Jackson Hole Magazine // Winter 2021 by Teton Media Works, Inc.

ENVIRONMENT

Celebrity Wildlife

GETTING OUT

Yellowstone

DINING

Local Faves

BODY & SOUL

Snack Time

WINTER 2021

Icon of the West

[COMPLIMENTARY COPY]

Wyoming is home to more greater sage-grouse than anywhere else in the world. A photography exhibit shows why these fantastical-looking birds matter.

A life lived wild is a life well lived.

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The Perfect Match

California K9 understands security dogs must also be family pets. AT A RESTAURANT WITH OUTDOOR SEATING, A GERMAN SHEPHERD LAYS QUIETLY BENEATH CLAUDIA HOWARD’S TABLE as she enjoys a meal with friends. The group finishes and says their goodbyes. Howard and her German Shepherd, two-and-a-halfyear-old Django, wander over to a nearby art fair. Walking steadily alongside Claudia, Django greets children and other dogs and is unfazed by the crowds and commotion. Trained in and imported from Germany, Django looks like any other agile, obedient, canine companion. What many would not know from his gentle demeanor is that he is also a highly trained home security and protection dog capable of skillfully responding to any threats to Howard. “Because Django is a protection dog, he has to be a family pet first,” says Claudia, who sleeps, hikes, and runs errands with Django. (The two also compete in the sport of IGP, which tests a dog’s ability to track, obey, and protect.) “Is protecting your family worth it if you have a dog you’re afraid to have around your six-month-old or take to the park or coffee shop? Absolutely, 1000 percent not.” What Howard says seems obvious, but it is not. Often portrayed as vicious attack dogs, trained family security dogs are deeply misunderstood, and the industry behind them is unregulated. Howard herself experienced the heartache that can come from the latter. “The

industry is flawed and often unethical and doesn’t have to be,” she says. Howard, who has had eight protection dogs over the last twenty years, including Django and two other German Shepherds she currently lives with, was inspired to found California K9 because of her passion for these dogs. CA K9 uses world-class trainers in Germany and the U.S. to find, train, and place healthy and temperamentally sound dogs specifically matched to a family’s security needs and lifestyle. The process begins with a detailed interview to better understand the lives of potential clients. “The very first step is discovering whether a dog will bring a level of comfort and joy to someone’s life. If it will, I learn what that individual’s specific needs are,” Howard says. “Only then will our European partner execute a search to find your family’s security dog companion. Dogs selected into our program must demonstrate an ability to be trained to protect, and, most importantly, have a character and temperament that allow them to be family dogs.” It is only after a dog has been thoroughly vetted and its health examined that it enters a customized training program that includes obedience, protection, and socialization. The process is meticulous and takes time. “The relationship between a protection pet and its family is too important to be rushed,” Howard says.

“Our process is designed to instill world class obedience that blends well with your family and your lifestyle,” says California K9 founder Claudia Howard. “My dogs are a part of my family and are my best friends. Their temperament and world-class training make me feel 100 percent confident, safe, and secure. That’s what I want to share with clients.”

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Jackson Hole

Winter 2021

Page

10 Ways to Make This Your Best Vacation

Jackson Hole magazine’s guide to the ultimate winter vacation. BY LILA EDYTHE

Charismatic individual animals like Grizzly 399 and Wolf 06 are ambassadors for their species, but the celebrity surrounding them isn’t always easy to manage.

Stickers offer a window into the Jackson Hole community and culture.

Influential, Furry & Famous

CHARLIE LANSCHE

Stuck Up

BY JH MAGAZINE STAFF

BY MIKE KOSHMRL

PHOTO GALLERY

The Ghosts of Kelly’s Complicated Past //

PHOTOGRAPHY AND TEXT BY RYAN DORGAN

ON THE COVER: “We really weren’t sure we would be able to get to the site,” says photographer Noppadol Paothong about the greater sage-grouse mating area, known as a lek, where he captured the cover image. “The snow was so deep.” But Paothong persevered, snowshoeing to the lek and setting up a blind. But that was not the end of the difficulties: Shortly after the males began their mating displays, a golden eagle, a predator, flew over and flushed half of the flock off the lek. “I thought we were done,” Paothong says. But, after an hour, some of the birds began to return. This male “was in the perfect spot—a little elevated and on a deep snowbank,” Paothong says. “It is one of my favorite photos.” 12

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

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Jackson Hole

Winter 2021

Best of JH 20 TETONSCAPES Choose Your Adventure, Going Big, Rising Dreams

24 PIQUED Some of our favorite winter stuff

28 MEET THE LOCALS Q&A Paige Curry, Pete Lawton, Sofia Tozzi 38 ON THE JOB Calling It A vibrant community radio station gives aspiring DJs in Jackson Hole a place to start. Making it a paying career is anything but easy though. BY BILLY ARNOLD

Page

42 BUSINESS Got Insurance?

Whether you have health insurance or not, injury insurance might be worth looking into. BY BRIGID MANDER

48 DESIGN Continuum A new hotel in Teton Village isn’t designed to be just a place to stay, but also to provide guests a chance to experience a very Jackson Hole lifestyle. BY SAMANTHA SIMMA

86 LOOKING BACK The Browse A look back at the beginnings of Jackson Hole’s original thrift store. BY WHITNEY ROYSTER

101

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

RYAN JONES

Page

92 OUTDOORS A Legacy of Adventure Two hundred years after John Colter was the first white man to see Yellowstone and Jackson Hole, two friends retrace his route and make a movie about it. BY MAGGIE THEODORA

Snowmobiling is an easy way to see winter in Yellowstone. No experience necessary. BY SAMANTHA SIMMA

106 Over the River and Through the Woods... to the Grandmother of Conservation’s House We Go A short, scenic snowshoe or Nordic ski brings you to the Murie Ranch. BY MAGGIE THEODORA

110 Teton Valley Playground Make the most of a trip to Grand Targhee. BY MOLLY ABSOLON

112 BODY & SOUL Snack Time Fuel your Jackson Hole adventures with these locally made snacks. BY MELISSA THOMASMA

116 NIGHTLIFE Live Music Don’t think that skiing all day means you can’t dance all night. BY SAMANTHA SIMMA

122 DINING Eat Like a Local Bite into Jackson Hole with these dishes locals love. BY MELISSA THOMASMA

130 ART SCENE Icon of the West Noppadol Paothong’s photography exhibit at the National Museum of Wildlife Art highlights the importance of the greater sage-grouse. BY LILA EDYTHE

138 AS THE HOLE DEEPENS BY TIM SANDLIN

140 JACKSON HOLE MAPPED 142 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

BRADLY J. BONER

JH Living

101 GETTING OUT Winter Wonderland

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Greetings from the Editor I’VE ALWAYS SAID that the day I’m not amazed by Jackson Hole— by its natural beauty and wildlife and also by the people who choose to make their homes here—it’s time for me to move on. Before the pandemic started, it had been 23 years and I had yet to contemplate moving on even just a bit, so I assumed I was at maximum Jackson appreciation and amazement. But... no. Covid has taken my amazement at and appreciation of this community and the landscape surrounding it to new levels. It is my goal with every issue of Jackson Hole magazine to highlight the magic and uniqueness of this area and its people, and I feel the pressure to do the valley justice even more acutely this winter, which, as I write this, no one has any idea what it might be like. Whether you’re here visiting Jackson in person or the pandemic has us keeping close to home and you’re reading this as an armchair traveler, a good place to start is with some locals making Jackson Hole a better, more interesting place. Thanks in part to the hard work and leadership of Paige Byron Curry (Local Q&A, p. 28), Astoria Hot Springs reopened this fall as a trailblazing public-private partnership after having been shuttered for twenty years. In the Outdoors department (p. 92), read about the film Sawyer Thomas and Riis Wilbrecht, who have been friends since their days at Wilson Elementary

School, made as they retraced John Colter’s route through Yellowstone and Jackson Hole over the winter of 1807–1808. There’s no substitute for standing in front of Old Faithful in Yellowstone in person, but, if you can’t, reporter Samantha Simma’s story about snowmobiling in Yellowstone, “Winter Wonderland” (p. 101) isn’t a bad substitute. (And, if snowmobiling in Yellowstone is an option this winter, maybe this story will inspire you to do it.) Wherever you are, I hope you find environmental reporter Mike Koshmrl’s feature story, “Influential, Furry, and Famous” (p. 66), compelling. Koshmrl investigates the good and bad that come from the celebrity status acquired by individual animals such as Grizzly 399 and Wolf 06. If you’re looking for a laugh, journalist Whitney Royster has created a Choose Your Own Adventure—“What Kind of Weather Do I Want to Hope For? (p. 21)—that is as funny as it is true. As the Hole Deepens columnist Tim Sandlin imagines a typical day for a family in 2024; in his vision, the pandemic is still raging, yet you can’t help but laugh (p. 138). (Side note, if you like Sandlin’s sense of humor, do yourself a favor and pick up his GroVont trilogy of novels, set in a fictionalized Jackson Hole.) As always, I hope you enjoy this issue of Jackson Hole magazine as much as I enjoyed editing it. —Dina Mishev

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JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

magazine

Jackson Hole

THE CENTER

Winter 2021 // jacksonholemagazine.com

What’s your favorite fuel for a day of outdoor adventure?

I bring a Ham & Cheese Croissant home from Persephone and then add a fried egg, avocado, bacon, Manchego, and Sriracha to it.

PUBLISHER

Kevin Olson ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Adam Meyer

A sesame bagel from Pearl Street Bagels piled high with veggies and lox and a schmear of cream cheese as thick as my wrist.

EDITOR

Dina Mishev ART DIRECTOR

Elise Mahaffie

Electrolyte tabs for water are a must-have for long days in the mountains.

PHOTO EDITOR

The Cowboy Croissant at Cowboy Coffee packs in a protein-rich variety of textures and flavors without being a heavy gut bomb! I make pancakes at home using the Bunnery’s Wild Blueberry

Pancake & Waffle mix; they’re hearty and filling with just the right amount of sweet.

Bradly J. Boner COPY EDITOR

Bevin Wallace CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

A bagel sandwich from Pearl Street Bagels—everything with tuna, cheddar cheese, sprouts, onions, and dijon mustard. Might sound weird at 7:00 a.m., but just try it.

Molly Absolon Billy Arnold Ryan Dorgan Lila Edythe Piper Hall Mike Koshmrl Brigid Mander Whitney Royster Tim Sandlin Samantha Simma A thermos of elk chili, Maggie Theodora Melissa Thomasma CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

washed down with a local microbrew. It’s all homegrown and delicious!

Price Chambers Ryan Dorgan Ryan Jones Charlie Lansche Thomas D. Mangelsen Rebecca Noble The new Lemon Coconut & Noppadol Paothong Kayla Renie Ginger flavor of Kate’s David J Swift Ashley Wilkerson A hot, buttery Pearl Street Real Food bar. It’s the bomb, Kathryn Ziesig Bagels Bacon, Egg and Cheese

Breakfast Sandwich is great for a few morning runs on the pass!

ADVERTISING SALES

Alyson Klaczkiewicz ADVERTISING ACCOUNT COORDINATOR

Tatum Biciolis AD DESIGN & PRODUCTION

and that’s coming from a chocolate girl.

Grab-and-go breakfast from Sweet Cheeks Meats. Their dog treats aren’t bad, either.

