CULTURAL ARTIFACTS

By Lindsay Vallen

There are a lot of things that make mountain towns unique—access to the outdoors, beautiful weather, a close-knit community—but one often overlooked piece of the story is stickers. From bumpers to bus stops and bikes to bar tops; you name it, and there’s probably a sticker on it in Jackson Hole.

Where Stickers Live

“Sticker slapping”—sticking a sticker in a public place, usually without permission—is common around town and a few businesses are known for their tacky (pun intended) décor.

tells countless stories of its own. Pearl Street Bagels is also a purveyor and canvas for sticker culture in Jackson Hole. Along with free stickers of their logo, they sell stickers that allude to their highly controversial decision to not toast their bagels like “Death by Toasting.” In response, a variety of other stickers have popped up around town commenting on the no toast policy, like “I toast my Pearl Street Bagels.”

Wilson Backcountry Sports is another source for local-centric stickers. The locally-owned

D.O.G.—Down on Glenn—the popular walkup burrito window has layers and layers of stickers covering the outside of the building. A long-standing local business, D.O.G. caters to locals who need a quick burrito after a night out or to fuel up for their next adventure. Stand in line at any given time and your eye might catch a few of the artifacts buried underneath the layers.

Snake River Brewing also puts sticker culture on full display. The holding tank outside the restaurant is covered as high as people can reach, and some are so tall that you might wonder how they even got there.

If the walls at the Stagecoach Bar could talk … they might have a few stories after 80 years. Situated at the base of Teton Pass, the Stagecoach has been a watering hole that has stood the test of time. A collection of old photographs depict the early days in Wilson— the first ski line on the Grand Teton and the time Bob Dylan played alongside Bill Briggs. An often overlooked piece of history is the door behind the bar covered in stickers that bike shop has a variety of satirical stickers poking fun at e-bikes, Wilson moms, and the ski bum lifestyle.

The old “billboard” near the top of the Glory bootpack, which was actually used to bounce radio waves, was the site of heavy sticker slapping over the years. As far as people could reach—or climb—there were stickers. The structure was recently removed from the mountain since it no longer serves a purpose. For many, it was a spot to take a quick break and maybe admire the eclectic collection of stickers before reaching the summit.

Stickers As A Badge Of Honor

If you ski at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, you might notice stickers covering the helmets of the youngsters in ski school. The mountain has a kids’ adventure map, showcasing the “kid’s names” for runs on the mountain. The ski-schoolers get a sticker for each run completed, like “Mr. Toad’s” or “Princess Woods.” By the end of the season, kids have every inch of their helmets covered with their accomplishments.

STICKERS AS POLITICAL/SOCIAL COMMENTARY

In a small transient town like Jackson, political and social issues become a community discussion. With issues such as housing, employee shortages and the everrising cost of living in the valley, stickers have become a way to anonymously comment and make light of those topics in a tangible, meme-like way.

Because stickers have been slapped for the past few decades, some have turned into cultural artifacts. “Don’t let the hole lose its soul,” is a classic sticker that signified the sentiment of residents wanting to retain the character of the town. The sticker can still be spotted, and at any bar in town, you can find someone to debate the topic with.

At the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort sits the iconic Mangy Moose Saloon, a world-famous aprés ski destination beloved by locals and visitors alike. Since 1967, the Moose has delivered delicious eats and legendary live music acts to Teton Village, solidifying its reputation as the best place to get loose after a day on the mountain. Fifty years later, the spot is mangier than ever, with history on its walls and plenty of folks who sing its praises.

Q: How has The Mangy Moose served as a Jackson Hole cultural hub in its over 50 years of operation?

Wildlife in the Jackson Hole region is also a huge part of the fabric of the community. Cars around the valley can be seen with “I brake for wildlife” or “I brake for migration,” an attempt to urge other drivers on the road to slow down and be aware of wildlife on the roadways.

Over the past few years, Jackson and mountain towns across the country have gone through changes. With new homes, hotels, condos and apartments being built all across town, artifacts of a time passed still remain in certain corners of the community. Regardless of the subject matter, stickers reflect the cultural moment, past and present, of our little town.

A: We are the iconic après ski bar that embodies the historic ski bum culture of Jackson Hole. We support the local mountain sports culture and community organizations. We are also a worldfamous live music venue that brings music diversity and great times to our community.

Q: Can you elaborate on the spaces and services offered at the Mangy Moose?

A: We have a restaurant that serves rocky mountain inspired cuisine, a café that serves an incredible breakfast, lunch and dinner, a grocery store and wine shop, a merchandise shop that sells attractive Mangy Moose gear, private event spaces, and we bottle our famous spicy margarita and vodka that are sold throughout Wyoming. Oh, did I mention the live music venue that brings artists from all over the world?

Q: What is the story behind its décor and do you still add things to its walls today?

