Jackson Hole Journal

Welcome

The Jackson Hole Mountain Resort at Teton Village is the reason perhaps 95 percent of visitors come to Jackson Hole in the winter. The newly constructed gondola lift and continual upgrades to dining and shopping have kept Jackson Hole as a world-class ski destination. There are ski slopes for every ability level as well as snowboarding facilities, horsedrawn carrieage rides to a secluded cabin for a candlelit meal. Teton Village is the place to stay for fun and fantastic skiing.

The high speed gondola is a fast track to the top of the slopes.

View scenic photos of Jackson Hole by clicking here

The Wild Side of the Tetons: Grand Targhee

The "other" ski area in Jackson Hole is located on the other side of the Tetons and offers a different skiing experience. With more beginner and moderate trails, stunning scenery, more open terrain and yes, cheaper lift tickets, many come to appreciate the charms of Grand Targhee although it takes an hour to drive there. Over on the other side of the Teton, real estate prices are still somewhere near the affordable range, but that may not last long. Driggs could easily mushroom in popularity just as Jackson Hole did fifty years ago. For an audio slide show "Ode to Targhee," click here.

If I was going to live in Wyoming again, I would most definitely choose Driggs, Wyoming, as my home. As much as I love Jackson Hole, I think the real estate prices in Driggs are going to, first of all, appreciate nicely over time as an investment, but more importantly, just offer the quality of life that makes life so enjoyable. I passed a wonderful cabin on the way down the mountain and my wife remarked. Just think, those people are home now, sitting beside a nice toasty fire in their log cabin home, with that VIEW! Meanwhile we were facing a white-knuckle icy drive over the pass. So, here is the scenario. You have low real estate prices, alpine and nordic skiing and cheap lift tickets to rival any resort in the West, a real and funky country/hip town called Driggs that gets happily bypassed by most of the great national earthshaking issues, and you have more unspoiled wilderness within a 15 minute drive than you could ever hope for. So that is why I would choose real estate near Alta, Wyoming or in Idaho for my home, or my vacation home.

Cowboy bathing in wilderness was a favoriteThis website was started by me, Bill Willcox, a former resident and photographer who lived in the valley in the late 1980s. During that time I had the privelige of getting to know Jackson Hole in all its beauty and to experience the mainstream pleasures but also the locals-only secret sweet spots, such as Huckleberry Hot Springs, that truly make the valley a wonderful place to live and visit. Since I have left I have often returned in my dreams to nordic ski towards the high alpine passes, and one in particular, high above the Crystal Creek drainage. My daughter calls it the Wooooo place because I speak of it in almost mystical terms. But to me the highest high was when I was deep in the wilderness on my cross-country skis, deeply imbued with the natural beauty of my surroundings. I long to return to my woooo place, and plan to, when I return to visit in February. But that doesn't concern you. This website is an attempt to share my deep love of Jackson Hole and hopefully make you fall in love with it too. The picture above, if you click on it you can see it larger, was taken during an amazing four day stay with a real cowboy in the Gros Ventre. He was cleaning up for a visit to the world famous Cowboy Bar, but he was much more at home in the wilderness, looking after his cows. I dedicate this website to him, Bob Disney. He died about 10 years ago in Kentucky.

Granite Hot Springs

Ahh...to soak in Granite Hot Springs after a hard day of sledding

There are several snowmobile tour companies and dogsled outfits that take visitors to Granite Hot Springs on a day trip. The decision to take a snowmobile tour to the springs usually follows about two or three days of downhill skiing when vacationers are looking for a different type of activity than skiing. The Granite trip fills the bill. It starts with a long scenic ride through spectacular scenery with stops so everyone can experience the thrill of snowmobiling through fresh powder. Then the hot springs are a perfect reliief for tired muscles. A steak dinner follows, with fresh salad and potatoes, at least on the Jackshon Hole Snowmobile Tours trip. Then the return trip can be as adventurous or leisurely as fits the groups mood. For an audio slide show of a trip by Jackson Hole Snowmobile Tours, please click here.