Sarah Wilson Lydia Redzich Luis F. Ortiz Heather Haseltine Chelsea Robinson DISTRIBUTION

Kal Stromberg

Jeff Young

OFFICE MANAGER

Kathleen Godines

© 2021 Jackson Hole magazine. All rights reserved. No part of this production may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. No responsibility will be assumed for unsolicited editorial contributions. Manuscripts or other material to be returned must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope adequate to return the material. Jackson Hole magazine is published semiannually. Send subscription requests to: Jackson Hole magazine, P.O. Box 7445, Jackson, Wyoming 83002. (307) 732-5900. Email: dina@jhmagazine.com. Visit jacksonholemagazine.com. WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

Contributors THE BEST STORIES ARE SHARED OVER Although skiing big-mountain lines and deep powder were originally the only things to interest her about Wyoming, Brigid Mander (“Got Insurance?,” p. 42) has since come to understand and appreciate Western culture beyond gravity sports, particularly conservation of open spaces and wildlife habitat. Her work also appears in The Wall Street Journal, Outside Online, and Backcountry Magazine.

KEN MILLS

A BEER

JULIA MCDONALD

Ryan Dorgan (“The Ghosts of Kelly’s Complicated Past,” p. 76) moved to Wyoming from his home state of Indiana in 2013 and has worked as a photographer for the Casper Star-Tribune and the Jackson Hole News&Guide. He has also contributed to National Geographic, The New York Times, Powder, Outside, High Country News, and VICE and is the former photo editor of Jackson Hole magazine. He lives in Kelly with his wife, Emily, and their dog, Dottie.

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JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

Mike Koshmrl (“Influential, Furry, and Famous,” p. 66) is the Jackson Hole News&Guide’s environmental reporter. His first exposure to the valley’s celebrity wildlife was covering a cub of Grizzly 399’s that was hit and killed on Highway 89 in 2012. A Minnesota native, Koshmrl studied environmental journalism at the University of Colorado and worked for Solar Today magazine before coming to Jackson Hole.

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Living

TETONSCAPES

Going

BIG

Twenty-five athletes compete for the title of King or Queen of the valley’s most iconic (and terrifying) ski run. CORBET’S COULOIR, A double black diamond run near the top of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR) tram, requires skiers and snowboarders to jump off a vertical cornice at its start. It has long been a test piece among expert and extreme skiers across the country. Skiers come to Jackson specifically to ski Corbet’s—or to stand at the top, decide the drop looks too scary, and back away. In 2018, JHMR made Corbet’s iconic status official when it invited twentyfive skiers and snowboarders to compete in the Kings & Queens of Corbet’s event. It has since become a favorite among athletes. “No other comp is like it, where everyone takes the same hit,” says professional skier (and the 2018 and 2019 Queen of Corbet’s) Caite Zeliff. “You really get to see the person in that space, and what they do with it says so much about them as a skier.” Last year, skier Veronica Paulson said a lot when she became the first woman to do a backflip into the couloir (this earned her the title of 2020 Queen of Corbet’s). In 2019, snowboarder Travis Rice hurtled himself off the lip and flew so far he landed almost

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

Parkin Costain backflips into Corbet’s Couloir at the 2019 Kings & Queens of Corbet’s.

halfway down the couloir (winning the King of Corbet’s title). Last year’s King of Corbet’s, skier Parkin Costain, entered the couloir via a double backflip. In addition to everyone doing the same line, Kings & Queens is also unusual among freeriding comps because skiers and snowboarders compete against each other and because the athletes themselves pick the winners. (Usually skiers and snowboarders are ranked in separate categories and the judging is done by judges.) Jess McMillan— the 2007 Freeskiing World Tour Champion and JHMR’s senior events and partnership manager, who came up with the idea for Kings & Queens—says she’s always thought skiers and snowboarders were pushing the sport of freeriding together and that it didn’t make sense to separate them. “It doesn’t matter

BRADLY J. BONER

BY MAGGIE THEODORA

what’s on your feet,” she says. It does matter to her that the athletes push each other, and she thinks this happens at Kings & Queens. “The athletes are all competing against each other, but also supporting each other,” she says. “It is neat to see the dynamic created by having it be athlete judged.” The fourth annual Kings & Queens of Corbet’s will be held one day between February 16 and 21, 2021. (The actual date will be selected based on conditions.) As of press time, JHMR wasn’t sure what the on-site spectator situation would be; usually you can watch from Ten Sleep Bowl, a black diamond trail off the Sublette chairlift. However, every single run, along with the awards ceremony, will be edited into a movie that will be made available to watch online at jacksonhole.com and RedBull TV (redbull.com) on February 28. JH

What kind of weather T E T O N S C A P E S should I hope for?

Living

BY WHITNEY ROYSTER

DO YOU WANT TO SKI?

YES

I FEEL PRESSURED

Like groomers or powder?

GROOMERS

Can you not stand up for yourself?

Have you ever felt your boogers freeze?

YES

Weird, right? Look for a hoarfrost day. A bit of moisture in the air that freezes on trees. Beautiful and rare.

POWDER

NO Look for high pressure and sun. That means cold, and then the cold sinks to the valley floor. Ouch.

Do you know the term “white room”?

YES

Doesn’t matter. It’s just when you can’t see anything but snow.

This trip was a lot of planning.

OK. Hope for a mild snowstorm. A few inches in the valley means a foot or more in the mountains. Skirt the groomers to jump into powder. Then go inside and watch as the valley gets a new coat of paint.

You want low pressure, big storms. Lifts tend to be delayed here for avalanche control. Sometimes you can’t get our of your driveway.

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

Living

TETONSCAPES IN 2011, LE Cordon Bleu– trained Kevin Cohane and his wife, Ali, founded Persephone Bakery—named for the Greek goddess of grain. They never imagined where they’d be a decade later: semi-finalists in the Outstanding Pastry Chef category of the 2020 James Beard Foundation Awards with four restaurants around Jackson Hole. “It has been the most wonderful and affirming surprise that the community responded to our little bakery in the way that it did,” Ali Cohane says. Here’s a look at the Cohanes’ three concepts—Persephone, Picnic, and Coelette. (Two of their four restaurants are Persephone Bakeries. Here we focus on the original one in Jackson; the other Persephone is in Wilson.)

Rising Dreams A decade after its founding, Persephone Bakery has its own storefronts and two sister restaurants. BY DINA MISHEV

COURTESY OF PERSEPHONE

AESTHETIC

In 2013, the Cohanes opened their own storefront for their baked goods, transforming a neglected log cabin just off the Town Square into Persephone Bakery Café. “We had no idea how it’d go,” Ali Cohane says. It was a success from the start and has been included in lists like “Most Beautiful Coffee Shop in Every State in America” (Architectural Digest) and “Best Bakery in Every State” (mashed.com).

M U S T E AT

Scone Skillet—cheddar scallion biscuit with red-eye sausage gravy, fried egg, and pine nut crumble.

COF FE E S I T U AT I O N

Persephone is the first café anywhere to serve Overview Coffee, which uses principles of regenerative organic agriculture and was founded by local pro snowboarder Alex Yoder.

EXTRA CREDIT

The “spoon wall” was originally conceived to be the “rolling pin wall” until the Cohanes realized that was not going to work. “We switched gears and thought wooden spoons would be a lot easier,” says Ali. The pattern that ended up on the wall wasn’t even laid out in advance. “We just glued them up and kept going with it. Now it’s the most-photographed part of Persephone.”

COURTESY OF PERSEPHONE

H I S T O RY

VISIT

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

Wyoming meets French café

145 E. Broadway Ave., Jackson; 307/200-6708, persephonebakery.com

MUS T EAT

COF FEE S ITUATION

“It would have been easier to have just done another Persephone,” Ali Cohane says about Picnic’s founding. “But the concept was to do a place for locals, and the space we found was in a modern building. Persephone wasn’t right; the space and idea felt like they were something new.” So Picnic opened in late fall of 2015. (Picnic’s not 100 percent different from Persephone though; the café serves Persephone baked goods and breads.) COURTESY OF PICNIC

HIS TO RY

Modern Western

Pork & Eggs Toast—Snake River Farms pork shoulder, smoked tomato butter, maple cream sauce, goat cheese, and sweet drop peppers on a thick slab of levain. Choose between Intelligentsia, a pioneer in third-wave artisanal coffee, and locally roasted Snake River Roasters, a woman-owned-and-operated roastery founded in 2007.

E XTRA CR ED IT

“I love highlighting local artists,” Cohane says. The porcelain pendant lights clustered near the front entrance are handmade by local potter Jenny Dowd of Dowd House Studio. “It was meant to be a vision of cloud light,” she says. Each shade is handmade; the translucent clay allows them to glow, and the overlaps evoke breaks in clouds.

VIS IT

1110 Maple Way, Suite B, Jackson; 307/264-2956, picnicjh.com

AE ST HE T I C

COURTESY OF PICNIC

AESTHETIC

Sexy log cabin

HI ST ORY

Coelette takes its name from early locals Ed and Emily Coe, who operated a blacksmith shop out of this cabin for many years starting in the 1920s. (The cabin was built by Martha and Clarence Dow in 1915.) Between 1976 and 2017, Sweetwater Restaurant called this cabin home. Before Coelette opened in August 2020, two years were spent doing a full restoration of the cabin and building an addition that includes rooftop outdoor seating.

M UST E AT

Kaiserschmarrn—a shredded pancake with black strap rum, bing cherries, maple, and preserves (available only during weekend brunch).

COF F E E SI T UAT I ON

COURTESY OF COELETTE

E XT RA CRE DI T

VI SI T

Ali Cohane says Pinedale-based Pine Coffee Supply “has a very distinct roast profile—very fruit-forward with lots of berry notes. It’s a pretty progressive style of roasting that no other cafés or restaurants in the valley serve.” The stone bust above the fireplace that overlooks the main dining room is of Zeus, the father of Persephone. The men behind the local shop Mountain Dandy found the sculpture on a road trip. “It was originally something we had planned to put in our own house,” says Mountain Dandy’s John Frechette. “Once we got to working on the Coelette project and remembered that Zeus was Persephone’s father, we knew it just had to fit somewhere in the design.” 85 S. King St., Jackson; 307/201-5026, coelette.com JH

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

Living

PIQUED

1 / PUFF IT UP We’re loving this season’s lightweight puffy jackets, especially Eddie Bauer’s Microtherm 1000 down jacket, which features 1000–fill power RDS (Responsible Down Standard) goose down, packs into its own chest pocket, and weighs nine(ish) ounces. We’ve never experienced so much warmth from a jacket that weighs about as much as a roll of quarters. Outdoor Research’s Helium Down Hoodie weighs more but is warmer and features an abrasionresistant exterior; waterproof fabric on the shoulders, hood, and sleeves; and 800-plus–fill power RDS goose down, and it still weighs less than one pound. EB Microtherm 1000: $399; available at Eddie Bauer (55 S. Cache St.); OR Helium Hoody: $279, available at Wilson Backcountry Sports (1223 Ida Dr., Wilson)

2 / HAPPY FEET Smartwool picked the brain of pro ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin to construct its new PhD Pro Ski Race sock, but you don’t have to be a racer to appreciate the socks’ durability (especially in the toes), contoured shin cushioning, and arch support. Available in unisex and women’s-specific fits. If cold feet plague you, check out Swiftwick’s new Pursuit Twelve ski sock. We’ve found its fine-gauge merino wool keeps our feet warm on the coldest of days. The comfort and security of its four-inch cuff is extra credit. Smartwool: $30.95; Swiftwick: $34.99, both available at Hoback Sports (520 W. Broadway)

3 / LOOKING GOOD 3

In the 1970s, Jean-Claude Killy and Wayne Wong, among others, made ski aviator sunglasses cool. Now Vallon, based in Verbier, Switzerland, has brought the iconic style into the twenty-first century. Vallon’s Ski Aviators feature a frame made from cellulose acetate—a strong, durable non-petroleum-based material. The mirrored polyamide lenses are lightweight and impact resistant. $107, available at vallon.store

4 / SOCIAL DISTANCE STYLE

Since we might be après-skiing outside this winter due to the pandemic, we’ve invested in warm one-pieces. Members of the first American expedition to summit Mount Everest in 1963 wore Eddie Bauer down underwear. We’re wearing the updated version of it—the streamlined one-piece Down Camp Suit—while eating charcuterie and drinking beers with friends in the parking lot at the end of a ski day. Rated to minus-twenty degrees and available in black, the suit melds form and function. Melding function with fun, Selk’bag’s 6G wearable sleeping bag comes in colors from blue puffin to purple evening. Because it’s made from synthetic insulation, it’s heavier and bulkier than the EB option, but it has a hood and detachable booties. Down suit: $179, available at Eddie Bauer (55 S. Cache St.); Selk’bag: $169, available at sellkbagusa.com

5 / DON’T SLIP

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

Kahtoola’s new EXOspikes are traction monsters. As comfortable on icy roads as on hard-packed trails, EXOspikes are elastomer harnesses that easily slip over pretty much any shoe or boot and feature twelve tungsten carbide–tipped spikes per foot to keep even the clumsiest among us from slipping and falling. When you don’t need them anymore, pull them off and they’ll fit in a pocket or purse. $59.95, available at Teton Mountaineering (170 N. Cache St.)

