In the early days, freeride pioneers like Doug Coombs used to duck out of bounds from Jackson Hole Mountain Resort illegally to point their skis down some of the steepest terrain around. The easy access to the towering peaks just beyond resort boundaries was too tempting to resist. In 1999, the resort finally opened up access to the backcountry through seven designated gates (marked on the Jackson Hole Trail Map), allowing skiers and riders to exit the resort at their own risk.
Access the backcountry via the Aerial Tram
A ride up the 4,139-foot Aerial Tram lets you access some of the classics on Cody and No Name Peaks, with opportunities to ski wide open bowls and trees, or to scare yourself silly on near vertical faces, steep chutes and mandatory airs.
While the area can be intimidating, with plenty of opportunities to push your limits, some lines, like Four Shadows and Powder 8s, are far more mellow than they look from the resort.
Or bootpack
Granite Canyon, on the north side of the resort, can be accessed from the top of Après Vous or the top of the Headwall hike, a bootpack from the top of Cirque. Steep, sustained chutes let you ski perfect fall lines to the valley floor, with a traverse and long side step to get back into the resort.
Many of the backcountry ski lines from the resort don’t require a full ski touring setup since they involve a bootpack and usually drop you back into the resort without skinning. But don’t let this lull you into a false sense of security—underestimating the perils of the mountains can get you hurt.
Rock Springs
Due to its easy access, mostly mellow terrain, and proximity to the boundary line, Rock Springs Canyon is an inviting prospect for many skiers looking to acquaint themselves with the JHMR backcountry. But don’t think this will be a cakewalk. There are plenty of steep sections prone to avalanche and cliffs with blind takeoffs to keep you on your toes.
To reach Rock Springs Canyon, take the backcountry gate at the bottom of Rendezvous Bowl and head south through the trees. Once you reach a split at a large bench in the canyon, you’ll find the first entrance going down a large chute and into the skier’s left side of Rock Springs. Proceed along the bench to take the second entrance on the skier’s right side of the canyon.
The terrain inside is overflowing with benches and basins interspersed with short faces. Be careful not to get ahead of yourself, because there’s plenty of boulders, cliffs, and trees to spoil your backcountry bliss.