The area around Jackson Hole has everything from laps off Teton Pass to adrenaline-pumping chutes in Grand Teton National Park to low-angle slopes in Targhee. Thanks to a sprawling landscape, it’s not hard to find fresh turns in the Jackson Hole backcountry, including sweeping bowls, timbered terrain and steep chutes. There’s a reason why the best backcountry skiers head to Jackson. With options for backcountry newcomers and seasoned skiers, joining ski guides with intimate knowledge of the Jackson Hole backcountry area will allow you to make the most of your time adventuring here.
Her knowledge, experience, fitness level, risk analysis, and interpersonal skills all helped to make our trip a safe and unforgettable trip. She did a fantastic job of not dictating an agenda, but steering the conversation and arming everyone in the group with the risk analysis skills to make the right decisions for us given the circumstances at any given time. Plus, she absolutely shreds!
Our guide Jeff knew how to keep us safe and over the course of the day was a wealth of knowledge, sharing snow safety facts, terrain observations and even local knowledge of the history of that area and the trails we were traveling. Super cool guy and took us into terrain we would have never been able to access with endless amounts of powder!
What you get in this adventure:
What’s not included:
In order to enjoy this backcountry adventure, you need to have a moderate level of fitness. You will be on your feet for a full day. While there is terrain for all skill levels in Jackson Hole, you will need to manage controlled descents in variable conditions. All participants should feel comfortable on blue level resort runs and be able to carry a loaded daypack while skinning up variable degrees of terrain.
For the enjoyment and safety of everyone involved, participants must be approved to participate in advanced backcountry skiing tours either through a previous trip with the guiding service or through recommendations.
Backcountry skiing isn’t just for pros looking for the ultimate thrill ride, it’s also beginner friendly, meaning anyone with a moderate level of fitness and blue level resort experience can have fun in the backcountry.
If you’ve never backcountry skied before, heading out with a private guide is your best bet. They’ll take care of the planning, introduce you to the basics, like skinning uphill, and teach you how to manage the terrain. They also have the experience and avalanche training to keep you safe.
Participants in the Backcountry 101 course should be capable of hiking 3500 feet uphill in a day and must be strong intermediate to advanced skiers who are capable of skiing ungroomed and treed terrain. This course is also ideal preparation for for taking an AIARE 1.
For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:
For personal items, we recommend bringing:
All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent:
Ski rental locations are in Jackson Hole and should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.
Groups and pricing:
Guided ski touring in Jackson Hole can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If you plan to ski with anyone under the age of 18, please contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
Jackson Hole has its own airport (located only 15 minutes away), but Salt Lake City, Utah (4.5 hour drive) is also an air travel option. It is helpful to arrive a couple of days prior to your trip in order to acclimate. Otherwise, you should arrive the day before to get your rental gear sorted out prior to your day in the backcountry.
Once you and your tour guide agree on the details of your itinerary in Jackson Hole, your guide will suggest the best place to meet. The day usually starts early at the guide’s office or the trailhead. From there, you will go through a quick gear check as well as a quick avalanche beacon refresher. The group will head out and you will quickly get into touring mode and start stretching the legs for the uphill ascent.
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Jackson Hole, please refer to the Wyoming Department of Health website.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
Day Trips Cancellations
Fully refundable within the initial 48 hours from booking, unless the trip date is less than 7 days from the time of the booking.
Cancellations up to 7 days prior to the trip date are refundable 100%.
Cancellations within 7 days prior to the trip date are non-refundable.