Living

6 / FREERIDE PERFECTION For the first time in its history, Stio has partnered with Gore-Tex. And the results are their most innovative, protective collections to date, whether you’re riding the lifts or touring in the backcountry. For women, it’s the Credential Collection; the men’s version is the Objective Collection. Both include pants and a jacket that feature Gore-Tex 3L, a waterproof/breathable material that has stretch and a soft, brushed, flannel-like interior. There are also large thigh vents positioned at the back of the leg and oversized, zip hand pockets. $529 (pants), $599 (jacket), available at Stio Mountain Studio (10 E. Broadway Ave., Jackson)

PIQUED

7 / PARKING LOT PICNIC Because no one knows what on-mountain dining at ski resorts will look like this winter, we invested in Yeti’s Rambler One Gallon Jug and Lowlands Blanket so we’re prepared for a parking lot picnic if required. Spread the Lowlands Blanket out behind your car—it has a waterproof utility layer and an insulated interior to keep the cold and wet at bay—sit down, and enjoy hot soup or chili from the dishwasher-safe Rambler Jug. Jug: $129.99; blanket: $199.99, available at Teton Ace Hardware (120 S. Main St., Driggs, Idaho)

8 / ULTIMATE FIRE PIT

We thought a smokeless portable fire pit that produced minimal ash sounded too good to be true. We’ve never been so happy to learn we were wrong. You won’t take Solo’s Bonfire fire pit backpacking—it weighs twenty pounds—but it’s portable enough for pretty much every other time you might want to enjoy a fire; we’ve brought it to drive-in movies, car camping, and après-ski tailgates. The pit’s design doesn’t just limit smoke but also minimizes the heat transferred from its base to the surface beneath. It’s a fire pit miracle. $349.99, available at solostove.com

9 / LET THERE BE LIGHT If you wanted a headlamp and a flashlight, it used to be you needed two different things. Then 5.11 Tactical introduced the powerful Response XR1 Headlamp, which pushes 1,000 lumens of light and can be used as a headlamp or a right-angle flashlight. We keep it in our car for emergencies, unless we go for an evening hike or fat bike ride—then we put it into headlamp mode and are on our way. $79.99, available at 511tactical.com

10 / JUST A BITE When you’re not really hungry but need an energy boost, dive into a bag of Honey Stinger’s Mini Waffles, which sandwich honey between two bite-sized waffles. When skiing, we’ll share a bag with friends. At home, we’ll enjoy a waffle or two and then put the resealable bag back into the pantry. $7 for a 5.3-ounce bag, available at Jackson Hole Sports (7720 Granite Loop Rd., Teton Village)

11 / A TREAT FOR YOUR FEET

11 26

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

We take our Glerup felted boots off when it’s time to ski and sleep; otherwise, they are the only shoes we’re wearing this winter. Made of 100 percent natural wool—a combination of Gotland wool from Denmark and white wool from New Zealand—these boots come in a variety of colors with rubber or soft leather soles, and are the most comfortable things to ever grace our feet. Also, they don’t smell, even when we wear them without socks (thanks to wool’s natural self-cleaning properties.) Shoes and slip-ons are also available. From $95, available at Mudroom (3275 Village Dr., Teton Village)

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Living

LOCALS

Paige Byron Curry PAIGE BYRON CURRY’S parents moved to Jackson Hole from Colorado in the early 1970s. “They were just going to come for a season,” says Curry. Except, no. Curry, along with two brothers, was born and grew up in Jackson. Curry herself left the valley for her final two years of high school—boarding school in Rhode Island—and stayed East for college. “I had an idyllic childhood in Jackson, but never thought I would end up back here,” she says. In 2008, Curry came back for a summer teaching position at Teton Science Schools. She was twenty-six at the time. “My plan was to explore Western towns after the [term] was over,” she says. That plan went similarly to her parents’ though. Curry was offered a full-time teaching position. “Everyone else in the world seemed to want to move to Jackson, and I had this opportunity to be here and make a difference,” she says. Since 2015 Curry has been making a difference as the founding executive director of Astoria Park Conservancy, a nonprofit responsible for preserving one hundred acres of riparian ecosystem on the banks of the Snake River and also the redevelopment of the historic Astoria Hot Springs, which, after almost ten years of planning, opened last August. 28

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

RYAN DORGAN

Q: The original Astoria Hot Springs closed in 1998; did you go there as a kid?

PBC: I grew up swimming there. It was a very special place.

Q: What does it mean to you to be such a part of bringing it back?

PBC: Mostly it gives me goose bumps. I’m really honored. One thing I heard over and over was that this isn’t the kind of project that comes around very often. There are very few pieces of our cultural fabric in Jackson Hole that we’ve lost that we have the opportunity to bring back and reinvent for a new era.

Q: Astoria Hot Springs’ earliest soakers were Native Americans. In 1961, structured pools were built and an RV park followed. What does Astoria’s new era look like? PBC: The anchor is conservation. There were over 200,000 square feet of development planned for this area, which isn’t able to support that type of development. We saved one hundred acres from that. Five acres are the hot springs pools that we see as places for people of all backgrounds to connect. The other ninety-plus acres show that it is possible to protect natural resources, but also provide public access. That’s an important message today.

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Q: Why is that an important message?

PBC: There’s a tension I have seen: People ask, what’s the good of protecting spaces in the outdoors if people aren’t inspired by them? I’m not a proponent that every single acre should have public access, but there is a balance where you can create spaces that inspire and educate the next generation of conservationists.

Q: What inspires you about the land conserved by Astoria Park?

PBC: Its location between the [BridgerTeton National Forest] and an elk feed ground makes it a critical migration corridor in winter; it’s also critical winter habitat for birds, insects, and other animals because of its geothermally influenced ponds, which have water that can be accessed all winter.

Q: Do you have stand-out memories of Astoria Hot Springs from your childhood?

PBC: When Astoria was open before, it was really seen as the great equalizer in our community. Everyone soaked there, from cowboys to raft guides, ranchers, and families. I’d meet people from all parts of the community. I think this— connecting people from different backgrounds—is so much more important now than even twenty years ago, and my dream is for the new Astoria to do this. JH

Brandon Spackman | Associate Broker 307.690.8156 | brandon.spackman@jhsir.com

—INTERVIEW BY LILA EDYTHE

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

Living

LOCALS

Pete Lawton PETE LAWTON GREW up ski racing and training on Snow King Mountain. Fastforward thirtyish years and Lawton is CEO of the Bank of Jackson Hole and skis the King during his lunch hour. “I always have skis in my car,” says Lawton, whose father, a high school principal, was one of the initial investors in Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. After pulling into the parking lot at the base of the Town Hill, he’ll put his ski jacket and pants over his work outfit, which is almost always a suit. “I’ll eat a sack lunch on the chairlift,” he says. Lawton, who was the quarterback that led the Jackson Broncs to a state championship in 1981, graduated from Jackson Hole High School in 1982, and went on the University of Wyoming. After ten years in Laramie, during which he started his career in banking, Lawton returned to Jackson. “There are incredible opportunities for outdoor recreation around the state, but what is different about Jackson is that you can ski at Snow King at lunch, or float the Snake River after a day at work,” he says. Even after a lifetime here, Lawton says he takes advantage of this easy access as often as possible, but admits, “I don’t ski as many days a season as I’d like to anymore.” 30

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

BRADLY J. BONER

Q: What are some of your other favorite places in the state?

PL: The Sheridan area—the Bighorn [mountains] are incredible. And, closer to Jackson, the Wind River Range is the same thing. And then places like Sundance, or outside of Laramie. There are so many beautiful places in Wyoming.

Q: Jackson Hole is often described as being in Wyoming, but not being of Wyoming. As someone who knows much of the state, can you comment on that?

PL: There is a lot more wealth in Jackson, and that creates a different perception toward it. A lot of Wyoming communities are blue collar and not oriented toward

tourists like Jackson. But, even with these differences, I think people are drawn to Jackson because of Wyoming values.

Q: How would you describe Wyoming values?

PL: It is about the land—open space and being outdoors.

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Q: Favorite ski run?

PL: There is nothing like the Hobacks on a powder day. I traveled ski racing all over the country and Canada and have never seen anything comparable to a powder day in the Hobacks, except heli skiing in Canada.

Q: You have two sons, who are now in their late 20s, and, like you, grew up in Jackson. How were their childhoods here different from yours? PL: I grew up ski racing and playing football. One [of my sons] grew up ski racing and the other playing hockey. They had the same tight community I experienced growing up, but more diversity, which was a positive thing.

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Q: You’re active in the valley’s nonprofit community. With so many nonprofits doing important work, how did you pick the ones with which you’re involved?

PL: Back in the early ’90s, it was tied to my kids—the Ski Club (now the Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club) and Little League baseball. Then I got involved with the [Grand Teton] Music Festival board. Then the [Jackson Hole] Community Counseling Center and the Community Foundation [of Jackson Hole]. My longest-standing [involvement] has been with the Jackson Hole Land Trust, which is a passion of mine; it’s about the open spaces that are so important to Wyoming. Maybe this is funny coming from a banker, but protecting open space is so important.

Q: Jackson Hole has always had casual dressing in offices, but you’re still a suit and tie guy. Can you even buy a suit and tie anywhere in the valley?

