Fifteen miles from Jackson Hole, on the other side of the Tetons, there’s a ski resort with 500+ inches of snow a year, 2,600 acres, and basically no lift lines. This week, Where to Ski heads to Grand Targhee, Wyoming.

Our guest is Gary McKenzie, Executive Director of the Grand Targhee Ski and Snowboard Foundation, a former freeride head coach, and a Driggs, Idaho native who has skied Targhee since he was three. Gary breaks down how to ski the mountain like a local.

In this episode:

• How to get there, and why the roads (and Teton Pass) sometimes close
• Fred’s Mountain vs. Pequod, and the 2022 Coulter lift
• Where to go on a deep day, and why wind is Targhee’s friend
• Why Gary packs a 110mm+ ski
• Tree wells, rime and low visibility: how to stay safe in 500 inches
• Mary’s Nipple, the backside cliffs, and the backcountry options, including guided tours and yurts
• How many days to plan for, and where to stay in Alta and Driggs
• Why the best tip is to make a new friend on the chairlift

Grab your skis. Targhee might be your new favorite.

Ever stood at the top of a run and wondered if your legs have anything left? This episode fixes that.

With about eight weeks until ski season, we head to Boulder, Colorado, to the Alpine Training Center. Owner and head coach Connie Schiolino holds a master’s in exercise science from Montana State and is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. She shares exactly how to get ski-fit this fall, whether you’re a weekend warrior or chasing first chair every day.

In this episode:

• Why your summer running, hiking and biking already count
• “Balance strength”: quads vs. hamstrings and left vs. right
• The best exercises for skiing, from Bulgarian split squats to box jumps (and a BOSU ball for home)
• Sets and reps for squats and deadlifts, and why muscular endurance matters
• Hip mobility and the Jane Fonda moves that actually work
• Aerobic vs. interval training that mimics a ski run
• A sample weekly ski workout schedule
• ACL injury prevention for women, mobility for men, and recovery for older skiers

Start now, and you’ll be ready when your buddy says, “You got this.”

🎿 Gear up at backcountry.com with code WHERETOSKI.
🛟 Travel with confidence: use code WHERETOSKI at globalrescue.com.
🎧 Enjoyed it? Share it with your ski crew and follow Where to Ski.

wheretoski.org

A record-setting El Niño is on the way. Here's what it could mean for your ski season.

After a rough winter out West, everyone wants to know if this year will be better. OpenSnow meteorologist and operations manager Alan Smith joins us from Jackson, Wyoming, to cut through the hype (sorry, moose videos) and break down OpenSnow's 2026-27 winter outlook.

In this episode:

• El Niño explained in plain English, and why this one is so strong
• Why warm temperatures and high snow levels are the big wild card
• California and Utah: above-average snow indications
• The Southwest sweet spot: the San Juans, Taos and Arizona Snowbowl
• The Tetons and Colorado: a true coin flip
• Tough signals for western Canada, New England and the upper Midwest
• Bonus outlooks for the Alps and South America
• How to plan around any forecast: stay flexible and watch 10 to 14 days out

Just remember: an outlook tips the odds, it doesn't guarantee anything. Mother Nature always gets a say.

🎿 Gear up for winter at backcountry.com with code WHERETOSKI.
🎧 Enjoyed it? Share it with your ski crew, and follow Where to Ski so you don't miss an episode.

wheretoski.org