
Jackson Hole's summit reaches 10,450 feet, dropping 4,140 vertical feet to a base at 6,310 feet across 133 runs spread over 2,500 acres in the Teton Range. Terrain splits 42 per cent advanced, 38 per cent intermediate, 16 per cent expert and just 4 per cent beginner, the steepest terrain mix of any major Wyoming resort. Average annual snowfall reaches 458 inches. The resort operates on the Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective, giving members access alongside dozens of partner resorts worldwide.
The 4,140-foot vertical drop ranks among the largest in North America, accessed via the Bridger Gondola and the original aerial tram, rebuilt since its 1966 debut. Corbet's Couloir, one of American skiing's best-known expert lines, drops off the summit ridge into Rendezvous Bowl. With only 4 per cent of terrain rated beginner, the mountain is built around advanced and expert skiing rather than progression terrain. Cody Bowl and the Hobacks add further steep, ungroomed terrain accessed from the tram summit.
The base area sits in Teton Village, a purpose-built village at the mountain's base rather than an existing town, with lodging, dining and shops clustered around the tram and gondola bases. Jackson itself lies 12 miles away, connected by a regular shuttle and Highway 22. The resort's reputation for difficulty and deep snow draws a mix of destination visitors and serious skiers rather than a beginner-focused crowd. Grand Teton National Park sits immediately north of the resort boundary.
Ikon Pass holders get a set number of days at Jackson Hole depending on pass tier, while Mountain Collective members receive two days regardless of tier. Adult day tickets range from 175 to 225 US dollars depending on date, with a five-day flex pass at 799 dollars. The resort suits experienced and advanced skiers seeking steep terrain and deep snow over a beginner-friendly progression mountain. Its position at the base of the Tetons, immediately south of Grand Teton National Park, gives it a mountain-town rather than purpose-resort feel despite the built Teton Village base.
Jackson Hole covers 2,500 acres (1,012 hectares) of the Teton Range above Teton Village, and its numbers explain the reputation. The vertical is 4,140 ft (1,262 m), from 6,310 ft (1,923 m) at the base to 10,450 ft (3,185 m) on Rendezvous Mountain. Across 133 runs, 42% are advanced and 16% expert, with 38% intermediate and only 4% beginner, so this is a mountain for strong skiers. Snowfall averages about 458 inches. Uphill access comes from an aerial tram, two gondolas, nine quad chairs, a double chair and a surface lift.
The aerial tram carries up to 100 passengers to the summit in about nine minutes, and from there the choices get serious. Corbet's Couloir is the famous drop-in, Rendezvous Bowl is the wide-open advanced way down, and Laramie Bowl and the Alta Chutes sit beside the Sublette Quad. Below that chair, the Hobacks drop nearly 3,000 ft of ungroomed vertical with no easy bail-out to a groomed run. Tensleep offers a way back towards the centre of the resort. Jackson Hole suits advanced and expert skiers, and good intermediates should choose their days and conditions carefully.
The 2025-26 season at Jackson Hole ran from 28 November 2025 to 12 April 2026, a roughly nineteen-week season typical for the resort's high elevation. The mountain's summit at 10,450 feet supports a long operating window relative to lower Wyoming ski areas. Early and late-season dates can shift based on snowpack, though Jackson Hole's high base snowfall makes early opening more reliable than at lower-elevation resorts. The season length places it among the longer in the region.
Average annual snowfall of 458 inches makes Jackson Hole one of the snowiest major resorts in the Rockies, a result of its position catching Pacific storms crossing the Snake River Plain before reaching the Teton Range. The mountain's steep, advanced-leaning terrain holds natural snow well given limited grooming on off-piste sectors like Cody Bowl. Base depth builds through midwinter, supporting the terrain that remains ungroomed through the season. Snowmaking plays a secondary role given the resort's naturally high snowfall totals.
January and February typically bring the deepest natural snowpack and the most reliable powder conditions in bowls like Cody and the Hobacks. Holiday periods from Christmas through New Year bring the heaviest crowds and longest tram queues of the season. March offers a balance of strong snow totals and improving weather, extending into the 12 April 2026 close. Early and late-season visits carry more variable conditions given the terrain's advanced-leaning, less-groomed character.
Jackson Hole does not run night skiing on its main mountain, unlike the town's smaller Snow King Mountain nearby. The resort's event calendar includes competitions tied to its expert terrain reputation, though specific festival programming varies by year. Grand Teton National Park's proximity adds wildlife-watching and other winter activities beyond the ski area boundary. The resort's identity centres on steep, deep-snow skiing rather than the groomed-cruiser or festival-driven programming found at some competitors.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort sits in Teton Village, Wyoming, in the Teton Range of the Rocky Mountains, immediately south of Grand Teton National Park. Base elevation is 6,310 feet, with the summit reaching 10,450 feet across a 4,140-foot vertical drop. The resort occupies the western edge of the Jackson Hole valley, with the Snake River running through the valley floor below. Teton Village itself was purpose-built around the resort base rather than growing from an existing settlement.
Jackson, Wyoming, lies 12 miles southeast of the resort, the valley's main town with the bulk of area lodging, dining and services beyond Teton Village itself. The town retains a Western character alongside its ski-tourism economy, with a historic town square and elk antler arches as local landmarks. Grand Teton National Park's southern boundary sits just north of the resort, giving the area frequent wildlife including elk, moose and bison. The broader Jackson Hole valley sits at high elevation itself, at roughly 6,200 feet even before reaching the mountains.
Highway 22 and Highway 390 connect Jackson to Teton Village, a straightforward 20-minute drive absent heavy snow or traffic. A regular START bus shuttle runs between Jackson and Teton Village throughout the ski season, reducing the need to drive daily. Winter driving conditions on the valley roads are generally well-maintained given the volume of ski traffic, though mountain passes further from the valley can close in storms. No direct highway crosses the Tetons themselves; Teton Pass to the south links Jackson to Idaho's Teton Valley.
Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) sits 11 miles northeast of Teton Village, inside Grand Teton National Park, the only commercial airport located within a US national park. The airport offers seasonal service to roughly 20 cities during ski season, more than most comparable Wyoming resorts. Idaho Falls Regional Airport offers an alternative roughly two hours away by road, sometimes with lower fares. No rail service reaches Jackson Hole, and the START bus shuttle only covers local valley routes rather than longer regional transfers.
Hotels and lodges near Jackson Hole, powered by Stay22.

