On either side of Wyoming’s Teton Range are two of North America’s most iconic ski resorts known for steep runs, deep powder and an absence of crowds: Jackson Hole on the east and Grand Targhee on the west.

Jackson Hole was a mecca for extreme skiers before extreme skiing had a name. It boasts a 4,139-foot base-to-summit vertical and a deserved reputation for heart-stopping steeps. After a storm, locals line up as early as 7:00 a.m. for the first tram to lay tracks in Rendezvous Bowl, a montaintop cirque of uncommon width and pitch.

Corbet’s Couloir, Jackson’s legendary trophy run, is a hairy chute near the summit. Enter it, if you dare, with a freefall leap of 10 to 20 feet, depending on snow accumulation. Deep, cushiony post-storm powder increases the chances of a soft landing, but Jackson’s cadre of Corbet’s-worthy skiers and riders soon pack and scrape the snow and even build moguls, adding to beyond-double-black challenge. In any case, stick the landing, make that first
turn and stay upright through the steep, narrow snow corridor flanked by rock walls. Corbet’s 500 vertical feet are thrilling to ski or ride – and even thrilling to watch. A perpetual spectator gallery collectively gasps when someone crashes and cheers a great run.

Corbet’s isn’t Jackson Hole’s steepest run. Nearby S&S Chute is. The ski patrol’s permission is needed to attempt it, but few people do. Other noteworthy upper-mountain steeps? The Alta Chutes, Tower Three Chute, Paintbrush and the Expert Chutes below Tensleep Bowl.

On a powder day, the Hobacks are the stuff of dreams. From the Rendezvous Traverse, slide through the trees to a medley of grandiose open snowfields whose 2,500-foot vertical exceeds that of many entire ski areas. Additionally, Jackson Hole recently added backcountry access gates to Cody Bowl and Rock Springs Bowl.