PL: I think it’s bankers and people working in the courts who still do suits and ties. Ties are an easy gift, so I get a lot of ties as gifts. Otherwise, I think it’s just TJMaxx. JH

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WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

Living

LOCALS

Sofia Tozzi “I DEFINITELY SPEND more of my time awake at Snow King than anywhere else,” says seventeen-year-old Sophia Tozzi. “I couldn’t even guess how much time I’ve spent there over the years. So much though.” Tozzi, with the rest of the Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club (JHSSC), spends several hours five days a week between November and April training on Snow King. This year she is a high school senior and one of the top junior ski racers in the Mountain West. Last season was a breakthrough one for her, even though races in late March and April were cancelled due to Covid-19. In January she made her first career International Ski Federation (FIS) podium, finishing third at Schweitzer Mountain. (FIS racing is the highest level of ski racing, and skiers are ranked internationally by a point system; the lower your point total, the better ski racer you are. “Once you get into the ten-point range, you are most likely on the World Cup,” Tozzi says.) At the end of the shortened season, Tozzi was fifth in the women’s FIS regional standings and the winner of the Western Region Kyle Warren Memorial Award, given to the region’s top junior. “I was super happy with how last season went, and I wasn’t expecting it at all,” says Tozzi, who attends the Community School. “It was my first season of FIS skiing. From now on, it’s all FIS though. Races will be bigger and more difficult, and the competition at a higher level.” 32

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

PHOTO CREDIT RYAN DORGAN

Q: How did last year’s shortened season affect you coming into this one?

ST: At the time it was a huge bummer, but it helped that everywhere was cancelled. If it was just the U.S. races, that would have been hard. But it was everywhere. Now I’m over the disappointment and just have extra motivation for this season.

Q: Do you have specific goals for this season? ST: I haven’t thought about points or podiums, but I know what I want to work on to improve my technique.

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Q: Ski racing has four different events: slalom, giant slalom (GS), super-G, and downhill. Do you do them all?

ST: I’ve always done all the events I could. Last year was the first I was allowed to race downhill.

Q: What was different about last year that you could do downhill?

ST: The rules are that you have to be sixteen to do it. It’s the one in which you go the fastest.

Q: Besides speed, how are the four events different?

ST: The biggest difference is the radius of the turns. Slalom is the smallest and quickest turns. And GS is after that. A lot of people consider that medium turns— not super fast like slalom, but not as long as super-G. By the time you get to downhill, you’re pretty much going straight.

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Q: Are you equally good at the different races?

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Q: What do you do when you’re not skiing?

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ST: Super-G and downhill are not as great for me as the tech events [slalom and GS]. ST: I’m usually really tired so I’ll rest and hang out with my family.

Q: Have you ever thought about quitting racing?

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ST: I really like to ski and all of the people involved. The group of girls I race with now, we all moved up together. Racing is “normal life” for me.

Q: Are you as determined and focused in other areas of your life as you are with skiing?

ST: I work hard and get things done in whatever I’m doing. I don’t procrastinate. You’d expect this means I do well in school, but I am definitely not the greatest student.

Q: Do you know what you’re going to do after graduation?

ST: I haven’t really started to think about that.

Q: Some people might say that’s procrastination.

ST: Except not much in the world seems to be following people’s plans right now. JH —INTERVIEW BY MAGGIE THEODORA

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

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Living

ON THE JOB

Calling It Lauren Smith has been a volunteer DJ for KHOL 89.1 FM since June and hosts her show, Dance Odyssey, on Thursdays from 8 to 10 p.m. Each week she curates a playlist from a record label of her choosing. “I wanted an outlet to share international house and techno music with Jackson,” she says.

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

A vibrant community radio station gives aspiring DJs in Jackson Hole a place to start. Making it a paying career is anything but easy though. BY BILLY ARNOLD

KARISSA ATKINS / APRES VISUALS

In addition to her Dance Odyssey show on KHOL, Lauren Chase DJs at commercial gigs and parties.

KAYLA RENIE

IT’S ABOUT MIDNIGHT, and Lauren Smith is sitting in the plush chair behind the mixer at the community radio station KHOL, which is only a pace or two away from where she DJed live on air for the first time about one year ago, when friends invited Smith to play on their Jungus Amungus radio show. Subbing in, the California native spun bouncy, house-oriented rhythms for three other people in the room and an untold number of people listening to the station online or on a radio. “It was the first time I’d ever played live, and it kind of just took off from there,” she says, pausing briefly to broadcast the KHOL call sign at the top of the hour. Now Smith is in the driver seat of her own radio show, Dance Odyssey, where she has the freedom to digitally blend two or even three songs to create something entirely new. She usually goes for underground house and techno beats; her goal is to get and keep people moving. After about one year of concerted effort, she is aiming to make DJing a paying job—or at least one of her paying jobs. Commercial gigs—the sort of jobs where DJs spin one popular track at a time rather than blending sounds from the underground like Smith does on Dance Odyssey—are a part of the equation. Smith has played some of those shows, like the Stagecoach Bar’s disco night, but largely keeps what she plays in line with her tastes. David Bowie’s “Just Dance” and the music produced by the German techno DJs she spins from 10 p.m. to midnight every Thursday on KHOL are more closely linked than you might think. IN A TOWN better known for country western than the European scene, Smith has carved out a niche for herself. She has spun her style of music at raves at Hand Fire Pizza, haunted the Continuum hotel from a balcony bar and, she jokes, got Emancipator, a downtempo DJ with a national name, to open for her. (In reality, Smith held down The Rose’s late-night dance floor WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

after Emancipator played a sold-out show last February at the neighboring Pink Garter Theatre. “It was probably the broadest audience I had ever played to,” she says. “This was a group of people that went to go see this super well-known artist, and they stuck around to see me.”) Smith is one of about twenty working DJs in a town with half as many venues. Most of her compatriots are men. “But I am part of the boys club,” Smith says. “When I wanted to start playing, I inserted myself.” Not that DJing was ever something into which she had imagined inserting herself. It wasn’t until she went to Burning Man in 2017 that she got a glimpse into DJing and saw that her musical tastes (bands like Radiohead and LCD Soundsystem) easily lended themselves into the world of modern house and techno. After Burning Man—a temporary community of about 100,000 people that annually comes to life in the Black Rock Desert of northern Nevada for one week in late August and early September—Smith bought a digital controller, started mixing other people’s songs into her own beat-driven atmospheric creations,

like others in Jackson Hole, is largely a part-time gig. “It wasn’t like I was living off of DJing, but I definitely made a little chunk that helped me,” she says. SMITH WOULDN’T MIND spinning music full-time, but around Jackson the demand for underground music isn’t that high. This town has more of a bluegrass, jam, and country scene than a city like San Francisco, which has clubs aplenty. Though she had a residency of sorts at Continuum— something DJs will tell you is a necessary step for paying the bills—there aren’t many other venues in the valley that actively look for the type of music she plays. Smith’s friends who DJ in the Bay Area, by contrast, can lean more into the darker, heavier tracks because they have spaces to do so. But Smith still sees an appetite for the music she plays here. In a normal year, she says doing what she does is important in order to give people who don’t fit into the Jackson stereotype of loving the Grateful Dead somewhere to dance. And, for her, the KHOL radio show, though unpaid, is an outlet, a way to explore the music she loves while she mulls the direc-

If you can’t tune into Chase’s KHOL show Dance Odyssey, here are three record labels—and a track recommendation from each—she’s into right now.

Kompakt Records originated from a techno record shop that opened in Cologne, Germany, in 1993. The label itself was founded in 1998 and today is known for specializing in minimal techno and microhouse. Chase recommends: “Smukke Lyde” by Dave DK

LAUREN SWAPPED HER REAL LAST NAME FOR CHASE BECAUSE SHE SAYS SMITH IS SO COMMON. “I DON’T REALLY IDENTIFY AS BEING COMMON,” SHE SAYS. “I JUST WANTED TO BE UNIQUE.”

“Guilty feet have got no rhythm!” believes Running Back Records, a label founded by two DJ/producers and based in Lorsch, Germany. Chase recommends: “Static” by Dusky

and began picking up gigs around town as Lauren Chase. She swapped her real last name for Chase because she says Smith is so common. “I don’t really identify as being common,” she says. “I just wanted to be unique.” Even now that she’s a part of the scene, Smith doesn’t spin full-time. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, when she ended up unemployed, she hadn’t given up her day jobs, including hostessing at Teton Thai, doing graphic design for local creative studio Sharp Eye Deer, and editing the Best of Jackson Hole magazine. DJing for her,

Mule Musiq was founded in Tokyo by Japanese promoter Toshiya Kawasaki in 2005. While best known for nu-disco, the label’s stated ethos “is simply to release ‘good music’ notwithstanding genre.” Chase recommends: “Konoba Boba” by Axel Boman

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

tion she takes. If she ends up committing to music, Smith says she might have to leave the valley and start writing some of her own—two factors that complicate her thoughts about whether to pursue design or turn toward the turntables. “My intuition is telling me music,” she says. But before she decides, she still has a radio show to run and a call sign to announce. “You’re listening to 89.1 KHOL Jackson,” she says into the mic. “This is Dance Odyssey with Lauren Chase.” And then she sits back and lets her tracks run. JH

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WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

Living

BUSINESS

Doing silly (and potentially injurious) things at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s annual Gaper Fool’s Day.

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

Got Insurance? Whether you have health insurance or not, injury insurance might be worth looking into, especially if you love the sports for which Jackson Hole is famous.

PRICE CHAMBERS

BY BRIGID MANDER

LAST SUMMER, A photographer friend of mine crashed on his mountain bike, an unfortunately common occurrence for Jacksonites. A badly broken arm resulted in surgery, after which he found himself on the hook for $7,000 in medical bills, despite carrying health insurance. (This was his out-of-pocket cost.) It was an alarming wake-up call and a hefty financial burden he thought he’d protected himself against. My friend isn’t alone. It can be difficult to ascertain exactly how insurance benefits work given the labyrinthine processes of an infuriatingly opaque industry. Meet accident (or injury) insurance. “It’s a product of need, not of want,” says Matt Randall, co-founder of Spot, an injury and life insurer based in Austin, Texas, that launched in late 2019. “We see it as unraveling insurance, to create something that suits the need out there, not just what insurers want to distribute. It’s as if, say, GoPro or Red Bull were to create an insurance product.” Randall, an entrepreneur, along with his friend and business partner, Maria Miller, a former New York Life insurance executive, came up with the idea over dinner a few years ago. Their product has been heartily welcomed by action-sports athletes and companies. For $25 a month, an individual has access to up to $20,000 in coverage for medical bills per injury, not per year. There is no deductible, and there are no network restrictions (meaning, it covers you if you get stuck with out-of-network bills, another escape hatch for traditional insurers to shift costs to the insured person). WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

“SPOT IS ULTIMATELY A BYPRODUCT OF MAKING INSURANCE MORE ACCESSIBLE, AND OFFERING SOMETHING USEFUL FOR YOUNG, ACTIVE PEOPLE.” – MARIA MILLER, FORMER NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE EXECUTIVE

The services of Teton County Search and Rescue are free; injury insurance can protect you against the costs of treatment after you’ve been rescued. 44

