Intermediate Road Trip to 3 MCP Mtns (Sun Valley, Jackson Hole, Big Sky)

[Yamaste]

One of the things I love about MCP is the ability to visit lots different and new (to me) mountains on long weekends. I've grouped some that are very close into slightly longer trips (Alta/Snowbird/Snowbasin and Lake Louise/Sunshine) but this is the first time we're doing a long road trip where the mountains are 4-5 hours from each other. I've been to Idaho once before and Wyoming & Montana never, so I was excited. I hope it's helpful to anyone else planning to hit up several MCP mountains on one trip.

We lucked out, it snowed 29" in SV the day we started our trip and the general area is going to get a gentle 1-2" most days this week. We were supposed to fly into Sun Valley, but all flights that day got diverted to Twin Falls because of snow and reduced visibility. There was no gate announcement and no emails. The pilot only explained once we were aboard. My SO was flying in from a different city but received an early morning text alerting him of the change. I kept checking but no alerts. A lot of people on my flight were visibly giddy even if they were bummed about being rerouted. We waited maybe 1 hour for the shuttle bus, and the ride took about 1:45 to get to Sun Valley airport even though its about 70 miles. I appreciate our driver being safe! We had no option but to upgrade the car we reserved to an SUV w/ AWD in order to get around, but the rate quoted at the counter was much more reasonable than the 1300 they wanted online at time of booking. We booked a full size and gambled we'd get a better offer once we were there.

I'll post about each mountain sequentially.

 

[Yamaste]

Sun Valley Day 1:
Fun but very tiring so we didn't stay out for long. We simply did not have enough experience with powder to know how to ski well in such conditions. I asked a host if they had any powder clinics, she said because so many trails were cruddy and chopped up it wouldn't be worth it to pay for a lesson on this particular day but that the next day would be great for a class.

On the first run after lunch, both my bindings released while I was going pretty fast on a well compacted/well traveled flat. I have no idea what happened! One ski traveled down aways so I had to walk until I got there then had serious issues clicking in. Since it was a pretty hard fall, I called it a day and took my skis into town to get my bindings checked out + get a wax and edge.

Sun Valley Day 2:
I had back and neck pain from my fall the previous day, so we took the day off. Picked up my skis (they made some minor adjustments but said the bindings were fine) and walked around the town of Ketchum. It's a really cute small town, and has a lot of specialized stores despite have a relatively small (and probably seasonal) local population. I can imagine coming back in summer for mountain biking for fishing.

Sun Valley Day 3:
We decided to check out Sierra Ridge (their beginner greens area on the left of the map) because I wanted some easy runs to rebuild my confidence after that bizarre and hard fall. It was not confidence inducing!! Maybe it was partially mental but I felt like I was a first time skier with the all the trails in that area being so cruddy and uneven. It was also more crowded than I expected for a Tuesday. I was so alarmed and befuddled with how horribly I was skiing, I decided to stay in this area until I felt better. I don't think I ever did. Looking back it was a mistake to stay there that long. Even mogul fields would have been more fun and confidence building than SV's greens because at least moguls are predictable and you can chart a path through them. My terrible skiing in the morning really upset me and I was at a loss Lunch at the lodge up there was nice. I had the soup, pizza, and some sweet potato fries. They were all quite good for mountain food, tut I later saw the wonderful salads and main dishes people carried to their tables and I regretted my choice. I wish I had seen what those entrees looked like before I ordered!

After lunch, I went back to the center of the map, and actually their blues were SO SO much easier than their greens!! Yes they were steeper, but they were smooth and and fun and I was no longer scared of speed on them! I especially liked Canyon and Flying Squirrel over to Lower Picaboo/Greyhawk area. I was feeling much happier and much more comfortable after avoiding the greens. I realized that I simply do not know how to ski well when its all cruddy. It was very cloudy with flat light/no light and being bounced around constantly both tired me and made it unenjoyable. I did not like feeling as if I were a high maintenance princess who only accepts perfect grooming. Learning to deal with choppy/cruddy snow is a big hole I need to fill.

