I walked up the short flight of stairs and entered the small village at the base of Grand Targhee Resort. The air was crisp and cold, friends were huddled around the fires with an apré-ski beer, a couple of moms bounced infants snuggled deep in layers of down. One dad carried a passed-out toddler, goggles catawampus on his face, thoroughly spent from his day skiing. There were smiles and cheers and laughter all around. And I thought to myself,

I have found my people.

Do you every have that happen? You travel someplace new and you feel at once that you’ve always been destined for that moment, that destination? That it has just been waiting all this time for you to find it?

The Targhee Vibe

Every resort has a vibe. Some resorts hone in on the family market, and they do family skiing very well. Others draw the twenty-somethings and singles with their excellent apré-ski options. Some attract the expert and wanna-be-experts with truly epic terrain. But what is Targhee’s vibe?

Grand Targhee somehow straddles all demographics with their small town authenticity, reputation for some of the deepest and best powder in the western U.S., but also includes the families with a HUGE kid’s adventure zone and multiple terrain parks with features size XS through L. There are 600 acres of terrain available exclusively for a day of cat skiing, and you can find epic terrain on a variety of double-black diamonds or by hiking to the summit of Mary’s Nipple. There is truly something for everyone.

Our visit

Last year we reached that magical sweet spot as a ski family. Our youngest, age 6 at the time, was slaying our local ski hill as she kept up with her older brother and sister. We realized now was the time to start traveling to new ski destinations with our kids. We were no longer stuck on the bunny hill. When we travel to a new resort, we can really explore the mountain now! Parents, if your kids are in the middle elementary years, start traveling more. The shared experiences of going to new places together has united our family in amazing ways.

So last week we had the opportunity to spend a few days at Grand Targhee Resort, on the border of Wyoming and Idaho, perched high in the Teton mountains. We were able to test out their ski school, enjoy the restaurants and lodging options and explore the terrain.

Day 1 Arrive and explore

On day 1, we checked into the Sioux Lodge, unpacked all our gear (5 people = a ton of stuff) all while enjoying the glorious sunset out our balcony window. Of course, a visit to the pool and hot tub was non-negotiable for our three kids, so we tromped over before dinner time. We ordered pizza for the kids and Chris and I walked across the parking lot to a more “adult” meal. The food at the Branding Iron is amazing. See our resort guide for specific suggestions!

Day 2 When it all came together + Ski School

So, I was laughing with a friend over Instagram recently about how ski vacations with kids aren’t really vacations. They are a ton of work! Maybe we should just call them ski adventures.

But at Grand Targhee we came as close to a ski vacation with the kids as possible. We had a relaxing morning, made oatmeal and cereal for breakfast, got our ski gear on and waltzed a whole 2 minutes to the ski school building. My kids met their instructor out front, we signed waivers, and all of us were off exploring for the day!

Chris and I were totally spoiled, first by receiving a tour of the mountain and second by meeting up with Kristen and Jaime from the Brave Ski Mom Blog. We’d been friends for a long time but always seemed to miss each other on the ski hill. Finally our paths aligned and man, this couple charges!

The power couple behind BraveSkiMom.com (click to visit this blog)

The weather opened up for us, allowing for magnificent views of Lady Grand (a.k.a. the Grand Teton) and Teton Valley. According to locals, we are very lucky to experience these beautiful views since usually they are hidden behind snow and clouds – an occupational hazard when you are the mountain that receives the most snow fall in Wyoming.

We met up with the kids for lunch, got a run down on all the fun they had in the Grand Targhee Ski School, and then, since the girls were so stoked, we let them continue their lesson in the afternoon. Unfortunately my son started feeling ill and the pale look on the his face told me he was done for the day.

Note: While I don’t want to dwell on my son getting sick, we all know and dread those moments when our vacations go off script and something goes wrong. However, due to the convenience of Grand Targhee’s base area and accommodations, his shortened ski day didn’t affect our day at all! Yes, we have an older child that we feel comfortable leaving alone for an hour or so, especially when we can see our room from the base of the lift! But as I thought through it, even if he was younger and my husband and I had to trade-off skiing, we could easily do it and still get a ton of on-mountain time, all due to the easy lodging-to-ski hill access.

