WY Trip - Winter or Spring?

[TX_Diver]

Hi All,

Wife and I would like to take a trip to WY and check out the star valley area. We've both been to most of the state independently but have never visited together and neither of us has been to that part of the state. Logistically the best time for us might be late winter/early spring.

I assume there's a high risk that some of the roads/passes might be closed though?

We would probably fly into SLC or possibly Jackson if there's a reasonable fare as there are some direct flights due to being near a major airport currently.

What time of year is it reasonable(ish) to assume that 89 from Hoback to Alpine would be open? Or, if coming in that time frame would it be a safer bet to just fly to SLC and do a bit of extra driving?

Cheers

 

[mntnguide]

Hoback to alpine is open everyday unless some major avalanches close it for a period of the day which is rare but does happen. But it is a main highway with hundreds of commuters who work in Jackson relying on it everyday

 

[wytex]

By spring do you mean June or later ? That is spring up here with a chance at a heavy wet snow. Late winter is cold with the possibility of deep snow.
Snow will limit your activities unless an snow machine trip or skiing is in store over winter, just depends on the year though.

 

[TX_Diver]

From Wisconsin so it sounds like your springs are similar to ours

Maybe I should have clarified that "Spring" meant late march/april-ish. Although the last 2 years we've had snow here in April/May so "spring" isn't necessarily always real...

 

[wytex]

Well late March into April is basically still winter here, lol.
Star Valley is a great area, you should enjoy your trip. I like fall better for travel around the state when not hunting.
Leaves are changing and elk are bugling, animal sightings can be more numerous in fall as well.
You may find a hunters rate on lodging in Fall, or before the tourist season in early Spring.

 

[Deerlove]

I'd shoot for the middle of May, the tourist hit it hard after memorial weekend.

 

[mulecreek]

I have a place in Alpine that I intend on moving to when I retire. Here is a shot of the valley and surrounding mountains taken on Mar 1 of this year. If I recall correctly the snow on the valley floor was still 18-24".

 

[bugleb]

I would stay away from Jackson in the winter time. Last year I got to pay for a ticket and a tow job because I parked on the street overnight. All of the signs that said you can't park on the street from 2:00 am to 6:00 am were plastered with snow and unreadable, and since you can park legally up to 2:00 am, there were plenty of vehicles parked on the street until way late at night, which gave me the wrong impression.

 

[junior]

Jackson is like Disney anymore...to rich for the average joe. Plenty of government retirees taking advantage of untaxed pensions.

 

[BenHuntn]

I live in Star Valley. June and July are beautiful. Lots of wildflowers. I had to wait till I retired to move here, however we bought property 10 years prior to retirement. Great place to live. I love wide open spaces.

Julius Vatalaro










Charles Darwin:
Father of the theory of Evolution; Suggested that natural selection is the mechanism by which species evolve over geologic time.

 

[Comules]

You will probably need to wait until June or July if you want to go into the mountains. I hunted Idaho for several years in the early 80s and stayed in Alton Wyoming it was a nice little town back then they had an arch made with elk antlers that went across the street in the middle of town