Wyoming ski resort great in summer, as well

Jackson Hole, Wyo., has long been a favorite of ski enthusiasts, especially the advanced skier, for the resort has some of the most difficult ski runs in the Rockies.

Skiers will remember that usually ski run classifications are green (beginner), blue (intermediate) and black (expert.) Jackson also has red runs (most difficult), which we have skied, and we assure you are just short of cliffs.

In early July we traveled there for a meeting on Medicine for Adventure Travel and got to experience the area in the summer.

The word "hole" in Jackson Hole means a circular area surrounded by mountains. Teton Village, the site of our meeting, is in the Grand Teton National Forest and is about 10 miles from the town of Jackson. The resort is made up of lodges, restaurants, shops and lots of parking as well as aerial trams, which serve skiers in winter and hikers, para-gliders and sightseers in summer. Jack-son is a little reminiscent of Branson, minus the shows.

It is full of restaurants and motels and shops which are mainly outfitters for the summer sports, white-water rafting, horseback riding, kayaking and fly fishing. In winter many of these convert to ski and snowboard equipment and supplies. The town and Teton Village both have a decided western, rustic ambiance and the dress everywhere is western in style.

There are beautiful trails for hiking and a number of beautifully situated campgrounds. Both the Snake and Ho-back rivers provide ample water sports and there are two excellent golf courses in a mountain setting.

While we were visiting, a forest fire started in Mosquito Creek, about five miles from the Village. At this writing the fire is still not under control and threatens an area of luxurious mountain homes clustered at the foot of the canyon.

We reveled in the glorious mountain air and attended a concert, part of the Grand Teton Music Festival, with a huge orchestra made up of the country's finest musicians. We ate in excellent restaurants and Linda took kayak lessons and shopped during the day.

Jackson Hole is a little difficult to get to, but well worth the effort. We highly recommend it for a summer vacation with a wealth of activities available in a beautiful scenic mountain setting.

(Linda and Dr. Don Overend are principals in The Travel Group, a full-service travel agency formed by the merger of Ozark World Travel, Con-sulting Travel and Thomas Travel.)