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

BRADLY J. BONER

Most injury insurance policies can be used with or without a regular plan, but some are better than others, so research is important. If you have no insurance, policies like the ones Spot sells will reimburse you directly for injury-related bills up to the maximum of the policy. If you do have traditional insurance, you submit to Spot the bills (or portions of bills) that remain your responsibility under your health insurance, including bills that go toward meeting your deductible, co-pays, and anything else that is supposed to come out of your pocket. Instances that injury policies don’t cover? Getting sick. The idea of insurance that covers injuries but not illnesses came from Miller’s time at New York Life; she was tasked to find ways to increase distribution to younger people. She realized an insurance product paired with experiences could help draw attention to ways to protect oneself from medical debt. “Spot is ultimately a byproduct of making insurance more accessible, and offering something useful for young, active people,” she says. “Even with a plan, a deductible is really impactful, especially for young people living paycheck to paycheck. Injury insurance is an incredible product, but still, not many people know about it.” Spot is the newest and slickest accident insurance, with a well-executed business plan, substantial backing, and a high coverage limit, but other product options are out there, too. These offerings proactively allow healthcare consumers very smart, very legal choices to fill in the huge gaps left by traditional insurance. SINCE 2010’s AFFORDABLE Care Act (ACA), health policy changes have benefitted many Americans and increased their access to healthcare, but have also allowed insurers to shift more costs to the insured. This is notably detrimental in the individual market, where self-employed or contract laborers, such as entrepreneurs, artists, ski and raft guides, seasonal employees, and photographers buy their policies. The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that, as of 2018, 11,612 people in the Teton County workforce were fully or partially self-employed. So, before even counting the seasonal or service jobs with no benefits, at least one third of the Teton County population is responsible for their own insurance. According to the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research and Planning Division’s 2018 survey of benefits, in the southwestern region of Wyoming, which includes Teton County, only 50.6 percent of jobs include health benefits. While the ACA guarantees access, it doesn’t guarantee you’ll be able to afford insurance, or ensuing medical bills. According to a recent study by the American Journal of Public Health, medical debt is a primary driver in almost 67 percent of bankruptcy claims—over half a million annual bankruptcies in the U.S. Even with traditional coverage, many people find themselves underinsured and/or unable to overcome high out-of-pocket maximums in addition to potential lost income. The number of Americans with no insurance is rising again. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2018—the most recent year for which data are available—the number of Americans without insurance approached 30 million. And

Challenging ourselves is second nature. www.stjohns.health

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

BRADLY J. BONER

Injury insurance is a good bet whether you carry health insurance or not.

sports, I’ve been a passionate proponent of injury insurance for years. I lucked out enormously when, after the second of my three ACL repairs, a friend offhandedly mentioned the existence of an accident plan with a Colorado nonprofit called Adventure Advocates. Having just been burned by Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of Wyoming on my deductible (somewhat acceptable) plus a slew of surgery-related bills arbitrarily given the infuriating assignation of “not medically necessary” (not acceptable), I dropped BCBS and signed up immediately for injury protection. I’ve carried it for more than a decade in addition to a traditional, pre-ACA United Healthcare plan with a $2,500 out-of-pocket maximum. For $24 a month, Adventure Advocates covered that deductible eight times. Over the twelve years I’ve had an injury policy with Adventure Advocates, I paid it about $3,500 and it has paid about $20,000 of my United Healthcare deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses. For companies like Spot, the more people paying in, the better for the longterm health of the company and contin-

then Covid-19 happened. In the first cover their out-of-pocket expenses. three months of the pandemic, 5.4 mil- According to Spot statistics, 57 percent lion additional U.S. adults lost not only of its injury claims so far have been by their jobs, but also the health insurance people with health insurance, and 43 associated with them, according to the percent using Spot alone. nonpartisan healthcare consumer-advoFor Adin Buck, a fifteen-year Jackson cacy group Families USA. As bad as 5.4 resident and an avid snowboarder and million new uninsured Americans mountain biker, injury insurance fills a sounds, it’s actually worse: The Kaiser big gap between his lifestyle and his traFamily Foundation estimated that, if you ditional coverage, which he does maininclude the dependents of these 5.4 mil- tain in case of serious injuries. Even with lion workers, it’s closer to 27 million in- that coverage though, he could face burdividuals who lost access to insurance in densome out-of-pocket responsibility. “I the first three months of the Covid-19 use the catastrophic plans, because they pandemic. (These numbers were expected to climb through the end of 2020.) EVEN WITH TRADITIONAL COVERAGE, MANY PEOPLE FIND THEMSELVES According to the Congressional Budget UNDERINSURED AND/OR UNABLE TO OVERCOME HIGH OUT-OF-POCKET MAXIMUMS Office, the average preIN ADDITION TO POTENTIAL LOST INCOME. mium (the monthly amount you pay to retain coverage) for a 2018 health exchange plan was 34 percent higher than in 2017, before make sense for the risky stuff I do,” he ued payouts. “Injury insurance is like maximum out-of-pocket expenses are says. “I’ve never had health insurance with travel insurance for a flight, which is a added. In Wyoming, maximum out of less than a $4,500 deductible. Adventure $36 billion industry,” says Miller. “Our pockets start at $7,000—annually—for Advocates paid out for me twice to com- backers love this model, because they’ve an individual plan. A Wyomingite who pletely cover my deductible—once when I seen the success in the travel market. We makes their monthly premiums and has hit a tree and needed stitches in my face, have the monthly policies, but we use the misfortune to hit their out-of-pocket and once for an MCL injury.” one-time event-based sign-ups to immax could pay between $10,000 and prove our widespread distribution, $30,000 for one year of health care/in- INJURY INSURANCE SOUNDS too which mitigates risk from high volumes surance—a combined one-two injury, good to be true—a reasonable assump- of payouts.” the first physical and the second finan- tion—but the companies offering it are To make that plan work, Spot teams cial. Each year in ski towns, there are legitimate entities with solid backing. As up with various governing and organizhundreds of GoFundMe campaigns es- a comically serial accident-prone indi- ing bodies in sports including BMX, cytablished to help fully insured people vidual who nonetheless loves high-speed cling, and running to offer one-day cov46

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

erage at events like competitions, bike races, or marathons. Not only does this help raise their profile, but it also bolsters the business income overall as well. There are other methods of protection for accidents, such as the wellknown AFLAC, but these plans pay benefit amounts based on the injury rather than actual bills. (For example, there is a set amount paid for a dog bite, another for a broken leg.) Traditional health care companies, such as United Healthcare, also offer accident plans. But these require the same extensive application process and varying quotes as traditional insurance, with higher prices and a much longer list of exclusions. The new generation of dedicated injury insurances offers the same rate to everyone, a simple five-minute sign-up process, and a very short and clear list of exclusions. (Wing suiters and criminals hurt on the job, you’re out of luck.) Spot has quickly made huge leaps in the market and brought on board some of the biggest names in action sports to help raise the product profile. Its roster of unpaid ambassadors includes climber Savannah Cummins, skier Julian Carr, and snowboarder Travis Rice. There’s good reason these high profile athletes are on board. “Over my career, I have seen it happen again and again: Friends get hurt and are either not insured or have such a high deductible that an injury can crush them financially,” says Rice. “I appreciate Spot finding solutions where we have all struggled in the past. Energy should be spent on health and recovery, not stressing out about the financial implications, especially here in the USA, of getting injured.” No one wants to pay another monthly bill. But let’s face it: $25 is an amount nearly all of us spend each month without even remembering where it went. Four beers at the bar? A new pair of socks? Two cocktails? Fancy coffees? The new toss-up may be not whether to buy medical coverage, but whether accident insurance is a wiser use of that $25 a month than a headache from whiskey shots is. JH

REBEKKAH KELLEY

DIANNE BUDGE

CHAD BUDGE

Associate Broker

307.413.5294

307.413.1362

307.413.1364

EXCEPTIONALSERVICE

“The most professional, knowledgeable real estate team I have dealt with.” – JLC

EXPERIENCEDTEAM

Over 30 years of successful experience in Jackson’s real estate business.

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Giving your property the most exposure through our affiliate network. WWW. BU D G E R E A LE STAT E .CO M

80 WEST B R OA DWAY JACKSON , WY 8 30 01

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

Living

DESIGN

Caption here

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

Continuum

A new hotel in Teton Village isn’t designed to be just a place to stay, but also to provide guests a chance to experience a very Jackson Hole lifestyle. BY SAMANTHA SIMMA

COURTESY PHOTO

BEHEMOTH BLACK DOORS greet guests at Teton Village’s newest property, Continuum—not just a hotel, but, as its website declares, also a “Teton Gravity Research experience.” Here you can relax and sleep in one of eightythree modern rooms; ogle photos of professional action-sports stars who have appeared in movies Teton Gravity Research (TGR) has produced; and maybe even mingle with some of these athletes in the hotel’s bar. “A lot of hotels are very one dimensional,” says TGR cofounder Steve Jones. “You go in, check into your hotel room.” And that’s it. Jones felt that making TGR a part of the hotel experience could be really special, particularly if the hotel was at the base of TGR’s home ski resort.

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

COURTESY PHOTO

Rooms at Continuum were designed by Los Angeles-based boutique design firm Powerstrip Studio to have a unique, modern aesthetic.

“WE KNEW WE DID NOT WANT ‘MOUNTAIN WEST,’” SAYS OWNER ELLIE GIBSON. INSTEAD, THEY SOUGHT A DEPARTURE FROM JACKSON’S GO-TO PALETTE OF BROWNS, ORANGES, AND PLAIDS. “I DON’T WANT TO WALK INTO A SPACE AND FEEL LIKE I’VE ALREADY BEEN THERE BEFORE BECAUSE I’VE SEEN IT EVERYWHERE ELSE.”

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

If you’re unfamiliar with TGR, here’s a brief history: From a dingy Teton Village office space, the company—initially brothers Steve and Todd Jones along with three friends—reinvented the genre of ski films in the mid and late ’90s, showcasing skiers hitting big backcountry lines instead of shooting tight shots of crisp turns on groomers. Since then, TGR has grown into an action-sportsmedia juggernaut and accompanying lifestyle brand that has produced more than 40 movies; numerous original television series; and commercials for companies including Apple, The North Face, Jeep, Under Armour, and Energizer; and launched a clothing line. For years, TGR used a hotel near its offices, The Inn at Jackson Hole, as a basecamp for its athletes, sponsors, and friends; and as a place to unwind after a day of hard skiing. The Inn was one of the first hotels built at the base area of the nascent Jackson Hole ski area. It opened in 1968, three years after the resort’s tram started carrying expert skiers from around the world to the summit of Rendezvous Mountain. “You could say The Inn has always been TGR’s clubhouse,” Jones

says, recalling après-ski sessions at The Inn’s Beaver Dick’s Bar. Despite TGR using the property for its athletes and friends, by the late ’00s, The Inn was financially struggling and in mild disrepair—a condition highlighted as hotels like the Four Seasons and the country’s first LEED-Gold–certified boutique hotel, Hotel Terra, opened around it. In 2010, while in Jackson Hole on a ski vacation, David and Ellie Gibson heard The Inn was for sale. The couple bought it. Initially they didn’t plan on partnering with TGR or even knew this was something in which the brand was interested. And, while they knew the building needed serious help, they weren’t sure whether it was a remodel or a rebuild. After thinking about it for a while, they came up with a hybrid option: renovate and remodel the guest rooms and build a new lobby and central public spaces. AVID TRAVELERS, THE Gibsons had ideas for the aesthetic they wanted their property to have. “We knew we did not want ‘mountain west,’” Ellie says. Instead, they sought a departure from Jackson’s go-to palette of browns, oranges, and

COURTESY PHOTO

THE BAR SPILLS OUT TO A PATIO WITH A 25-PERSON HOT TUB. JONES SAYS CREATING ENERGIZING, ACTIVE SOCIAL SPACES LIKE THESE GOES WITH TGRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S APPROACH TO THE OUTDOORS AND CULTURE OF HAVING FUN.

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

Continuum’s restaurant, lobby, and bar.