A: The previous owner was an antique collector. He essentially made The Mangy Moose into a museum. Since then, the walls of this building have taken on a life of their own. These walls can speak volumes, and their depth continues to grow every day.

Pickleball: A refreshing alternative to type-two fun

By Toby KoekKoek

Best Of Jackson

Hole Winners: Best Yoga Studio, Hair Stylist, and more

Alternative Medicine

Practitioner

Dr. Mark Menolascino

Chiropractor

Dr. Tiger

Dentist Office

Larsen Family Dentistry

Amy Clemens MWWJH.com

Angela Tong

MenoClinic.com (307)690-4201

Esthetician

Amber Carruth

TetonBeautyLounge.com

Grace Mahoney

GracesSpaJH.com

Robye Heron

Facebook.com/JHHYdrafacial

Dr. Christopher Koch

(307)733-3386 (307)733-5559

Tyler Wright

JHBackcountryHealth.com

Fitness Instructor

Crystal Wright

Jackson Family Dentistry

LarsenFamilyDentistry.com JacksonFamilyDentistry.com

Owens Family Dentistry

OwensFamilyDentistryJH.com

Full Service Spa

The Spa at Four Seasons Resort tinyurl.com/53hxr223

Andrew Armington

Grace Spa

GracesSpaJH.com

Brooks Woodfin

JHWrightTraining.com @armoace Gym-22.com

SpaTerre

TetonLodge.com/ Teton-Village-Spa

Nestled amidst the breathtaking beauty of the Teton Range, Jackson Hole is a haven for those seeking a balanced and rejuvenating lifestyle. These categories celebrate the exceptional businesses that prioritize the well-being and vitality of the community.

Hair Stylist

Bernadette Gwilliam

Health Care Services

Health/Fitness Center

Inversion Yoga

Kelly Rene

Theresa Lerch Family Practice

TheresaLerch.com

Medicine Wheel Wellness

InversionJH.com

Pursue

PursueJH.com

Sofie Thompson

@berndoesmyhair @kellyrene.hair @stylingbysofie

Massage Therapist

Rena Trail

(801)920-9097

Ollie Tripp

AbhyasaMassage.com

Henry Williams

Trthskr92670@aol.com

Four Pines Physical Therapy

MWWJH.com (307)733-5577

Mental Health Therapist

Ryan Burke

MindStrengthProject.com

Leann Dzemske

TetonBehaviorTherapy.com

Hillary Lavino

TetonBehaviorTherapy.com

Orange Theory OrangeTheory.com

Occupational Therapist

Megan Marion

TetonPT.com

Alex Stone

TetonPT.com

Jessica Eastman JHTR.org

Pilates Instructor

Michaela Ellingson

Pilates Studio

Inversion Yoga

Speech Pathologist

Mandy Howell

Mary Pantone RollingReformer.com

Jess Grim

Michaela@DWJH.org RollingReformer.com

Yoga Instructor

Niki Sue Mueller

NikiSueMueller@gmail.com

Ariel Mann

Ariel@JHWellnessatWork.com

Dani Perry

Dani@InversionYoga.com

Hair Salon

Frost Salon

@frostsalon

Teton Barber Shop

Teton-Barber-Shop.Edan.IO

Champú Salon

ChampuSalonJH.com

Pursue Dancers’ Workshop

InversionJH.com PursueJH.com DWJH.org

Yoga Studio

Inversion Yoga

InversionJH.com

Home Yoga Studio

Teton County School District

Chris Smithwick

CSmithwick@stjohns.health

Kate Wienman

KWienman@stjohns.health

Physical Therapist

Scott Harmon

(307)734-9005 FourPinesPT.com

Noreen Christensen

Pursue

HomeYogaJH.com PursueJH.com

Francine Bartlett MWWJH.com

Briar Rose, which this year won Best of Jackson Hole’s bronze for Best Florist, has been creating and delivering flower bouquets in Jackson Hole, Wilson and Teton Village for over two decades. Briar Rose can create floral designs for any occasion from a single elegant long-stemmed rose to elaborate wedding arrangements that will leave a sweetsmelling and long-lasting impression you’ll have to see to be-leaf!

Briar Rose owner, Jean Johnson, shares more about her fragrant journey to success:

Q: How long have you been in business in Jackson Hole?

A: I opened Briar Rose 21 years ago, and I had a business called The Huckleberry Patch for 16 years before that. I am also a Jackson Hole native.

Q: Has your passion always been flowers?

A: When I started Briar Rose, yes, but before that it was quilts.

Q: What are your plans for the future?

A: Keep doing everything I currently do, but I will be semi-retiring in January 2024 and will then be doing weddings and events after that.

Q: What do you like most about doing weddings and events?

A: I like creating beautiful arrangements for people. It will be hard to not keep doing it all; I love arranging flowers so much!

Q: What are some of your favorite flowers?

A: I can’t even choose; I love all flowers! BriarRoseFlowers.com