Teton Nordic Ski Weekend

Join us for a weekend adventure on groomed cross country ski trails near the Teton Mountains in E Idaho and Wyoming over Martin Luther King Day Weekend. Specific trails to ski will be determined by snow and grooming conditions. A day trip to ski the Taggart to Jenny Lake trail in Grand Teton National Park is a strong possibility (2+ hour drive from Ashton). Many Nordic skiers include this spectacular trail on their 'must do' bucket list. If the weather is a hinderance, closer trails like Harriman State Park are a backup plan. Again, grooming, snow, road conditions, and weather will determine our direction. The trip is appropriate for beginning and intermediate cross country and skate skiers. At a minimum participants should have some experience with their own gear, not rented equipment.

Our meeting place is 'Base Camp', Cynthia's house in Ashton, ID (60 miles N of Idaho Falls, on the west side of the Tetons). Ashton is a small but proud agricultural/tourism town with a classic Main Street, local establishments, and quiet streets. Travel time from Boise is around 4.5-5 hrs if taking 80/86/20. Carpooling to Ashton is encouraged. Drivers willing to share a ride and possible passengers can use the Comments section of this trip to make arrangements. If you are a passenger, please contribute funds to the driver.

Teton Valley trails are approximately one hour south of Ashton. See Teton Valley Trails and Pathways (www.tvtap.org/grooming) to view the the Teton Canyon trail that we are likely to ski. There are no fees, but donations are appreciated.

Teton National Park trails are north of Jackson Hole, WY. The Taggart Trailhead to Jenny Lake trail can be viewed at https://jhnordic.com/trails/taggart-trailhead-to-jenny-lake-via-groomed-trail/. We will carpool to economize on the $35 Standard entrance fee per vehicle. Bring your Annual or America the Beautiful pass if you have one. (FYI, Monday Jan. 20th is a National Park free entrance day. We are not going on Monday due to possible crowds.)

The Harriman ski trail system is approximately 30 minutes north of Ashton. An access fee of $6 per person is required. This is in addition to the $7 motor vehicle fee for those that do not have an Idaho State Parks sticker. parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/parks/harriman/HarWinterTrailsTopo.pdf

Lodging will be up to attendees. (A couple bedrooms are available at Base Camp, contact Cynthia via MeetUp messaging). There are several motels and numerous short term rentals in Ashton. Carefully note your lodging's cancellation policies. As we get closer to the trip, we can make plans for a potluck dinner at Base Camp, which also serves as a gathering place. Possible additional activities include dining at the best Thai restaurant in Driggs (or other eateries), stopping at breweries, soaking at a funky Mom and Pop commercial hot springs outside Rexburg, etc.

We will start the days at Base Camp in Ashton the mornings of Sat. 1/18 at 9 am, and again Sun. 1/19 to coordinate transportation, fine tune plans for the day, etc. Dress in layers and bring water, lunch and snacks, etc.