Jackson Hole - what to expect?

[Jack M]

Wish it was SES, but we have a rare opportunity for a cheap trip to Jackson Hole, so we're doing it - yeehaw!

First week of February. I've never been, is there good carving? I have no softboot setup anymore. My Coiler Schtubby X2 171 is quite capable as an all-mtn board at 21cm wide. It dives in untracked powder, but then again I haven't tried mounting it all the way back. It does surprisingly well once the pow gets cut up. Will I also want to bring my Kessler 185pgs?

Any tips for areas of the mountain to hit, or any other must-sees/must-dos while we're there?

[bobdea]

yeah, there's some good carving that you'd HAVE TO BE A MORON TO WASTE YOUR TIME WITH!!!

call Bruce see when he can get you that's super schweet for pow, a monster maybe? I'd wan't 175 or 180ish and as wide as possible if I were gonna ride plates there.

that or bite the bullet and take softies and a tanker. I'll let a tanker go cheap..........

or we can do a board swap for a couple weeks...... NSR for tanker 187? can use my bindings and boots too if need be.

some of the best pow runs I've been on are super accesible there. off the gondola and off the tram. if you're willing to hike like 5 minutes there's some **** that is unusual for inbounds terrain. back country access is easy there too.

carving is a afterthough really, we drove there when I was living in steamboat and my hardboots were not even a thought after the second run.

[Dave ESPI]

I had friends do a big tour of a few resorts last winter. They said it was very "Comercialized" and there was advertizements all over the place, and fairly un-friendly to snowboarding with "skier versus boarder" mentality types. They did also say the snow was fluffy and deep in the trees, so if thats your aim, you will be pleased.

Don't expect to be ripping up cordz n groom. Also, they said it was very expensive to eat/drink there.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Long-Beach-NY/team-long-beach/94911566236?ref=ts they will be able to give a more detailed accounting of it.

HTH/

[Jack M]

Haha, yeah Bob, I hear you. But I will be with the mrs. She's an excellent skier but not a trees or bumps lover, and she hasn't spent much time on powder, so I'm sure she'll be happy to hit some groomers. Your offer is tempting but we'd have to deal with shipping two boards two ways, and a tanker 187 sounds like a ton of lumber to muscle around on anything but floatable powder. Can't imagine jump turning it!

gee Dave, thanks for the glowing review.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Jack, after you ride the groomers at JH, you might take a look at the smaller ski area right in town. It is better then you might expect and I recall they had more open groomers. Snowking

We woke up on a "Rest" day and had a bunch of snow overnight, ended up having a blast at that area. JH on a carving board takes a bit more work, cat tracks etc. Known for the steep and trees. Casper Carver is a local if I recall correctly. He definitely knows his way around.

Have fun!!

Definitely keep an eye on Targee. It is pretty sweet. I have a number of friends that consider it a favorite.

[pow4ever]

I been to Jackson twice; and going back for the third time this season.

Jackson is expensive however mangy moose near bottom of the tram is cheap and food is decent.

Apres Vous and Casper area have some good groom run. There is a free moutain guide daily. Which is great for getting to know the mountain.

Pick up a vertical club challange at the guest service. 100k veritcal feet get you a pin, 300K get you a bronze belt buckel. It's a booklet that your mark with pencil.

There are 3 resorts in the area

Snow king <-- Good grooming, have some steep stuff!!! cheap lift ticket and slow lift. Might be good for night riding or off day. I usualy stay @ snow king resort there is usually one free night lift ticket if you stay there.

Grand Targhee <-- I have never been. However I was told go there when it snow.

Jackson: The main attraction.

On off day; you can snowmobile into yellow stone national park. It's pretty expensive. However there are no car allow. And it's almost like a complete different park.

Paging caspercarver. I belive he is local and give me some tip for my last trip.

HTH

David

[*Ace*]

Isn't CasperCarver in Jackson Hole?

He might be the person to talk to.

Maybe rent something for the pow?

Nice O Sin Swallowtail on eBay right now.

Have a fun trip!

[bobdea]

Haha, yeah Bob, I hear you. But I will be with the mrs. She's an excellent skier but not a trees or bumps lover, and she hasn't spent much time on powder, so I'm sure she'll be happy to hit some groomers. Your offer is tempting but we'd have to deal with shipping two boards two ways, and a tanker 187 sounds like a ton of lumber to muscle around on anything but floatable powder. Can't imagine jump turning it!

gee Dave, thanks for the glowing review.

yeah, dave just described half of the resorts in the west

anyway, yeah, the tanker is a ton of lumber but absolutely easy to ride too. IMO, a 170ish wide softboot board would be ideal. that or like I said something along the lines of a monster. my stub is not that last thing I'd want there but it would really would be close to the bottom of my list.

I could end up in ME at some point in the winter at least to snowmobile if not ride. also, if you wanted to run plates on a narrower tanker I may know where there's one for like $300 bucks new. could sell it here after your trip and make the money back.