“TGR HAS RAWNESS, BUT IT’S ALSO KNOWN FOR REALLY CUTTING-EDGE, PROGRESSIVE, AWARDWINNING CINEMATOGRAPHY. A LOT OF THE CONTENT WE PUT OUT IS REALLY CLEAN AND PROGRESSIVE, AND CONTINUUM IS VERY MUCH DONE IN THAT VEIN.” —STEVE JONES, TGR COFOUNDER

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

appeal to “the guest who pursues athletic adventure, [and] has an appreciation for style,” says studio co-founder Dayna Lee. THERE’S NO DOUBT Continuum melds athleticism, style, and aspiration. “We sought to create a clean setting that would appeal to adventuristic destination travelers,” Ellie says. “I like very clean spaces. I don’t like to walk into a room and there’s so much pattern going on and so many different things that you don’t know where your eyes should go— they’re just jumping around.” The range of color in Continuum is minimal— white and black, punctuated by the occasional pop of color, like a deep-green chair in an upstairs public space. But for all its high style, the hotel is undoubtedly TGR. In the lobby, guests can don virtual reality goggles to get into a helicopter with skier Angel Collinson or catch a big wave with surfer Rob Machado, both of whom have appeared in multiple TGR films. TGR movies play continuously on a wall of TVs behind the bar in the hotel’s ground-floor restaurant. Sometimes the hotel hosts premieres of new TGR efforts. The bar spills out to a patio with a 25-person hot tub. Jones says creating energizing, active social spaces like these goes with TGR’s approach to the outdoors and culture of having fun. JH

BRADLY J BONER

plaids. “I don’t want to walk into a space and feel like I’ve already been there before because I’ve seen it everywhere else,” Ellie says. After seeing the 39 Degrees restaurant in the Sky Hotel in Aspen (which has since been redeveloped into a W Hotel), they hired the Los Angeles– based boutique design firm Powerstrip Studio to bring their vision to fruition. It was during the design-and-construction process that the Gibsons heard TGR wanted to bring its brand to a Teton Village property. Steve Jones envisioned a place where guests would be able to interact with TGR athletes and a central location for sports clinics with the personality to make guests feel like they were TGR-film bound. “A modern-day version of our clubhouse with better food, drinks, and a big pool to après-ski in—this was a very natural extension for the TGR brand,” Jones says. The partnership was a no-brainer for the Gibsons; they recognized the local, national, and international audience TGR would bring. Deciding on a name was a fairly easy decision too: TGR’s first film (released in 1996) was The Continuum. David, who first visited the area as a teenager, says the name “illustrates the clean elegance and sophistication of our target experience.” To bring the branding and name full circle, Powerstrip’s design concept sought to

www.shawwyoming.com Jackson Hole, WY

Chase Beninga Managing Partner WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

Special Interest Feature

Peak Properties THE FACTOR THAT makes the Jackson Hole real estate market so unusual is the relative scarcity of private land. Ninety-seven percent of Teton County, Wyoming, is publicly owned—either national park, national forest, or wildlife refuge. This computes to just 75,000 privately held acres in a county spanning 2.5 million acres. The guaranteed open spaces and unobstructed views these surrounding public lands afford make the remaining private land a real treasure. Add the abundance of recreational opportunities found in and around the valley, and the quality of life one can enjoy in Jackson Hole is simply unbeatable. Moreover, many of the properties featured here are secluded, scenic retreats located in the midst of prime wildlife habitat. Most existing and prospective property owners in Jackson Hole cherish this notion, and serve—or will serve—as stewards of nature. One cannot put a dollar value on waking to the Teton skyline, skiing home for lunch, or listening to a trout stream gurgling through the backyard. In Jackson Hole, “living with nature” is not a fleeting, vicarious experience a person has while watching TV. Here it’s a fact of life, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

BLUE MOOSE LODGE

4,588

square feet

bedrooms

6.5

The Blue Moose Lodge is a private, stunning home in Teton Village. It has a chef’s kitchen with professional grade appliances, four master suites, a bunk room, a media room, a game room, fireplaces, large deck and hot tub. Designed by Dubbe Moulder Architects with interiors and furnishings by Louis Shanks. Every detail of this Teton Village residence embraces privacy with its setting in the native forest and neighboring ski hills.

baths

6,495,000 dollars

20-2796 MLS#

HECK-OF-A-HILL HOME

2,781

square feet

bedrooms

baths

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Brokers of Jackson Hole Real Estate Sally Yocum - (307) 690-6808 sally@bhhsjacksonhole.com bhhsjacksonhole.com

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

7,950,000 dollars

20-2523 MLS#

Located 1 mile from Wilson sits a 12-acre private retreat. Perched above the valley, the open-concept home encompasses wide sweeping views through large picture windows of mountain ranges, including Sleeping Indian and the Grand Teton. The original horse barn was carefully renovated and reimagined to create a spa bathroom, soapstone shower, full kitchen with large entertaining areas inside and outside. Aspen groves, conifers and wildflowers flourish on this amazingly private property. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Brokers of Jackson Hole Real Estate Nick Houfek - (307) 399-7115 • Andrew Byron - (308) 690-2767 nick@bhhsjacksonhole.com • andrew@bhhsjacksonhole.com bhhsjacksonhole.com

ELEGANCE IN FAIRWAYS ESTATES

5,351

square feet

bedrooms

baths

Enjoy the sunlit radiance of the Grand Tetons & Sleeping Indian from the comfort of this nearly new residence. Wonderfully sited and elegantly appointed with high ceilings and huge windows to take in the natural beauty of Jackson Hole. Attention to detail was not overlooked including a chef’s entertaining kitchen, multiple living spaces, gracious foyer, top of the line appliances, exquisite lighting, beautifully landscaped, plus a 1-bedroom guest house.

4,600,000

Budge Realty Group Jackson Hole Real Estate Associates (307) 413-1362

dollars

20-3027 MLS#

3,165 3

bedrooms

3.5 baths

3,890,000 dollars

20-2754 MLS#

—

square feet

2 + LOFT

Step into this bright and cheerful townhome, 2 BR, 2B plus loft, attached garage and large south facing deck. Conveniently located just minutes from town and on a quiet street in Rafter J Ranch. A short distance from shopping, schools and daily activities

bedrooms

baths

849,500 dollars

20-378

Jackson Hole Real Estate Associates Nancy Martino (307) 690-1022 nancymartino@jhrea.com

MLS#

THE GLENWOOD

square feet

LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO CALL HOME?

Flawlessness is a rare commodity in the modern world, but you recognize it when you see it. That’s exactly what we have created at The Glenwood, an intimate community of 3-story luxury townhomes at the center of downtown Jackson. It is a property built on the idea that “good enough” simply never is. Designed for discerning people who know excellence is in every detail, it’s the new standard-bearer for luxury mountain living. One of seventeen units available.

Jackson Hole Sotheby’s International Realty Bill Van Gelder - (307) 690-0178 bill.vangelder@jhsir.com theglenwoodjh.com

VOGEL HILL - RANCH 3

35.2 acres

—

bedrooms

Ranch No. 3 sits atop 35.2 acres of sprawling aspen and pine tree groves, endearing it as one of Vogel Hill’s more private ranches. On the northern side, this site accesses 117 open acres of protected wildlife & trails. Lush sage and native grasses lead to an open homesite with full Grand Teton views and spectacular views up the Spring Gulch corridor into Grand Teton National Park.

—

baths

7,500,000 dollars

20-1389

Jackson Hole Sotheby’s International Realty Brandon Spackman - (307) 690-8156 brandon.spackman@jhsir.com spackmansinjacksonhole.com

MLS#

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

CHARMING WILSON BUNGALOW

2,374

square feet

bedrooms

baths

1,695,000 dollars

—

Enjoy the convenience of town living in this charming 3 bedroom Wilson Bungalow located steps to town amenities, the bike path and Wilson Elementary School. Large south and west facing windows offer incredible views of Glory Bowl, the Wilson Faces and the Historic Hardeman Barn. An inverted floor plan places the living and dining areas on the second floor, providing great light and views. The two main floor guest bedrooms are suited and the home has an attached two bay garage.

Jackson Hole Sotheby’s International Realty Jennifer Dawes jenn.dawes@jhsir.com

MLS#

square feet

bedrooms

baths

15,000,000 dollars

20-2186 MLS#

acres

—

bedrooms

—

baths

—

dollars

—

Beautiful acreage tucked up against the foothills in the south end of Teton Valley. Conveniently located minutes from incredible mountain biking and trail riding, Teton Springs Golf Resort and Teton Pass to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and the historic town of Jackson Hole. Zoned AG 2.5, this property can easily be subdivided through the County’s Subdivision process. The property has 20 shares of trail creek water rights and no CC&Rs or restrictions, allowing a Buyer much flexibility.

Jackson Hole Sotheby’s International Realty Jennifer Dawes jenn.dawes@jhsir.com

MLS#

A PRIVATE PARADISE ON 34 ACRES

11,815

BEAUTIFUL VICTOR ACREAGE

Singing Trees is a 33.76 acre property nestled among mature conifers and aspen trees, on a lake complete with a sandy beach just 20 minutes from the town of Jackson. The property is subdivided into four parcels giving it potential for a family compound or conservation easements. It has breathtaking views of the Grand Tetons and the surrounding countryside which is bordered on the west by the national forest, providing private access to excellent horseback riding and hiking.

Jackson Hole Sotheby’s International Realty Huff Vaughn Sassi (307) 203-3000 huffvaughnsassi@jhsir.com mercedeshuff.com

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

WILSON BUILDING LOT-SUNSHINE & VIEWS

acres

—

bedrooms

—

baths

648,500 dollars

— MLS#

This lovely building site is one of the few in Indian Paintbrush that has exceptional sunshine with south-east views. There are beautiful stands of aspens and gigantic pines that tower over the property providing privacy without compromising sunny exposure. Lot has a flatter building site with sloping southern perimeter and surprising Sleeping Indian views. Architectural renderings available. Very close to National Forest access for cross country skiing, biking, hiking and horseback riding.

Jackson Hole Sotheby’s International Realty Pamela Renner - (307) 690-5530 pamela.renner@jhsir.com

SKI IN SKI OUT AT MOOSE CREEK

2,416

square feet

bedrooms

3.5 baths

2,750,000 dollars

20-226

Highly desirable ski-in ski-out Moose Creek townhome offers a convenient location, privacy and mountain views. Located at the base of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort directly across the street from the Moose Creek chairlift and just minutes from the many amenities of Teton Village. This townhome sleeps 8 comfortably in the 3 spacious bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms plus an overflow bunk room and private hot tub to enjoy after a day on the mountain. Wellappointed and offered fully furnished. Strong rental history.

