By Jim Stanford on January 12, 2009
Fly the not-so-park-friendly skies.
Got friends interested in skiing Jackson Hole this winter? Or looking to get away to a warmer clime?
Now is the time to book tickets. Delta, United and American are offering fares to and from the East Coast for around $300 or less.
A cursory search at Delta.com this weekend showed fares from Jackson Hole to New York-area airports for an unheard-of $281 round trip, including all taxes and fees. These recession specials appear to be available throughout most of February and March, at least.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort already has been offering a buy-three, get-one-free deal on certain airline tickets.
Because the airport is not a permanent facility and hopefully one day will be moved out of Grand Teton National Park, thereby restoring peace and quiet to the park, let’s enjoy the cheap fares while we can.
Posted under Economy, Ski Resorts
Cheap airfare is great. But how is JAC not a permanent facility considering the runways, hangers, parking lots, and terminals? Granted Teton Park is not an ideal location for an airport (and it would be great for it to not be there), but I am curious where it could be moved to?
Jackson Hole Airport operates under a special lease from the Department of Interior.
The lease last came up during the 1980s, and Interior Secretary James Watt, a Jackson Hole homeowner — surprise! — gave the airport another 50 years.
When the lease ends in 2030-something, hopefully we will have more forward-looking stewards of our public lands.
(During the 1980s, serious thought was given to moving the airport near Pinedale. Also, Idaho Falls is only 90 minutes away.)
Why not move it to the Old Faithful Lodge or maybe even The Elk refuge. Or get rid of all the lots at the village and land at the door step of the 4 seasons. HOw about getting rid of the airport. No other town in Wyoming with the holes population has an airport anything like jackson and the winters and summers were much nicer before all these direct flights. Jackson should be hard to get to thats what makes it what it is remote wild and untamed for that reason just get rid of it all togeather. I have a felling if the lease was for oil and gas or ranching or anything else there would be a lot more outrage!!!
airport is good especially when traveling off season to Mexico.
What about the old air strip near Von Gontards spit of land down in South Park?
Then where would we hold the cutter races?
You don’t want the airport huh? Guess you don’t need to make living either?
I quote The Outlaw Josey Wales:
Dyin’ ain’t much of a way to make a livin.’
The air port plays no role in my income. I would be much better off without it. I understand that that it would really slow the hole down and I think that would be great. The less people the better. The drive to SLC/Bozemen airport sucks but I will do it if it means less people.
I wish I had known that I was an unwelcome visitor before I booked my flight. It should surely be almost impossible for me to be able to show my children the most beautiful place on planet earth as I am not a local. You don’t want visitors, but what about your overnight mail?
visitors most certainly are welcome. tourism is an important part of our economy, and nearly all of us have worked in the tourist industry.
this place is special enough that visitors still will seek it out, even if it’s a little harder to get to. then they’ll enjoy it more, too!
A response to item 7 above: few of those who live in this valley want to see more people here, but the quantity of people in this valley is affected by more than just tourism. If one truly wants to address density, traffic, and growth, we need to address population control itself. If each family in this valley chooses to have 2-3 children, the effect on population growth, resource management, sewage processing, traffic, etc is implicit. Even if we close the door behind us, and make the valley inaccessible, population growth will still be a formidable future dilemma.
The hypocrisy of the post is self-evident. Let’s enjoy the cheap fairs people, but wouldn’t it be great if they would shut down the airport. As backwards as recommending more automobile use, to offset the perceived impacts of airplanes.
I’ll be back in the jhole nest soon!