PM me if you want the low down of where I saw a couple last spring.

the thing about JH is there's a ton of pow stashes in sight of groom, she could ski the groom while you go slay that **** and still feel like you're skiing together.

[martyagt4]

I wouldn't waste any time at Snowking. It was rubbish.

Jackson Hole is fun, tons of pow, good vibe. I didn't feel like there was any sort of attitude towards me being on a board. Should at least check out the Mangy Moose one night. Have a margarita, they're pretty darn good.

You should also try and go to Targhee. It's likely less crowded, the snow was as good, if not better than Jackson. At least when I was there in early Feb. Very easy to get to. There is a shuttle service also if you don't have a rental.

If you are staying in the village, there is also a bus that runs into downtown. Last season it was $3 each way.

Wish I was going to be there, I could show you around a little. Wonderful place. Lots to see and do besides skiing and riding.

[martyagt4]

Oh yeah, and the Tanker is easy to ride. I have no issue on mine (192), and I'm only 5'6" 160. I've even ran it through moguls on fresh legs. With my hardboots.

[utahcarver]

Jack,

At least take one day and make the short jaunt over to Targhee. It'll make the trip worth it even more. JH has the new tram, too. Enjoy!

Mark

[jp1]

Left side of the Mountain @ Jackson, The Hobacks were awesome! Like a GIANT Natural 1/2 Pipe / Fun Park. We hit it every day and were like giddy kids (and that was on skis).

Hook up with a local IF possible, theirs a lot there that don't necessarily meet the eye!

Definitely go to Grand Targee, but make sure if you go on a bus it has good brakes :eek: for the trip back (that's another story).

[tex1230]

Jack - take a tanker(or similar) and the Schtubby. Leave the Kessler and other race shapes at home. Leave the short boards at home as well. You are not going to want to waste time on the groomed when you see the off-piste goodness at that mountain.

Oh, and pack your extra-large Cojones...you're gonna need them.

[Jack M]

Thanks, keep it coming. We're staying at the Alpenhof. Also we'll only be on the slopes for 4 days, would it still be worth it to spend one of those at a different hill?

I had my Schtubby out after an 18" dump at Sugarloaf last year and had an absolute blast, I think the 21cm waist really helps. But maybe I'll try to do something about a big freeride board. I was thinking of taking my Kessler 185pgs because I have a fantasy that there will be some massive football-field-wide steep groomers like in the EC videos at Zinal. No?

[boarderboy]

Also we'll only be on the slopes for 4 days, would it still be worth it to spend one of those at a different hill?

Snow King had night riding/skiing.

Didn't get there on our one Targhee/JH trip, but the place had the reputation of being steep and (maybe?) significantly groomed.

Good luck.

After 4 Grand Foggy days, the 'Hole beat my lower intermediate derrier' to a whimpering pulp.

Spectacular place. Deserves its reputation!

Have Fun!!

BB

p.s. Fairly often, I think, Targhee gets better powder dumps than Jackson. The mountain has some terrific intermediate terrain as well as groomed steeps (by my standards.) There was/is (?) decent transit between the two resorts. Just going through hole-in-the-wall Driggs, Idaho, former U.S. home of Hot, is worth the trip. If I'm not mistaken KrackedSkulls skateboards are now made in Driggs.

[powdahbonz]

Jack-

I didn't ride when I went to JH and Targhee and skied my *** off. The terrain is insane and my only regret was that I didn't ride at Targhee. They have some large, wide-open runs that would have great for the Schtubby. A day trip to Targhee will be well worth it. JH, IMO, would not be my first choice as thinking hardbootin', trenchdiggin' fun. There is soooo much to cover out there, a soft set-up would be fun. If your interested for a backup, I've still got a Salomon FR 171 you could have for $50.00 or willing to lend you a softie set-up. Since your close by, you could check them out.

[Dave ESPI]

Sorry Jack, didn't mean to bust your excitement bubble :(

Targee, now that its mentioned, was Where they went for a day and ended up staying there for a few extra because they loved it so much.

A "small hill but more "towny" with locals and people who were the laid back riders and just chill peeps to hang with and they had really good conditions.

Terease and Brian just got married this month, feel free to drop them a line and they will talk your ear off with the low-down details as they are the bargain hunter supremes!

[crucible]

Plus 1 for Targhee - less crowds, no tram wait lines, and more pow than you can shake a stick at.

If you're up for it, you might even take a a backcountry snowboarding day trip at Teton Pass- which is where the locals go to get their fixes. There are very well tracked boot packs up Glory Bowl that can get you to some great backcountry runs, all accessible from the highway.

