Easy methods to Plan a Ski Journey to Grand Targhee Resort

There is a time and a spot for curbside valets, five-star lodging, and après-ski outfits consisting of fake fur, Moon Boots, and matching sweater units  — and it isn’t the winter months at Grand Targhee Resort. As a result of should you’re making the journey to Alta, Wyoming, probably traversing the treacherous Teton Move alongside the way in which, you are there for one factor and one factor solely: the powder.

With 500 inches of annual snowfall and a “the place snowboarding nonetheless guidelines” motto, it is a resort that prioritizes time on the slopes above all else. The stroll from the car parking zone is minimal, the visitor lodging are inside toes of the lifts, and there is an effectivity that stems from the usual facilities. And whereas Grand Targhee is repeatedly talked about in the identical sentence as close by Jackson Gap Mountain Resort and Snow King Mountain, an apples-to-apples comparability is almost unimaginable — except you are speaking in regards to the quantity of in-bounds terrain. In that case, Grand Targhee, with a grand whole of two,600 skiable acres, comes out on high.

The privately owned resort has been round since 1969 and famously starred in Warren Miller’s 1990 ski movie Excessive Winter, but it nonetheless manages to fly below the radar (at the very least to winter sports activities fanatics exterior of Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah).

“Grand Targhee is exclusive within the trade in that it stays a comparatively quiet vacation spot resort,” says Joshua LaForest, the director of the Mountain Sports activities Faculty. So, should you’re looking for a mountain with room to get snug on the slopes, enhance your approach, or sort out professional terrain, there is no higher place to go. To not point out, on a bluebird day, the views of the Tetons are almost unmatched. 

Here is every part it’s good to know to plan the proper ski journey to Grand Targhee Resort. 

When to Go

Grand Targhee’s winter season sometimes kicks off in late November and runs by mid to late April — though, like most ski resorts, the precise dates are inclined to shift every year based mostly on the climate and snow circumstances.

When you might need to be among the many first skiers and snowboarders on the mountain, leaping on the lifts on the very starting of the season, LaForest says that you simply’re extra more likely to expertise “deep, chilly snow and no crowds” from mid-February by mid-March. Simply make sure to costume appropriately — winter temperatures can attain under 0 levels Fahrenheit — and keep away from President’s Day weekend should you choose much less congested runs.

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The place to Keep

Slopeside lodging: Grand Targhee has 4 totally different lodging amenities, with rooms starting from commonplace kings to bi-level suites. The lodging at Teewinot Lodge can match between two and 4 visitors — select from one king mattress or two queen beds — and every room has its personal espresso maker, mini fridge, and boot dryer. Targhee Lodge is geared extra towards budget-conscious skiers, and all rooms are outfitted with two queen beds. The Sioux Lodge has bi-level suites that home as much as 10 folks; six-guest, open-concept loft suites; and slope-view studio suites that may technically sleep as much as 5 (but it surely’s a fairly tight squeeze). The Tower Suite is definitively probably the most spacious possibility, with two bedrooms and two and a half loos, in addition to panoramic resort views.

Off-mountain: Skiers preferring to remain in a single day in close by Driggs, Idaho (a 20-minute drive from Grand Targhee) have a number of rustic, albeit snug, potentialities. Teton Valley Cabins presents pet-friendly log cabins, and visitors can make the most of the recent tub, high-speed Wifi, and each day housekeeping companies. Teton Valley Resort additionally has a lineup of cozy cabins that sleep anyplace from two to eight folks. 

In Jackson Gap: For those who’re solely planning on snowboarding Grand Targhee for simply in the future — and the remainder of your journey will likely be spent in close by Jackson Gap — it’s possible you’ll lean towards maintaining the city of Jackson as your base camp. Each The Lodge at Jackson Gap, which accomplished an $8 million renovation in 2024 and The Virginian Lodge are stable picks (and every property has a scorching tub for post-ski-day restoration). Grand Targhee additionally offers a each day shuttle service for visitors staying in Jackson or Teton Village. 

The place to Eat

Snorkels Cafe: Begin your morning at Snorkels Cafe with a burrito (a Wyoming staple) or a breakfast sandwich and a cup of espresso. The informal eatery can be a terrific spot for lunch — suppose soups and sandwiches — and a candy deal with towards the tip of the day. 

Powder Cache: Powder Cache is probably the most elevated restaurant at Grand Targhee, with lunch and dinner menus that embody elk bolognese, bison quick ribs, and steak frites. The ground-to-ceiling home windows and stone hearth solely up the ante on the atmospheric temper. 

The Entice Bar & Grill: The Entice Bar & Grill, affectionately referred to as “The Entice,” is the place you’ll discover all types of snow-day classics: burgers, wings, nachos, and a curated listing of signature cocktails. Simply go straightforward on the Targhee Sizzling Toddys and the Teton Teas till it’s time for après. 

The Mom Truck: Winter weekends at Grand Targhee imply The Mom Truck is open for enterprise. From 11 a.m. to three p.m., Friday by Sunday, the meals truck serves road tacos, burritos, and margaritas, all of which might be loved from the deck of The Entice. 

The place to Après-Ski

The Entice Bar & Grill: For those who’re the kind of skier or snowboarder who wants a large après-ski scene, you might not be tremendous impressed with Grand Targhee. That isn’t to say that après-ski doesn’t exist on the resort, although; it’s simply concentrated in a single place. After the lifts cease working, The Entice fills its high-top tables, bar seats, and stage-front areas with these keen to finish the day with an grownup beverage and a little bit of stay music. It’s traditional ski tradition at its most interesting; there’s no want to alter out of your base and mid-layers into one thing nicer. To see which bands and acts will take the small stage at The Entice, try the resort’s occasion listings or comply with the Grand Targhee Instagram account.

Off-mountain Actions

Spend a day snowmobiling: “Teton Valley offers entry to miles of snowmobile, cross-country, and snowshoeing trails,” says LaForest. These within the former exercise can e book four- to 12-hour snowmobile adventures with Teton Valley Adventures, an clothing store based mostly in Driggs — or take a snowmobile out on their very own. 

Go snowshoeing or cross-country snowboarding: You possibly can’t enterprise to northwest Wyoming and never step foot in Grand Teton Nationwide Park, even in winter. When the snow covers the bottom, the park turns into an unbelievable place for snowshoeing and cross-country snowboarding. You possibly can lease tools by yourself from Skinny Skis in downtown Jackson, or, should you’d really feel extra snug, go together with a information. Jackson Gap EcoTours presents half-day excursions with its naturalist guides. 

Seize your skis and head into the backcountry: Need an exercise that’s a bit extra adventurous than alpine snowboarding? Driggs-based Yöstmark Backcountry Excursions takes intermediate and skilled skiers out into the backcountry — both alongside the Teton Move or within the Targhee aspect nation — with guides advising on all issues uphill journey and danger administration.

Easy methods to Journey

Tickets: To entry the runs at Grand Targhee, you’ll want a Targhee Card, a $5 reusable RFID card that may be picked up on the resort. Full-day grownup elevate tickets begin at $135 on-line, and half-day tickets, with mountain entry starting at 12:30 p.m., will run you anyplace from $108 to $132. Shoshone-only elevate tickets are an alternative choice for learners and households sticking to the greens on the backside of the mountain; costs begin at $57. Kids below 5 journey without spending a dime, though they’ll nonetheless want the Targhee Card. Grand Targhee additionally accepts the Mountain Collective go — which permits holders two free days plus limitless half-price single-day elevate tickets after that — and its personal season passes.