Left around 3:30 and drove out to Jackson Hole. Stopped for dinner in Idaho Falls, arrived 10:00 in Jackson.

Takeaways :
+They have direct flights from LAX, super for people in southern CA
+if flying from elsewhere, it seems SLC is most common transfer point
+Sun Valley has a great airport only 20 min away but in winter, they seem to frequently divert to Twin Falls. There was a prerecorded video onboard the shuttle for both Delta and United and explained how the whole process worked including a special winter weather hotline and instructions to arrive early for shuttle to Twin Falls if flying out
+charming town with lots of shops
+great trails (but don't know why their grooming quality was so uneven while I was there, seems this is usually not the case)
+pretty good on mountain food

Overall, I'd return to try it again.

 

[Christy]

Please don't feel bad about your skiing. Powder is hard for anyone if you're not used to it. The amount that they got in such a short time is going to be very very challenging for lots of skiers. Once it gets skied out it's going to be extra challenging. Those are the kind of days people wait all year for so I bet every single local that skis plus tons of people from Boise came out.

You mentioned you didn't know why grooming quality was uneven and that the blues were easier than greens. The blues are steep enough that they don't hold snow well. In non-snowy times when there's just been a little snow runs like flying squirrel get quite scoured. The snow slides or gets blown off. It's also generally easier to ski powder on steeper slopes. You really need the momentum. I have to think they went very light on the grooming in general because I think there would have been a lynch mob if they groomed all of that powder in.

In winter about a third of Delta and United flights get diverted. Alaska has better equipment and they are getting 90% of flights in these days. Which is good because when they divert they do so to Boise which is three hours away. When I have been diverted on Alaska they automatically give us frequent flyer miles. You might write your airline and ask for those given the lack of communication and poor service you experienced. Waiting an hour for the shuttle bus is a bummer too. Alaska always had theirs waiting and they gave you a bag of snacks to take on board. Maybe the snowstorm messed with their system, though.

 

[alison wong]

@Yamaste : Thanks for sharing your TR.
2 questions:
1) Did you guys book one way flight? Arrive to Sun Valley, depart from Bozeman?
2) One-way car rental as well?

 

[Yamaste]

You mentioned you didn't know why grooming quality was uneven and that the blues were easier than greens. The blues are steep enough that they don't hold snow well. In non-snowy times when there's just been a little snow runs like flying squirrel get quite scoured. The snow slides or gets blown off. It's also generally easier to ski powder on steeper slopes. You really need the momentum. I have to think they went very light on the grooming in general because I think there would have been a lynch mob if they groomed all of that powder in.

@Christy I can imagine the lynch mob! Thanks for the words of encouragement . I would definitely like to improve my powder skiing. I found the powder conditions at Jackson to be more forgiving and easier to deal with given my lack of experience. It was all chopped up on most trails but everything was fluffy soft. It was phenomenal. In some places my skis sank and I was up past my boots in snow at times, but I didn't mind being bounced a little by the cloud like snow. I had one of the funnest days I can remember on skis and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

Alaska has better equipment and they are getting 90% of flights in these days.

I remember reading in your TR that they give 50% off lessons at Sun Valley too! Better planes and handing out deals, Alaska sounds like a winner for next time. Good suggestion on reaching out to airline.

 

[Yamaste]

Hey @alison wong

1) Did you guys book one way flight? Arrive to Sun Valley, depart from Bozeman?

Yes, one way flight into Sun Valley and one way flight out from Bozeman. You can just as easily do SV-BS-JH (drive time will be the same from SV to BS) or reverse it and start by flying into JH or BS. We chose the order based on flight prices and availability. If flying into JAC requires too many transfers or is too expensive, I know some people fly into Idaho Falls and then drive 2 hours to JH. We eliminated flying into Idaho Falls pretty early in the planning b/c we wanted to minimize drive time and didn't want to backtrack. We also wanted to put the longest drive at the beginning of the trip which had us starting in SV.

