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Nordic Trail Report 3.9.26

It may be
   that some little root of the sacred tree still lives
Nourish it then
   that it may leaf and bloom and fill with singing birds.

—Black Elk

At a Glance

• A few words about the weather from a cross country ski perspective

• Whispers of winter, voices of spring

• Notes from the groomers

General Weather – a blend

Mountain Weather is forecasting topsy-turvy weather this week that is a blend of winter and spring. Go outside and be prepared for anything, that’s part of the adventure!

What’s Groomed Today?

Planned Monday Grooming

Teton Canyon

Cache Creek

Daily grooming

Trail Creek

Turpin Meadow Ranch

The most current trail conditions and groomer notes can always be viewed online at: www.jhnordic.com/grooming/

It’s All About the Weather!

The following is an excerpt from the groomer at Trail Creek.

Of the outdoor sports, Nordic skiing is one of the sports most impacted by subtle changes in weather. The temperature changing just a degree or two can result in a wax that was performing wonderfully, changing to turn your skis into giant snowballs. More importantly, our sport depends on at least some snow. While this winter of very bizarre weather has left much of the valley bare of snow in early March, Trail Creek has at least been blessed at our slightly higher elevation with lots of actually pretty good skiing this winter.

The beautiful image above from the National Water and Climate Center shows that across the west, we are doing as well as anyone. You can zoom in on that map and discover that our nearest reporting station is only slightly below normal for the year. However the big difference this year is that much of our precipitation at lower elevations has come as rain. The week ahead promises some precipitation although the temps will be warm enough it is uncertain which form it will take. Looking at the extended forecast below, it looks like lovely weather for Western Wyoming, however it could be challenging for Nordic skiing.

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March Nature News from The Hole Hiking Experience

As March begins, winter feels like a brief whisper of cold and snow. Old Man Winter has blown gently this year. We’ve seen other warm winters with little snow in the valley, though fortunately the mountains around Jackson Hole are currently close to average for snowpack. Much of the state and the broader region, however, remain quite dry.

March, April, and May can still bring welcome moisture. Mountain flowers depend on a steady, melting snowpack to grow and thrive. As we each work to change our imprint on the earth and reduce our impacts, we can help Old Man Winter blow strong again.

As the season shifts, the sounds change with the arrival of birds and the start of snowmelt. We can feel the brightness as the days lengthen, announcing that spring is on its way. I heard Red-winged blackbirds along Flat Creek in late February, and yesterday I heard the call of a flicker. The ravens outside my office are busy at their nest.

Spring is joyful, full of new life and change. I am ready for it, with the hope that it will be a wet one.

Happy Spring,

Cathy Shill
Founder, The Hole Hiking Experience

Nature Awaits You!

Backcountry Tips

• With thin snow and more bare ground, remember that wildlife closures remain in effect until May 1, 2026. March and April are especially challenging months for wildlife, so please give them space.
• As trails begin to open, avoid recreating on muddy sections. Both footprints and bike tires can damage the trail. This is a great time to stick to bike paths and let the trails dry.

Field Facts

• Early nesters in Jackson Hole include ravens, eagles, great horned owls, and mountain bluebirds. Enjoy the change of season!
• Lack of valley snow has kept elk moving, so fewer have been on the National Elk Refuge. As they begin to drop their antlers in March and April, the reduced number of elk on the Refuge will mean fewer antlers available for the Boy Scouts’ spring antler auction. Most of the proceeds go back to the care and feeding of the refuge elk.

Tour Suggestions

With temperature changes, the snow can solidify, creating a crust—perfect conditions for crust cruising. As the season warms, corn snow may form: a rough, granular surface that lets you glide on top of the snow. This happens when the top layer of snow loses its delicate snowflake structure and becomes tiny balls of ice.

Crust cruising in Grand Teton National Park is always a treat. You can park at the Taggart Lake trailhead, put on your skis and go. Downhill or backcountry skiing is great fun when the snow changes to corn, also. When recreating in the valley, be mindful of muddy trails to reduce impact, making bike paths a great spring alternative. Enjoy the start of spring.

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From the Groomers

Trail Creek

You can still find some nice skiing at Trail Creek. The Husky was out Saturday night and covered pretty much every trail except for Mug’s Meadow, Cle’s Climb, Faceplant, and the East Fields. Classic tracks were reset where needed and feasible; it would be a great day to take advantage of what bounty the weather has given us this winter. We are scheduled to keep skiing until April 5^th, only time will tell if we can make that date.

Turpin Meadow Ranch

The trails continue to be in terrific condition for our last week of the season so look at your calendar and make your plans to get up here. FYI, on Saturday, March 14 the Willow Loop will be used as a course for a vintage snowmobile show. The lodge and restaurant will close after lunch on Sunday, March 15.

Teton Pines

We are unable to groom and the lack of snow in the forecast has forced us to close for the season. We will be in the shop today – Wednesday from 9am-1pm. Although it seems early, we are only closing a week and a half before our normal scheduled closing date. We plan open in early December or as early as possible for the 26-27 season!

Grand Targhee

Grand Targhee will continue to groom until closing day on April 19^th . We will continue to groom every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday in the AM hours.

Go have fun on your skis, snowshoes, fat bike or feet!

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