Spackmans & Associates (307) 690-8156 spackmans@jhsir.com

MLS#

acres

—

bedrooms

—

Stunning property in the heart of Teton Valley! This 240 acre parcel offers an excellent location with County road on two sides (South and West). This flat acreage affords an owner the opportunity to create home site(s) with stunning Teton and Valley views, while maintaining the agricultural charm and feel of the area. This large parcel could be the perfect opportunity for a conservation easement, or farm/ranch with easy access, water rights and gorgeous views.

baths

$835,000 dollars

19-3000 MLS#

acres

Located minutes from downtown Jackson, Cody Creek Sanctuary is a 65-acre private refuge featuring a classic log home, remarkable open spaces, invaluable wildlife habitat and expansive waterscapes teeming with cutthroat. Learn more, CodyCreekJacksonHole.com

bedrooms

baths

18,900,000 dollars

20-1683

Live Water Properties Jackson Hole Latham Jenkins - (307) 690-1642 latham@livewaterproperties.com LivewaterJacksonHole.com

MLS#

TETON RANGE RANCH IN DRIGGS, IDAHO

240

CODY CREEK SANCTUARY

TETON RANGE RANCH IN DRIGGS, IDAHO

160 acres

—

bedrooms

—

Teton views & prime farmland! Build your dream home with plenty of room to farm or ranch on this scenic 160 acres of gorgeous, rolling ground with panoramic mountain views. Located just East of the Teton River, this parcel also boasts incredible views of the majestic Teton mountain range. With no restrictions, this blank canvas allows you to build and develop as you wish. The lush soils are currently planted in alfalfa.

baths

Teton Valley Realty Mandy Rockefeller - (208) 313-3621 mandy@tetonvalleyrealty.com tetonvalleyrealty.com

$800,000 dollars

19-1300

Teton Valley Realty William Fay - (208) 351-4446 bill@tetonvalleyrealty.com tetonvalleyrealty.com

MLS#

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

TEN 10

WAYS TO MAKE THIS YOUR

BEST

WINTER VACATION EVER

A decade ago, a winter vacation to Jackson Hole was a ski vacation. Nowadays, skiing is just one activity of many. We’re not saying you need to do all of these in order to have an amazing time here, just that, if you do, you’ll be gifting yourself the winter vacation of a lifetime. BY LILA EDYTHE

RYAN DORGAN

A winter vacation to Jackson Hole isn't complete without skiing at one of the three ski resorts in the area. Pictured here is Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, which is often rated as one of the best ski resorts in North America.

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

1 2 W I N T E R VA C AT I O N M U S T- D O S

GET WILD WITH THE LOCALS Road. About one-half mile past the Miller House, look for their stocky bodies and distinctive horns—both rams and ewes have horns, although it is only rams whose horns curl around their heads—on the eastern slopes of Miller Butte. The Elk Refuge encourages visitors to not stop and allow the sheep or other animals to lick vehicles; the practice could contribute to the spread of disease and the road salts can contain harmful chemicals. fws.gov/refuge/ national_elk_refuge/

BRADLY J. BONER

It might be the National Elk Refuge, but the 24,700-acre refuge just north of town is home to more than 300 species of animals, including bison, osprey, wolves, sage-grouse, mountain lions, bald eagles, and bighorn sheep. Bighorn sheep, which are actually related to goats, can best be seen in winter, when they migrate down to the refuge from the high alpine areas of the Gros Ventre Mountains. Your best chance to see them requires driving just a couple of miles up the Elk Refuge

Usually, between mid-December and midMarch, Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) offers free two-hour ranger-led snowshoe hikes several times a week. These include the use of historic snowshoes, some of which date from the 1940s, and start from the Bradley-Taggart Lakes trailhead. Over the course of a mile, you’ll learn about local flora and fauna and get great Teton views. In pandemic times, GTNP isn’t sure if these hikes will happen, though. If they’re not an option this winter, (1) rent snowshoes from a local shop like Skinny Skis and explore the trails around Bradley and Taggart Lakes yourself, and (2) you’ve got a compelling reason for a return trip to the valley. nps. gov/grte/planyourvisit/rangerprograms.htm

BRADLY J. BONER

SNOWSHOE IN GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

TEN 10

BEST

3 4

W I N T E R VA C AT I O N M U S T- D O S

Picking a favorite ski run is hard. Deciding on a favorite hot chocolate in Jackson Hole might be harder. But we think you’re up to the task. At CocoLove (55 N. Glenwood St.; 307/733-3253), choose from Mexican Hot Chocolate with roasted chilies and spices and Swiss-style hot chocolate made with dark chocolate. Sister cafes Persephone (145 E. Broadway Ave.; 307/200-6708) and Picnic (1110 Maple Way; 307/264-2956) serve a mix of dark chocolate, sugar, and cocoa powder melted in milk and topped by a homemade vanilla or peppermint marshmallow. Pearl Street Bagels (145 W. Pearl Ave., Jackson and 1230 Ida Dr., Wilson; 307/739-1218) takes hot chocolate to the next level with its chocolate steamer—Monin dark chocolate syrup mixed with steamed milk (whole, skim, oat, coconut, almond, or soy) and topped with its homemade whipped cream.

RYAN DORGAN

HOT CHOCOLATE TASTE TEST

PRICE CHAMBERS

STAY IN A LOG CABIN

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

In 2012, the founder of an outdoor gear company partnered with a husband and wife, both of whom were former winter Olympians, to resurrect and revamp the historic Turpin Meadow Ranch. At the base of Togwotee Pass in the northernmost reaches of Jackson Hole, the ranch’s lodge and eight main cabins date from 1932. When the group bought the property, it had been neglected for several years. Winterizing the buildings—all of the cabins were lifted and put onto foundations and heating and gas-lit fireplaces were installed—and adding a modern bathroom to each one took nearly two years. The work and investment were worth it. Today the cabins are havens of hygge, with bright interiors and wool Pendleton blankets on the beds, and there are miles of groomed trails for Nordic skiing, fat biking, and snowmobiling right out the front door. 307/543-9147; turpinmeadowranch.com

5 6 BRADLY J. BONER

SOAK IN HOT SPRINGS Fed by natural hot springs, the five pools at the newly reopened Astoria Hot Springs are rich with magnesium, free sulfur, calcium, potassium, sodium, chloride, and alkalinity, making a soak here the perfect way to recover from a long day of play. On the banks of the Snake River, Astoria was popular with locals and visitors from 1961 until it closed in 1998. This new-andimproved iteration of Astoria

took more than six years of planning and eighteen months of construction, and eventually the pools will be just one part of a 100-acre park and riparian area. Fair warning: Due to Covid-19, access to the pools might be limited to locals and requires advance reservations. Check current restrictions before going. 25 Johnny Counts Rd.; astoriahotspringspark.org

DAVID J SWIFT

INDULGE IN A DECADENT DESSERT

Is it just us or is it human nature to crave ooey, gooey desserts when the temperatures outside are anything but ooey and gooey? The chocolate souffle at Snake River Grill requires thinking ahead—order it when you order your entrées—but there’s really not much to think about. Just get it. There’s a reason it’s been on the menu for more than twenty years. 84 E. Broadway Ave.; snakerivergrill.com

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

W I N T E R VA C AT I O N M U S T- D O S

HIT THE SLOPES Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR, Teton Village; jacksonhole.com) has evolved from appealing mostly to extreme skiers with its steep runs and deep powder into a family-friendly resort that balances wild and mild. It’s still home to the Hobacks— quad-busting, 2,000-vertical-foot powder slopes— but now more lifts than not service intermediatefriendly areas. (And there are now half a dozen spas in the base area to help you recover if you get wilder than you want.) On the western side of the Tetons, Grand Targhee Resort (Alta; grandtarghee.com) has a throwback feel and often gets more snow than the eastern side of the range. It’s also home to the only cat-skiing operation in the state. And

8 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

then there’s Snow King Mountain (Jackson; snowkingmountain.com), which, when it opened in 1939, was Wyoming’s first ski resort. Nowadays, it’s overshadowed by JHMR and the ’Ghee, but, in downtown Jackson and home to the Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club, whose athletes train there most afternoons, it’s a favorite with locals. (If you hear someone talking about the “Town Hill,” they’re talking about the King.) It also has the area’s only night skiing.

BUILD A SNOWMAN

Building a snowman might be the classic winter activity, and Jackson has plenty of snowy public parks that would happily host your creation. (BYO snowman eyes, nose, and mouth.) Top park picks include Phil Baux Park at the base of Snow King, Mike Yokel Park in East Jackson, Owen Bircher Park in Wilson (all tetonparksandrec.org), and R Park (jhlandtrust.org/r-park/) near the intersection of Highway 22 and Teton Village Road. One warning: Our snow, because it has such a low moisture content and is more fluffy than sticky, sometimes requires advanced snowman-making skills. Waiting for a wetter storm—or opting to make snow angels if your snowman isn’t sticking—is totally acceptable.

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We’ve often heard visitors who have the good fortune to discover the Cache Creek area about a mile east of downtown Jackson say, “Anywhere else, this place would be a national park.” Or something like that. But this is Jackson Hole, already home to two national parks, so Cache Creek Canyon is part of the Bridger-Teton National Forest (with some areas further protected as the Gros Ventre Wilderness). While “only” national forest, Cache Creek Canyon is still a wonderfully magical place. The creek burbles along the bottom of the canyon with ice

REBECCA NOBLE

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

forming along its edges. Because high canyon walls keep much of the area in the shade, snow crystals often float in the air. Trees wear delicate coats of hoarfrost. In winter, you can explore this via foot, cross-country skis, fat bike, snowshoes, or snowmobile. Teton County Parks & Recreation grooms three miles of a former mining road a couple of times a week for classic and skate skiing. (The first two miles of this trail get enough traffic that you can hike and run without snowshoes, too.) If that’s not enough activity options for you, the nonprofit group Friends of Pathways grooms twelve miles of singletrack trails for fat biking. tetoncountywy.gov/1353/Grooming-Report

SKATE IN THE CENTER OF TOWN Glide around our Town Square’s iconic elk antler arches beneath trees wrapped in white lights and in the glow of the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar’s vintage neon signs. The community-supported JH Winter Wonderland isn’t just an outdoor ice skating rink, but perhaps the cutest, coziest outdoor skating rink ever. gtsa.us/rink-on-the-town-square JH

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Grizzly 399 with her four cubs this past fall. 66

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INFLUENTIAL, FURRY &

Famous BY MIKE KOSHMRL

CHARLIE LANSCHE

Charismatic individual animals like Grizzly 399 and Wolf 06 are ambassadors for their species, but the celebrity surrounding them isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always easy to manage.

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BRADLY J. BONER

Kate Wilmot, Grand Teton National Park bear-management specialist and Wildlife Brigade leader, monitors a bear jam in the northern region of the park. Wilmot says the Wildlife Brigade tries to let park visitors enjoy and experience wildlife as much as possible, and the group’s main purpose is to prevent potential conflicts.

EXT MESSAGES FLEW, camera shutters clicked, and social media streamed with scenes of frolicking grizzly bear cubs—cubs who caused cars to be bumper to bumper for the better part of half a mile along Teton Park Road—both sides—on July 17. All the buzz: Two sow grizzlies, each with cubs, were in the same place at the same time. But these weren’t just any bears, so this wasn’t an ordinary wildlife jam. The spectacle near the Mount Moran turnout was magnified because of the specific bears in sight: Grizzly 399, a twentyfour-year-old matriarch of Grand Teton National Park who has raised seventeen cubs over the past fourteen years, often within eyeshot of park roads; and Grizzly 610, one of 399’s grown daughters. Compounding the excitement over seeing these sows were the six cubs they had between them. Grizzly 399 had four little ones in tow, an extraordinary number of cubs for a grizzly of any age, and 610 had two cubs of her own.