Day 1: Fly into SUN
Day 2: Sun Valley
Day 3: Sun Valley
Day 4: Sun Valley, then drive to JH (~5.5 hours)
Day 5: JH
Day 6: JH, then drive to Big Sky (~3.75 hours)
Day 7: Big Sky
Day 8: Big Sky
Day 9: Big Sky half day, then fly out from BZN (~1 hour)

2) One-way car rental as well?

Yes, we picked up the car at SUN and will be returning it at BZN. Car rental companies often have a "drop fee" if returning at a different location, but not always. I went with Hertz because there was no drop fee for this particular route.

 

[Yamaste]

Sierra Ridge Lodge is quite large and has a toasty fireplace to dry masks and warm up


A typical blue run

 

[Christy]

Nice pics! (Psst--it's Seattle Ridge).

Did you go to the Roundhouse for lunch or a drink? It's the historic lodge and the fireplace there is beautiful.

 

[marzNC]

Day 6: JH, then drive to Big Sky (~3.75 hours)

What is the date for your Day 6? Right now, US20 north of Aston in the park land is closed. I'm playing attention because if things go according to plan, I'll be on US20 heading from Targhee to Bozeman on 2/18.

 

[alison wong]

@Yamaste Thanks for sharing the info on your travel plan. You guys planned your trip really well. I thought about combining SV w/ SLC in one trip last year, but never got to do it. Not as ambitious as you guys, covering 3 MCP destinations in one trip.

Thanks for the tips on one way car rental. I remembered it was very expensive when I rented a one way from Dallas to Austin, TX, costed almost $100 one way and that was years ago. After, I always assume one way rental would cost a fortune. This gives me an idea that I might be able to combine Banff (SSV + LL) and Revelstoke in one trip next season, do a one way rental, assuming all 3 will remain on MCP.

 

[marzNC]

Thanks for the tips on one way car rental. I remembered it was very expensive when I rented a one way from Dallas to Austin, TX, costed almost $100 one way and that was years ago. After, I always assume one way rental would cost a fortune.

Depends on location. I heard recently that there was no drop off charge for renting a car in Jackson and dropping it off in Bozeman this winter.

Sometimes it's still worth the extra charge. Last year, @nopoleskier shared a car for Taos and Telluride. Picked it up in Albuquerque, drove to Taos for a Ski Week, then drove to Telluride. Dropped it off at the Montrose airport, which is an hour from Telluride. I rode back to ABQ with Bill from Telluride, which adds another travel day.

 

[Yamaste]

Nice pics! (Psst--it's Seattle Ridge).

Oooops! lol

No, I didn't go to Roundhouse, will have to try it if returning. I had lunch at the bottom/base one day and at at Seattle Ridge the other. But all those people in the pic look mighty happy and I always love a good fireplace!

 

[Christy]

The food is the best on the mountain, though I know not everyone wants to take the time for a sit down, table service meal. You can always just pop in for a glass of water or a real drink in the bar. I haven't seen Tim the accordion player in a few years. I hope he didn't die.

 

[Yamaste]

What is the date for your Day 6? Right now, US20 north of Aston in the park land is closed. I'm playing attention because if things go according to plan, I'll be on US20 heading from Targhee to Bozeman on 2/18.

Day 6 was yesterday. We kept monitoring road closures throughout the day and decided to leave before 3 and got there before 7. They reopened US 20 from Ashton to Montana by the time we got to that part of the route. From Targhee to Bozeman the roads were bumpy with snow/ice but doable with AWD.

There were a lot of road closures that day so Google rerouted us ... but Google is not always up to date. It initially said to take Route 32 which was actually closed, and certain roads Google thought were closed were actually open. We kept manually checking for updates here: https://hb.511.idaho.gov/ and here https://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/alerts.shtml

Hope it's all clear by the time you're on the road!

 

[Yamaste]

Thanks for the tips on one way car rental. I remembered it was very expensive when I rented a one way from Dallas to Austin, TX, costed almost $100 one way and that was years ago. After, I always assume one way rental would cost a fortune. This gives me an idea that I might be able to combine Banff (SSV + LL) and Revelstoke in one trip next season, do a one way rental, assuming all 3 will remain on MCP.

