Skiing Jackson Hole

With the longest vertical drop of any resort in the States and 50% of its runs classified ‘black’, Jackson Hole justifiably claims to be ‘like nothing you have experienced before’. Skiing ‘The Big One’ can be challenging – the trail map is littered with names like ‘Nose Bleed’, ‘Once is Enough’ and ‘Meet Your Maker’ – but in deep snow, when you can grind to a halt on anything less than a blue, the steeps are what you need

Off-piste skiing Jackson Hole

Off piste is the norm but Jackson also has a unique ‘open-gate boundary policy’ that gives skiers and snowboarders access to an infinite area of ‘back country’ to frolic in, outside the patrolled area of the resort. No other ski resort in the States offers this, let alone provides you with guides to point you off the trail map. Contact JH Mountain Sports School (001 307 739 2663) for back-country bookings

Cat skiing Jackson Hole

‘Cat skiing’ – or ‘the poor man’s heli-skiing’ – is a hot ticket in The Hole. Virtually unknown in Europe, this ingenious way of accessing the ‘untracked’ uses specially adapted caterpillar ‘piste-bashers’ or ‘snow-groomers’ to take you up almost vertical slopes in the back of beyond.

Now you no longer need a chopper and a Donald Trump size bank account to get that Canadian ‘Bugaboos’ experience. Lead guide Jamie Weeks at Togwotee Snowcat Guide s (001-307-543-0142) takes you for one day’s cat-skiing, with an average of 7-10 runs in the day, into the beautiful, untamed wilderness of Teton/Bridger National Park for $379pp including round trip transportation from the resort at Teton Village