Mountain Review: Grand Targhee
MOUNTAIN SCORE
CATEGORY BREAKDOWN
See our criteria
9
Snow:
9
Resiliency:
6
Size:
7
Terrain Diversity:
7
Challenge:
7
Lifts:
9
Crowd Flow:
3
Facilities:
7
Navigation:
7
Mountain Aesthetic:
GOOD TO KNOW
1-Day Ticket: $98-$125
Pass Affiliation: Mountain Collective
On-site Lodging: Yes
Aprés-ski: Limited
Nearest Cities: Jackson Hole (1.5 hrs), Salt Lake City (4.5 hrs)
Recommended Ability Level:
+ Pros
Excellent snow quality
Incredible glade terrain
Consistent conditions
Limited crowds
Local feel
– Cons
Modest footprint and vertical drop
Perennially foggy conditions
Limited expert terrain
MOUNTAIN STATS
Lifts: 6
Trails: 97
Beginner: 10%
Intermediate: 70%
Advanced/Expert: 20%
Mountain Review
Looking for a wild, remote ski vacation that doesn’t feel corporatized? Grand Targhee may be the place for you. Nestled within the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Grand Targhee is located in far-west Wyoming—and is only accessible by driving through Idaho first. The resort isn’t the largest or craziest out there, but it offers a distinctive vibe and incredible snow that many will appreciate.
Grand Targhee enjoys some of the most consistent snow in North America, typically seeing plentiful accumulation throughout the season. While not quite to the same unparalleled extent as Utah’s Cottonwoods, accumulation is light and dry, allowing for effortless powder runs. Targhee is one of the most reliable early-season resorts out there, with good storms starting in November and the resort often opening 100% of its footprint by the last week of December. Warm spells common to some competitors are not so at Grand Targhee; the resort consistently stays below freezing until at least late February, making freeze-thaw cycles a trivial worry.
Grand Targhee is a chiefly west-facing resort, with several slopes that face both north and south. Targhee’s north-facing slopes enjoy the best lift-serviced conditions for a variety of reasons; chief among these include exposure that blocks out the sun, preventing snow melt, as well as wind patterns that typically blow snow into the area. But essentially all terrain remains good throughout the core season, with variable conditions not starting in earnest until March.
Grand Targhee’s snowfall may be quite consistent, but it also results in heavy fog throughout the core season. Low-visibility conditions can often manifest for hours, if not entire days, with truly clear skies rare. If you’re driving up from sunny weather in Idaho, don’t be fooled—the fog often gets trapped in Targhee’s mountains, meaning that clear skies on the access road do not translate to a sunny day at the resort.
But on days when Grand Targhee is clear, the resort boasts breathtaking views into lower mountain ranges and the expansive, profoundly flat interstate valley below. Targhee’s 2,454-foot skiable vertical drop may not be the longest, but the town of Driggs—which is nearly 4,000 feet below the resort summit—is quite a sight to behold.
Grand Targhee is best suited for those of intermediate and advanced proficiency. The overwhelming majority of the mountain consists of groomed blue cruisers and steeper, ungroomed black-diamond runs. Grand Targhee’s footprint almost entirely comprises near-treeline terrain, with light-to-moderate glades and rolling hills making up most resort areas. Only a few runs near the bottom are truly typical tree-cut trails. Grand Targhee’s gladed nature results in a unique skiable footprint, where very few lines feel truly alike. However, the resort’s modest vertical drop limits the true variety of terrain compared to other prominent destinations; none of Targhee’s runs are particularly long, and there isn’t a massive shift in terrain distinctiveness from top to bottom.
Grand Targhee does have some beginner options, but they are limited. On the plus side, the resort’s lower-mountain Shoshone pod is exclusively designed for beginners, hosting only green trails and featuring neat adventure zones that kids will love. But guests will have to progress quickly to enjoy the rest of the resort. After Shoshone, there’s just one green trail within the rest of Grand Targhee—and it’s a long, flat traverse down from the Dreamcatcher chair.
Experts will also find some—albeit limited—terrain options at Targhee. The resort’s toughest terrain is truly perilous, with an extensive cliff band extending the full length of the four double-black-diamond runs off the Sacajawea chair. In order to complete these runs, one must either huck these cliffs or risk a core shot by straightlining down. With that said, these cliffs don’t appear until about halfway down these runs, and guests can bail right before they occur.
