Cross Country Skiing in Yellowstone

Sharing The Park With Snowmobiles

fYellowstone Park belongs to all of the people of this country. Snowmobiles at this time are the best way to see Yellowstone for those without much time or for those that aren't fit for skiing. Everyone should see Yellowstone in winter and when you are old and infirm you will be glad that you still have an expeditious way of seeing the Yellowstone Park unencumbered by fogged up snow coach windows.

There are plenty of places to get away from the snowmobiles as they are very limited as to where they can go. The snowmobile controversy is greatly exaggerated by opponents of snowmobiling who never learned to share as children.

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cross country skiers bison Yellowstone
© Daryl Hunter - The Hole Picture

Most of Yellowstone is backcountry and managed as wilderness; many miles of trails are available for skiing. Track is set only on a few trails. All unplowed roads and trails are open to cross country skiing and showshoeing. When skiing on unplowed roadways used by snowmobiles, keep to the right to avoid accidents.

There are dangers inherent in wilderness: unpredictable wildlife, changing weather conditions, remote thermal areas, deep snow, open streams, and rugged mountains with extreme avalanche danger. When you choose to explore Yellowstone, you experience the land on its own terms; there is no guarantee of your safety. Be prepared for any situation. Carefully read all backcountry guidelines and regulations, and know the limit of your ability. Most trails are marked with orange metal markers attached to trees. Few streams have bridges. Parties venturing into the backcountry should carry a USGS topographic map and a compass and know how to use them. Even on a well-marked trail, it is easy to get lost in a "whiteout" or blizzard. Only skiers thoroughly familiar with the area should attempt off-trail travel. When planning your trip, get specific information on conditions from rangers at a ranger station or visitor center.

Cross Country Skiers Yellowstone Park
© Daryl Hunter - The Hole Picture

Park elevations with adequate skiable snow range from 7,000 to 10,000 feet (2133 - 3048 meters.) Skiers and snowshoers who live at lower elevations should take a short day or overnight trip to test their capabilities before attempting longer outings.

A Backcountry Use Permit is required for all overnight ski trips. Contact a park ranger at a ranger station or visitor center before you begin a ski trip-- whether for a few hours or several days. Some park areas could be open to skiing or snowshoeing on designated routes only during severe winter conditions to protect wildlife. Maps of these routes will be posted at trailheads, but check with a ranger before beginning your trip. Trip planning should include allowances for limited daylight, snow conditions, temperature extremes, and the number of people in the group, their experience and physical condition. Overnight ski and snowshoe trips during December and January are difficult due to short days, extreme temperatures, and soft snow. Learn as much as you can about winter survival. Talk with park rangers before you leave on any trip.

Choose skis and boots made for touring or mountaineering. Narrow racing skis won't provide enough surface area to break trail. 

Teton Region Cross Country Ski Trails
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Grand Teton National Park
  • Flag Ranch Area
• Colter Bay Area
• Taggart Lake Area
• Moose Wilson Road Area
• Signal Mountain Area
Teton Valley
 

• Teton Canyon - Drive up Ski Hill Road out of Driggs. The road will change names a few times but I don't think it is noticeable, (I never did) just stay on the main drag until about a mile after you go through Alta there is a turn right on Teton Canyon Road. drive down this road until you get to the parking area. This is a beautiful ski at The Grand Teton towers over you the whole way.

• Darby Canyon - This is an ungroomed multiple use trail. Between Victor and driggs on hwy 33 you will turned east on Darby Road it dead ends at Stateline road then turn right it will then turn left on Darby Canyon Rd and soon the road will end where the trail starts.

• Fox Canyon - This is an un-groomed multiple use trail. Between Victor and Driggs on hwy 33 you will turn east on and take it till it ends.

• Moose Canyon - This is an un-groomed multiple use trail. About a 2 miles east of Victor torn lift on Old Jackson Hwy go about a half mile then turn right on to e. Moose Creek Road and go to the end.

• Cabin Creek - is at the bottom of the west side of Teton Pass. park at the parking area on the north side of the road. At the bottom and on the south side of the road you will find the Cabin Creek Trail.

Jackson Hole
 

• Cache Creek - located on the southeast corner of the town of Jackson east of Snow King Ski Resort. This is a busy trail but it does provide a quick access out of the town of Jackson.

