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Skiing with Kids at JHMR

3395 Cody Ln, Jackson, Wyoming, USA

9am-4pm

$$$

seasonal-activities, local-highlights

How to take on Jackson Hole Mountain Resort with Kids and Keep Smiles on All Your Faces.

Welcome to Teton Village! Whether you’re a local or a visitor, we may be able to answer some of your most pressing questions about skiing and enjoying beautiful Wyoming with your loved ones, but especially the kiddos. Teton Village has so much to offer that even after vacationing here for years before moving here a few years ago, we're still learning new tricks to ensure we enjoy it to the fullest, which we hope to share with you to make your trip even more memorable!

Parking 

There are so many prices and things to consider as to what works best for your family.

  • Ranch Lot and very short bus ride: $10 ($15)* before 1 pm and free with three or more people. They also have a nice, little waiting area inside and restrooms (although the wait for a bus is never long). This is our primary parking lot. If you don’t have three people you can always consider swinging by Stilson and picking up a fellow friendly skier waiting for the bus. Someone will always be there and happy to chat – the people in Jackson are so friendly and special!
  • Village Lot: $20 ($30)* 6:30am-1pm; $10 1pm-3pm (Base Village). You can also park upfront and unload for up to 15 minutes. The wait for a spot can sometimes be long, but it’s worth circling and waiting if you have a lot to carry.
  • Crystal Springs Lot: $20 ($30)* 6:30am-1pm; $10 1pm-3pm (Mid Village).
  • Cody Lot: $20 ($30)* 6:30am-1pm; $10 1pm-3pm (Upper Village).
  • Village Transit Center/Stilson: Many people opt to park at Stilson since it's free, equal-distant to town and the Village, and there's a constant stream of buses shuttling people to and from the Village, which will drop you off as close as you can get by vehicle to the lifts. The only downside to the busses is that they fill up quickly around 4 PM when the mountain closes and you can’t always get a seat – something to consider if you have smaller children and a lot of gear.
  • Ski School Drop Off: Drive to the Upper Village and turn left onto Cody Lane (Passing in front of Teton Mountain Lodge). Continue down this road for less than a mile and you’ll reach a cul-de-sac a sack where you can park your car for about 20 minutes while you drop your child off at ski school or the Kid's Ranch.
  • *Holiday/Peak pricing is in effect leading up to Christmas and into the first week of the new year, as well as the weekend afterward through March (usually). 

Public Restrooms 

Located at Mangy Moose, Tram Building, Bridger Center, Ranch Parking Lot, Kid’s Ranch

Rentals and Passes

When renting skis and boots for the littles, head to the JH Sports Junior inside the Kid's Ranch building. Allow time as it can get really busy. Other great places for rentals in town are:

  • Hoback Sports: You can rent skis, boots, and poles for any child 14 and under for $26 if you book online in advance. They allow you to pick up the day before after 3 pm as well.
  • Snow King Mountain Sports: Prices for juniors are roughly $30

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort offers children five and under a season pass for a one-time payment of $5. They can be picked up at any of the ticket counters at the resort, but the Kid's Ranch is likely the simplest.

During the prime holiday season, be aware of timing and make plans ahead of time for a more enjoyable experience.

Childcare 

The Kid's Ranch is great, but it’s important to book in advance to secure a spot. We also love Ski School For All Ages (again, registering in advance is key). Feel free to reach out to us for babysitting referrals if your child isn’t in the mood to ski on any particular day!

Where to Ski With Beginners?

Sweetwater to Solitude Station Magic Carpet: The new Solitude Station development is fantastic and has a great fire pit overlooking the magic carpet. You can purchase lift tickets and rentals inside and there is a cafeteria-style dining area. The facility is designed for beginners and its isolated location lends itself to being a calmer environment compared to the hustle and bustle at the base. If you’re not there to ski, but just want to watch your child then no lift ticket is required. Just be sure you’re wearing street shoes. There’s one other magic carpet at the base of the mountain, but it’s reserved for ski school.

Teewinot: Once your kiddos get some practice and confidence, we also like the Teewinot Lift a ton. If you go left off of the lift, it’s less steep terrain with the option of heading into a terrain park (which our littles call humpty dumpties). If skiing with young kids who are still on a harness or getting their ski legs, these are great places to start.

Sweetwater to Casper Cat Track: Head up to the base of Casper and ski down the cat track.

Bridger Gondola to Cat Track: If we're feeling adventurous, we will go to the top of Bridger and take the cat track all the way down (it can be a long experience, but it’s a fun change of scenery when you’ve been on the magic carpet for weeks). Prepare to have some flat spots where you’ll need to pick up speed to traverse across active runs.  We also like the option of stopping at the Casper Restaurant halfway down for hot chocolate defrosting sessions and bathroom breaks. From here you can either take the Gondola down or ski the rest of the beginner level cat track.   

