I’m pretty sure as far as a ski destination goes, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has both Denver and SLC beat when it comes to the time it takes from when your plane touches down at the airport, to when you are on skis ripping up the slopes. It looks like SLC claims about 1:45, compared to hours later for Denver. I’d say it’s about a 0:30 drive from JAC to Teton Village, and the 4k+’ JH Tram is only a 9 minute ride…so you do the math. This isn’t even factoring in the obvious advantages Jackson Hole has relating to advanced skier terrain and of course, sheer beauty of the Tetons.
I'm not just talking about the ski area either, as Grand Teton National Park, Teton Pass and some of the best backcountry skiing in the country are about a 10 minute drive from our obviously dangerous and inadequate runway. (Fly at your own risk! 😉 ) Granted sometimes you have to fly through Denver or Salt Lake City to get to Jackson, but there are direct flights to JAC as well. (Thanks to the BD Journal for inspiration.)
Curious, did you pay for your pass this year or…?
You are absolutely right! about the park and the pass, although for number of days with stability on nice powder skiing terrain and mild weather the wasatch can stand pretty proud. the village ….ehhh awesome terrain, long lines, and filled to the gills with aspirational huck dolls and alabama frat boys comin west to get extreme… you can keep it. Rogers pass and most of interior bc smokes them all. yes, i realize rogers is in canada but still right there. Plus, revie and kicking horse are what the village wishes it was. But i agree all tourists should fly to Jackson and ski. more seriously, wherever ur gittin it is the best place to ski that day. hope it keeps comin!
we all pay smokey…one way or another.
goat…isn’t revelstoke (the ski area) on the verge of bankruptcy? i hardly see jhmr wanting to be in those shoes.
Oh, the endless debate. But depends on who is making the argument? Local back/slackcountry skier? East Coast Holiday traveler? Weekend warrior? It seems that this vid was made with the non-mountain dweller, holiday traveler in mind…and from that point of view really nowhere can be SLC. With like 10 different resorts of all moods and terrain types within an hour or two of a major US city and all the perks that brings, it really can’t be beat. And anybody who has looked south at the Timpanogos massif from Little Cottonwood ridge in winter knows it has scenic beauty to compare to the Tetons as well…
Of course, it isn’t an either/or question really…why not ski all three states?
I guess you’re paying for it now then.
Steve, if we are going by your standard of commute from airport to ski area I believe Aspen has all three beat, their airport is at the base of a ski area, so total commute time, 5 minutes or so. With the Maroon Bells and rest of the Elk Mountains at Aspen’s fingertips the views and bc are comparable to Jackson. I’m not hating on Jackson, I just don’t think it is reasonable to compare Jackson to SLC or Denver considering Jackson is a small, expensive resort town. All I can say is can we have some more trip reports rather than ads?
SlC airport to BCC/LCC is twenty minutes, max. Then 15 minutes up LCC, a bit longer up BCC.
Jackson saves time I guess because it’s a small, regional airport, and there is no canyon to drive up afterwards.
One must also weigh the time lost just getting to Jackson in the first place……..then freezing your ass off up there. Burrrr…..to cold. I’m soft.
The airfare to JAC was double the fare to SLC, and Montana was cheapest of all. I really did want to go to JH but the airfare was way more expensive.
Dammitt steve! im a skier not an accountant. i noticed you remained out of the fray when comparing the skiing. the ownership may change hands but the mtn isnt going anywhere. If i were buying a resort the balance sheet might matter. in the end i agree with sven, ski em all.
As a resident of the SLC area, and one who loves the Wasatch but hates the Disneyesque atmosphere in LCC and BCC, I’d truly hate it if GTNP devolved to that level, at least more than it already has. Progress? Maybe JH should bulldoze the airport before it’s too late. But don’t mind me, just old and ornery and remember when the sport was truly an escape from the world.
Yeah, I agree with Goskiing. What happened to the trip reports?
You guys are unbelieveable. I work for a living too you know.
…and AMEN omr.
