MOVING TO JACKSON HOLE

**phreeskier** · 03-25-2007, 11:57 AM

it's time to live out a dream and take a break from being a software developer. i'm moving to Jackson Hole at the end of this year for the next ski season and am looking for any advice. my plan is to ski every possible day and get any kind of work in town for the late-afternoon or night.

my questions are:
1) when is the best time of year to move to JH for a new season?
2) what's the easiest way to find an apartment? a job?
3) how much is the average rental price per person?
4) how many months does it take to get a good feel for the town, the mtn and the tetons?
5) when's the best time to buy a season pass? how much will it cost?
6) what's a good way to get hooked up with other skiers?

any other advice that you can offer me would be appreciated.

thanks for your help,
john
phreeskier@gmail.com

**skiski** · 03-25-2007, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by phreeskier

it's time to live out a dream and take a break from being a software developer. i'm moving to Jackson Hole at the end of this year for the next ski season and am looking for any advice. my plan is to ski every possible day and get any kind of work in town for the late-afternoon or night.

my questions are:
1) when is the best time of year to move to JH for a new season?
2) what's the easiest way to find an apartment? a job?
3) how much is the average rental price per person?
4) how many months does it take to get a good feel for the town, the mtn and the tetons?
5) when's the best time to buy a season pass? how much will it cost?
6) what's a good way to get hooked up with other skiers?

any other advice that you can offer me would be appreciated.

thanks for your help,
john
phreeskier@gmail.com

It's been a while since I lived there, but I can give you my general impression. I think you should move there in the offseason (either May or September). Save up some money, because it may be tough to find work right at that time, but it gives you a head start on applying for good jobs for the upcoming season (be it summer or winter). If you are going to be there only one winter, it is important to get a head start on the job applying. Honestly, if you can swing it, I'd move there this summer. That way you are meeting people and lining up stuff for the winter. I think that, as with any mountain town, finding that first place to live or job is really hard, but after you've been there a little bit, it becomes really easy.

The season pass "discounts" run in about august. So, assuming you know which pass you want (which may depend on your work schedule), the best "deal" is to buy one then. It's still about 1500 or more for a full on pass and maybe 1000 for a weekday only pass. Like I said, it's been a while for me, but I know it's not cheap.

The best way to find a good job or apartment is word of mouth. That's why it would be good to move sooner rather than later. Barring word of mouth, I guess you just check the paper.

It could take a season probably to figure out what's good when inbounds. Out of bounds, it would take several years. In the whole teton range, it could take the better part of a lifetime.

**rideit** · 03-25-2007, 02:25 PM

If you want to become an 'instant Local', and know about apartments, jobs, etc, come up this spring, and GET INVOLVED. Join Teton Freedom Riders, and show up for all of the trail days (If you are a Mt Biker). Go to charity events. Volunteer for crew on races, cleanups, food drives, whatever is going on. Do the tuesday night road rides, usher at the Community Arts center, Just get out there, meet people, be visible.
If you are a Mt. Biker, and are willing to work on trails, I could put you up (possibly, up to wifey) for a week or two in return for a little digging!
PM me!

Edit:
I need a very simple website built...would you consider doing one in trade for a mont's rent, and a couple a' hundred local contacts?

**phreeskier** · 04-01-2007, 06:36 PM

hey rideit,

i'd help you out by building a website for something in return. email me, at jpmcmahon@gmail.com, so that we can talk shop. we can start from here and figure out what you had in mind.

btw thanks for the advice. i'm getting more and more psyched every day for this move.

cheers,
john

**phreeskier** · 08-28-2007, 11:34 AM

it's time to make this move real, so i'm about to buy a JH season pass. before i do, i want your opinion on whether or not buying one is a good idea. from what i've heard, free ski day passes and discounted season passes are common when you're hooked into the social network of a ski town. is this true? is it possible to get a season pass cheaper? if so, how?

i'm looking for website and/or software development projects in and around Jackson. what's the best way to find this kind of work?

since i'll be moving out in early november, what can i expect of the housing market? will it be hard to find a decent place to rent? i've done with my days of living in sh!tty places.

thanks for the help.
john

**eCr412** · 08-28-2007, 11:40 AM

Moving out in november.. Places may be much harder to find then say moving out now.

Rooster · 08-28-2007, 11:41 AM

I also want to move to Jackson. What places of employment offer discounts and where is the ski bum house with bunkbeds and shit where a bunch of poor ski bums are just trying to live as cheap as possible and ski every f'kn day. Where!!

advres · 08-28-2007, 11:57 AM

If you want to live in town, you will be able to find housing. If you want to live in the village you better know someone.