For $100, there's now a very nice luxury bus service from Dallas to Austin! I think it picks up and drops off at the Hyatt but you don't have to be a guest to reserve a seat.

Revelstoke seems amazing but quite remote. Please let us know if you end up doing that! Will you be using Calgary and Kelowna as your start/end points?

Since LL and Sunshine are located within a national park, you'll also have to pay a per day car fee to post on your windshield. You just tell the ranger how many days when you enter that part of the highway. For cars passing through but not stopping/parking, the fee isn't required. LL has the problem of there's nothing at their base. Even the closest hotel (Chateau Fairmont) has to shuttle their guests there. I remember there's a lack of affordable lodging options for LL, but it's a spectacular mountain. On some runs, you can see the lake. It seems to be quite the tourist attraction, many buses of tourists just go to see the frozen lake itself.


the Lake in winter


the Lake in summer, from a family trip years ago

 

[marzNC]

Day 6 was yesterday. We kept monitoring road closures throughout the day and decided to leave before 3 and got there before 7. They reopened US 20 from Ashton to Montana by the time we got to that part of the route. From Targhee to Bozeman the roads were bumpy with snow/ice but doable with AWD.

Glad you made it without issue!

There were a lot of road closures that day so Google rerouted us ... but Google is not always up to date. It initially said to take Route 32 which was actually closed, and certain roads Google thought were closed were actually open. We kept manually checking for updates here: https://hb.511.idaho.gov/ and here https://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/alerts.shtml

I noticed that Google Maps and 511 Idaho didn't match up. Used to checking VA511 when there is a possibility of snow on the roads between Raleigh and Massanutten.

I use Waze instead of Goggle Maps.

 

[Whitrose]

Next time try flying into Boise! Much cheaper and you can hit sun valley, tamarack, Brundage and bogus basin. They range from 30 min(bogus basin) to 2 and half hours(sun valley) from Boise.

 

[alison wong]

Revelstoke seems amazing but quite remote. Please let us know if you end up doing that! Will you be using Calgary and Kelowna as your start/end points?

I actually looked into taking bus from Banff town to Revelstoke. There is a bus stop in Revelstoke but the problem is, I don't know how to get to the actual town from that bus stop. That bus stop seems to be in the middle of nowhere..... But the timing is good. It leaves Banff town in the evening and arrives to Revy around 9 or 10 pm. Essentially, I can still ski entire day in Banff, then head out to Revy. No time wasted.

The problem with driving is, Rogers pass can be closed for avalanche control in the winter and the drive can be a bit challenging. -> that's why I was looking into the bus option.

If I do go, likely I will start in YYC and finish in Kelowna. Another problem is, I don't know how to get to the airport in Kelowna from Revy.

With that said, I am still researching my travel options. I do like SSV. I'd say it is my #1 favorite and #2 would be Taos. So I very much wanted to return to Banff, hopefully sooner than later.

Since LL and Sunshine are located within a national park, you'll also have to pay a per day car fee to post on your windshield. You just tell the ranger how many days when you enter that part of the highway.

The times I visited Banff for ski trips I had MCP. Shuttle to LL and SSV is included in the MCP, I never had to drive (plus I don't really like driving in the snow, makes me nervous.)
I heard different things about national park pass requirement. My friend visited Banff twice in winter for ski trips, she said there is no need to get the pass. So I am a bit confused on whether or not the pass is required??

 

[Yamaste]

Day 5 - Jackson Hole 1
Spectacular! I had the funnest day on powder. Even on blues, sometimes I was boot deep and I get what all the fuss is about now: pure, unhinged JOY of riding on clouds! I refused to stop for lunch because I didn't want to stop skiing. Wolfed down my emergency Cliff bar I keep in chest pocket and kept going while my SO waited at a lodge. He found the snow rather tiring and was happy to do a half day.

Funny thing is that Sun Valley had gotten much more snow than JH, but everything was so soft and forgiving that it didn't matter if runs had gotten all cut up with lumps and bumps. It didn't feel jarring like the firm pistes at SV that I struggled with. I think they had gotten something like a foot before we got there and it snowed the entire two days. Visibility was quite poor starting from 1/3 of the way up the mountain.

