XC Skiing at Grand Teton

 March 5, 2025

Ann accompanied me this year to Jackson Hole. We only had one day to cross county ski on this trip so we rented from Skinny Skis and headed out the park to ski along Tetons. 

XC Skiing at Grand Teton National Park

 March 10, 2024

Third day of Cross Country skiing on this trip to Jackson Hole was the best day to be at the park. It was just my father and I. 

Blue Bird day at Grand Teton National Park

We started from the Cottonwood Creek Parking area and you could not have asked for a better day. There was a slight breeze which made the standing temperature of 24 degrees feel like 24 degrees. My Dad, his girlfriend Peggy and I headed north towards Jenny Lake and compared to last year, there was a lot more snow. 

XC Skiing at Grand Teton National Park

Two years ago I started XC Skiing from this very same spot but it was snowing that day and the Tetons were obscured. Today, however, was not the case and these majestic mountains were in full view.

Jackson Hole Gravel Adventure

I have always wanted to do some sort of epic ride but never found anything that I felt comfortable enough with.  That is until my father offered up his condo in Jackson Hole in early May to me and my brother-in-law, Will, to stay at and do some riding. After buying our airline tickets I did some digging for Gravel Routes in the area and poured over satellite imagery looking for dirt roads. I found some in Jackson Hole but in neighboring Teton County, Idaho, there were tons.

The Dirty Grand Loop

 

The Grand Loop is where you ride from Jackson on the Cycleway parallelling Highway 89 and then into the park and up the Jenny Lake, turn around and come back, only once leaving the park, you head down Moose-Wilson Road and then loop back into Jackson.  Since Will and I were on Gravel Bikes I thought it would be fitting to expand the route to hit more dirt roads along the way and this would be our first big ride of the trip - 80+ miles.

National Elk Refuge Gravel Ride

 

Originally, I wanted to ride the causeway along the Snake River to acclimate to the altitude but found out that it doesn't really go through. There is a trail but it's on private property and trespassing is taken pretty seriously around these parts.  Fitzgerald's suggested a ride through the Elk Preserve. It's an out and back but there's a little climbing and they felt it would be a good opener, so off we went.

XC Skiing at Grand Teton National Park

It was snowing on my last full day in Jackson, Wyoming and My father and his partner decided to take me to Grand Teton National Park to Cross Country Ski.