United States Archives

Is Grand Targhee the Best Ski Resort in the USA?

Matt — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 03:03:00 +0000

Me enjoying the deep powder and “free refills” that Targhee is famous for.

I have to admit, I’m a bit biased because I had such a fantastic time at Grand Targhee. Emilie and I met some fantastic people there. Our hosts, local ski pros Max and Gary Mackenzie, and their friends were super hospitable and easy to work with. The snow was great. The food was good. And the people (it’s our job to interview strangers on the hill, so we meet a lot of people) were the friendliest we’ve met on the tour.

That’s all fine and dandy, you might say, but how does it stack up to bigger, better-known hills like Jackson Hole and Squaw Valley?

Here’s how it compares.

Grand Targhee isn’t as massive as Vail or Heavenly Valley, but at 2,600 acres it has more in-bounds terrain than Jackson Hole or Telluride. There’s also some amazing backcountry terrain off-piste. Receiving 500+ inches of snow each year, Grand Targhee has one of the largest annual snowfalls in the entire country (which is why it’s considered by some to be the best resort of early season skiing around).

Despite this, Grand Targhee remains relatively unknown to mainstream ski vacationers. Most times of year the hill barely sees enough skiers and boarders there to scrape the powder off the hill before it dumps again.

Grand Targhee is truly one of the great undiscovered American ski resorts.

Riding conditions, however, only paint part of the picture of a good resort. Convenience, amenities, and value are also important.

Grand Targhee isn’t the most convenient place to visit. Tucked away on the western side of the Tetons, the mountain is about a 1.5 hour drive from the nearest airports in Jackson Hole and in Idaho Falls and even farther from the closest major city.

Grand Targhee also lacks the highly-developed amenities of other world-class resorts. The food on the mountain is very good and well-priced, but you can’t eat there all the time. Although Driggs has it’s charm, the restaurant selection there is pretty much what you’d expect for a small town in Idaho. The culinary scene certainly doesn’t have the flare of a developed resort town like Jackson or Telluride.

The skiing and snowboarding at Grand Targhee are amazing, the food is good, and the people are some of the friendliest I’ve met in North America, but where Grand Targhee really shines is value.

At the right time of year, you can rent a slopeside room where you can ski to your door for as little as $99 night. Their website boasts specials for lodging with lift tickets starting at $55 per person per night.

I’ve never heard of any other hill in North America that offers the same deep snow and vast terrain and such amazing deals on rooms and lift tickets. (If you know of one let me know because I want to visit it!)

Is Grand Targhee the best ski resort in the western United States? I can’t say for sure. I still have many hills to visit. But if I had to pick an underdog that has a fighting chance, it’s Grand Targhee.

No mountain provides a bigger bang for your buck.

Whether or not Grand Targhee wins the Best in the West, it’s always going to be one of my favourites.

Do Grand Targhee’s great snow, terrain, and value make it the Best in the West? Cast your vote now!

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Jackson Hole has a Ton of Snow

Matt — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 17:20:52 +0000

Snorkel anyone?

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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Florida Adventure Travel Guide

Rhonda Mix — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 18:59:33 +0000

Place

Florida

Location

Southeastern United States

Major Cities in Florida

Major cities in Florida include Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and St. Petersburg. The Capital is Tallahassee.

Florida Climate and Geography

Florida is situated in the southeastern United States, bordering on Georgia to the north, and Alabama to the northeast, and with a coast on the Atlantic Ocean in the east, the Florida Straits in the southeast and south, and the Gulf of Mexico in the west. The state also includes an archipelago of 1700 islands in the Florida Strait called the Florida Keys.

The state is 170,305 sq km (65,755 square miles) and has a coastline 1,350 miles long. It is the longest coastline in the contiguous United States.

A good portion of Florida is a peninsula surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Straights of Florida. Most of the state is at or near sea level. The peninsula is made of limestone and bedrock and has many underwater caves and sinkholes.

