If you are willing to put up with the negative temperatures, the preseason conditions in Jackson are pretty solid. It is not the typical soft snow that we in Teton County have come to expect, but it is still early December. As you can tell from the photos, the groomers haven’t really ventured to the upper mountain area. Skiing off of Thunder is bumpy and fairly hard, but the lack of snow really makes up for it. It is smart to bring your rock gear to that side of the mountain. Doing laps from this chair will really get the legs burning, and if you are willing to risk it, there are some soft turns amongst the trees and rocks.
Unfortunately, Sublette chair is closed for the week after being open this past weekend. The snow there was great, but also provided lots of options to ruin your boards. Understandable for below average snowpack for this time of year. The mountain plans to open the Quad again this weekend, and we thank them for being so aggressive with the openings.
The safest place to ride for your gear is on Apres Vous. The snowmakers did a great job and the cover is great on the trails. The groomers are also crushing it, allowing the handful of people on the mountain to really get into their carves. Casper is also riding fast and smooth with a little less cover. A bit of the Stash Park is open too, if one is looking to get their jib on. Bottom line, it is great for this time of year and beautiful with the sun, but more snow would be very welcome.