• Game Creek - travel south from Jackson on Hwy 89/191 approx. 7 miles, and turn left onto road #30455 9Game Cr. R.) toward Game Creek. Parking is on left less than a mile up this road

• Granite Creek Hot Springs - Go 12 miles south of Jackson and head south on Hwy 191 through the beautiful Hoback Canyon. About fifteen miles up turn on Granite Creek Road and right away you are at the trail head. It is a ten mile ski to the Granite Hot Spring but even if you make it a shorter trip you will still enjoy it. This is a popular groomed snowmobile and dog-sledding trail.

• Gros Ventre Road - go about 7 miles north of Jackson to the Kelly turn off and after go through the town of Kelly go about another 2 miles then turn right on Gros Ventre River Road, follow it until it ends at the parking area above Slide Lake. The exposed red cliffs juxtaposed against the snow is a beautiful site. This is Rocky mountain Bighorn Sheep wintering grounds and the chances of seeing some are about 90%. This is a popular groomed snowmobile trail.

• Shadow Mountain - is about 15 miles north of Jackson, look for Antelope Flats Road then turn left when the road ends and follow it till it ends. This Trail is about an 8 mile loop with about a thousand foot elevation gain that provides great views of the Tetons

Island Park/Ashton
 

• Harriman State Park is located 20 miles north of Ashton on Highway 20. There is a total of 21 miles of trails, and 10 of those are groomed, providing opportunities for all levels of skiing. Harriman is a wintering ground for the majestic trumpeter swan and is home to many other animals. A warming shelter and restrooms are provided at the trail head. The $3 entrance fee is waived if you have a Park N' Ski permit on your vehicle.

• The Fall River Ridge Park N' Ski area is located 10 miles east of Ashton on the Cave Falls Road. The various loops are suitable for beginner and intermediate use. The terrain consists of rolling hills dotted with meadows, and stands of lodgepole pine and aspen trees. A small plowed parking area is provided and is shared by snowmobilers and skiers. They also share one mile of trail. Nearly seven miles of trails make up this area, which is groomed periodically when funding and weather conditions permit.

• Bear Gulch/Mesa Falls - This ski area is located seven miles northeast of Ashton on Mesa Falls Forest Highway 47. The trail parallels the snowmobile trail out to the spectacular Lower and Upper Mesa Falls. The trail then branches away from the snowmobile trail and travels along the canyon rim, then returns to the trail head. This trail is recommended for intermediate and advanced skiers because of the steep climb in the first mile. The trail is nearly nine miles long and is groomed periodically when funding and weather conditions permit.

•The Brimstone Trail is located one-quarter mile north of the Island Park Ranger Station on Highway 20 near Ponds Lodge Resort. The terrain varies from gentle grades to downhill runs through tree groves. The nine miles of trail offer scenic views of the Island Park Reservoir, Box Canyon, and Buffalo River. The trail provides opportunities for all levels of skiing ability.

• The Buffalo River Trail - is 2.6 miles long, starting at the Island Park Ranger Station and winding along the Buffalo River through forests of lodgepole pine. The trail's gentle grade provides an excellent opportunity for beginners to polish their skills. Both trails are groomed periodically when funding and weather conditions permit.

Swan Valley
 

• Palisades Creek - just east of Irwin turn left on Palisades Creek Road and drive till it ends at the trail head. This is a beautiful narrow canyon for the first mile and you will want to watch for big rocks in the trail early in the winter, a mile up after there first bridge the canyon opens up some for some beautiful views. There is a lake up about 4 miles.

• Indian Creek Trail - is about 15 miles south of Swan Valley Hwy26 drops into the indian Creek bottom there is parking on the west side for the road the trail starts on the east side of the Hwy. This is a also a snowmobile route

• Fall Creek Campground - is About 5 miles north of Swan Valley you cross the Snake River there you turn left on River Road and go up about 2 miles to the parking area on the left side of the road. Ski along the river to get to Creek Campground this parking is the same one for Fall Creek trail which is also a groomed snowmobile trail as is all of River Road. Bonneville county grooms Fall Creek Campground for cross country skiing.

• Bear Creek Trail - is about 4 miles south of Irwin. Go till you get to Palisades Dam an park in the parking lot at the top then ski south on the Groomed snowmobile trail. for the ambitious the forest service rents a cabin 12 miles up and makes a nice little destination.

• Fall Creek - About 5 miles north of Swan Valley you cross the Snake River there you turn left and go up about 2 miles to the parking area on the left side of the road. Ski up the Fall Creek Canyon groomed snowmobile trail as far as you like. This is a great wildlife viewing area.

