Jackson Hole is an epic mountain, there’s no question about it. It was even crowned the best ski resort in the USA two years in a row by Christopher Steiner in his top five list for Forbes. Not being trusting of lists that are based purely on statistics (as Steiner’s is), Emilie and I visited Jackson Hole in mid-December to test out our new gear judge for ourselves whether the hill actually offers the best skiing experience in America.

Our Jackson Hole Research

During our visit, Jackson Hole was buried in powder. On our second day, a large portion of the hill was even closed by the enormous snowstorm that was dumping champagne powder on the mountain.

We spent our time there exploring the mountain with locals (and photographing them tearing up the powder), talking to people about their feelings about Jackson Hole, and studying the unique qualities that both the mountain and the town of Jackson offer to visitors.

This is what we learned.

**Note: Jackson Hole works with online vendor (and our sponsor) Liftopia to provide discount lift tickets**

Our Jackson Hole Findings

We’ve been interviewing skiers and snowboarders, not only about the qualities of their local ski areas, but also about the qualities they like in a ski resort and ski town.

We’ve learned that, although snow and terrain are important, people feel very strongly about many other aspects of the ski resort experience as well. Almost everyone mentioned the atmosphere (or vibe) of the resort as being very important. The friendliness of the locals, must therefore be considered. Many people also talked about wanting a wide range of terrain for their family to enjoy, affordable accommodations near the hill, and good places to eat.

Jackson Hole is certainly friendly. Although Teton Village is a fairly run-of-the-mill manufactured village of condos and shops for visitors, the town of Jackson is a real western small town with a wonderful neighbourly feel to it. When our only car key snapped because of the cold, about seven different random strangers helped us in the space of 24 hours to get the car moved to our hotel and a new key made.

Jackson Hole’s 2500 acres certainly contain a wide variety of terrain. However, with 50% expert terrain and 40% intermediate, Jackson Hole is definitely a hill better suited to experienced skiers and snowboarders.

The restaurants in Jackson are world class. I had the best steak of my life in The Cellar and the Mangy Moose on the hill is well-known for it’s awesome apres ski activities. In fact, nearly every meal we ate there was surprising in one way or another.

We only found two things that may negatively impact visitor experience: price and convenience.

Located in western Wyoming, far from any major centre, Jackson Hole is in a very inconvenient location. The isolation adds to it’s charm, but also increases the hassle of visiting. And, although there are budget options, most of the restaurants and hotels cater to visitors with a lot of money to blow on their vacation. People visiting Jackson Hole with limited funds will find themselves… well…limited.

Is Jackson Hole the Best Ski Resort in the USA?

Since it was the first stop of our tour, and we still have weeks of research ahead of us, it’s impossible for Emilie and I to say whether Christopher Steiner was right, and Jackson Hole is the best ski resort in the USA.

There is no doubt, though, that it’s a top contender.

What do you think? Is Jackson Hole really the best ski resort in the USA?

Tell us in the comments below or vote for your favorite resort!

The post Is Jackson Hole the Best Resort in the USA? appeared first on XpatMatt.

We’re traveling to ski resorts in the western U.S. trying to decipher which will provide the best vacation experience for skiers and snowboarders like you.  Along the way we’re interviewing locals, taking photos of local skiers and boarders tearing up their hometown hill, and using everything we learn from the locals to create these micro guides. This guide comes in video and written form. Both can be found below.

The video above contains lots of useful information, but, if you want to carry have this information on the hill where it will really come in handy, bookmark this guide on your phone.

Jackson Hole Micro Guide Part 1: The Hill

Whenever I show up at a hill, I never know where to go. The map doesn’t tell you enough. So, we’re created annotated maps of each hill explaining the terrain, so that you know where to go. Here’s our annotated map of Jackson Hole.

DOWNLOAD A FULL-SIZED VERSION OF THE MAP TO YOUR DESKTOP OR PHONE (1.3mb)

Here are the highlights:

For the Hardcore:

The tram is your best friend. It will carry you up 4,139 feet of steep powder-laden expert-only terrain in less than 10 minutes.

It’s glorious.

From the top of the tram you can access the infamous Corbet’s Couloir (known as the most extreme in-bounds run in North America), numerous steeps, cliffs, and bowl, and 3000+ acres of backcountry.

If excitement is what you’re looking for, you’ll never need another lift.

For the Park Rats:

Jackson Hole has one superpipe and four terrain parks, including two Burton Stash Parks. They may not all be open at all times and they vary in terrain and style, so it’s best to either ask a liftie for the lowdown or grab a map and go check them out to see which one you like best.

For the Groomer Cruisers:

It used to be that you’d spend most of your day on the Bridger Gondola, but Jackson Hole recently installed the Caspar Quad Chair, which opened up a whole new range of intermediate terrain. If you like the blue squares, you’ll want to spend your day exploring the areas around these two lifts.

For the Snowplowers:

If you’re a beginner, the areas around the Eagle’s Rest and Teewinot chairlifts are perfect for you. Basically all the runs are green circles, so you won’t accidentally end up on a steep pitch if you make a wrong turn, and you’ll never be far from the warmth of the lodge.

**Bonus Tip**

Liftopia sometimes carries lift tickets for Jackson Hole at a significant discount. Check their Jackson Hole page for cheap tickets.

