Ep. 135: Grand Targhee | Wyoming skiing ski travel

Unlike many RV travelers we actually seek out snow in winter. We spend our winters skiing, and our regular viewers have begged us for a little bit of ski content this season, so this episode's for you.
Grand Targhee sits in Alta, Wyoming, in the shadow of the Grand Teton, but you can only get to it through the eastern Idaho town of Driggs. There are two lift-served ski resorts in the Tetons, and while Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Teton Village is the larger and more famous of the two, Targhee gets more snow and is far less busy than Jackson.
For the past 20 years our friend Camille has owned a condo right on Ski Hill Road, and we decided to make the four and a half-hour drive from Salt Lake City to Targhee to escape the skiing crowds of the Martin Luther King holiday weekend.
Filmed: January 18-20, 2019
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Grand Targhee Resort www.grandtargh...
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ABOUT US
Welcome to Grand Adventure, a KZbin channel that focuses on RV-centric outdoor activities including not only of course camping, but also mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, skiing and more, always filmed in stunning 4K.
We're based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and invite you to come along as we travel all around the western U.S. My wife Patricia and I, and dog Zoe are avid boondockers, so you'll seldom find us in RV parks or even dry campgrounds. Instead, we're usually camped in some of the most remote and beautiful spots that you could ever pull a travel trailer into. And unlike most other RV channels on KZbin, we're not RV dealers or full-timers -- we're "long-timers" who tend to hit the road for weeks or months at a time, while maintaining a sticks-and-bricks home in Utah.
We'll provide beautiful travel videos, as well as some tips and insight on trip planning, and equipping and maintaining your RV to make your next adventure a grand one indeed! So, subscribe to make sure that you catch every episode, and remember...life is nothing but a Grand Adventure!
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[@rwalshca]

Grand Targhee is smoke free. You even filmed the sign.

[@jokermtb]

I absolutely LOVE Grand Targhee..........by far my favorite, and I've been lotsa places. It is going to lose some of that time-capsule vibe in the next few years, so get there while it's still funky.

[@GrandAdventure]

Agreed; in fact, it's already begun evolving over the past few years.

[@lobomorunga1]

I skiied GT in 1979 and 1981. 2 days and 4 days. So much snow, and, then, no lineups. 20 runs on the main chair. Only once was there a lineup, which consisted of one skier ahead of us. Unbelievable fresh powder, all day. Long board country then? Indeed it was!

[@GrandAdventure]

Well, things have certainly changed over the decades. However, Targhee is still a wonderful skiing experience.

[@skpjoecoursegold366]

good memories..............................skiing.

[@GrandAdventure]

Time to get back out there, Joe!

[@douglassmith4586]

Thanks, Marc, for taking us all along on your adventure to Grand Targhee. I'm actually in Vail for two weeks and watching your video was a treat. I hope you share more of your skiing trips with us fans. Your ability to give us several perspectives on the places you visit, using the drone and showing us a glimpse of the surrounding terrain is appreciated. We used to live in Logan, Utah and loved Beaver Mountain, Nordic Valley, and Powder Mountain--three ski areas no one has ever heard of. Would love to have you do a Grand Adventure on the heli-skiing in the Unitas. Thanks and keep up the fabulous outdoor work with the cameras.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks so much, Douglas! Beaver and Nordic Valley are definitely off peoples' radar, but Pow Mow has developed a rather loyal following. There's an outside chance that we'll be cat skiing in the Uintas later this month, and if so our cameras will be there. And in the meantime, enjoy Vail!

[@donotrobme9295]

Please stay in vail and Utah

[@thomfisher1100]

I learned to ski at Grand Taghee in 1973 (left my knees up there too!). Video brings back great memories....the valley at Driggs, ID was incredibly cold that winter, close to 65 below on one occasion. Keep 'em together!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks Thom! Both Targhee and Driggs were very different places back then.

[@coltruger2553]

Great video! GT is a hidden gem!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Colt! Not as hidden as it once was, largely thanks to Mountain Collective, but still a wonderful alternative to the bigger resort across the Tetons.

[@hoeto63]

Wonderful scenery, no crowds and that bbq food ... oh my gosh!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you John!

