We were up for a new adventure when we visited Grand Teton National Park on a recent trip. So after leaving the park we drove to Teton Village and rode the Jackson Hole Aerial Tram. The tram was pretty amazing, and we found out a lot about it.
The tram takes you from the valley floor around 5000 feet, to the tip-top of the mountain, which is over 10,000 feet. It travels at 14 miles per hour and can carry up to a hundred people. The trip up the mountain is only 12 minutes long, and if you’re afraid of heights, this adventure may not be for you. The tram reaches a height of 320 feet above the ground at its highest point, but you are encased in a tram, so it doesn’t seem as scary. Last of all, we spent about $80 for our family to get to the top.
We really enjoyed the tram ride. It is very smooth, and you don’t feel any bumps. As you pass a few of the massive stanchions the car does rock a little bit, but the sensation is no stronger than the feeling of riding in an elevator. The amazing thing is that the tram keeps going up and up. When we were there in early June, the temperature at the base was 72 degrees. We could see the top of a green hill far above. When we reached that hill, we kept on going up toward a rocky, granite face. Finally, we reached that and continued up toward a snow-covered mountaintop. That was the end of the ride. When we got off the tram, it was 54 degrees, so we were glad we changed into pants and took our jackets. The wind made it feel even colder, too.
There is a short hike at the top of the tram, but since you are at the summit, it hikes steeply down, and the return hike is steeply up, so we didn’t go far. The boys also threw snowballs at each other. There is a wonderful view of the Grand Teton as well. There is even a small restaurant that serves unique waffles. We tried three different flavors including strawberry preserve, the Trad, which came with brown sugar and butter, and a peanut butter and bacon waffle. Honestly, we weren’t too impressed with the waffles, especially not for $7.75 each, but I guess you only go to the summit once.
We enjoyed the ride down as much as the one up, and since our pass was an all day pass, we rode up and down one more time without even exiting. That’s how we got the best seats in the tram, so we could watch it facing the correct way. The Jackson Hole tram is definitely worth a try, particularly if you buy the tickets online before you arrive. There is a significant discount for purchasing that way. Happy Flying!
