Jackson Hole March Skiing
Jackson Hole in March: Overview
Pros:
- March brings the smallest crowds of the ski season at Jackson Hole, unlike some resorts in Utah and Colorado
- Mild temperatures compared with what can be bitterly cold months earlier in the Jackson winter
- Lodging is cheaper in March in Jackson Hole
- Good time to take kids to Jackson Hole—mild days, lots of sun, and snow can be soft in the afternoon
- The warmer temps mean that wildlife is starting to come alive—Moose and elk can be seen all across the area
- Skiers who like to fish can pick a warm day to flick a fly line into the legendary eddies of the Snake River, which runs close to the resort
- It's easier to drive Teton Pass in March, making a day-trip to Grand Targhee less harrowing
Cons:
- Jackson Hole's overwhelming eastern aspect means that the sun hits the slopes first thing, which can heat up the snow and make things slushy in a hurry. Combined with the cold nights of northern Wyoming, this can lead to a freeze-thaw cycle
- When it's consistently sunny, the corn skiing in March is great, but when a cloudy day follows a sunny one, the snow can lock up into an ice rink—but this is typical of many ski destinations in March that have large amounts of eastern, western and sourthern-facing terrain. Jackson mostly faces east and has very little north-facing terrain
March can be a magical month at Jackson Hole if it's snowing—and it often is. In addition, the resort has long gone out of its way to attract more people to its slopes in March, when its skier days typically dip compared with previous months.
Jackson Hole has not traditionally been a ski area that people seek out for spring break, which can make a great bet for those looking for uncrowded ski runs. The ski area puts on a big concert at the end of the season, called the Rendezvous Spring Festival, usually luring a major act to play on the last weekend in March or the first weekend in April. The concert is free and it's usually mild at night compared with the lower temperatures of January and February.
Jackson Hole snow in March
- Snow quantity at Jackson Hole
- Snow quality at Jackson Hole
- How much snow is required for proper terrain coverage at Jackson Hole—steeper resorts require more snow to get 100% open.
- Jackson Hole's snow frequency (standard deviation)
- Jackson Hole's elevation
- Jackson Hole's latitude
- Jackson Hole's slope aspects - more north-facing slopes protect snow later into winter
Jackson receives copious amounts of snow throughout the winter, it's one of the best places to go seeking powder. March is no exception—skiers can find themselves amidst epic snow cycles all the way through April. When it's not snowing, however, skiers are usually rooting for corn skiing and sunshine at Jackson Hole.
Without good amounts of north-facing terrain, the resort can't keep snow chalky and cold during the warmer months of March. So if it's not warming up during the day, loosening up the snow, the skiing substrate can be very hard and downright icy if it clouds up. There are rare days in the spring when patrol won't open skiing from the top of the Tram when cloudy snowless days follow a string of warmth and sun.
What matters when it comes to snow for March skiing:
Ski areas with higher elevations and more northerly latitudes can keep snow colder when thawing temperatures in March or during warming events degrade other resorts' snowpacks. Aspects have the same affect, so the snow at a ski resort with more east or south-facing slopes will suffer more quickly as the sun grows stronger into March and the later spring.
For that reason, ski resorts with more north-facing terrain will be able to shelter snow more thoroughly into and through March. The most important factors for good snow preservation in spring tend to be elevation and north aspects, so the ski resorts with the highest elevations and the highest percentage of north-facing slopes tend to be those that preserve their snow best. More explanation on this topic can be found on our snow rankings page.
Lots of east and south exposures coupled with cold temperatures at night can put ski slopes into a nasty freeze-thaw process, wherein the ski resort becomes an ice rink overnight and doesn't revert to being skiable until the sun thaws things out. If the sun doesn't come out, however, skiers can be stuck with terrible conditions for days on end.
So, quite simply, in March, look for resorts with high elevations and high percentages of north-facing terrain (~50%+).