Warm days |cool nights | good eats
By Eileen Ogintz
Bison burger or perhaps Elk Chile? Maybe a wood fired pizza or Thai pad thai?
Welcome to Teton Village, about 10 miles north of Jackson Hole, WY and home to the famous ski area, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
We are staying steps from the Tram (lots of good fall hiking at the top!) at The Alpenhof, which is kind of a throwback to old-fashioned Austrian ski lodges complete with painted furniture.
We’re two miles from the entrance to Grand Teton National Park (Join a stargazing party!) and an hour’s drive further north to Yellowstone National Park. We are touring Grand Teton this afternoon, hoping to see some wildlife with Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris.
The village, popular in fall for mountain biking and hiking as well as the proximity to the national parks, has food options to suit every taste–kids as well as adults. At the Il Villaggio Osteria, we enjoyed a first-rate Italian dinner from fried calamari cooked just right to margherita pizza (another option had bechamel, grilled pach, ricotta and honey chili oil), pasta Bolognese, and rigatoni alla vodka. And this was one place we didn’t skip desert. The Nutella cheesecake with the oreo crust was especially delicious as was the chocolate chip cannoli.
Another night we got takeout from Teton Thai, popular with locals as well as visitors. Great pad Thai, green chicken curry, and egg rolls!
This hotel, with just 42 rooms, was one of the first in Teton Village, opened by Swiss German owners. Alpenhof literally means mountain residence and its pitched roofs and balconies are reminiscent of famous Austrian and Swiss ski lodge. The hotel, then owned by Dietrich and Anneliese Oberreit, opened in 1965, the first lodge in Teton Village. In 1988, the hotel was sold to Ed and Susan Cunningham who had stayed here annually.
It and the Snake River Lodge next door has just been sold again. The Alpenhof, has plenty of charm but clearly needs some updating. It is dog friendly—we have our little 13-pound rescue pooch with us—and the proximity to the tram, restaurants and shops will encourage guests to forgive any problems, which the staff is quick to resolve.
During ski season, the hotel managers host a weekly welcoming party for guests complete with gluhwein and cheese fondue. The restaurant Alpenrose, expected to reopen for ski season, serves Schnitzel, assorted bratwurst and knockwurst with sauerkraut and fondue with bison and elk.
We are just steps away from Mangy Moose Restaurant and Saloon, another Teton Village icon popular since 1967 for its good eats (Delicious Bison burger!), drinks (great margaritas!) and live music. The Moose, as locals call it, boasts it was the first apres bar in Teton Village, then known as the Mangy Moose Saloon Spaghetti Emporium and Opera House. Over the years, many famous musicians have played here including Arlo Guthrie, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Julian Marley. The décor is Western, complete with moose antlers and old-fashioned photos on the walls, old fashioned light fixtures and old wood paneling. There are salas, elk stroganoff, wild salmon and venison tenderloin among the choices. Make a reservation!
Today we wandered up to the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole, where expert guides can organize a complete itinerary, no matter what the season. Fly fish in summer; discover hidden gems of Yellowstone, see amazing wildlife—bears, buffalo, bison and moose. Enjoy some of the best mountain biking in the Tetons, white water raft, go for a chuckwagon supper ride, float on a hot air balloon…. There is slope side access right outside and a ski concierge available to help with all of your gear. Learn about wolves in Yellowstone National Park with an expert nationalist or take a horse-drawn sleigh ride or go dog sledding. Don’t forget the spa!
The hotel’s Handle Bar is a popular lunch and apres spot all seasons. The signature dish is The Handle Burger with caramelized onions, roasted mushrooms, white cheddar and Truffle Aioli. We also loved the smoked Idaho Trout Dip served with house made chips, the Rocky Mountain Elk Chili and the phyllo-crusted Fish & Chips.
Kids will love this place from the heated outdoor pool, complimentary hot chocolate and s’mores in winter. Parents will love the Kids Ranch with ski lessons, environmental-awareness programs, science and art projects, hiking in summer, is nearby. The Four Seasons is pooch as well as kid friendly.
Yellowstone, incidentally, was America’s first national park in 1872; Grand Teton National Park was named in 1929.
Jackson Hole the name refers to this entire valley in the Notrwest corner of Wyoming, originally named after an 1820s fur trapper Davey Jackson. It’s huge—48 miles long and between eight and 15 miles wide. The town of Jackson was established in 1894 with homesteaders coming because of free land. Today Jackson is among the most expensive places to live in the country with a population of about 23,000 residents. They are vastly outnumbered by some 4 million visitors a year. (The National Elk Refuge is a must-see in winter)
We are just in time for the end of the 40th annual Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival, a 10-day event that attracts well-known artists from around the world. Another must-see is the National Museum of Wildlife Art complete with an outdoor sculpture garden and a children’s discovery area.
While you are in town, you can volunteer whether bird banding, making friendlier fencing for wildlife, collecting native seeds in Grand Teton National Park. Check out beingwildjh.com.
Just don’t forget the sunscreen. The high elevation here means we are that much closer to the sun.