Since it was my first time, I went from right to left on the trail map. The approach worked really well because I found pitch to be quite gentle (in general) at the start and then they get steeper as we moved left. We began with runs off Apres Vous. There I found a section with some nice fluffy and deep bumps! Teton only had two blue trails, so it was on to Casper which is a great lift to just laps. The runs are not very long and ended at a small lodge above the lift. I just kept going one over/left until I tried them all and redid the ones I liked more.

The Amphitheatre Traverse is quite long but ends at Thunder Quad which I liked very much. Grand, Gannet, and Amphitheatre off Thunder were all fun, steep enough, and long enough that time on slope vs time on chair was well matched. Sublette was closed that day so I decided to make my back to Casper to retrieve my SO. Problem I had was that the South Traverse has a switchback at one point that I did NOT see and completely missed. I was confused by why I had to duck under tree branches and why I had to ski through trees! Then I saw a sign that had 3 diamonds (first time I had ever seen that) on it and I immediately stopped and pulled out out my trail map!! I could not match the sign in front of me to the name of any run on the map but there was no way I was continuing. Everything below the traverse was black and I didn't want to take those to the bottom, but the actual traverse wasn't far. I don't know where I missed the switch back. I did not see it at all! Finally made it back to Caspar okay and we skied down to base a little before 4.

Day 6 - Jackson 2
A lot of the blues off of Casper were groomed, so I kept trying to look for areas where the snow was a bit deeper. Campground and Croaky to the very left of Casper still had some nice snow and I liked those. However, most of my day was spend by Thunder/Marmot where the snow was softer and deeper. Some parts weren't groomed and some only seemed lightly. I didn't try the runs off Marmot the day before Sun Dance and Gros Ventre were nice long ones that go to the very bottom. It gets quite firm and crowded towards the bottom so we didn't do that until we wanted to leave. Sublette also opened up and we did one run off there. I decided earlier in the day not to take the tram up b/c (1) the line was really long when we arrived (2) poor visibility on most of the mountain (to the point I sometime couldn't see the edge of catwalk or trail) so I didn't want to waste the time going up just to be able to see nothing (3) I don't mind blacks if see the run and decide I want to do it ... but I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to see anything. Oh well, just means we'll have to come back

We knew there were road closures that day because of snow, so we kept monitoring throughout the day and left around 3. It's typically a 3.5 hour drive btw JH and Big Sky and I think it took us around 4.5 so not terrible. The only problem was that Google told us to go on closed roads and told us that open roads were in fact closed.

I had forgotten it was Valentines Day, but we were able to get a table at the wine bar (Enoteca?) in town even at last minute. It was very small plates. They say it's not small like tapas ... but it is. I'm glad I didn't listen to the server about how much to order and portion size. You 2 main dishes per person to feel satisfied. They have nice flights, I got the Italian one which featured 3 full bodied reds.

 

[Yamaste]

That bus stop seems to be in the middle of nowhere..... But the timing is good. It leaves Banff town in the evening and arrives to Revy around 9 or 10 pm. Essentially, I can still ski entire day in Banff, then head out to Revy. No time wasted.

That sounds ideal.

The times I visited Banff for ski trips I had MCP. Shuttle to LL and SSV is included in the MCP, I never had to drive (plus I don't really like driving in the snow, makes me nervous.)

Wow! I didn't know about the free shuttle buses! Yea even with AWD, things were kind of dicey on certain sections of the road last year for me. So you took a shuttle to SSV and when you were done there, there's another shuttle to move to lodgings near LL or you just commuted from Banff/Sunshine to LL the days you skied there?

I heard different things about national park pass requirement. My friend visited Banff twice in winter for ski trips, she said there is no need to get the pass. So I am a bit confused on whether or not the pass is required??

We had a ranger check the ticket on our car once at some kind of road checkpoint. I think technically we are supposed to pay because since the mountains are located inside of the park, and we are stopping and using facilities inside the park. However, if you park at hotel and just use the shuttle to get the mountain base ... park ranger never sees if you bought the pass.