Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Turns 60
It’s celebration time at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort this 2025-26 ski season, because the popular ski resort is turning a super 60.
There will be plenty of events and specials on and at the base of the resort marking this big anniversary, so come prepared for pleasant surprises and deals, the first of which happens on December 19th, with lift tickets costing only $60! Click here to buy.
December 19th marks exactly 60 years since the ski resort opened its doors and the lifts began spinning. In addition to the sensational $60 to ski and board that day, there will be a retro ski costume contest, music and more. Party like it’s 1965!
Paul McCollister and Alex Morley at the base of the ski area in the mid-60’s during construction of the original tram.
Here are just some of the milestones on the mountain, these past six decades.
• A legacy began in the early 1960s when Paul McCollister and Alex Morley laid the groundwork for the resort we know today.
• Spring 1964: Construction begins on JHMR, including the original Aerial Tram and iconic clock tower.
• December 1965: Jackson Hole Ski Corporation welcomes skiers to Après Vous Mountain — the resort’s first chairlift.
• 1966: The original Aerial Tram launches, reaching the 10,450-ft summit of Rendezvous Mountain in 9 minutes.
• 1967: Corbet’s Couloir gets skied for the first time! Nineteen-year-old ski patroller Lonnie Ball found himself atop the legendary Corbet’s Couloir, picturing what it might be like to ski the then-closed run. Fate intervened — the cornice beneath him gave way, dropping him into the chute. Against all odds, he stuck the landing and carved his way down, as the tram soared overhead. It was the first descent of Corbet’s, and the beginning of a legend.
• 1985: The first Snowboarder to drop into Corbet’s was Chris Pappas in March of that year. He accomplished the feat with no highbacks and only in Sorel boots.
• 1992 heralded in a change of ownership and a new era for JHMR when Paul McCollister sold Jackson Hole Ski Corporation to the Kemmerers, a family with more than 100 years of ties to Wyoming. John Resor is appointed president of Jackson Hole Ski Corporation. The Kemmerers upgrade the Thunder chair from a double to a quad.
• 1994: Tommy Moe, a gold and silver medalist in the 1994 Olympics, becomes a Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Ambassador.
• 1997-98: The Bridger Gondola and Bridger Center open.
• 1999: Gates to the backcountry Open. The backcountry gate system opens thousands of acres, while the Tram capacity adjusts for gear.
• 2008: Tram 2.0. The new Aerial Tram opened after two years of construction. The new tram cabins ensure 360-degree views and a spacious experience for guests. This $32 million investment by resort ownership carries 100 passengers 4,139 vertical feet in 9 minutes, boasting the longest continuous vertical rise of any lift in the U.S.
• 2009: The new tram began summer service for sightseeing, hiking and paragliding, securing JHMR as a summer destination and gateway to the national parks. The Deck opened as a summertime restaurant, offering casual al fresco dining and drinks with unmatched views of the valley from its 9,050-foot-high perch.
• In summer 2011, the bike park launches. The new Jackson Hole Bike Park, serviced by the Teewinot high-speed quad, celebrates a partial opening with plans for a full opening in summer 2012. Summer 2011 also brings Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s receipt of the NSAA Golden Eagle, the highest recognition of environmental achievement in the ski industry, for the second time.
• 2013: The resort earns No. 1 Overall Resort in North America by the annual SKI Magazine Reader’s Poll.
• 2014: The Rendezvous Music Festival kicks off, bringing free Spring concerts to Teton Village and Town Square.
• 2015: In honor of the 50th Anniversary, the Teton lift is added. This lift serves intermediate and expert skiing on the north side of the ski area between the already-existing Casper and Après Vous lifts.
• 2016: Sweetwater Gondola opens
• 2018: The first Kings & Queens of Corbet’s contest launches, redefining freeride competition in iconic terrain.
• 2022: The new Thunder lift cuts ride time to 3.5 minutes, boosting laps on legendary terrain.
• 2022-23: Jackson Hole records its snowiest winter ever, with 595 inches in Rendezvous Bowl.
• 2023-24: Another era at the resort begins when, after 31 years of ownership, the Kemmerer family sells JHMR to Eric Macy, Mike Corbat and their families, maintaining the resort’s status as an independent, family-owned resort
• 2024: The new high-speed Sublette quad halves ride time with comfortable chairs and quicker access to expert zones.
• 2025: The ski resort’s newest kudos comes from Condé Nast Traveler when it names it the No. 1 Ski Resort in North America.
If you’ve tackled the famed slopes at JHMR, you are invited to share your favorite moments from your ski/snowboarding trip and explore the community gallery to see six decades of experiences through the eyes of its skiers. Submit your memories for a chance to win prizes from the resort’s partners. Click here!
RELATED STORY: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Winter