Jackson Hole Micro Guide Part II: Where to Eat

The following restaurants came highly recommended by locals in Jackson Hole:

ON THE HILL / TETON VILLAGE

Osteria

A very classy and relaxed little Italian bistro with a warm atmosphere and wine bar.

3335 Village Drive, Teton Village, WY 83025

(307) 739-4100

View Larger Map

Mangy Moose

A western saloon with electric decor, good prices, and locally sources fare.

3295 Village Drive, Teton Village, WY

(307) 733-4913

View Larger Map

Village Cafe (known locally as ‘VC’)

Great value on the hill with espresso, pizza by the slice, soup, and sandwiches.

3275 McCollister Drive, Teton Village, WY

(307) 732-2233

View Larger Map

IN JACKSON

Upscale

Rendevous Bistro

Quirky takes on traditional dishes in a upscale casual atmosphere. Extremely busy. Reservations strongly recommended.

380 S US Highway 89, Jackson, WY

(307) 733-5010

View Larger Map

Trio

A locally-owned casual American bistro. Very popular with locals.

45 South Glenwood Street, Jackson, WY

(307) 734-8038

View Larger Map

The Gunbarrel

A western style eatery known for succulent steak and exotic game dishes.

862 West Broadway, Jackson, WY

(307) 733-3287

View Larger Map

Casual

The Snake River Brewpub

Sometimes referred to as Jackson’s “living room”, this brewery serves excellent locally-made brews and pub fare.

265 South Millward Street, Jackson, WY

(307) 739-2337

View Larger Map

The Q Brewpub

Eclectic decor and a passionate brewmaster make this brewpub a one-of-a-kind experience. A must see for beer lovers.

2550 Moose Wilson Road, Wilson, WY

(307) 739-0700

View Larger Map

Pinky G’s Pizza

Pizza by the pie and by the slice. Loved by locals.

50 West Broadway, Jackson, WY

(307) 734-7465

View Larger Map

Jackson Hole Micro Guide Part III: What to do Off the Hill

Jackson Hole is an outdoors-lovers paradise for everyone from the ultra-hardcore spam-eating dirtbag to the vacationing family with young children. Here are some of the most highly-recommended activities around Jackson categorized by the degree of discomfort or physical exertion required.

SWEATING AND CURSING

Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding

The Jackson Hole ski area offers access to over 3000 acres of backcountry, and that’s before you even get far from the mountain. Possibilities here are limitless.

Find your limits with one of Jackson Hole’s official backcountry guides.

Ice climbing

The area around Jackson has been referred to as “one of the riches ice-climbing treasures in the continental United States. With programs for everyone from beginners to serious peak baggers, Jackson Hole Mountain Guides can show you the ropes.

A GOOD DAY’S WORK

Snowmobiling

Wyoming is world-renowned among snowmobile enthusiasts. Find out why on one of the many day, half-day, and mulit-day tours offered by Togwotee Snomobile Adventures.

Dogsledding

An honoured tradition of snowbound country. Learn about, and experience, local history on a dogsled tour with the award-winning Iditarod Sled Dog Tours.

EASY AS PIE

Elk Reserve Sleigh Ride

Just outside of Jackson is the National Elk Refuge. Bundle up the family and take a wildlife viewing sleigh tour. Tickets are available from the Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center in Jackson.

Snowshoeing

Snowshoing is like a walk in the park — a beautiful snowy Teton-backed park. It’s also nice and easy on the wallet. Snowshoe rentals about in Jackson. Several options can be found here.

Looking for more local recommendations for places to eat and things to do around Jackson Hole? Then I recommend you check out AFAR’s user-created suggestions for Jackson. I use them while traveling, and contribute some myself.

The post Jackson Hole Micro Guide appeared first on XpatMatt.

It was mostly a white-out, so it wasn’t great for photography, but the snow was amazing!

I also met a lot of locals who I managed to snap some good photos when the weather allowed for it. Here they are.

The post Jackson Hole Powder Porn appeared first on XpatMatt.

We interviewed a bunch of Jackson Hole locals to find out what makes it unique among ski resorts and ski towns.

According to them, the lift lines are short, the powder is deep, and the locals are laid back (all of which we personally confirmed during our visit). They also say the music is great (which I’ve heard many times) and that there are lots of other awesome outdoors activities to do there, like snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling.

Jackson Hole has been first on its share of best resort lists, and looks like a good contender for a top spot in Best in the West as well.

What do you think? Does Jackson Hole deserve the title of Best Resort in the Western USA?

Cast your vote here!

The post Sh*t People Say About Jackson Hole appeared first on XpatMatt.

This year one resort is the envy of all others. In a winter season that has started out dry for resorts in most of the country, Jackson Hole has been getting buried in powder. I was lucky enough to arrive in Jackson for a two-day snowboard trip on Sunday, December 16th, which was the first of a two-day snowstorm. It was epic. I met up with Anna Cole, Jackson Hole’s communications manager. I was lucky to have arrived on the 16th, she told me, because they were expecting it to storm so hard on the 17th that they would have to close several sections of the mountain.

Read the complete post on the Wyoming Tourism Roundup Blog

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