[@ceceb6264]

It’s an adventure just getting there

[@GrandAdventure]

Depending on where you're coming from it certainly can be.

[@choisam20]

Your editing is great too! Like traveling Robert.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you so very much. Robert is a good man, so we'll take that comparison.

[@choisam20]

@@GrandAdventure haha! i love both channels! cheers!!

[@blakecouch]

I love Targhee. We went there back in march of 07. My best runs that day were on the good, the bad, and the ugly. Also did a hike up Mary's Nipple that resulted in some really good turns. The views of Grand Teton were unbelievable. Great video, Marc.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks Blake! Without any new snow to speak of we didn't hike Mary's, although I did that on my previous trip. The Bad was a bit stiff, too. But it was so nice to have these expansive views that eluded us on my previous trip.

[@laughingram7287]

That was one of the best videos of skiing that I’ve seen. I’m going to watch that one again! Such a different view of the Tetons. Great skiing conditions!! Thanks Marc! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank YOU, Ram!

[@RandisAdventures]

This brought back childhood memories for me. I haven’t down hilled skied since I has a teenager. Look at those slopes... WOW! Looks like a great adventure!

[@GrandAdventure]

Time to try it again, Randi! It was a wonderful adventure.

[@travelerdirk7923]

After hearing about it for decades, we finally skied there in 2017 on our way back from skiing southern British Columbia for a few weeks. A fantastic ski mountain resort & town, with spectacular scenery abound. Another excellent video Marc!!!!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Dirk!

[@jstar1000]

Spent a few days in Driggs this past summer visiting Yellowstone. I could see the ski slopes driving in to town and yearned to ski there. Thanks for taking me on a ski trip with you, awesome shots.

[@GrandAdventure]

You're most welcome, and thanks for watching! It's a fun hill. No steeps to make your knees wobble but fun terrain nevertheless.

[@ericmoore6934]

Hi Marc, we're going skiing at Grand Targhee and Jackson Hole in a couple of weeks. Had to go back and rewatch this video again. Getting excited.

[@GrandAdventure]

Have fun Eric! It's a huge year, you'll have great cover. And Targhee has that new lift this season on Peaked Mountain in their former cat skiing terrain.

[@ericmoore6934]

Thanks

[@mikepostell8720]

Looks awesome no crowds at all. My kind of place. That’s going on the bucket list.

[@GrandAdventure]

It's a fun hill, Mike. It's decidedly intermediate. Nothing that will scare anyone silly, save for the cliff band between Fred's Mountain and Peaked Mountain west of Mary's Nipple (hey, I didn't name it!), but it's got elbow room in spades. And when you want something steeper along with bigger crowds, you can just cross Teton Pass to Jackson.

[@StepvanDan]

Well that looked like a blast,thank you for sharing ,hugs from MN

[@GrandAdventure]

Appreciate that Dan, a big bear hug back at ya from Utah.

[@jduncan740]

Thanks for giving us a ski video!! Great choice of location as well. I'd love to see one on Powder Mountain or Snow Basin! Thanks for showing great turns Mark!

[@GrandAdventure]

Will do if we get up to the Ogden Valley this season. Snowbasin in particular is rather photogenic.

[@jimjackson1087]

Skied Grand Targhee in the early eighties with family and friends. Amazing place then. I don't remember the clear Tetons view so it must have been cloudy. I liked it better than Teton Village which was a tremendous mountain but it took me forever to make it off the top to the lodge. Targhee was a favorite. Great video! Oh no helmets, no snowboards, and 210 skis! Jim J

[@GrandAdventure]

It's hard to believe what we did with long, straight sticks back then.

[@laureng8175]

Yea! A ski video...next request - ski camping video! ;-) We were at Jackson Hole the week before this, and we were bummed we hadn't planned to make it to Grand Targhee, too. Looks like a GREAT place...

[@GrandAdventure]

It is indeed a great place, Lauren, and delightfully uncrowded. And your next request has already been fulfilled: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYXSeKeDgrp0jJY

[@laureng8175]

@@GrandAdventure Ha! You're right! I forgot about that one. Now I'm going to have to go back & watch it again!

[@MurrayPeeps]

Great stuff as always sir! You really twisted the knife at the end with Teton Thai. One of my absolute favorites.

