The Best Backcountry Skiing Routes in Wyoming

Snow King allows uphill travel at any time of day, but an uphill pass is required. And true to Jackson form, this may be the most expensive uphill-specific pass in the country....

This route is Snow King’s most popular hiking trail in the summer, and provides another way to ascend the mountain in the winter––skinning uphill. It’s one of Snow King’s designated routes for uphill travel during operating hours....

This is the designated uphill route through Grand Targhee resort. It’s primarily used for morning access to the amazing Targhee backcountry, but is also good for fitness laps in the morning or evening....

To exit Granite Canyon, contour the north facing aspect of Granite Canyon heading east just above the Granite Creek bottom. There is almost always a highly visible traverse already in place, but if not visible, a general rule of thumb is to stay between 50 and 100 yards above the creek bottom on the skier's righthand side....

This relatively short hike will take you from the Green River Bench to the top knob of Four Pines. This popular hike will bring you to some of the best skiing in the world....

This is a popular skin track for skiers and snowboarders and accesses the gladed south side of the road. It is generally a gentle slope that is easy to navigate and a great way to access some very fun terrain....

The Submarine trees are a true delight and hold some of the most sustained vertical South of Cooke City. One can find perfectly spaced White Barks as well as wide open gullies....

Snow King is unique among US ski resorts by having an in-bounds uphill route that’s just for bootpacking. It’s also open to hikers with shoe traction, but all users need to have Snow King’s uphill pass, which is also uniquely expensive....

No Shadows is a great introduction to Cody Peak. It is the least steep section, and often the most consistent snow due to it’s particular aspect and typical wind patterns. It is also one of the few runs on Cody that you can see into, provided the cornice isn’t too big....

Granite Canyon is comprised of numerous north facing couloirs, massive cliffs, technical terrain, and everything is steep. Each run ends abruptly as you collide into Granite Creek at the bottom of the canyon....

From the lowest backcountry gate on the skier’s righthand side of the mountain (along Rendezvous Trail just past Bivouac), descend through a sparsely treed face before being funneled into a long chute....

The North Woods are the section of tightly spaced pine trees between Rendezvous Trail and The Hobacks. You can access them by heading towards the Hobacks via Rendezvous Trail, and ducking into the trees on your skier’s left at any point before the cat track opens up into the Hobacks Proper....

The Mushroom Chutes are tight, slotted paths through steep and potentially hazardous terrain. The Chutes are not numbered or defined, so getting to know them requires exploration. The area exists between Tower Three Chute and Hoops Gap in the north facing trees....

Rock Springs Canyon is many people’s first introduction to the backcountry of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and for good reason. It’s easy to access, you don’t have to hike, it’s full of fairly mellow terrain, and you are not far from the boundary line....

Hunkered between Cascade and the uppermost portion of Dick’s Ditch are the Granny Chutes. These tight, meandering chutes are south facing and often rocky due to sun exposure. However, catch them when the snowpack is deep and you’ll find great skiing in this slightly secret stash....

This traverse from the top of Powder 8 Face around to No Name Face can be a breeze or a nightmare. In good snow conditions, you will make it to the belly of the bowl in a matter of minutes, and from there, it's a short hike up to the start of No Name Face....

Green River is a fine alternative to Rock Springs. It is fairly mellow in steepness, and contains similar terrain (short pitches between benches with boulders, trees, small gullies, and cliffs in between)....

It is important to stress this route is one of several potential winter routes, and the summer route is very different from this. This is a challenging skin; budget at least 2....

The east face of Taylor Mountain is a long and exhilarating ski. This route is full of small rocks and features to jump off with plenty of options for advanced riders anywhere along the ridge....

This is a fantastic tree skiing zone full large old pine trees that is ideal for solid skiers that are confident in the trees and have a strong sense of adventure....