Jackson Hole Hoback Canyon

Last time I went to Jackson Hole, I went by a slightly new path.  It was a pretty good one and I found some points to plug into the GPS to make it easier.  The route follows what I have heard is called Hoback Canyon.

I have had a number of people ask me about getting to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and the Tetons.  So I thought I would write about this path.  If you are ever thinking about this trip, I highly recommend it.  I have talked about it on a number of blog posts.  My Teton Flying Trip in 2009 was the last time I wrote about it.

Hoback Canyon Route

The route is:
KPNA TUVOC JAGIL ZUGEN KJAC

KPNA TUVOC JAGIL ZUGEN KJAC">Flight Plan at SkyVector.com

Here are some altitudes of interest that I looked up:
The Jackson Hole Airport KJAC is at at 6451' MSL.
The Bottom of the canyon is about 6500' MSL, and there looks to be about a 2.5 mile width at about 8000'.
The floor between KPNA and TUVOC is about 8000' MSL and you want to fly a decent altitude above that.

There are lots of big mountains around, so pick an altitude that is best for you, your plane, the winds, and the weather.

The East Route

Here is a route from the east which is also a nice route.

RIW KDUB DNW KJAC

This route has a higher pass which you need to clear with common Mountain Flying practices in mind.

Mountain Flying Principles

Here is one page that talks about some mountain flying principles.  I have his book and try to grab every book I can find on Mountain Flying and get instruction and thoughts from people whenever I can.

When to Fly

I have always flown up to Jackson and the Tetons in the summer.  This prevents any worry about snow storms or how to keep my plane out of the weather.  Spring or Fall could be ok too, but it does get colder than you think in the Tetons in the Spring/Fall.  That has been my recommendation for people.

Flying into a ski town for skiing sounds like fun, but I have never done it.  I think it is safer to drive unless you get lucky with the perfect weather, especially if you are considering staying overnight.


/Brian