Star Valley
  Yet to be compiled
The Grand Tetons
Grand Teton panorama

Grand Teton Lake SolitudeThe Grand Tetons are a magnet for mountaineers from all over the world. The jagged snow-crusted peaks epitomize the ruggedness of the West, All the elements of alpine climbing, rock, ice, snow, and altitude, are represented in the Tetons. Glaciers, striking arêtes, fist-size cracks, steep rocky ridges and ice couloirs abound providing climbers a true alpine experience. This variety makes them especially appealing to experienced mountaineers who use the Tetons to apply their technical rock climbing skills in alpine settings and to train for Alaskan or Himalayan expeditions.

At first glance the Tetons are daunting to novice, the massifs known as Grand Teton, Middle Teton, South Teton, Moran and Teewinot are surprisingly accessible once you’ve mastered a few essential moves, learn how to read rock, how to knot a rope, how to belay a companion, and to leverage your arm and leg muscles and you’ll be capable of climbing the Tetons.

Grand Teton From Huricane PassAscents of Grand Teton typically involve two days. The first day climbers leave Lupine Meadows Trailhead by 10 a.m., and hike up hike up Garnet Canyon trail, the main approach to the Grand. Along the way you are treated to views of stunning alpine terrain. To the north, periodic clearings of the conifer forest reveal Mt.Teewinot, Middle Teton and the Grand, that appear as distinct razor edges and chiseled stone. Your arrive at the Lower Saddle between the Grand and Middle Teton by late afternoon where you camp for the night. After a night spent at the 11,650-foot saddle you push on in the early morning darkness for the summit. The main approach to the summit is the Owen-Spaulding route, graded 5.4, a relatively easy technical climb even for the novice.

The accessibility and comparatively modest heights of the Tetons lead some to underestimate their dangers. Altitude sickness, avalanche and wildlife, all pose hazards, lightning is a serious threat and it can snow any month of the year and does.

Mountain guides are available for hire, two well-regarded companies offer a variety of classes and private mountain guide services depending on skill level and experience: Jackson Hole Mountain Guides (www.jhmg.com; 800-239-7642) and Exum Mountain Guides (www.exumguides.com; 307-733-2297). offer classes and guided trips throughout the year to introduce climbers of all skills and ages to the Tetons.

Grand Tetons Jackson LakeThere are many worthy peaks in the range offering a spectrum of climbing opportunities, Guide's Wall on Storm Point, is a moderate climb (5.7 to 5.9) on quality, or solid, golden rock is one of the more popular one-day routes in the range. Other interesting day climbs include Baxter's Pinnacle, the southwest ridge of Symmetry Spire and the of Mount Owen’s steep couloirs.

Local Guide Books
Teton Skiing: A History and Guide to the Teton Range, Wyoming
by Thomas Turiano
f Teton Skiing is a phenomenal book written eloquently and comically from the perspective of a mountaineer (Tom Turiano) who has climbed and skiied nearly every peak in the range. The book is perfect for someone thinking about a trip to the Tetons in order to gain more insight into the history that made it the touring site it is today, as well as, a guide to help in planning your trip. It is also a great book for anyone interested in history and/or the outdoors in general. Although it is partly a guidebook, it was more intersting to me for its well researched and colorful history of this mythical wonder called the Tetons. If you haven't been to Wyoming's Tetons, this book will make you want to go. If you have been, it will drive you to return and discover things unseen. A book I treasure!
Was
Select Peaks of Greater Yellowstone
  A mountaineering and history guide to the 107 highest, most beautiful, most interesting peaks in Yellowstone National Park. Full color!
High points: New book gives history, geology, routes of Greater Yellowstone peaks
By BRETT FRENCH
  A climb to the top of Montana's highest mountain - 12,807-foot Granite Peak - provided lofty inspiration for Thomas Turiano. When Turiano climbed Granite in 1997, he was growing bored with the Teton Mountains he knew so well, high country he has explored while working for Exum Mountain Guides in Jackson Hole, Wyo. " Then I went to climb Granite Peak and saw this whole other universe of mountains," he said. "It was a rebirth of interest for me in peak bagging."
Mountaineering & XC-Ski Stores
 

Skinny Skis • (Jackson Hole) Finding the right gear and clothing for cross country skiing begins with a visit to Skinny Skis. Since 1974 Skinny Skis has been Jackson Hole's leading shop. In addition to featuring the finest line-up of cross country ski equipment, Skinny Skis carries summer and winter outdoor gear and clothing from many of the world's leading manufacturers: Patagonia, Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, Arcteryx, Salomon, Cloudveil, Rossignol, Fischer and Black Diamond, to name but a few.

