Pulling out, we headed to a land not so far away. A land that was straight out of a fairy tale. A land where families are smiling, mountains are calling and deep snow is falling.
I grew up hearing all about Driggs, Idaho and the mountains surrounding Grand Targhee ski resort. My dad grew up here and herded sheep in the summers with his grandpa as a young boy. I heard tales of wild animals, of beautiful nights and of exploring these mountains, always cautious of the dangers they bring yet enjoying the solitude and beauty they hold. Stories of a young boy and his experiences with bears, wolves and other predators.
One such story goes like this. My great grandfather had to leave my dad with the sheep for two days and told my dad to shoot any predators that attempted to get the sheep (mind you, my dad was really young). My dad was watching over the sheep and as it started to get dark he saw a mountain lion. Nervous, he pulled out the gun and shot it. When my great grandfather returned he found that my dad had shot his nice, warm leather coat (my dad mistook for the lion) that he had hung on one of the posts. There was never a mountain lion at all. ๐
While different than that of my father, I am excited to share with you my story of these mountains, the snow and what it had in store for us.
After driving several hours (that is exhausting with all the back seat driving I have to do to keep us safe), we finally started up the canyon to Grand Targhee ski resort. As luck would have it, the snow was starting to fall. With our skis strapped to the top, I hopped out to check us in. We were staying in the Sioux Lodge in a ski in/ski out room. We became more and more excited the more the snow fell. It has been a while since we had a great powder ski day.
The Sioux Lodge was perfect for families. Our room was like a small apartment. There was a master bedroom downstairs along with a 4-bunk bed room and a bathroom and shower. Upstairs was a half bath, a small kitchenette and a family or gathering area. This area also had a pull down bed and a couch that turned into a bed.
After unloading we made some dinner, popped some popcorn and watched a movie. The next morning couldn’t come quick enough as we grabbed our passes and headed out to ski. Needless to say, the next several days were filled with knee to thigh deep powder as light as a feather. Our legs were feeling it as we searched out the best bowls and the best runs in this amazing powder.
The only incident we had was on the first day when my husband went over a cliff, caught his tip and slammed his chest into a tree stump or a rock. Luckily he is fine and his bruise is fading nicely. That experience helped him up his caution level and he slowed down a bit after that.
Grand Targhee has fantastic runs for beginners and for experienced skiers alike. We met several families who also drove from the Salt Lake City area in search of some great skiing and deep powder. We swapped ski stories when the visibility became low and we opted off the mountain and into the hot tub. The powder was some of the deepest I have skied. It consistently hit knee to thigh deep. At one point, riders on the lift were yelling down to our boys cheering every time they got a head shot. There are not many times in my life I can say I have skied powder over my head.
I love getting into a hot tub when the snow is falling and it is cold outside, but I am not as good at getting out. The pool here is heated and the kids seem to love that especially when accompanied by dares of rolling around in the snow before jumping back into the warm pool or hot tub.
One day we opted to go on a snowshoe tour. It was amazing. We went with a guide. Her name is Brigid and she was so knowledgeable about the animals, their tracks and their winter lifestyle. We found it fascinating as we walked through the snowy forest in search of tracks and of uprooted trees from the last major storm. I would recommend snowshoeing for kids ages 8 and older (if they are active and use to being outside) or 10 if they are new to it and don’t get much physical activity. We have taken our kids when they were babies but always had a backpack to throw them in when they got too tired. Snowshoeing is also a great activity for people who otherwise don’t want to ski. You don’t need to go with a guide if you prefer self-guided tours.
All in all this is one of our best family vacations we have had. Knee deep to thigh deep powder, face shots, good food, snowshoe tour, groomed trails, off-piste trails, great accommodations, ski in/ski out, Christmas movies and great WiFi for home learning and remote work.
The resort excels at managing COVID. Basically, masks are required inside, in the lift lines and anywhere you can’t maintain a 6 foot distance. The rooms are cleaned before you come, but not during your stay. The restaurant is open and we felt perfectly safe throughout our entire stay. The resort has a small general store where you can pick up a few basics if needed.
So while my story does not include any mountain lions, it is all mine. I too have found a love for this part of the world. I would love to hear your story when you get to visit this amazing place. Make it yours.
Best view i have ever seen !