This is the view from our balcony, across the lot you can see the ski school, village and Dream Catcher Lift.

Day 3

Everyone awoke feeling good and after the girls sharing their favorite run, “Screamin’ Cheetah,” over their bowls of cereal, my son decided he HAD to go check it out. Immediately. He was dressed and ready before I even had my ski pants on.

I spent the rest of the day just trying to keep up!

We met up with our good friends from Currently Wandering. All our kids love adventuring together, having biked and hiked together this last summer. Naturally it seemed like skiing should be next on the list!

Since our visit, I’ve been raking my brain for another resort we’ve skied that has been as user-friendly, convenient, and played host to a great mix of kid-friendly and epic terrain. I’ve yet to come up with one.

So I’ve decide to introduce you to the #targheevibe. The where, how and mostly WHY you should plan your next family ski and snowboard vacation at this treasure. If you are looking for all the details to help you as you visit Grand Targhee Resort, make sure to visit our next post: Grand Targhee Resort [Family Guide]. It will give you a break down of location, lodging options, ski school, what to expect, dining, and the best terrain on the mountain.

Here is a quick video showcasing our time!

Here are our 5 reasons you should visit Grand Targhee to ski or snowboard with your family:

1. Convenience

Whether you are lodging overnight or coming up for the day, everything at Targhee is very accessible. The main parking lots are a short walk to the ski village, and parking shuttles provide rides for those who don’t want to haul their gear in by foot.

Once you are at the base, EVERYTHING is a stone’s throw away, including 5 different dining options, ski rental, ski and board shop, a general store, ski school, nature center and activity center! Even when we were juggling our three kids and bustling around getting everyone settled in ski lessons, I was surprised by how relaxed and stress-free the whole process was.

2. Location

Grand Targhee is located on the western slope of the Teton Mountains. Often it is overshadowed by its popular cousin, Jackson Hole Resort, but I would argue that the snow is better at Targhee. Only 1 hour from the town of Jackson, WY and roughly 4 hours from Salt Lake City, UT or Bozeman, MT, this small town resort is decently accessible for those looking to vacation in the area.

If you are looking to fly in, the Jackson Hole Airport is 1.5 hours away and the Idaho Falls Airport is 2 hours away.

3. They are a sure thing in regards to snow!

Perhaps the single greatest factor impacting our family ski vacations is snow quality and quantity. Every year we agonize over what resorts to visit while trying (and failing) to predict where the best snow will be. Quite simply, we don’t want to pay out our hard-earned money for poor snow conditions, minimal coverage or limited terrain.

The slogan at Targhee is

DEEP SNOW + FRIENDLY FOLKS

and I couldn’t agree more. In the west, Targhee is known as powder central, and even in a bad snow year like this year (2017/2018) the snow is still plentiful and enjoyable. Boasting the highest annual snowfall in Wyoming at 500+ inches a year, I’d argue that Targhee is as close to a sure thing as you can get in regards to snow conditions.

4. Everything you need, nothing you don’t.

“So where do I go when checking into the lodge?” I asked.

“Don’t worry, pull into the only car port and they will tell you where everything is at the front desk. We have a really small village, chances are you won’t get lost.”

Well, they were right. Grand Targhee’s village, lodging and amenities are “small” in relative comparison to the huge industry resorts found all over North America. And that is exactly why you need to visit! Grand Targhee has everything you need, and nothing you don’t.

Multiple dining options? Yes.

A general store for all the things you forgot? Sure thing!

Pool, hot tub, athletic center, child care, ski school, and gear shop? Yup.

2,600 acres of terrain, including 10% Easier; 70% More Difficult; 20% Most Difficult

A HUGE Kid’s Fun Zone including 12+ runs and 2 terrain parks off of the Shoshone Lift (complete with kid specific trail maps).

5. A wide-variety of off-mountain activities.

While most of us will visit Grand Targhee to ski, we might want to keep our options open, either for the non-skier or the rest days. Grand Targhee packs a ton of punch when it comes to winter sports. Their nordic ski area has 23 km/14.3 mi. of groomed trails specifically for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and fat biking.

Used with Permission, Grand Targhee, WY