Jackson Hole has a postcard reputation, but a recent Outside Podcast episode argues the Wyoming mountain town is far more than a viewpoint. The episode's guide is Jim Ryan, a big-mountain skier who started out as a Vermont ski racer and headed west once his racing days wound down. He's since become a fixture of the Teton community — respected by the town's elite athletes, but equally enthusiastic about its lesser-known sides: the artists, the musicians, and, yes, even a local live-action role-playing scene.
That's the point the episode keeps circling: Jackson Hole's identity isn't just steep lines and extreme sports. It's a working mountain town with a genuinely odd and creative culture layered underneath the ski-bum image. For travellers, that means there's plenty to do on a rest day or in the shoulder seasons, when the famous lifts slow down but the town doesn't.
The episode also points listeners toward a place to stay: Trailborn Jackson Hole, a modern chalet-style resort at the base of Snow King Mountain, the ski hill literally in town. In winter you get ski-in/ski-out access on Snow King's slopes. Come summer, the hill shifts gears with a Cowboy Coaster — a mountain coaster that winds down the slope — plus treetop adventure courses. It's part of the Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy, a portfolio of properties positioned close to nature, and the brand has flagged plans to expand with more cabins, ecolodges and clear stargazing domes.
For anyone plotting a trip, the practical takeaway is that Jackson Hole works in every season. Winter is obvious — the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort at Teton Village gets the headlines, but Snow King offers in-town skiing, and Grand Teton National Park sits on the doorstep with Nordic skiing and wildlife watching. In the warmer months you trade lifts for the coaster, hiking, fly fishing on the Snake River, and quick drives into Grand Teton and Yellowstone. And because the town itself has a real arts and music community, you can build an itinerary that mixes big alpine days with gallery visits and live shows.
Who's this for? Skiers and riders who want the Tetons on their terms, plus summer travellers who'd rather earn their views on foot. It also suits mixed groups — one person chases powder or big mountain lines while another explores town, and nobody feels short-changed. Ryan's message, effectively, is that Jackson Hole rewards the curious: ski hard if you like, but stick around long enough to meet the place itself. One stay, the podcast suggests, probably won't be enough.
Story via Outside Online.