Lunch & Apres Ski 

Two things we love – good food and places where they make it easy and fun to take kids. Some of the resort prices can be a little over the top so we do recommend packing a lunch and snacks to avoid extra costs.  But if you’re feeling fancy, here are a few of our favorite places to indulge at. The Handlebar (burgers, mac and cheese, and some salad options), Osteria (sit-down Italian), Southcable Cafe for a quick and reasonable slice of pizza, Off Piste Market is at the top of the Bridger Gondola for yummy pizza and snacks, and Piste is perfect for a delicious sit-down lunch.

For Apres Ski we have been really into the Handlebar and their homemade pretzel with cheese.  They also always have a $3 beer special. The Spur is on point with their nachos, margaritas, and kid's room. For a more casual Apres Ski, the General Store is a nice option for snacks or libations to-go and the Bodega serves the infamous Jackson Sloshie (non-virgin) to-go that you can sip on while you enjoy anything from a tailgate to simply sitting outside and enjoying the amazing view. There's also a chicken truck right next to the Bodega that's open occasionally, but worth checking out for its reasonably-priced sandwiches and tacos. This list continues to grow so we will keep you posted regularly with new additions!

During holidays, be prepared for a wait and consider sending a few folks from your group in early to secure a good spot.

What to wear? 

It seems obvious that you need to "dress warmly" because it "gets really cold in Jackson"  – whatever that means— but, seriously, what does that mean? We love this place and realize that dressing appropriately is key to everyone’s happiness. I’ve seen winter days in Jackson where temperatures have dipped below -40 degrees and I’ve seen sunny bluebird days at 50 degrees. Just remember, there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad preparation! Layering is your friend. If you dress appropriately, you and your family will have a lot more fun. We highly recommend the following: Solid base layers made out of synthetic materials (nylon, polypropylene, rayon). You’ll want a material that will wick the sweat off of your skin and proceed to dry quickly – the opposite of cotton. Topping the bottom layer with a fleece layer (vest or long sleeves and fleece pants) has proved to be very effective. The advantage of fleece is that it stays warm even when it gets wet. 

And finally, your ski jacket and pants, which should be both water-and windproof.  When considering colors, think bright to ensure your little skier stands out and is safe and protected always. Wool ski socks are our personal favorite due to their ability to keep feet super warm and dry and a buff/gator/gator hat combination is way more effective than a scarf as it fits snug and remains right where it needs to be covering your neck, nose, and sometimes ears. My ski mittens feel like my most crucial layer some days. I always choose mittens with liners over gloves and if you’re anxious about cold fingers I recommend you do the same. It’s easy enough to slip them off quickly if you really need free fingers and they keep your hands so much warmer. A proper (not expired) helmet and goggles are also major safety considerations. 

Being stuck on a mountain during a freezing, windy pow day with no goggles is truly dangerous (totally not speaking from experience), especially if you have littles. Bring a backpack with some extra wool socks and gloves. Hand and feet warmers are never a bad addition either. I also make an attempt to keep a snack for me and another on my person at all times. There are a lot of things in life that can quickly be cured with a good snack. And remember to check exposed areas often. With the inversion, it’s colder at the bottom, a lot of times where the little ones are learning to ski. Make it really fun by ensuring they are 100% covered and dry because being wet isn't fun and it’s dangerous.

Kids Night Out 

We haven’t personally explored this opportunity, but it seems worth the mention!  If your kids are uninterested in dining with you at the Village post skiing consider dropping them off here for some structured activities with the Kid's Ranch staff!  They accept kids ages 4-14 and it runs from 6-9 pm. Reservations must be made by 1 pm the day of. (For reservations and information call 1-800-450-0477 or 307-739-2788 or email kidsranch@jacksonhole.com.)

We hope you have an amazing visit and please reach out directly if we can be helpful in any way as you’re planning your wonderful Jackson Hole visit!

 

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Thoughtfully captured by:
Caitlin Iseler
Caitlin Iseler, happyly founder and CEO, was born in New York and is one of eight children. Her favorite holiday is Thanksgiving and the chance to sit at one table with her favorite 40 people. Caitlin, her outdoor loving husband, Thomas, and daughter, Hanah, live in Virginia Beach. She is also blessed to be a bonus mom to 2 incredible humans, Max & Elizabeth. Being a mom has always been something she dreamt of and it brings her joy beyond measure. Before starting happyly, Caitlin spent 15 years working in executive search with technology companies, most recently with Korn Ferry. In what seems like a lifetime ago, she attended the University of Virginia and was a member of the National & ACC Championship Teams, a gift that keeps giving.
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