Grand Targhee Ski Holidays

Indian tribes roamed these hills long before skiers did, hunting beneath the pines of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and mighty Teton mountain range. Targhee, in fact, takes its name from one of the cheifs – a kind chap, who knew how to be tough – a bit like the terrain. Crazy cliffs are something of a local specialty and the famously daring freeskier Jamie Pierre set a World Record in 2006 by plunging 255 stomach-dropping feet off the top of Mary’s Nipple... No sniggering! “Teton”, in fact, is French for nipple, so here you’re in a world of them.

The ski area spans two lift-accessed mountains (Fred’s and Peaked) and one hikeable (the Nipple), the top of which looks east to the soaring jagged teeth of the Grand, Middle and South Teton peaks. Give these a salute from the top - trapping wind and water blown in from the Pacific, they’re the reason the Ghee sees a colossal 500 inches of snow a season.

Grand more in spirit than size, the base is little more than a few lodges and a handful of bars. Everyone’s far too busy out in the powder to notice – and this partly helps to keep this area so beautifully quiet.

The hotels here are ski-in/ski-out, the terrain is varied and interesting and the power just keeps on coming. Targhee has the essentials in place – the mountain towns of Driggs and Jackson are just 20 and 45 minutes down the valley if you need the extras.

There’s not a lot of groomed terrain to terrify an expert, but when you’re skiing powder this deep, you’re unlikely to care. With 800 vertical metres, 13 metres of annual snowfall, 2000 in-bound acres, 600 acres cat serviced terrain plus backcountry galore, there’s plenty to keep powderhounds happy.

The Ghee is known for producing daily trail maps, with details like daily groomed runs, less recently groomed areas, snow depths and a weather report – all very handy stuff that means you can really make the most of the mountain.

Most resorts aim to please intermediates, the biggest skiing demographic, but the offerings here might just be some of the best in the business. Thanks to lack of crowds and lots of super long blues, you can cram in more vertical in an afternoon here than a full day at many other mountains. If you want to learn to ski powder off-piste or in the trees, this is the place. Start off between South Street and Sweetwater in the Dreamcatcher area.

The key to killer advanced skiing here is to look between the lines - hop into spaces between runs like The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly or the chutes below the Happy Hunting Ground. If you’re up for a short hike, Mary’s nipple rewards with terrific tree skiing. The most huckable cliffs for miles can also be found in the boundary of the Targhee ski area – start with those through the gates near the top of the Sacajawea chair and progress from there.

As is often the way with powder paradises, everyone’s far too pooped for an all-nighter afterwards and après tends to fizzle out before dinner. There’s one place for a boogie in the Ghee, and that’s the Trap Bar. 14 beers, bleeding good Bloody Marys and spirits like distilled potato vodka make for a jolly good time with the live bands here.

For dinner, the Branding Iron always impresses with inventive dishes like Elk Bolognaise and salads that won’t make you feel like you’re missing out. For a special treat, book a sleigh ride dinner, served up at a yurt in the forest.

Targhee lives and breathes powder, so unsurprisingly the other activities tend to follow this particular theme. There’s a Nordic ski centre with 15km of groomed trails which you can also ride by fat bike if you prefer, while snowshoeing on beginner or advanced trails can be a good way to enjoy the mountain at a slower pace. An arcade and tubing hill (with magic carpet to deliver you back to the top) provide family fun. Take a breather and head out to the Yellowstone National Park for a day, to walk with buffalo and between famous geysers.