[Strider]

Back in college ('93 ish) I was a trip leader for our annual college ski and snowboard club trip. the other trip leader was a snowboarder who convinced me to give it a try. told me he would "teach me." We went straight to the tram and I asked if maybe it might be a bit tough since it was my first time. He said no way..I was a such a good skier I'd have no problem. He told me how to edge a board on the tram ride up and we clipped in at the top and he yelled "Followme" and was gone. It took me 4 hours to get to the bottom , but I was linking turns by then.

I've been back since, but I haven't ridden there extensively on a board, but even on skis I don't remember a lot of groomers, mostly because the off-piste type of stuff there is so awesome that its hard to want to go on a groomer. Snow King has unbelievable steep groomed stuff for a small hill and some great ticket prices. I wouldn't bring any of your big race shape boards, but the schtubby sounds like a good choice.

If your wife isn't into bumps, ungroomed, natural terrain stuff you'll definitely have to ask her for a personal day to go exploring. You might also want to get her ready to spend a lot of time on a smaller number of runs than she'd expect at most western resorts.

If you head into the Hobacks be ready for a poma ride back to the main part of the resort unless they've changed that, and there are a good number of traverses depending on where you go.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Never been to JH but I use a Coiler AM with plates in the sorts of conditions people are describing here, on mountains where nobody else is using plates.

[shawndoggy]

Never been to JH but I use a Coiler AM with plates in the sorts of conditions people are describing here, on mountains where nobody else is using plates.

+1. Conditions at OES this last spring were great for pow, bad for hardpack. I put a hole in my AM on day 2, so had to ride a skinny race shape (coiler pure race) on day 3. That was NO FUN. Whereas the AM had me feeling like I could ride the whole hill, the race board was too narrow in the soft stuff... lean it over and I'd end up carving a trench to the bottom.

The AM-T is super versatile for "out west" conditions, be they ice, hard, firm, cord, chop, pow, or anything inbetween. Not my first choice as an ice board, and not my first choice as a pure pow board, but will do both acceptably.

That'd be my one-board-travelling-quiver, esp. if you don't want to bring softies too.

[Enzo]

Jack-

I've been to JH about 10 times (many on hardboots). As others have said the best groomers are off the Casper & AV side of the mountain. The trails are fairly wide and have a decent pitch. Off the Thunder Chair, Amphitheater is groomed but usually busy with straightliners and Grand is pretty wide, steep, and groomed. I usually ride my AM172 and it works great. Here's another vote for your Stub, it should be perfect.

If it nukes, the Village is a complete shtshow. The tram and gondi lines are huge in the morning and the entire mountain can get tracked out and bumped up pretty quickly. Regardless, there is so much insane in-bounds terrain to enjoy!!! If you feel the need for softies, there are a few shops (Hole in the Wall & Jackson Tree House) at the base area with decent demos.

For apres:

Swanky...take the wif to 4-Seasons. Great drinks and you might see Tommy Moe.

Tourist Trap....hang out at the Mangy Moose with a bunch of Texans.

Local hang out...Drink some PBR tall boys at the VC (Village Cafe) and rub elbows with some tgr pros. VC also has great pizza slices for a quick lunch on the hill.

Best dinner @ the Village--Osteria in Hotel Terra. Expensive but worth every penny!!

If you need any other recs, pm me. I've been to most of the restaurants in town and know the mountain really well.

[powdahbonz]

Check out The Gunbarrel.

[carvedog]

Jack,

Well done. You could do a lot worse than J-Hole to spend a week early Feb.

Targhee is a lot of fun, but you have four on hill days and a lot to explore at JHMR. That said my wife LOVED Targhee. She is a strong intermediate, teleer.

For me Targhee was a bit small, not quite steep enough groomed to really rail without standing up and pointing it straight. Some great short steep shots and some SICK tree skiing to be had there though.

She liked JHMR once she toured around a bit and found the AV side and some of the other mellower runs. She did one tram run and that was enough for her. Snowking is really fun little hill and might, as mentioned have some of the better grooming in a way.

At JHMR there is lots of small pitches that roll into an offcamber, another short pitch back the other way. Fun, challenging - not long board material for me. When I used to have the Supermodel that was a great board for there, the Frontier even better.

I haven ridden softies there in 15 years. HBs are a bit tougher on the hikes. With your girl you might not be doing so much hiking.

Have a ball.

[~tb]

Been there a long time ago and I am guessing things have changed. I am dealing with a similar issue in planning for my trip to Utah.

where I keep comming back to is taking my bread and butter race shape (Donek 185 metal) that I am comfortable on ANYWHERE and a freeride board incase we hit that epic powder storm (Tanker with plates would rip at JH imho, Donek Incline, Supermodel, Fish . . . the list goes on).

You will have some days on your kessler before you leave for Wyoming . . . I think you will find that it makes the cut.

I have found that I am sooooo comfortable on my 185 metal, that even when it is "out of its element" that I am still more comfortable on it than if I were to take a more terrain specific/ideal board. But then again, I am a bit of a freak!