Hi, I'm Emily Wright. I am a Reservations Agent for Jackson Hole Resort Lodging. Not only do I work in Teton Village, but I live here too. Waking up this morning I had the urge to get out and explore, but not to drive anywhere. Luckily we happen to live in Teton Village. My husband and I moved to Teton Village to be in close proximity to the ski hill in the winter. Little did we know we were also within walking distance to everything that Teton Village has to offer in the summer as well! The goal for today: Explore our backyard in Teton Village.
If you find yourself staying in beautiful Teton Village, you’ll be amazed by all the things that are within walking distance to your accommodation. And the first thing you want to do in the morning is eat. Not feeling like eating a huge breakfast, we decided to get creative and wait until late morning. Right in the center of Teton Village is the Jackson Hole Aerial Tram. We took a short stroll from our house to the clock tower to get on the Tram. A 12-minute ride up to 10,450ft awarded us with a stunning view of the valley below and of the vast Teton mountain range.
The biggest surprise at the top is Corbet’s Cabin where they make some of the best waffles in the area. Not a traditional waffle, they serve them sandwich style, where you can mix and match all different types of fillings. Corbet’s Cabin also serves great hot and cold beverages that can complement any waffle you create. We grabbed our waffles and hot cider and chose to go sit outside at the top of the stairs where you can watch the paragliders take off.
JH Paragliding does tandem rides from the top of the Tram for anyone willing to brave the takeoff. It was fun to sit and watch them run off the mountain into the air. A word of advice, bring a jacket with you to the top. The temperature is about 10-15 degrees cooler up top than it is at the base. There is also still a lot of snow at the top of the Tram from our epic winter season. We are planning on paragliding next month after watching today!
After the ride back to the base, it was time for some action! Having a husband that loves to play disc golf, we headed straight for the newly remodeled course. JH Sports has many options for discs. We stopped in to pick up some new discs, get a score card, and find out some techniques. I’m new to the game, but found that the course offers both challenging and fun “holes.” Fun tip: The new summer version of the phone app JHTapped has a map of the course and an interactive score card.
Walking back from disc golf (my husband won, typical) we found the ropes course and drop tower. When we had purchased our ticket for the Tram we had opted for the Grand Adventure Pass. This included, as well as our Tram tickets, all day access to the ropes course and drop tower. The drop tower is a 60-foot free fall tower that gives you the thrill without the injury. There are 2 options when you jump. One is a shorter free fall and one is a longer distance. The ropes course was definitely my favorite! It is a great way to feel like a kid at camp again. There are many different challenges and routes that you can take to zig your way through the course.
Throwing, jumping, and climbing can build up an appetite. One of the best restaurants with a view is Piste, located at the top of the Bridger Gondola. Starting at 5pm the Gondola runs free for guests wanting to either sit out on The Deck for appetizers and drinks or a full-service restaurant inside of Piste. We started out sitting on the Deck for happy hour enjoying drinks while taking in the incredible view and ended up having dinner inside at Piste to toast a very successful day.
Next month, we plan to explore more of the upper mountain activities and hikes. Stay tuned for our take on the brand new Via Ferrata, an assisted climbing experience at the top of the Bridger Gondola. Should be a thrilling outdoor experience, can’t wait!!! See you then!