[@GrandAdventure]

LOL! Glad you enjoyed, Murray. I didn't realize until you made that comment in the chat that they had a location in Teton Village.

[@thomasbordenave8515]

I love Targhee, thanks for the video. You even included the view of where I proposed to my wife over 20 years ago. Great memories for us. We are going to start full timing in a couple of weeks. GT will be on our must do list along with Alta.

[@GrandAdventure]

Our pleasure, Thomas. And as Alta homies, be sure to let us know when you swing through.

[@tombordenave6817]

@@GrandAdventure I will, have a good friend that lives at the bottom of Little Cottonwood and skis every day at Alta.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@tombordenave6817 excellent! Chances are that I know your friend by face, if not by name. I've been an Alta regular for the past 15 years, logging anywhere from 50 to 104 days there each season, and most regulars up there know each other pretty well.

[@tombordenave6817]

@@GrandAdventure That is funny because I actually took a screen shot of one of your videos and sent it to him. Asked him if he knew you. He said yes by face, but never talked to you. Maybe we can hook up, not sure I can keep up. Everything starts to hurt at 70.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@tombordenave6817 LOL! Yeah, like I was saying, most of us at a minimum recognize one another. And keeping up? Who cares! It's all about having fun, nothing else matters.

[@ericmoore6934]

Thanks for making a skiing video. Your friend Camille was doing bumps around the 8:35 time, then again at 9:05. That looked liked a couple great runs, and a whole lotta fun. I think he did air several times. ⛷🏂

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks Eric! With few skiers and lots of acres, bumps were thankfully very small. As I told someone in the Premiere chat, for me, bumps are merely an indicator that it's been too long since it last snowed. ;)

[@ericmoore6934]

The snow conditions during your video look similar to what we had a steamboat. I was at steamboat just before MLK weekend, which was two weeks ago. I wouldn't go skiing here over MLK weekend, its jammed packed at all the resorts. Im headed to Monarch this weekend, a small resort about two hours away, they have about 50inch base. Did you purchased new skis? You started out the video with green skis? Are they also Rossignol's ? They are a bit wider than what I have, they look like powder skis. If they are new, wondering how you like them?

[@GrandAdventure]

@@ericmoore6934 Monarch is a good choice, Eric -- I know it well. It should lack those Front Range weekend crowds. Ski Cooper also serves that purpose. I mounted that pair of skis at the beginning of last season, although I've been on one incarnation or another of Rossignol Super 7s for nearly 10 years now. Those are the limited "RD" version of the Super 7. RD stands for "Race Department" so they're a full race layup, much stiffer than the standard Super 7s and with an extra layer of titanal. They're also 4mm wider in the waist (120mm) than the normal Super 7s, and only come in a 190cm length. They're fairly dead until 25-30 mph, then they really come to life if you push them. They fight back. They're pretty much my daily drivers; they've got 21 days on them thus far this season, and 104 days and over 1.2 million vertical feet last season. I've got several other pairs of Super 7s mounted up as rock skis, as well as a pair of Atomic Backland 102s in a 188cm length, but the latter only comes out for touring as they're too light a kit for cut-up snow inbounds. Everthing I'm skiing these days is mounted Dynafit as I'm skiing full-time in touring boots with tech fittings, just to have the ability to skin if and when I want to.

[@ericmoore6934]

I'm impressed. Very nice setup, especially those bindings. I could not see the name on the ski which is why I was curious what they were. I'm only going skiing about 5 to 6 times a season. I have a pair of salomon qst 85's, which are mostly for grommers and occasional powder, they are 177 length. I thought about getting a fatter ski, but didn't. I don't do any backcountry or ski touring, we are going to the resorts. I guess you must be taller than me, since you'r having 188's and 190's. I'm 6'1". Anyways, you impressed me.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@ericmoore6934 you obviously impress easily. 😉 A ski can't tell how tall you are, only what you weigh. Given that I'm around 140 pounds soaking wet, that Super 7 is admittedly a lot of ski, but I love the stability at speed, especially on the groomers. I don't find the extra width to be a liability on a groomer, but I sure appreciate the extra platform in deep snow.

