refitted with lighter, more modern furnishings.
Jackson Hole is big, and it's steep. It's also fun. About 12 years ago, it added a lift to more easily access terrain for intermediate-level skiers (hello, hi). Its network of lifts dotted around the mountain make it relatively easy to get around. And during our visit in early April, which qualified in terms of time and temperature as true spring skiing, there were parties and events to make it all the more memorable.
A blanket of snow fell the day my teenage daughter and I arrived at the Snake River Lodge and Spa at the Teton Village base. Our friends, who had arrived in Jackson Hole the day before, had already been out on their skis to cover a good portion of available terrain. Their strategy had been to start at the right-hand side of the trail map, on the Apres Vous chair, and work their way across, ending up at the steepest, most celebrated trails.
They took a peek into Corbet's, though it was closed, and then dropped into the Alta chutes. Expert areas like the Hobacks and Tensleep Bowl abound; for experienced skiers there is plenty of technical, gnarly stuff.
The author's daughter at the top of the black-diamond Rendezvous Bowl, just off the Aerial Tram. Photo Credit: Rebecca Tobin
For those who need to build up their confidence to try Jackson Hole's dotted-blue trails (harder than regular blues but easier, in theory, than the blacks), my favorite area of Jackson Hole was the Amphitheater Bowl. The sun was shining, the snow was soft but not slick and my legs hadn't yet turned to jelly. I built up so much confidence that I jumped onto Jackson Hole's famous Aerial Tram with the intent of skiing down from the highest peak.
Unlike some other resorts, Jackson Hole does not offer an easy way down from its summit, other than taking the tram back down, which my daughter sneered at. But I was catching the vibes on the tram from all the other excited skiers and snowboarders; uplifting music was playing -- it would be the black-diamond Rendezvous Bowl or bust.
Let's cut to the chase: My daughter cut down the mogul-filled Rendezvous with ease, but for me it was pretty confidence shattering. But at least I made it down. At that point, my thoughts quickly switched to a break. The top of Rendezvous Mountain is a 4,000-foot vertical drop to the base. So even after you're done with the bowl, you've got a long way to go.
Skiers crowd into Corbet's Cabin at the top of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort for a snack. Photo Credit: Rebecca Tobin
The height of snacking
Luckily, you don't have to ski all the way down to find food and drink.
The unpretentious Casper Lodge is located midmountain, where one can sit out on the sunny deck for a beer and to catch their breath (I may or may not be speaking from experience).
If you haven't stopped at Corbet's Cabin for waffles, have you even been to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort?
This tiny shack greets skiers and riders at the top of the Aerial Tram. Note to intermediates, beginners and nonskiers: Don't pay attention to my daughter; you can absolutely get a waffle and then ride the tram back down. It's an incredible ride, and on our bluebird days we were blessed with tremendous views.
At 10,450 feet, the altitude hit different at Corbet's. Nonetheless, we had a good time in the snug little cabin as my friends and I debated the merits of various slopeside waffles we've tried over the years. At Corbet's, I liked the Trad, with brown-sugar butter, which is described by Jackson Hole as "the old-fashioned but good-fashioned way to enjoy a waffle."
The Aerial Tram at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort carries skiers up to the highest point in the resort. Photo Credit: Rebecca Tobin
Jackson Hole's other on-mountain restaurant of note is the Rendezvous Lodge's Piste Mountain Bistro, which offers fine dining and cocktails and is accessible from the Bridger Gondola; nonskiers can enjoy the views and food here, too, as they can grab the gondola for the return ride. Tucked into the corner is the Off-Piste Market, which serves slices of what I think is the best pizza I've ever had at a ski resort.
Down at the base, skiers and riders congregate at the Handle Bar at the Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole.
We came once for apres-ski drinks and once for lunch, where we dined on miso-marinated salmon and giant fried chicken sandwiches beneath portraits of men with memorable mustaches (handlebar, get it?). An old-fashioned cocktail is a perfect way to kick off apres time, especially in the spring when crowds gather alfresco on the patio to take in the late-day sun and spectacular mountain views.
Speaking of apres, one can't mention Jackson Hole's Teton Village without name-checking the Mangy Moose bar and grill. And in the town of Jackson is the adults-only Million Dollar Cowboy Bar.
The annual Rendezvous Music Festival provides two days of free live entertainment. Photo Credit: Rebecca Tobin
We made our pilgrimage there on a weeknight when it was pretty quiet, but during the annual Rendezvous Music Festival, a line stretched down the block and around the corner.
Which brings me to more of the fun ...
How to be in the 'in' crowd
If you're considering spring skiing at Jackson Hole, book the trip right around the annual Rendezvous Music Festival, a two-day event that takes place in Teton Village and Jackson. Shows at the festival are free, but attendees can also buy VIP tickets that give them a dedicated entrance, exclusive viewing area and an open bar.
And here's an "if you know, you know" tip: April 1 is Gaper Day at Jackson Hole, where locals and other aficionados take to the slopes in crazy costumes. A gaper is ski slang for newbies who, among other gaffes, don't know how to properly wear their goggles and helmets, but on Gaper Day the clueless ones are those wearing regular, everyday gear: Everyone else is sporting neon spandex, furry onesies, cowboy hats, wigs, bunny ears, bathrobes, shorts, denim jackets, nuns' habits, floaty dresses, business suits, Viking helmets, superhero capes and lots and lots of glitter.
Prime viewing for Gaper enthusiasts include the Casper Lodge, the Mangy Moose, the Yard Sale bar adjacent to the Snake River Lodge -- and pretty much every trail at Jackson Hole.