Steve keep it coming man. I spent 5 years in Colorado and it’s an all day trip up I-70 if the snow is even a little bit good if it’s a big dump you will never make it. That drive blows and I am talking about to Summit county Vail is another 2 hours. Who ski Vail anyways Winter Park is closer to the airport by 5 hours on a powder day. But as far as JH it is by far the best tarmac to slopes. What I am saying is if you live in Denver Colorado skiing sucks and it you live in the mtns it will suck by noon. SLC will be the same a few years from now. I will keep heading north, the only lines with the new box are 12/23 to 1/6.
For once, here’s a post that a non-mtn dweller down here in the deep, deep south, can weigh in on! Most of the time, I have to take a plane to make turns. At least I live close to DFW airport that can deliver me to all of the cities mentioned in this post (Jackson, SLC, or Denver). Even if I could make it to Jackson and board on the same day… we prefer to arrive, by the groceries, settle in to the accomidations, have some beers, relax… and get ready for the next day. The most important factor to me and my group of friends is who’s getting the snow early. Then we look at price. We haven’t hit Denver in years – because of the reply from Derek. Lately, we’ve been hitting Wolf Creek in Southern, CO because of the amount of snow, cheap lift tickets, cheap housing, and no crowds. JHMR and Targhee are by far… our favorites and I look forward to the next trip there. For the record, I think you have a great blog and I enjoy reading your trip reports and checking out your photos from your days on in the mtns. Be safe!
Damn steve.
Seems like your readership consists 100% of Salty Dogs today. Pay for your pass this. Advertisement that. ‘we want more TR’s….
All you suckas need to get some exercise, you can have Condo-rado and the Shitty Little city too!
Touchdown in Aspen/Snowmass to the chairlift can be under 5 minutes if you have your ski boots on in the plane!
no doubt gringo. you’d think reading this blog was homework or something.
I’ll tale LCC, BCC, Millcreek and the Bird over JH any day. We have 5 resorts to choose from…
C’mon, think about the time to get to SLC and JAC airports. There are WAY more direct flights from around the country to DEN than SLC or JAC. One layover connection eats up all that time saved by being so close to the mountain.
I-70 does suck however.
Yeah…Jackson sucks tell your friends…
i love it….resort debates in a backcountry forum. skiing is rad. i’m going skiing right now. in specimen creek. in Yellowstone national park. jeez…talk more about the feeling skiing and the mountains give you instead of arguing about the sport.
NO layover will eat up as much time as I-70 on a powder day, I could fly from SLC to the ALPS faster then you can get from DIA to Vail. And after all that your in Vail…… Puke. Then you have to find a spot to park and you can choose from this 25 dollar lot or that 30 dollar lot or this 50 dollar lot and you still need to catch a bus to the mtn. No thanks.
OMR,
To “escape the world” as you say, you must first escape your mind, as it’s clearly trapped in a box if you think you can’t “escape the world” when living in or near SLC.
It’s quite easy to find complete solitude, as though you were in some remote mountain range, you just have to think outside the box and go ski something other than the they standard stuff staring you in the face every day.
I skied four days last week, never saw anybody, no helicopters either. All within 15 miles of SLC.
I’m old an cranky too, but I can still find solace in the mountains.
Everyone not living in ORD (2x), LAX (1x), DFW (couple times a week) or ATL (once a week) has to connect somewhere. Stay stupid broheim.
Mammoth MTN? Great mountain and town. Airport is minutes from town. Easy access to the lifts. Back, slack and side country with a reliable snowpack? Yep Yep.
Sorry, I just thought Cali should get a mention.
Why is anybody reading this?
I can’t believe anyone in Jackson would want to boast that their airport is close to the resort so more people can fly in to take their lines. DOES NOT sound like JH at all. Wish I had a dollar for every kook that shows up in the Wasatch lining up at LCC thinking because it snows 500″ at the Bird and Alta they are going to ski fresh everyday. If you’ve heard of a resort as being epic, forget about skiing fresh. Mammoth, Whistler, Vail, Jackson, Cottonwood and Park City Resorts, Tahoe and whatever big destination resorts have die hard locals and significant tourist influxes which means your pow of dreams which is all marketing is going to be tracked out in a couple of chair lift rides. I’m not being cynical. I chase storms all over the west and I hate to say it but fat skis and chairs lifts means everyone is in on the goods. Time to go risk my life in the back country to feed my addiction.
All the kings horses and all the kings men will NEVER track it all out.
how long is to wait in the tram line?
before or after christmas?