[@CampTravelExplore]

This video was so well done! Great ski footage and a rare shot of the Tetons from that perspective! Excellent work Grand Adventure!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks so much Tom!

[@mjones53]

Great video, that is a bucket item place for me.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you! We're so happy that you enjoyed it.

[@edwardduval8486]

Cat skiing peaked mountain after a big dump. Back then the price to rent a seat for the day was a hundred dollars.

[@GrandAdventure]

Needless to say it's a bit pricier now.

[@davidstephen8943]

That was a lot of fun. Thanks!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you David! Glad you enjoyed.

[@danielquinn153]

Well done Mark. All the Best Dan

[@GrandAdventure]

Appreciate that, Dan!

[@cdawg9149]

Great video. Love Targhee.

[@GrandAdventure]

Appreciate that, Dawg! So do we.

[@edwardduval8486]

Staying at the Best Western motel in driggs idaho when it was the only one in town.

[@GrandAdventure]

It's considerably more popular now, Edward.

[@stinkysrvadventures8620]

Awesome miss the snow.

[@GrandAdventure]

Glad you enjoyed, Stinky!

[@TheCampoholics]

Wow, that was the first 80 MPH sign I have ever seen in America. Not that fast on the east coast.

[@GrandAdventure]

It's like that all over the West. Highways in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming have 80 mph speed limits. Utah experimented with 85 at one point along a stretch of I-15 in central Utah (not sure if they've since scaled that back), and I understand route 130 in Texas is also 85.

[@TheCampoholics]

@@GrandAdventure WOW! Should have bought that Shelby GT! And a helmet. 😂

[@GrandAdventure]

@@TheCampoholics 😆

[@GallionAdventures]

Great video. Skiing is one of them things on my bucket list that I haven’t done yet. Thanks for sharing

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks, no time like the present!

[@GallionAdventures]

Grand Adventure true but work is crazy right now

[@GrandAdventure]

@@GallionAdventures none of us will leave this life saying that we should have worked more, but we may well find ourselves wishing that we'd skied more. 😉

[@GallionAdventures]

Grand Adventure so true. Only 4 more years then I get my pension. Trust me I can’t wait

[@spellmadam2947]

Wonderful footage Marc.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you as always, Spell Madam!

[@WILDEBILL308]

Great skiing video. Now I want to try the restaurants. Been busey, upgraded to a 2008 Newmar Mountain Aire model 4521.

[@GrandAdventure]

We'll bet you have been busy! Congrats on your new rig, William. "She's a beaut, Clark!"

[@jesib7526]

This looks like so much fun! I know if I had the proper gear and my leg wasn't damaged, I could really enjoy a beginners day out. I remember passing through Victor last spring, heading to Colter Bay. And I Love really good Thai food, glad to know there's a quality restaurant in that area, should I ever be up there again. There's also a very good one in Siloam Springs, AR on S. Mount Olive St., if you are ever passing through :)

[@GrandAdventure]

Good to know, Jesi! Should you ever find yourself back in Coulter Bay, Teton Thai has a second location right in Teton Village. Appreciate the comment!

[@gavinstreetie1473]

Looks a great skiing area , don’t get much snow around London except for if you go to the skiing centres which we are going soon but it’s not the same but really enjoyed the views

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks as always, Gavin! Targhee's a modestly sized, but very scenic and underpopulated ski area. Where are you headed soon?

[@gavinstreetie1473]

Grand Adventure Marc Marc don’t make me laugh and I promise it’s noooooo grand adventure but it’s called the Milton Keynes snow dome it’s hardly the same as your destinations but I’ve only just started snow boarding ......... but I really do love it 😊

[@GrandAdventure]

@@gavinstreetie1473 it doesn't matter where or how you use gravity, just enjoy it! And yes, believe it or not I'm actually familiar with the Milton Keynes snow dome. It's taken many decades to happen, with many false starts and false developer promises, but North America's first snow dome just recently opened in the Meadowlands of New Jersey, across the river from New York City.

