Ski towns in the American West are getting swankier — and pricing out frustrated locals

• Real-estate prices have skyrocketed in many western towns centered around outdoor activities.
• An influx of out-of-town buyers has reset the markets making them unaffordable for locals.
• Driggs, Idaho, is the latest western mountain town to grapple with an surge of outsider money.

Western mountain towns — with their scenic views and access to outdoor activities — have been growing at a fast clip since before the pandemic.

Interest only heightened with the hit TV drama "Yellowstone," as well as the pandemic. Rich buyers wanted their own Dutton ranch, driving up prices for locals.