Stars and Stetsons: skiing in the US

Sophie Nicholson    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts, bestskiholidays     ski, Skiing, Skiing Holidays, Snowboarding, united states, US, winter sports

It’s August and I’m thinking about skiing in the US. Strange? Maybe. But you can’t really blame me when there is snow falling in the Alps in the height of summer at 2,000 m. Extreme weather (in so much that it’s extremely weird) has prompted more than a little bit of reflection on the season just gone and how best to approach the winter to come.

Just in case you forgot...

When one thinks of extreme skiing there are generally two places that come to mind – Chamonix and Jackson Hole. I am incredibly fortunate to live just 45 minutes from the former but until recently have never been to the jewel in Wyoming’s Stetson, Jackson Hole.

I’ve always wanted to of course, which real skier wouldn’t? Like Chamonix, JH is synonymous with legends of the white crystals and therefore kind of symbolises a right of passage for any lover of the steep and deep stuff. As a result, when the opportunity to get over there finally came around earlier this year, well let’s just say I was literally linedancing on the spot with excitement.

I’d love to do the British thing and tell you that it didn’t live up to expectations. It’d be typically UK style to build it up then knock it down with nonsense like ‘it doesn’t have the ‘charm’ of the Alps’, that ‘the American enthusiasm is insincere’, that ‘the mountains just don’t compare to Chamonix’, or that ‘that the size of portions are far too big’…….blah blah blah.

Putting the work in

As I said, nonsense! Skiing in North America and in particular Jackson Hole is truly one of the greatest opportunities that you can ever hope to experience in your mountain life. It’s not about comparisons, whose snow is deeper, whose peaks are higher, whose lifts are faster, whose beer is more expensive etc etc…….It’s about embracing something completely different and that is exactly what Jackson Hole is.

It’s a fusion of old and new, it’s progressive as well as rooted in history, it’s the birthplace of extreme ski legends and the current terrain and playground of legends in the making like Sage Cattabriga Alosa and Tanner Hall. It’s real. One minute you can be riding the legendary JH tram standing next to one of the fathers of big mountain skiing, the JH Air Force, and the next you can find yourself inadvertently featuring in the latest edit by the world famous action sports filmmakers Teton Gravity Research.

And all you were doing was just having a beer in the Mangy Moose – the après-bar of choice and TGR’s base for beer induced creative brain storming.

We had two superb weeks over in Wyoming and from a skiing perspective the overriding memory that I will take with me of the resort itself was just exactly how harsh the terrain actually is. I’m not talking about what lies beyond the ropes which is obviously extreme, but rather the inbound stuff which is also incredibly serious terrain.

With hidden cliffs and chutes everywhere, if you know where you’re going it really is extreme recreation, if you don’t……well…..you’d better find out. There were numerous occasions when shouts of ‘I’m going down here’ were almost immediately followed by ‘don’t go this way’.

Fresh powder payback!

Unless you’re on a similar skill level to world famous pro riders such as Jeremy Jones or Seth Morrison, let’s just say it’s not really a place to ‘play’. In fact, any amateurish behaviour on the hill and JH will chew you up and spit you out like an angry buffalo. And rightly so, this is the Wild West after all……

These days ski trips are about taking a punt: Will the snow conditions be good? In fact, will there actually be any snow at all? Will the weather hold out? Will the chalet/hotel live up to its trip advisor rating?….and so it goes on.

For sure if you decide to go to Jackson Hole the stake is even higher. Without doubt it’s one hell of a long journey for most people.

Having said that though, I honestly think that it’s worth it……and then some. I’m done with the unpredictable conditions of the Alps, am over the disinterested approach to customer service, and quite frankly hearts, crossed skis, and plates of bubbling cheese are well……a tad cheesy at times.

After this trip, I for one would be more than prepared to make Jackson Hole my regular ski destination of choice. In fact I’d go as far as to admit that I’d be totally cool to put hand on heart and swear permanent ski allegiance to the powder gods of North America. Gawd bless Jackson Hole and all her who ski in her. I’m off to get a pair of cowboy boots……

Skiing holidays in the United States

About the author

Sophie Nicholson wrote 9 articles on this blog.

Sophie left the real world for a life of adventures in the world's high places. She is passionate about the vertical wilderness, hiking, backcountry skiing, mountaineering, biking, rock climbing and ice climbing. She writes for a number of leading outdoor/adventure publications and websites and is supported by Faction Skis, Arcteryx, Go-Pro, and Mammut. She is also studying to be an International Mountain Leader and has an incurable weakness for Cadbury's Creme Eggs.

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