Winter 2021-22 In Review

The annual, bittersweet springtime melt. The Tetons shed their winter layer in favor of balmier temperatures ripe with sunshine and blue skies. When the season at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort draws to a close, we’ll say goodbye to a unique winter and reflect on a season where normalcy, socially- and operationally-speaking, returned, yet below average snowfall made skiers and riders alike savor powder days so much more. 

Opening Day 2021 landed on Thanksgiving Day and we were certainly thankful for winter to get rolling. However, winter was slow to show up during the first few weeks of the season. Pause for a moment and count how many laps on Apres Vous you took. Have you ever tried watching a large pot of water boil? That’s what it felt like during the weeks leading up to the Holidays. Snow totals for December finished strong over the Holidays with Rendezvous Bowl receiving 111” during the entire month (and much of it during this final week), setting up what we all hoped was another deep winter after such a slow start. Powdery conditions persisted into early January and the New Year began with a bang. Lulled into a sense of deep winter, Ullr reminded us all that the future is obscured even when blinding snow seems so sure. Seemingly out of the ether, a stubborn ridge of high pressure set in, bringing gorgeous blue skies and an unquenched thirst for more powder. Patiently holding out for something deeper, we did our snow dances and set our sights on Natural Selection and Kings & Queens of Corbet’s. 

Natural Selection took place January 24-31, and the Jackson Hole Park Crew once again created a masterpiece of manicured “naturally-enhanced” terrain. The stoke was high, and despite challenging conditions, the world’s best freeriders put on an absolute show. Travis Rice and Blake Paul represented for Jackson Hole and secured their spots for Stop Two at Baldface Lodge later in the season.

With Natural Selection in the rearview, attention quickly turned to year five of Kings & Queens of Corbet’s, which took place February 12-18. Dry conditions continued into February, setting up a unique competition with less emphasis on airs into the Couloir. A small storm blew in right before competition day, alleviating some of the firmness within the Couloir and competitors adapted to the conditions to put on a show for live audiences both in-person and on Red Bull TV. A huge congratulations once again to Hanz Mindnich and Piper Kunst for their anointments as this year’s King & Queen of Corbet’s. Local Corey Jackson won the first annual People’s Choice Award, a well-deserving title for the most-stoked competitor. You can relive the action from this year’s competition right here.

Heading into March, hopes were high for a rebound from February. Warm, sunny days interlaced with some colder, snowier ones provided the best of both worlds. Spring on-snow is a relaxed, fun vibe around the mountain where denim and costumes are not uncommon garb. The annual banked slalom competition, Dick’s Ditch, went off through foggy, frozen conditions. Throughout the month, we enjoyed the return of Music Under the Tram each Saturday. Live tunes from Inland Isle, Futurebirds, SkiiTour, and the Deadlocks all provided the optimal sonic backdrop to wind down the season and perfectly prepared everyone for Rendezvous Festival.

Rendezvous Festival returned after a two-year hiatus, bringing stoke on and off the sunlit slopes with a grooving lineup of artists. Brett Dennen and Fitz & The Tantrums opened Night One on the historic Jackson Town Square. The Wailers, Cold War Kids, and Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals performed for Night Two in Teton Village. It was incredible to be back surrounded by friends and strangers alike, all vibing to the music and connecting as a community.

Pictures are worth a thousand words, at least, so scroll below and check out our favorite moments from this season. Although this winter was unique and lacked an abundance of powder days, we were so much more grateful for fluffy flakes falling from the sky and nonetheless, grateful for another winter in the Tetons. We look forward to seeing you all next winter!