Photo of Backcountry Skiing Routes in Jackson Hole

The Best Backcountry Skiing Routes in Jackson Hole

Explore Backcountry Skiing Routes

Americas foremost resort!

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is notorious for steep terrain and gorgeous scenery, the perfect stomping grounds to many of the world’s best freeskiers. Located in Teton Village, Wyoming, just south of the Grand Teton National Park, Jackson Hole is home to some of the most hair-raising slopes in America where steep fiends go to play. The ski area receives an average of 450 inches of snowfall each year and boasts a vertical of more than 4,000 feet. The resort may be known for having extreme terrain, but there are plenty of options for beginners and intermediates. Jackson Hole also has spectacular views of the Tetons and the surrounding valley and is consistently ranked as one of the best ski resorts in North America.

Top 17 backcountry skiing routes in Jackson Hole

Four Pines Bootpack

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....

Why Not Couloir

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....

North Woods

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....

Mushroom Chutes

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

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....

Granny Chutes

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....

No Name Bowl Traverse

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 Canyon

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)....

No Name Canyon

This canyon is about as far out from the resort as most are willing to travel, but No Name Canyon is well worth the hike. Like Rock Springs, and Pinedale Canyon, No Name Canyon is full of benches and short pitches....

No Name Face

No Name Face is a premier steep slope. This northern face is a long, consistent pitch worthy of high praise in corn or powder conditions, offering ample opportunity to let your spirit soar....

Four Pines

Four Pines is one of the premier backcountry areas off of the resort. There are steeps, chutes, cliffs, boulders, and trees. Likewise, there are a few aspects to choose from ranging from the north, around to the southeast....

Spacewalk Couloir

This steep chute is accessed without hiking, giving it an “in-bounds” feel, but the consequences here are for real. Spacewalk is one of a few narrow, steep chutes in the giant cliff-band to the skier’s right of Rendezvous Bowl....

Pinedale Canyon

Pinedale is a lesser known canyon just past Four Pines Ridge. The canyon bottom is not particularly steep and full of benches and short pitches, much like Green River or Rock Springs, but the real reason to go to Pinedale is the steep, tight north-facing trees....

Corbet's Couloir

Corbet's is the legendary run atop the resort in full view of aerial tram. It's the last run you can see before stepping off the Rendezvous Tram, making it the first thing on everyone's mind....

Twice is Nice

Twice is Nice is another classic steep run in Jackson, though highly dangerous. This doglegging chute is south facing and takes a lot of direct sun. It’s also a bit hard to find....

Breakneck Face

Breakneck is a run often highlighted by movie companies and professional riders, but should not be attempted by anyone who is not ready. This line is highly consequential, contains mandatory airs, difficult route finding, and is a slope that often avalanches....

Zero G Couloir

Zero G is the equally steep neighbor to Spacewalk but is slightly harder to find. Due to it’s elusiveness, the line is possibly more consequential because missing the entrance means you are probably hanging out over a massive cliff....

A view of the area