Winter Van Life: Pine Creek Ski Resort
When We Visited: March 2019
I wasn’t sure about this ski resort with a single chairlift in the middle of nowhere in southwest Wyoming.
We hadn’t planned on redeeming free days at Pine Creek included with our Brundage season passes. But it turned out we would be passing right by it as we were making our way from Brian Head to Snow King in late March 2019. There’s no harm in breaking up a winter road trip with more skiing, and a reason for starting van life was to see more of the country anyway.
Arriving at Pine Creek was like showing up at a friend’s house who happens to have a ski lift in their backyard. While we didn’t know anyone at the mountain, everyone else seemed to know each other. We received a warm welcome and felt at home camping in their Snowcat Graveyard for a couple of nights.
We arrived on a Saturday during perfect spring skiing weather, but we arrived too late in the afternoon to get in some turns that day.
Unfortunately, we didn’t realize they were only open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in late March. We only had Sunday to ride when the weather turned cold, and the snow became firm. Regardless, it was a good day.
I like Pine Creek because you’ll never ride a chairlift with anyone unless you go out of your way to make it happen. And when you’re skiing around the mountain, you start to think you’re alone out there. I prefer bumps over groomers, so I appreciated that their grooming operation is limited.
Since we were planning on staying in Pine Creek’s Snowcat Graveyard Sunday evening, I asked if it’d be okay if we skinned up their mountain on Monday when they were closed. Their reply…
Why would you want to do that?
While the person I asked didn’t understand our desire to earn our turns, he agreed to allow us access. Even though we got the okay, we didn’t end up doing any uphill skiing on Monday because the weather didn’t warm up enough. We hope to visit again on a powder day or a sunny, spring day.
Pine Creek offers a fun layover if you’re traveling between Utah ski resorts and the Tetons.
Plan Your RV/Van Life Road Trip to Pine Creek
pinecreekskiresort.com
4061 County Road 204, Cokeville, WY 83114
(307) 279-3201
skipinecreek@gmail.com
Pass affiliation: Ski Cooper 2023/24
Mountain Stats
- Average annual snowfall: 350+ inches
- Skiable terrain: 640 acres
- Vertical drop: 1,450 feet
- More stats
Driving to Pine Creek
Driving from Cokeville to Pine Creek, you disappear into the mountains, and then the road goes from pavement to dirt. At one point during our drive, I began to question if we went the right way, but then we turned a corner, and there was Pine Creek.
Parking at Pine Creek
Pine Creek has a single parking lot that I estimate holds about a couple of dozen vehicles if you don’t count the Snowcat Graveyard. My guess is they never have issues running out of parking.
Where to Sleep in Your Van/RV
Pine Creek welcomes overnight RV campers. They ask that you please notify them ahead of time, and they’ll direct you where to park. There are no amenities. See their Winter Lodging page for more information. When we were there in 2019, they set us up in their Snowcat Graveyard. There was no AT&T cell service, but it might be different now.
Otherwise, check out the Flying J Travel Center in Cokeville. As of May 2023, they advertise truck parking for $16 per night and showers. I’m unsure what the rules are for RVers.
If you’re traveling through Montpelier, Idaho, Ranch Hand Trail Stop allows overnight RV parking. It’s 45 minutes from Pine Creek. We slept there in January 2023 when we were traveling from Snow King to Beaver Mountain.
Working Remotely at Pine Creek
In 2019, there was no AT&T cell service in the parking lot at Pine Creek. We lost service about a mile before reaching the ski area. I could get service at the top of the single lift. However, if you need a place to do work, there is no on-mountain lodge. Cell service might be different now.
Otherwise, you can go into town for strong AT&T cell service. You could park at the Flying J Travel Center.
Conveniences Near Pine Creek
The local town of Cokeville is probably the least populated ski town we’ve visited in five winter seasons on the road. It is 15 minutes from the ski area. The only noticeable commercial business in town is the Flying J Travel Center. You’ll need to go somewhere else if you need anything more than what the Flying J has to offer. Here are the closest full-service towns:
- Montpelier, ID – 38.3 miles / 40 minutes
- Kemmerer – 51.3 miles / 55 minutes
- Evanston – 75.3 miles / 75 minutes
Tips
Stock up on necessities before you get to Cokeville.
You can rent the entire ski resort! See Pine Creek’s Own the Mountain page.
Pine Creek doesn’t mark trail hazards as you might expect at higher-end ski resorts. It was spring when we were there, and coverage was patchy. Kyle ended up in an area where the trail ran out of snow. Plan your lines as you go up the chairlift if snow conditions are thin.
Enjoy being disconnected!
Closest Ski Areas to Pine Creek
- Beaver Mountain (Indy Pass 2023/24) – 69 miles / 80 minutes in Garden City, UT
- Cherry Peak Resort (Indy Pass Allied Resort 2023/24) – 101 miles / 2 hours in Richmond, UT
- Snow King Mountain Resort (Powder Alliance 2023/24, Indy Pass 2023/24) – 129 miles / 2.5 hours in Jackson
- Snowbasin (Ikon Pass 2023/24, Mountain Collective 2023/24) – 145 miles / 2.5 hours in Ogden, UT
- Nordic Valley (Power Pass 2023/24, Loveland 2023/24) – 157 miles / 2.75 hours in Eden, UT
- Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (Ikon Pass 2023/24, Mountain Collective 2023/24) – 138 miles / 2.75 hours in Teton Village
- Powder Mountain (Indy Pass 2023/24) – 161 miles / 3 hours in Eden, UT
- White Pine Ski Resort (Indy Pass 2023/24) – 167 miles / 3 hours in Pinedale