Grand Targhee’s lift setup is suitable for the resort. The mountain’s two high-speed lifts, the Dreamcatcher and Sacajawea quads, cover nearly all of Targhee’s main-mountain footprint, while the slower but shorter Shoshone quad covers the beginner trails. The slow, fixed-grip Blackfoot quad is technically fully redundant to the Dreamcatcher chair; however, this lift serves an important purpose, providing convenient lappable access to Grand Targhee’s northernmost footprint and allowing guests to avoid an irritating catwalk and magic carpet ride to return to the main base.
A considerable portion of Grand Targhee’s terrain—including all runs on the northern side of Peaked Mountain—has historically been served exclusively by snowcat. But for the 2022-23 season, Grand Targhee is installing a brand-new high-speed six-pack to service this area. The new Colter lift will make the majority of Targhee’s skiable footprint lift accessible, although this investment also means the end to snowcat skiing at Grand Targhee for the first time in several decades.
A small portion of Targhee’s footprint will remain hike-to, even following the Colter expansion. The Mary’s Nipple hike is a short trek from the Dreamcatcher lift, but it holds untouched snow for days and is a great option for powder tree skiing if there’s been a recent storm drought.
Besides the hikes, getting around Grand Targhee is straightforward enough. The resort enjoys clear, well-placed signage and a forgiving trail system. But Targhee does have a couple of annoying navigational situations; a handful of flat traverses are needed to get in or out of key areas, and getting from the base of the Shoshone lift to the main base area requires either a short walk or a ride up a magic carpet. In addition, if you do get lost, cell service around the resort is limited.
Grand Targhee is not the most built-up resort in the world, and indoor lodges are nonexistent outside the main base. But the lodges at the base plaza are quite nice, with commendable capacity, high-quality food, and surprisingly reasonable prices. And while chalets may not be a thing in mid-mountain areas, there are at least a few outhouses scattered around the more remote lifts for those needing a bathroom break.
Grand Targhee is much more off the beaten path than its better-known Rockies competitors, and serious crowds are rare as a result. However, short but tolerable waits can build up on weekends and holidays. The biggest lines typically affect the Dreamcatcher lift, which provides the only direct base-to-summit transportation and lacks convenient alternatives.
Getting There
Most guests will want to fly through either the Jackson Hole or Idaho Falls airport to get to Grand Targhee. Both airports are approximately an hour and a half from the resort. The mountain passes from both airports can close periodically, but Jackson is the slightly more reliable option. Private shuttle services provide direct transportation to the resort from the Jackson airport; the Idaho Falls airport lacks such services.
The resort is also within driving distance of Salt Lake City, which is approximately four-and-a-half hours from the resort with no traffic. Boise is also about a five-and-a-half-hour drive.
Grand Targhee’s parking lots are relatively small, even for the resort’s modest visitation, although recent lot expansions have addressed the issue. That said, free parking can still be hard to come by on powder days or peak holidays. New paid parking near the base is pretty much always an available option, costing $10 per day on weekdays and $20 on weekends and holidays.
Lodging
Grand Targhee offers a handful of upscale but down-to-earth slopeside lodging options at the resort base. Select accommodations come with access to Grand Targhee amenities such as pools, hut tubs, and exercise facilities.
A few more reasonably-priced options exist down the valley in Alta, Wyoming and Driggs, Idaho; the Teton Valley Bus system provides transit between these towns and the resort.
Aprés-ski
The aprés vibe at Grand Targhee is limited compared to most other destinations, but there’s still a bit to do in the base village. A handful of lively restaurants, one of which is attached to a bar, can be found in the base village. Live music occasionally happens on weekends and holidays.
With that said, activities down the valley are extremely limited. There’s very little to do in Driggs due to significant alcohol restrictions and almost nonexistent nightlife.
Verdict
Targhee is best for intermediate-to-advanced visitors looking for a Teton resort experience but not quite up to the proficiency to truly appreciate Jackson Hole. The mountain may not be the longest, hardest, or sunniest destination out there, its incredible snow preservation, lack of lift lines, and local, remote feel make it stand out from competitors. In addition, the upcoming Colter lift will significantly increase the practical skiable area for most guests. Targhee is on the Mountain Collective Pass, and it’s a solid place to stop for a few days on a Northern Rockies road trip.
