Grand Targhee Resort

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The Grand Targhee Resort is located in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest through Alta, Wyoming. It is 42 miles northwest of Jackson, Wyoming, accessible by road through the Idaho town of Driggs. The resort has lodging, a spa, retail stores, and can host conferences. It is located on the west side of the Grand Tetons.

Winter

The ski resort has 3quad chairs ( 2 are high-speed detachable), 1 double chair, and 1 conveyor. The greatest vertical drop is 2,419 feet. It is rated as 85% Difficult and 15% Advanced in skiing. There are also Nordic skiing trails, snow-cat adventures, and activities that include sleighride dinners and dogsled tours.

Summer

Summertime offers scenic chairlift rides, kids camps, music festivals, a bluegrass festival, and the 9 hole Targhee Village golf course.

[edit] History

The original inhabitants of this area were the Shoshone, Bannock, and Blackfoot tribes. The Grand Tetons were called the Tee-Win-At by the Shoshone Indians, meaning "high pinnacles".

Targhee was a local chief about whom there is little known other than he maintained peace between white men and his tribesmen. Chief Targhee was apparently slain; after his death the young warriors prevailed in leading the tribe into war. Grand Targhee Resort's name includes both a reference to Grand Teton Mountain and Chief Targhee. A national forest, a mountain pass, a creek and the resort commemorate Chief Targhee's integrity and the memory of the Native American contribution to this country.

The locals of Teton Valley were instrumental in establishing Grand Targhee Resort. In 1966, Grand Targhee, Inc. was formed by east Idahoans. The resort opened on December 26, 1969, with the Bannock and Shoshone lifts, Targhee Lodge, and day lodge. The resort was officially dedicated by Wyoming's Governor Samuelson on February 2, 1970. In 1971, the Sioux Lodge opened.

Bill Robinson, a plastics manufacturer from Cincinnati, Ohio, purchased Grand Targhee in 1975. Though primarily an absentee owner, Robinson and his family loved the area, bought a home in Driggs, and visited frequently throughout the years.

In 1987, Grand Targhee Resort was purchased and operated by Mory and Carol Bergmeyer. The Bergmeyers improved the resort facilities, added new guest activities and expanded the reputation of Targhee while continuing its dedication to family, quality and the sensitive balance between people and the great outdoors.

Booth Creek Ski Holdings, Inc., a corporation run by CEO George Gillett, Jr., purchased Grand Targhee in March 1997. In June 2000, George and Rose Gillett, along with their four sons, purchased Grand Targhee from Booth Creek Ski Holdings.

In 1997, the Gilletts installed the first high-speed detachable quad chair by replacing Bannock with Dreamcatcher, and the Shoshone double chair was replaced with a fixed-grip quad. Through a land exchange in 2004, the Gilletts acquired ownership of Grand Targhee's base area. Planning has begun for the future development of Grand Targhee Resort including expansion of Peaked Mountain facilities and a proposed expanded base area with more lodging units.