Quiet town serves as skiers' sanctuary

GRAND TARGHEE, WYO. | Sleepy alternative to Jackson Hole gets 500 inches of snow a year

GRAND TARGHEE, Wyo. -- Bill Royall's quest for a quiet skiing sanctuary lasted for years, taking him to places such as Steamboat Springs, Taos, Sun Valley. And it always ended the same: moving out when the crowds moved in.

The nomadic journey seemed to end about 20 years ago when he arrived in Jackson, Wyo., a place still oozing with the charm of the Old West. But, like all the other ski towns that had lured Royall, Jackson changed, attracting fuzzy-jacket-wearing out-of-towners to the slopes and shops with pricey paintings.

Then Royall found Grand Targhee. Just a few miles from the Idaho state line on the western side of the Grand Tetons, this small resort has the pristine powder hardcore skiers need, the coziness families love and the charm purists like Royall crave.

A down-home alternative to upscale Jackson Hole, Grand Targhee is a throwback to the days of the small-town ski resorts, the kind of place where lift operators know the regulars' names and the glistening snow is the only sparkle anyone needs.

''When you go to a lot of big-time resorts, it's a lot of hustle and bustle, glitter and glamor and we don't want that,'' says Royall, a stone carver from Southport, Maine, who spends winter in Grand Targhee with his wife. ''Grand Targhee is a non-threatening ski environment.''

Grand Targhee's appeal starts with the Tetons, the 13,000-foot peaks that jut dramatically from the high plains like jagged teeth. Reach the top of the main lift and you get a clear view of these craggily mammoths, seemingly a short double-diamond run away. But Grand Targhee is more than just a hill with a view.

Thanks to a unique weather pattern that shoves incoming storms to the western slope of the Tetons, Grand Targhee has an annual snowfall of nearly 500 inches. A storm that drops 10 to 12 inches in Jackson may dump up to two feet in Grand Targhee. Get more than 40 feet of snow a year, and you'll be skiing powder nearly every time out.

Grand Targhee has a little of everything: groomer runs for beginners, terrain parks for snowboard crews, SnowCat rides for backcountry skiing and more than nine miles of cross-country trails.

Grand Targhee is working on a plan to expand lodging from 96 to 525 units and add another lift, along with more restaurants and activities. While it would be nice to have more lodging and eating options, the expansion will likely bring in more people.

''The expansion will be great and I hope it goes through,'' Royall said. ''On second thought, our little secret might get out, so maybe I don't want expansion. This place is perfect the way it is.''

AP