Zermatt is having another crack at a World Cup downhill, and this time nobody has to cross a border. Around 13 million Swiss francs is going into rebuilding the Gornergrat piste, including a jump fed by a roughly 300-metre in-run across the roof of the Gornergrat Railway gallery, with the Matterhorn lined up behind it for the TV cameras. First men’s race is pencilled in for March 2028, pending FIS homologation.

Lake Tahoe’s highest base elevation is paying off early: Mt. Rose has started making snow for 2026-27 after the first flurries and a cold snap. The Nevada resort is backing it with nearly US$2 million in upgrades, including a replacement snowmaking main line, a new PistenBully groomer and restraint bars on every lift. Opening day is yet to be confirmed, though Heavenly and Northstar are already eyeing 20 November.

Utah is still building flat out. For 2026-27, Powder Mountain opens a steep new Skytrac chair into more than 1,000 acres of advanced terrain, Deer Valley adds 200 acres on Hail Peak, Sundance gets a new quad and Park City adds a gondola from its new parking structure. Snowmaking is expanding almost everywhere, Eagle Point stays closed after the Cottonwood Fire, and the 2034 Games are setting the pace. Here’s what’s new, resort by resort.

Mt Hutt is getting busier, and its base lodge is about to catch up. NZ$12 million goes into a heated sun deck roughly three times the current size (430 m² to 1,300 m²), plus a new toilet block, heated steps down to snow level, extra storage and a new food and beverage outlet. Building starts after the 2026 season, with everything due for winter 2027.

Vermont's season is slow to take shape. Stratton is tentatively targeting 18 November and Sugarbush 21 November, while Pico has Friday 11 December on the calendar. Killington never sets a date and opens when the snowmaking allows, and Vail Resorts has yet to name days for Stowe, Okemo and Mount Snow. The forecasts disagree about snow, and the main El Niño worry for the Green Mountains is warmth.

Less than four months out from the Crans-Montana 2027 World Championships, the man running the organising committee has stepped down. Claude-Alain Schmidhalter resigned as Swiss-Ski vice president and OC president after being indicted over a business dispute unrelated to skiing. He denies the allegations and faces court on October 27. Interim leaders are in place for the February 1-14 event.

Kelly Canyon had a rough 2025-26, and the Idaho resort has spent the summer making sure it doesn’t repeat. Snowmaking now reaches the top of Goldrush, the terrain park is doubling in size with a stereo system, lights and a snack shack, and the car park is getting bigger. Grooming is stepping up too. Target opening is December 4, conditions permitting.