Teton Mountaineering • (Jackson Hole) Teton Mountaineering is the oldest outdoor specialty shop in the United States. This year we are celebrating our twenty-ninth anniversary, and actually, our business dates back even farther, having originated as the "Outhaus" in the nineteen-fifties. Our commitment to both excellence in retailing and to our unique mountain heritage remains strong.

Yöstmark Mountain Equipment • (Teton Valley) Yöstmark Mountain Equipment is a backcountry skiing and outdoor equipment shop located in Driggs, Idaho.  We are avid outdoors men and women who are out "testing" the equipment whenever we can and we'll be happy to share with you how it works for us.

Mountaineering & Ski Guides
 

rock climberRendezvous Ski and Snowboard Tours • (Teton Valley) Established in 1986, Rendezvous Ski and Snowboard Tours operates three backcountry ski yurts high on the western slope of the Tetons near Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee Ski Resort. Our huts provide access to the Jedediah Smith Wilderness Area and Grand Teton National Park, where over 500 inches of legendary light, dry powder snow falls each winter. A variety of terrain from high mountain ridges and broad, low-angled powder bowls, to the steep and deep combine to make some of the best backcountry ski terrain in the lower 48.

Exum Mountain Guides • (Jackson Hole) Exum offers group and private avalanche training, alpine and nordic ski tours, and ski and snowboard descents of the remarkable mountains of the Teton area. You will gain basic avalanche awareness, improve your skiing and snowboarding technique, and practice the use of avalanche rescue transceivers. Technical skills, such as steep skiing, rock and ice climbing, and rappelling are practiced during ski and snowboard mountaineering trips.

Yellowstone Expedetion • (Yellowstone) Let us show you the finest way to experience a true Yellowstone winter, at a cross-country skier's pace from the Yellowstone Yurt Camp. Join our certified backcountry ski guides to explore the Yellowstone backcountry. Our multiday cross-country skiing excursions are based from the comfortable Canyon Skier's "Yurt Camp" located only one half mile from the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

Mountaineering Destinations
 

McCarthy, AlaskaSt. Elias Alpine Guides • Explore Alaska's largest national park with the local experts, based in Wrangell-St. Elias since 1978. Half and full-day glacier hikes, ice-climbing, trekking, backpacking, rafting, skiing and mountaineering courses & expeditions. Our professional, personable guides love to share their in-depth knowledge of this magnificent wilderness!

Copper Oar • Copper Oar offers wilderness rafting and multi-sport adventures in Alaska’s largest national park, Wrangell-St. Elias, and throughout the state. Their adventures are 1-15 days in length and suitable for everyone from children and novice adventurers to veteran river travelers looking for the next great journey. Copper Oar specializes in professional, personable guides, an in-depth knowledge of the local human and natural history, great food, and creating adventures of a lifetime!

468 x 60 Camping
Mountaineering Products
 

Life-Link • (Jackson Hole) When you live in Jackson Hole as we do you have the Tetons as your backyard. Our backyard provides some of the best skiing and boarding on the planet. This is where the inspiration for many of our products comes from. These ideas don’t just come from us they come from our pro staff, our friends, local guides, patrollers and even folks who are just passing through but have a passion for the backcountry and want the very best equipment they can find.

R.U. Outside - (Teton Valley) Outdoor clothing and gear for snowmobiling, skiing, horseback riding, atv riding, hiking and water sports, including neoprene supports, EC2 boxer briefs, merino wool socks, winter boots, gloves, shorts, altimeter watches, hydration packs, fleecewear and raingear.

Articles
 

10 Essentials for Multi-Day Backpacking
fBy Kevin Jackson • I have been involved in several backpacking trips all over the world and the one constant is the importance of adequate gear for the environment — regardless if we are leading a group through the Wind River Range in Wyoming or hiking the Overland Track in Tasmania, Australia..........................................For example, I recently led a five-day adventure through the Maroon Bells, and Snowmass Wilderness outside Aspen, Colorado, and we experienced conditions that were both unexpected and hazardous. It was our essential gear that enabled us to enjoy the trip and cope with the freezing weather and heavy snowfall. ..............................As a rule of thumb, you want to pack lightly and take only what you need. However, when confronted with a difficult situation there are certain items that should always be carried on any multi-day backpacking trip. Here is my list of the 10 essentials. (Of course, if you take regular backpacking trips, you should make your own list and share it with the rest of your party. A little planning means less worries and a better overall experience for everyone.)-----------------> More