WORDS • Jordan Grant-Krenz | PHOTOS • Sam Negen & Sam Dresser
Don’t leave snow to find snow. That’s what they always say. It can be tough to choose between a new adventure and your favorite stomping grounds when both places are getting the goods. But what if the homeland is skiing like a hockey rink? Well, that choice is easy. This was the predicament I found myself in. My local hills in Montana just weren’t providing like they normally do. Grand Targhee Resort, a quick four-hour drive south, had been getting hammered as arctic winds pushed fresh snow and cold temperatures to the Tetons. And this wasn’t just a light dusting. Open Snow showed that the Wyoming-Idaho border was set to receive multiple feet before the end of this storm cycle. Well..I thought, I’ve done far more for far less! After a few phone calls, a couple of snow dances and a quick Ptex job on the sticks, it was official: FREESKIER was heading to Targhee.
There are a few essentials to storm chasing, the first being accurate data. Can you trust that you’re heading into the white room? Few things are more disappointing than spending precious time and money only to find out that your forecast was as accurate as a Dallas Cowboys playoff run. That is to say, not accurate in the slightest. This is why there’s no use messing with anything less than the best. Open Snow or bust. This is not a paid advertisement. It’s just the finest platform out there. Comprehensive snow totals, forecasts with temperature and wind speeds, written summaries, the whole nine. Check snow and temps to make sure you have the proper gear.
Once you have your forecast info, assemble the team. Who’s going with on this search for the deep end? Is everyone of similar ski ability? If you’re heading into the backcountry, is everyone prepared and knowledgeable? Who’s bringing the snacks? These are the important questions. Next, find out where you’re going to spend the evening. Car camping is great, but not when it’s negative nine degrees, which was what we were expecting at Grand Targhee. Whether it’s a Super 8 or your friend’s couch, sourcing suitable accommodations is a necessity. Once you’ve checked off all these boxes, confirmed that you have your ski gear and made sure the car, truck, minivan or private jet (looking at you Bezos) is in good working order, it’s time to plan your route. Make sure roads are open and that you know what to expect on the way.
It was a cold and beautiful arrival at Grand Targhee. Staying in the nearby town of Victor, Idaho, made for an easy 30-minute drive to the resort in the morning. At 9:30 a.m., we linked up with Grand Targhee Resort photographer Sam Negen as well as Targhee athletes Sam Winship and Blaine Gallivan. The temperature at the base of the main Dreamcatcher Lift was a balmy negative nine degrees Fahrenheit, but we were so pumped we didn’t even care. We were layered up, and the sun was shining with hardly a cloud in the sky. Blue skies, deep snow, can’t lose.
The mountain was covered with 24″ in the last two days, with an additional 5″ overnight. Gazing up at the mountain, it was clear that Grand Targhee wasn’t an especially steep mountain. It didn’t have the insane pitches boasted by its neighbor JHMR. But as our local friends explained, this is truly an advantage. These rolling hills were steep enough to rip down but properly positioned to hold snow. A f*ck ton of snow. FREESKIER Publisher Damien Quigley had spent six years living in Jackson and had excited us in a previous phone call when he noted, “I’ve gotten lucky enough ski in a lot of cool places around the world, and the deepest snow I’ve ever skied was at Grand Targhee.” We quickly found out that Dino Dame wasn’t lying; Targhee is a powder playground.
The mountain is split about 50/50 between runs that are open or above tree line and runs that harbor excellent tree skiing. Since it was a bluebird day with no wind, we didn’t have a preference. Every run looked dreamy. We follow Winship and Gallivan through soft moguls filled in from the previous night and into the pines, where untouched stashes of waist-deep snow were waiting. Working their way down the mountain, it was clear that these two knew every cliff, pow turn and side hit on the mountain. They had grown up in Victor and spent their childhoods dialing in their freeride talents at this incredible hill. It always pays to have local guides, that much is true. I’d say they helped us avoid the crowds, but there weren’t any to speak of. The resort was filled with passionate skiers but no lift lines or packed runs. This wasn’t a fluke, Gallivan assured me.
Our crew was treated to glade skiing off the new Colter Lift that was comparable to anywhere on earth. Steep, tight and packed with snow, these runs will have your legs burning and your heart singing. We headed over to Sacagawea Lift and were shown open faces with plenty of fresh tracks… at 11:30 a.m., no less. Taking another lap, we dipped into Das Boat for a few turns down one of the mountain’s more vertical pitches. Winship and Gallivan gave us a tour of their favorite hip jump in Waterfall. Does anything look better than a safety left 3? No is the correct answer. With the morning behind us, we strolled into Snorkels Cafe for food and drink.
As we talked iPhone clips, snowmobiles and turkey reubens, it was hard to ignore the fact that this resort is a true anomaly. Deep snow, surreal views, a virtual playground on every run and no lift lines. Grand Targhee isn’t owned by Alterra Mountain Company or Vail Resorts, the conglomerates behind the Ikon and Epic passes. It has stayed true to its local roots and has been a beloved hill for countless Idahoans. Still, expansion isn’t waiting. The mountain has recently added 600 acres accessible by the new Colter chairlift. Employee housing, parking lots and lodge renovations are all completed or in progress. These things are beneficial as they mean that money is coming in and the resort is thriving. But as we’ve seen before, this growth can be less than positive for members of mountain communities if it leads to housing shortages, rent spikes and a horde of other dilemmas.
As members of the Teton Basin, neither Winship nor Gallivan were naive to the unstoppable march. They expressed the usual pains regarding housing concerns and population growth, but neither seemed angry in any sense of the word. “It’s a part of life,” mused Gallivan. “People want to be here, and the best thing we can do is grow consciously and not let that growth sneak up on us. Make a plan. You want passionate, excited people in your community, and you hope they respect this place and what it means to so many.”
After a proper refueling, we headed over to the Blackfoot Lift on the looker’s left side of the mountain. We had hoped to make it up to the beloved Mary’s Nipple, but conditions didn’t align, and we weren’t able to hike. Blackfoot was no poor substitute, however, as the area held steeper runs with soft moguls and plenty of side hits. The diminishing sun brought temps back into the negatives. Fingers and toes began to get numb, but nobody seemed to complain. Not just in our group but all around. Skiers of all abilities charged down the runs under the chair, whoopin’ the whole way. It’s an exciting feeling to be at a resort that’s home to passionate people. It didn’t matter if you could spin a textbook safety 3 or if you were navigating two planks for the first time, everyone was stoked.
That doesn’t happen at every resort. It just doesn’t. The impression I got was that Grand Targhee has retained a culture of passion, excitement and inclusion. If you’re there to have a good time, you’ll be welcome. Winship and Gallivan, who have both grown up here and are as in love with skiing as it gets, never showed a glimmer of disdain towards us newcomers. They showed us the spots, introduced us to friends and, thanks to them, we had one of the best days of the season. People can often be protective of their small ski areas, and understandably so. These places are worth protecting, especially when it seems as though the passion is dwindling. But for Sam Winship, Blaine Gallivan and every other skier who loves this mountain, it’s clear that the fire that makes Grand Targhee special isn’t going anywhere.
Click here to check out FREESKIER’s interview with Blaine Gallivan and to watch his full recent ski / life film, “Bread & Butter – A Bakers Tale”
Photo Gallery
Courtesy of Grand Targhee Resort
Photography – Sam Negen & Sam Dresser