Winter was meant to be winding down in Chile. Then Valle Nevado took 108 cm in 48 hours in early October, and the resort has pushed its closing date out to November 8 - its latest in 38 years of operation. That makes 143 days of skiing since opening day on June 19, with 690 cm banked for the season. Only part of the mountain is running while the storm settles, so check the mountain report before you plan a trip.
Jackson Hole's 2026 - 2027 season typically runs from November 27 through April 11. That window is roughly 135 calendar days, though daily operations depend on snow cover, weather, and lift maintenance.
Resorts in Wyoming, Usa often announce firm dates closer to winter; check the live snow report before you travel if you are planning around opening weekend or spring closure.
Jackson Hole lists about 2,500 acres skiable of marked terrain spread across 133 named runs (1,012 hectares alongside 2,500 acres skiable). That footprint is what most riders experience on a lift-served day. Side-country or hike-to terrain may sit outside these published numbers.
Use the trail map to see how the mountain is laid out and where the longest fall-line runs connect back to base.
Trail grading at Jackson Hole breaks down roughly as 4% beginner, 38% intermediate, 42% advanced, 16% expert. The advanced and expert share is substantial, so confident skiers and riders will find plenty of steeper fall-line options once they leave the nursery slopes.
Percentages describe the resort's published piste mix, not vertical feet. A mountain with modest "expert" stats can still feel demanding if the steep terrain is long or exposed. Read the trail map alongside these numbers when planning your route.
Jackson Hole operates 14 lifts across 5 lift types. The fleet includes 9 quad chairs, 2 gondolas, 1 aerial tram, 1 double chair, and 1 surface lift.
Lift mix affects how quickly you can lap your favourite zones. Gondolas and trams move big crowds to mid-mountain, while shorter chairs and surface lifts often serve learning areas or local pods. Check the live snow report on ski days for real-time open/closed status.
Base elevation at Jackson Hole is about 6,309 ft (1,923 m), with the summit around 10,449 ft (3,185 m), giving roughly 4,140 ft (1,262 m) of vertical from base to top.
Higher start heights usually mean colder, drier snow holding longer into spring, but also thinner air and faster weather changes. Pack layers if you are riding from village level to summit lifts in one day.
Jackson Hole averages about 458 inches (1,163 cm) of natural snowfall per season. That is a long-term climate figure. Any single winter can run well above or below it depending on storm track and temperature.
For trip planning, pair this baseline with the live snow report and webcams: fresh cycles show up in overnight totals and summit cameras long before season averages tell you much about today's surface.
Jackson Hole is affiliated with the Ikon / Mountain Collective. Pass holders should confirm current season benefits, blackout dates, and reservation rules on the pass issuer's site. Policies change year to year and can differ between international and domestic products.
If you are not on Ikon / Mountain Collective, day tickets and multi-day bundles are still available; see the lift tickets page for published rates and purchase links.
Published single-day adult pricing on SnowStash currently spans US$51 to US$339, depending on date band and whether you are buying peak or regular windows. Multi-day products (multi-day passes, season passes) usually lower the per-day cost if you are staying several days. Tickets can be bought online through the resort's official checkout (linked from our lift tickets page) or at on-mountain ticket windows, subject to availability.
Buying ahead of peak holidays and weekends generally saves money and guarantees access on sold-out days. Before you commit, scan the snow report and webcams so you are paying for conditions that match your expectations.
SnowStash pulls together 9 live mountain webcams, a downloadable piste map, and the daily snow report for Jackson Hole so you can plan from home. Webcams refresh on a short interval and are the fastest way to judge visibility, wind exposure, and whether storm snow is still falling.
The snow report adds structured totals, base depth where available, and lift/trail status when the resort publishes it. Use both together: cameras show what it looks like right now, and the report summarises numbers your group can compare day to day.
Yes. The downloadable PDF/image map is better for offline planning, marking meeting points, and understanding the full mountain layout at a glance.
Both versions are on the trail map page for Jackson Hole. If you are navigating with kids or meeting friends across separate lifts, screenshot or print the static map and keep the live map open on your phone for operational updates.
Jackson Hole sits in Wyoming, Usa. That regional context matters for travel planning: airport transfers, snow tyres, and typical storm patterns all follow geography as much as resort marketing.
Browse nearby accommodation from the resort page if you are comparing village-base vs valley-base stays; where you sleep changes your first lift of the day more than most trail stats do.