On the cheap, you could live in the "black shack". I know the people who are moving out this fall. It is 4.5 miles to the mountain on the village road for $250 a person. The catch??? No running water or heat.

Also, good luck just acquiring all of these free passes. Buy the season pass. The pass includes a free all winter bus pass and it will get you up the lifts in the summer too.

Rooster · 08-28-2007, 11:58 AM

electricity??

advres · 08-28-2007, 12:04 PM

^^yeah. They have a make shift outhouse in the back. In the summer they have hang bags for showers but I have no clue what they do in the winter....

**HotTate** · 08-28-2007, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by advres

^^yeah. They have a make shift outhouse in the back. In the summer they have hang bags for showers but I have no clue what they do in the winter....

you join the gym and use the showers at the Teton sports club. hot tub too!

**phreeskier** · 08-28-2007, 01:11 PM

livetate, how much is a gym membership?

re: my questions above, what would i need to do to get hooked up with a discounted or free season pass? how can i do find website and/or software development projects in and around Jackson? will it be hard to find a decent place to rent in november?

thanks for the help.
john

**schwerty** · 08-28-2007, 01:20 PM

Teton Sports Club - http://tetonsportsclub.com/memberships . 733-7004

advres · 08-28-2007, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by phreeskier

re: my questions above, what would i need to do to get hooked up with a discounted or free season pass? how can i do find website and/or software development projects in and around Jackson? will it be hard to find a decent place to rent in november?

thanks for the help.
john

Working for most places in the village will get you a discounted pass. Different places have different discounts. Working for the mountain will get you a free one.

People NEED help. Employers are in dire need of help around here... Weekly classifieds here. I know they change every Wednesday in the paper but they may update online daily, I am unsure... http://www.jacksonholenews.com/classifieds.php

It may take you a couple of weeks and you will be paying out the poophole for a "nice" place.

**rideit** · 08-28-2007, 01:25 PM

Free passes in JH are as rare as hot chicks without mental problems.
Just buy a Pass...as I said in my PM, the cost of 'free' or 'heavily discounted' can be pretty stiff.
JH is notoriously tight with any kind of hookups.
Even shops at the resort don't do free passes!
It's kinda pathetic, but they are king shit around here, and know it.

**damn texan** · 08-28-2007, 02:09 PM

Anyone know some solid construction companies in the area? I got two years till I graduate and want to start working on getting a job now.

**phreeskier** · 10-29-2007, 04:24 PM

I'm looking for a cheap ticket to opening day at grand targhee, which is scheduled for Friday, November 16th. If you know where i can find a lift pass for less than face, please let me know.

Thanks.
John

**HotTate** · 10-29-2007, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by phreeskier

I'm looking for a cheap ticket to opening day at grand targhee, which is scheduled for Friday, November 16th. If you know where i can find a lift pass for less than face, please let me know.

Thanks.
John

So, are you going to ask for every peice of advice from the forum?

**HotCarl** · 10-29-2007, 04:53 PM

If you have to ask if buying a Jhole pass is worth it then you don't deserve to be there.

Stay home

**phreeskier** · 10-29-2007, 04:53 PM

Can't the forum be a source for advice? I'm not in the area and don't know the ins-and-outs, so I figure it's best to get in touch with people that do...

**Hutch** · 10-29-2007, 05:15 PM

See, here people give AND take. So far you're only taking.

"Give me advice."

"Give me more advice."

"Give me cheap lift ticket."

Even your post from 3 years ago was "Give me advice about powder skis."

You have posted no stories, no jokes, no photos.

You, my friend, are a lamprey

Also, the boldface post is poor form.

**Shorey** · 10-29-2007, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by HotTate

So, are you going to ask for every peice of advice from the forum?

I was just thinking that.

**Core Shot** · 10-29-2007, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Shorey

I was just thinking that...it's all take take take by some people.

Hence, the tradtion here of GIVING it to Jongs. Its not that they are newbies to the forum or that this place is a hazing fraternity, its just that if you are too helpful to the tourists, they keep coming back for more directions.
If they give and take, and learn to hang with locals, then everyone is welcome.

This guy, sadly, is a software dweeb.
Maybe a season of skiing will turn him into a human bean.

**The Kids Are Alright** · 10-29-2007, 05:39 PM

the search function is your friend, use it. Been discussed at length here. Do that first, then any lingering questions you still have, come back and ask.

**SuperGaper** · 10-29-2007, 07:22 PM

In December 1999, I quit my job, drove to Jackson. Checked into the motel 6 (still like 32.99 a night!) 2 weeks later I found a halfway decent place to live and a Job working in a ski shop.
Motel Six- walk to Dominoes and the Liquor Store, and now to the Albertson's.
Didn't know anyone, didn't have an internet forum- just did it.

And if I could, you can too.