Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Location:	Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Nearest city:	Jackson, Wyoming
Coordinates:	43°35′14″N 110°49′31″W / 43.58722°N 110.82528°W / 43.58722; -110.82528 (Jackson Hole Mountain Resort)
Top elevation:	10,450 feet (3,190 m)
Base elevation:	6,311 feet (1,924 m)
Skiable area:	2,496 acres (1,010 ha)
Runs:	116
Longest run:	4.5 miles (7.2 km)
Snowfall:	459 in. (1165 cm)
Snowmaking:	160 acres (0.65 km2)
Web site:	official website

The Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is a ski resort at Teton Village, Wyoming. Located 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Jackson, Teton County, Wyoming, is It is named after the Jackson Hole valley. The region is served by the Jackson Hole Airport.

[edit] Ski area information

The former Jackson Hole Mountain Resort aerial tram in the summer.

The ski area partially covers two mountains. The runs are 50% expert, 40% intermediate, and 10% beginner. Apres Vous Mountain is deemed intermediate difficulty while Rendezvous Mountain has Jackson Hole's famous advanced terrain that includes bowls, glades, and chutes, as well as 4100 vertical feet of skiing, the greatest continuous inbounds rise in the United States.

Jackson Hole's previous tram was retired in the fall of 2006, rose 4,139 vertical feet to 10,450 ft (3,190 m) elevation. Other lifts include an eight passenger gondola, high speed detachable and standard quad chairlifts, triple chairlifts, and a double chair. Construction began June 2007 for a new 100-passenger Doppelmayr CTEC tram which began service on December 20, 2008.^[1]

A view looking south from the top of Rendezvous Bowl, March, 2008.

Jackson Hole is home to many of the world's best freeskiers as the terrain is considered to be some of the most challenging in North America.^[2] In addition to the massive amount of skiable terrain in bounds there is an even larger area to be explored off piste or out of bounds. These areas are only to be accessed through marked gates and should only be skied if one is of expert ability and properly equipped with avalanche safety gear. The terrain has not only attracted the best skiers in the world but also one of the leading ski film companies, Teton Gravity Research. Jackson Hole is also home to one of the most famous expert ski runs in the world, Corbet's Couloir.

The New York Times^[3] characterizes Jackson Hole as follows:

Jackson Hole is a standard-bearer among United States resorts, and its multiple bowls, rock-strewn chutes and plummeting glades, as well as a liberal out-of-bounds policy, are why so many pro skiers and snowboarders call Jackson home. In some cases, orange, lollipop-like warning signs are all that stand between you and a potentially bone-jarring cliff drop.

In addition to skiing, there are many other outdoor activities in both the winter and summer. Nordic skiing, dog sledding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, balloon rides, paragliding, fishing, hiking, biking, and climbing are only some of the activities visitors and year round residents enjoy at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

Jackson Hole was the site of two in-bounds avalanches in late 2008, first on December 27 and another two days later on December 29. The first avalanche resulted in the death of skier David Nodine. It was one of three in-bound deaths in the American West in the 2008-09 ski season, which is the most since three skiers were killed at Alpine Meadows in 1976.^[4] The second avalanche occurring in the area near Headwall buried part of the Bridger Restaurant but resulted in no injuries.^[5]

[edit] History

Before 1961, the area that became Jackson Hole Mountain resort was Crystal Springs Girl Scout Ranch. Paul McCollister purchased the ranch and formed the Jackson Hole Ski Corporation in 1963 with partners Alex Morley and Gordon Graham. Construction of the ski resort began a year later and the resort was officially opened during the 1966-67 ski season. 1964 Olympic Gold medalist Pepi Stiegler was hired that same year as ski school director. In 1992, McCollister sold his interests in the resort to John Kemmerer III.

Jackson Hole hosted World Cup ski races in 1967, 1970, and 1975.

The original aerial tram which had been part of the resort since its opening in 1966 was closed to the public in October 2006, replaced by it successor in 2008. During the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 seasons a temporary double chairlift known as East Ridge was built from the top of the Sublette quad to service the runs at the top of Rendezvous Mountain.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Jackson Hole Mountain Resort - official site
• First tracks article
• 3dSkiMaps.com 3-D map of Jackson Hole
• Jackson Hole.com - resort history
• Jackson Hole Central Reservations - official Jackson Hole Reservations site