[@EddieAtLarge]

Hey Mark, great video as always! Looks really cold though. We’re now full time RVing in Texas, originally from Ohio. Thanks for reminding me why we got outta there and far far away from the cold and snow. We just left South Padre and I didn’t even realize it was winter until I just now saw your video. 🤣 Seriously though, we really enjoy your videos. Stay warm up there!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks so much! It was actually very warm while we were there, it was in the upper 20s but in that bright sun it felt like the 60s. Compared to Ohio winters, western winters are much more tolerable with low humidity. But enjoy that Texas coastline! We loved it down there. Safe travels and fair tailwinds, Homie!

[@EddieAtLarge]

Grand Adventure Oh, that’s great to hear! So that’s why I’ve seen videos of people skiing in shorts over in Colorado. And I just thought they were nuts. We’ll have to try to check it out sometime. Take care and safe travels.

[@dangomez1137]

Awesome video!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Dan!

[@amafid]

Amazing as usual.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Always awesome footage from Marc, I would love to bring our rig there to ski one day but my Florida girl hates the cold and snow, haha Larry.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks as always, Larry! One thing about skiing, it gives you a reason to love winter.

[@MurrayPeeps]

Yessss. Been waiting for this one!

[@jwrappuhn71]

Great vid Marc, been there done that, drink any Moose Drool?

[@GrandAdventure]

Not this trip, but I've been known to down a glass or two. Thanks as always for watching!

[@E_House]

Great video! How did you film the downhill ski parts?

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you as always! If you mean the shots where I was tailing Camille down the hill, that was done with a DJI Osmo Pocket gimbal camera that I was holding in my hand. I also used that camera for the four of us riding in the chairlift together, but everything else other than the drone footage was shot on a Sony Alpha a6500.

[@E_House]

@@GrandAdventure yes, the trailing down the hill... it was so smooth... great job! Without the proper setup, our ski vids are always so shaky (cellphone) and our hands freeze lol. I know you ski very well but still impressive that you can ski and shoot at the same time!

[@GrandAdventure]

@@E_House the video stabilization in both the GoPro Hero 8 and the DJI Osmo Action is exceptional, and either one of those cameras you can just strap onto your helmet or chest for smooth follow shots. If you mount it on your helmet backwards, you could even have the other skier follow you and shoot their front side as they ski.

[@scottrobbins2093]

And the music is by whom? Thanks

[@GrandAdventure]

All of our music is licensed through Soundstripe.com. If you are wondering about a specific timestamp I can look up the artist and title.

[@scottrobbins2093]

6:44 as you're getting off the ski lift... Great flowing guitar. I skied there in 1996. Looking to start skiing smaller resorts these days. Had it with the big resorts prices and crowds. Lived in Colorado 20-plus years...

[@sajohnson33]

And I thought I was a lead foot... ;-)

[@GrandAdventure]

LOL! That's what 80 mph speed limits are for. ;)

[@sajohnson33]

@@GrandAdventure Well, if those vehicles you're passing were doing 80 mph then... ;-) I still vividly recall the 'bad old days' of the 55 mph NMSL. Almost everyone was a scofflaw back then. We're back to 70 mph in Maryland, which is still too slow in rural areas.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@sajohnson33 all of those vehicles I was passing thought the limit was still 55. 😎

[@sajohnson33]

@@GrandAdventure Well Mr. Guido, since the officer has failed to appear, I will be finding you not guilty... ;-)

[@GrandAdventure]

@@sajohnson33 LOL!

[@bhuff123]

Make a video in snow is hard for the right colors to come out and be wash out.

[@GrandAdventure]

Don't I know it. LOL! It was tough to pick a white balance and exposure level that accommodated both the snow and the people/trees.

[@billyshears921]

why, why the annoying music?

[@GrandAdventure]

What you find annoying, Billy, others might find enjoyable, or we might think enhances the mood of the visual scenes. No matter what anyone thinks, though, soundtracks cover up a multitude of sins recorded while filming, including diesel engines, car doors slamming, kids screaming, howling wind overloading microphones, and more. It also fills the dead space in the drone footage which is recorded without audio, as watching a silent movie wouldn't be terribly enjoyable, either.

[@billyshears921]

I understand your point and it was a very good video - going there in January. Just had to hit the mute button as it did not enhance the downhill , in my opinion.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@billyshears921 understood completely, that's why they make cars in different colors. 😉 Here's wishing you a wonderful, powder-filled trip!