By: Marcia Abramson
It is no wonder that it has fast become the favorite of skiing aficionados. The history of Jackson's Hole is also fascinating. Fur traders, trappers and Indians used this part of eastern Wyoming for an annual rendezvous dating back to the original Louisiana Purchase in 1803. John Colter, a member of the original Lewis and Clark expedition, is believed to be one of the trappers in attendance. They set up tents and tepees along the river bottom to exchange furs for the next year's supplies and made this locale their annual social fling. In recent years Alpine skiers and snowboarders have found the nearby three mountains to their liking. For the less adventuresome there are some of Wyoming's most scenic cross-country trails, excellent venues for snowshoeing and snowmobiling. However, I find horse-drawn carriage rides more my speed and indoor western swing dancing to be a wonderful participatory sport by a blazing fire. The climate in Jackson Hole is really not too severe during the winter months with an average day temperature of 32 degrees and a night mean of 7 degrees. Generally, the western part of Wyoming has a lower average and longer winters, but the cold spells are not severe because their chilling effect is modified by a normally low humidity. Jackson Hole is in the eastern part of the state. Wyoming also has great plains over most of the state with an elevation of 5,000 to 6,000 feet, barren of tree growth and just gently rolling country with healthy crops of buffalo grass. The grass proved to be ideal for grazing and raising livestock. It wasn't long before the cowboys came north with their herds to Wyoming from the overstocked Texas ranges. I learned from local historians that during the long cattle drives in the mid-1800s the cowboys sang, "Whoopee ti yi yo, git along little dogies, for you know Wyoming will be your new home." Wyoming was also a stopover for those "Forty-niners" seeking to stake claims during the California Gold Rush. Fall is a great time to visit the ultra-luxurious resorts at Jackson Hole. The morning air has the "fall nip" and the fields are ablaze with the late summer wild flowers and the early autumn foliage. Scenic float trips and white water rafting can be arranged as well as fall Elk Bugling, and Wolf and Bear Expeditions in addition to tennis, golf and fabulous spa treatments. There are special rates during the fall season with lower rates for the month of November, including the Thanksgiving holiday when the skiing season starts. Rates do go up starting Dec. 24 and with an anticipated 500 inches of snowfall the winter season begins at the Grand Targhee Resort which has a new terrain park with a myriad of terrain features including rail slides, table tops, mail box sliders and funboxes. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has Steep and Deep Camps, Freeride Camp, Women's Camp and Backcountry Camp. For the family there is the exciting Kids Ranch which features small classes with special personal attention and the Team Extreme, a skiing and riding program for advanced youths that includes mountain and personal safety, route finding, and terrain assessment technique. The Snow King Resort is located in the town of Jackson with excellent family accommodations and awesome views of the Teton Range and the convenient in-town location. I am intrigued by the program at the Spring Creek Ranch, which includes women's spiritual and adventure programs, wolf safaris, bighorn sheep ruts and fly-fishing. And who can resist Reiki on horseback and Acu-yoga on the Great Lawn overlooking Teton with meditational readings at the fire pit? I mostly enjoy experiencing the Old-West feel of historic downtown Jackson Hole, a cowboy poetry reading of their tall tales and a good old-fashioned rodeo and those handsome cowboys in their black Stetsons any time of the year.
Copyright © by Marcia AbramsonE-mail: mascribe@aol.com