Florida’s landscape is mostly flat and is strewn with lakes and wetlands. The southern tip of the peninsula is home to Everglades National Park, a massive array of government-protected wetlands created by a slow-moving river. Florida is renowned for its beautiful bays, beaches, and estuaries along the coast. The state also has a set of tropical islands—the Florida Keys—that are surrounded by the warm waters of the Caribbean.

The warmest state in the United States, Florida has mild, pleasant winters with average daily temperatures of 21.5 °C. North and central Florida are classified as having a humid subtropical climate, while the southern part of the state, and the Florida Keys, have a tropical climate. Accordingly, during the winter months visitors can expect cooler weather in central and northern Florida and warmer weather down south. Snowfall is not common anywhere in the state. Summer months are hot and humid with average temperatures of around 33 °C. In the winter lows dip down to around 4 – 7°C. The rainy season lasts from mid June to September. During this time short thunderstorms occur on nearly a daily basis. Hurricanes are also common at this time of year.

Florida is home to a variety of plant and animal species, many of which are threatened. Dolphins, whales, panthers, otters, manatees, crocodiles, alligators, sea turtles, eagles, deer, pelicans, and armadillos are among some of the exotic species that inhabit the area. Marshlands, Mangrove forests, and Cypress trees are native flora.

Florida Description

Florida is known as “The Sunshine State” in the U.S and is a popular destination, especially during winter months, for Americans fleeing the cold Midwest. It is also a multi-cultural state. In the northern part of the state visitors can experience the charms of traditional southern living. The southern part of the state is more diverse with Latin American, Seminole Indian, and beach-bum vibes. Though the cities are large and sprawling, Florida is an excellent location for those seeking outdoor adventure. Popular tourist destinations include Miami, Orlando (home to Disney World), Daytona Beach (known for its pristine beach and motor-sports facilities), Everglades National Park, and the Florida Keys.

Surrounded by ocean, snorkeling, diving, whale/dolphin watching, surfing, and kiteboarding are all convenient and accessible adventures in Florida. Although tennis is popular, and many people go for lessons at a tennis academy, Florida is better known for it’s spectacular beaches, such as Panama City Beach, Miami Beach, and Daytona Beach—with many more options around the state. The Florida Keys are known around the world for their scenery with crystal clear water, and offer amazing diving and snorkeling opportunities.

The Florida Everglades is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is also the largest sub-tropical wilderness reserve on the North American continent. Interested in hiking in Florida? Tourists may hike through the reserve on marked trails where they can watch birds and, if lucky, witness an alligator slinking through the brackish waters.
Canoeing in alligator-infested waters is also a popular activity, but most sites require participants to sign a waiver.

To get the most out of your Florida adventure it recommended that you do some research ahead of time, as there are seemingly endless activities available to tourists.

Florida Outdoor Adventure Activities and Extreme Sports

• Surfing
• Stand-up paddle boarding
• Scuba diving (wreck, reef, cave)
• Snorkeling
• Surfing (all levels)
• Sailing
• Kitesurfing
• Windsurfing
• Parasailing
• Paragliding
• Hang gliding
• Sky diving
• Bungee jumping
• Hot air ballooning
• Whitewater rafting
• Kayaking (river, lake, sea)
• Canoeing
• Caving and spelunking
• Hiking/trekking (all levels)
• Ziplining
• Rock climbing (indoor, bouldering)
• Abseiling/rappelling (indoors)
• Mountain biking
• Horseback Riding

Budget Travel in Florida

A popular destination for students on vacation, Florida has some very reasonable hostels. The cheapest tend to start around $12-15 USD per night for a dorm bed. In Miami, the Santa Barbara is a good deal. For the best value, though you should definitely check out the slightly more expensive ($16 USD per bed per night) Jazz on South Beach.
More information about hostels in Florida can be found here.
On the lower end, meals can be found for under $10. One of the more interesting ways to try Floridian cuisine is to sign up for an Everglades package tour, where tourists are offered offered fresh seafood and delicacies such as alligator nuggets.

Have Insurance?

I like to use World Nomads. It’s not too expensive and signing up is fast and straightforward. They also have pretty good coverage for sports equipment like surf and snowboards, but it varies depending on your country of origin, so be sure double check. You can get a free quote on their website.