Jackson Backcountry Skiing: What Resort Skiers Need to Know Before Leaving the Gates
Jackson Hole is one of the best places in North America to take your first steps into backcountry skiing. The access is straightforward, terrain options are close to the resort, and in the right conditions you can ski quality lines without long tours.
That said, Jackson is also a place where small mistakes can stack up fast.
I’ve spent years skiing big lines in and around Jackson, and I see the same issues every season from strong resort skiers heading out the gates for the first time.
If you’re thinking about skiing the Jackson backcountry, here are a few things to get right early.
Start With a Plan, Not Just a Line
Before you leave the gate, you should know:
Where you’re going
How you’re getting back
What your bailout options are
Use mapping apps and study the terrain ahead of time. Many Jackson backcountry zones funnel into specific exits. Missing one can turn a fun lap into a long problem.
Don’t rely on following tracks. They don’t show you the full picture.
Go With the Right Partner and the Right Tools
This isn’t optional.
You and your partner should both carry:
Beacon
Shovel
Probe
And more importantly, you should know how to use them without hesitation.
Taking an avalanche course is a baseline. Practicing with your gear regularly is what actually matters when something goes wrong.
Practice Rescue Skills Before You Need Them
Knowing how your beacon works in theory isn’t enough.
Practice:
Beacon searches
Fast shovel techniques
Proper probing patterns
Speed and efficiency matter. This is not the place to figure it out for the first time.
Bring Touring Gear, Even if You Plan to Ski Down
Many zones outside the gates require short climbs or traverses to exit.
Skins and basic touring gear give you options when things don’t go exactly as planned. In Jackson, those options matter.
Stay Close and Keep It Simple at First
The best early Jackson backcountry days are often the simplest ones.
Start near the lower gates where:
You can see the full run
You understand how it exits
You can bail easily if conditions change
There’s no rush to ski bigger terrain. The backcountry will still be there.
Where Most People Get Stuck
Most resort skiers don’t struggle with skiing itself. They struggle with:
Terrain selection
Decision making
Knowing when to turn around
Those skills take time, repetition, and the right framework.
That’s why I built my online backcountry skiing course. It breaks down how I approach terrain, conditions, and decision making so the learning curve is shorter and the mistakes are smaller.
If you want to learn more, you can check it out here:
👉 [View the Online Backcountry Skiing Course]
Bottom Line
Jackson is an incredible place to learn backcountry skiing, but it demands respect and preparation.
Start small. Build skills deliberately. And treat every lap as a chance to learn.