To the delight of the starry-eyed throngs, the estranged mother and daughter grizzlies interacted. “They got close,” veteran wildlife lensman Tom Mangelsen said at the scene. “Three ninety-nine circled around to get downwind of them, then she caught a scent and everything was cool.” While the ursine adults were nonchalant about their reunion, their cubs—aunts and uncles and nieces and nephews, to use human terms— were much more curious. Some of them even played. “Fun to watch,” said Rita Bayles, a naturalist and filmmaker who was leading a photography tour that day. In her SUV’s back seat was a group of Californians. They had come to Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) with one goal:

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399 and her cubs have made appearances on 60 Minutes. Along with the Cheneys, Harrison Ford, and Kanye, they are as well known as any Wyoming residents.

to see its famous grizzly bears, animals like 399, 610, Blondie, Bruno, and the rest of the bunch. The National Park Service (NPS) biologists charged with managing the same grizzly bears and the crowds they create hesitate to even utter those numbers and names. To Kate Wilmot, a park biologist and fixture keeping people at a safe distance at bear jams, Grizzly 399 is “sow with four cubs.” This resistance to highlighting specific animals is rooted in some of the foundational principles of wildlife management, like wildlife managers focusing on the population instead of individuals. Gus Smith, GTNP’s science and natural resource chief, explains the rationale. “If I were to be a perfect flat hat [NPS employee], I’d say we want people to be inspired by the wildlife. But I don’t think that the numbers, and this celebrity that we’re talking about, should matter,” he says. Welcomed or not, the celebrity is real. Grizzly 399 and her kin have an on-the-ground fan club burning tire rubber and shoe leather from whenever the bears emerge from their dens in the spring (April or May) until they disappear again to hibernate

through the winter. News of them has appeared in newspapers around the world. They’re the stars of books like Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek, which features images by Mangelsen and words by Todd Wilkinson, and the recent children’s book simply titled Grizzly 399. Images of them hang in Images of Nature, the downtown-Jackson gallery Mangelsen founded in 1978. Facebook pages, Instagram accounts, hashtags, and bumper stickers exist in their names (numbers). They’ve made appearances on 60 Minutes. Along with the Cheneys, Harrison Ford, and Kanye, they are as well known as any Wyoming residents. Mangelsen remembers the beginnings of the bears’ icon status. A turning point came in 2011, when both Grizzly 399 and Grizzly 610 came out of their dens with litters of cubs. “We counted 228 different news outlets that covered it,” Mangelsen says. “Jane Goodall called from London and said, ‘One of your bears is in the Sunday paper.’ We found a story from Turkey. That was the beginning of the real fame, I think.” Mangelsen says he never would have guessed that Grand Teton’s grizzlies would become so popular.

Grizzly 399 crosses a road in Grand Teton National Park with her cub of the year in May 2016. The bear, estimated to be twenty-four-years old in 2020, attained worldwide fame for raising her young near the national park's roads, in full view of adoring fans. RYAN DORGAN

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

RYAN DORGAN

ELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK senior wildlife biologist Doug Smith (no relation to GTNP’s Gus Smith) isn’t so surprised by recognizable megafauna’s fame. People relate to each other and tell their human histories through stories, he says. It comes naturally that our interpretation of the wild world is also told through stories. What is a key component to any story? The characters involved. After a quarter century researching the world’s most famous wolves, he knows well that the “celebritization” of wildlife can be a conundrum for the agencies involved. “In short, the government hates the naming of things, but the public loves it,” he says. “These animals get a name, whether a number or a humanized name, and a story develops. So what do you do?” Part of the reason agencies are reluctant to embrace celebrity wildlife is because eventually the animals die, and oftentimes humankind is the cause of that death, be it a bullet or bumper. And this is a proven recipe for a blowup. Outrage over the death of a famous, named animal can reach impressive proportions. Yellowstone’s Doug Smith cites Cecil, a 13-year-old Zimbabwean lion made famous by its Hwange National Park upbringing. When a trophy-hunting dentist from Minnesota struck and killed Cecil with an arrow outside the park five years ago, hell broke loose. Protesters gathered outside the dentist’s shuttered office, and the international media covered the Cecil saga for weeks. There have been similar responses in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. When the alpha female wolf from a Lamar Valley pack known by wolf watchers as 06 was legally shot and killed by a hunter east of Yellowstone—outside of the park—Doug Smith got numerous calls from people who told him he should be fired because he didn’t speak out on her behalf loudly enough. “I also got calls from government people—and I won’t say who, state or federal—saying, ‘You need to calm this down because the wolf lovers are going nuts and it’s on you because you inflamed it,’” he says. “And I didn’t do anything. She got shot, and my phone and my emails started going off the hook.” Jackson Hole resident Cindy Campbell is one of the people who’s quick to call wildlife professionals when she feels they misstep. One of Teton Park’s grizzly-watching devotees, she appreciates the insight famous bears provide into the everyday management of agencies like the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. “The ambassador bears, we see how they manage them every day because they’re in the public eye,” says Campbell, who isn’t especially fond of the “celebrity” tag. She doesn’t want her ambassadors treated differently, but rather wants to see more compassion brought into the science and decision-making relating to all bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. She wants to see bruins set up

Dozens of media outlets penned articles about the killing of Wolf 832F by a hunter outside of Yellowstone’s boundaries in 2013. The alpha female was a favorite among tourists and local wolf watchers.

Beth Bennett and Sue Ernisse comfort one another while processing the news in June 2016 that a cub of grizzly 399’s had been struck and killed by a motorist near Pilgrim Creek Road. Fans of the celebrity bruin erected a small roadside memorial at the site of the incident. WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

BRADLY J. BONER

they know best. “This should never happen again, ever,” Boulder, Colorado, resident Richard Spratley said from the lakeshore. “Game and Fish can’t do this, ever again. Not to a good bear like that. He was as gentle a soul as you’d ever want to know.” Wyoming Game and Fish’s large carnivore chief, Dan Thompson, was on the receiving end of the fury at the time. Six years later, he explained that he values a lot of what famous grizzlies like 760 bring to the table. “These animals can generate further interest and awareness in wildlife and wildlife habitats, and provide a glimpse to general laypersons across the world into the importance of all wildlife,” Thompson says. Still, he says the concept of celebrity critters poses a proverbial doubleedged sword: When the most famed specimens are lionized, sometimes they become “untouchable”—deified—and can do no wrong in the eyes of some people. “It makes it difficult,” Thompson says. “We get beat up a lot because we talk more about animals on the population level, but that’s what we have to do. We’re not going to conserve all the grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Nandia Black, of for success by the decisions of managers but worries Ecosystem because of one or two bears.” Many— Kildeer, Illinois, tosses that isn’t always happening, based on observations sometimes dozens—of grizzlies are trapped and a stone into Jackson of grizzlies she does know. “In their worlds of bu- euthanized every year, whether because they’re Lake in memory of reaucracy, they follow the book,” Campbell says of hooked on human food and highly habituated, Grizzly Bear 760 during a morning the agencies. “And it’s time for some new chapters to deemed a danger to humans, or are chronically memorial for the get written in that book.” killing livestock (addressing this conflict is a story bruin in May 2015 In 2014, the spotlight was on Grizzly 760, a for another issue). at Colter Bay. The subadult bear born to Grizzly 610 (thus a secondBut wildlife managers like Thompson have bear, the offspring of Grizzly 610, had generation descendent of Grizzly 399). Seven-sixty sometimes shown a willingness to treat the most been euthanized by was relocated by the Wyoming Game and Fish famous animals differently. “We’re not stupid,” Wyoming Game and Department twice because of habituated behavior; Thompson says. “We have to realize those [celebriFish officials the the second time it was hauled across the Greater ty] bears’ importance.” In 2018, the Endangered previous fall after it had multiple conflicts Yellowstone Ecosystem to near Clark, Wyoming. Species Act protections had ended for the with humans. Shortly after its resettlement here, the young male Yellowstone region’s grizzlies, and the state of grizzly pulled down from a tree a deer carcass that Wyoming was pressing forward with the first grizzly bear hunt in nearly four decades. It was immensely divi“We get beat up a lot because we talk more about animals on sive and fought over in courts. the population level, but that’s what we have to do. We’re not going Game and Fish selected license to conserve all the grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone holders—Mangelsen, armed with his camera, was among Ecosystem because of one or two bears.” them—before a federal judge — WYOMING GAME AND FISH LARGE CARNIVORE CHIEF DAN THOMPSON stepped in at the eleventh hour and halted the hunt. Although had been hung too low by a hunter. This was yet the hunt would have allowed up to twenty-two grizanother instance of 760’s habituation—deemed zlies to be killed, steps were taken to safeguard the dangerous by Game and Fish—and so the grizzly likes of 399, whose home range was part of a nowas trapped and killed. Once the Jackson Hole hunting buffer area adjoining GTNP and bear-watching community caught word, outrage Yellowstone. “We devised a regulation that would and calls for an investigation into wrongdoing essentially not allow that particular animal to ever were swift. Campbell spearheaded a social media be harvested,” Thompson says. “We protected every movement and helped organize a memorial on the place she’s ever lived.” That concession did not plashores of Jackson Lake the following spring. The cate conservationists like Campbell, who wanted to gathering was a testimony to the intense passion see all grizzlies treated the same—whether they’re people can develop for wildlife, especially those in the public eye or not. 72

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We will never rest

As a national legal non-profit, no one fights more cases for the environment. Learn more: earthjustice.org/neverrest

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THOMAS D. MANGELSEN

I Spirit and her three cubs on Miller Butte.

T’S VISIBILITY—PROXIMITY to roads, primarily—that enables the fandom, stardom, and stories that lead to animals developing reputations and names. The dynamics don’t discriminate based on species. “It’s not just limited to the charismatic megafauna, but [with them] it’s a lot more polarized,” Thompson says. When a rarely seen animal, a mountain lion queen, denned and reared her cubs on the flank of the National Elk Refuge’s Miller Butte in 1999, crowds came and watched for months and a moniker resulted: Spirit. People used Spirit to spearhead activism; the roadside scene sparked the formation of the nonprofit Cougar Fund, which is still around two decades later advocating on behalf of mountain lions. Closely observing the same animals week after week affects people. Oftentimes, it inspires them and makes them want to protect what’s left of the wild. Being around wolves for forty-two years changed Doug Smith’s life (he worked with wolves in Minnesota and Michigan before coming to Yellowstone). “I’ve learned from wolves about how to live life better,” he says. “They’re great parents. They’re infinitely patient. They’re not worried about tomorrow. They live in the moment 100 percent. They could die the next day, and they’re totally fine with it.” In Smith’s view, the future of wildlife conservation and management will continue to be driven by populations, but he also sees merit in recognizing and researching individuals. “For each species it varies, but generally a minority of individuals contribute to the majority of the productivity,” he says. He cited swans and loons, species where roughly 40 percent of the adults are responsible for 80 percent of cygnets and chicks. “What is it about the individuals who do all the

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

contributing that’s different?” he asks. “If you look at it that way, studying individuals becomes really, really important. So why wouldn’t we identify them?” Doug Smith doesn’t hesitate to say he’s become emotionally invested in individual animals, especially early in his career. Inevitably, he developed favorites, like Wolf 9, an import from Canada who was among the first batch of wolves reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995. Smith spent time with her in the pen, followed her on horseback and from an airplane, and then one day she just disappeared, which wasn’t easy for him. Wolf 5 was another one; Smith watched her slowly decline due to old age. She began to lag behind her pack, and then one day she went missing. “I flew and flew and flew and flew, and could never get her collar signal,” he says. “And, you know, that one was tough.” Thompson says he’d pity anyone who happened to accidentally strike and kill a widely cherished animal like Grizzly 399. “I truly believe you’d have to go into witness relocation,” he says. “I don’t know how you’d get out of that.” This past year, the famous grizzly clans of Grand Teton National Park dodged any high-profile deaths through mid-November, though the matriarch—399—and her cubs found themselves in an unprecedented and concerning situation. For much of the late fall, the family was outside of the national park and in the southern valley, where there are subdivisions and ranches. Here they accessed human-related foods: a beekeeper's honey, livestock feed, and compost. Eating human foods can spell doom for any bear; “a fed bear is a dead bear” is a saying among wildlife biologists and game managers. Once bears associate humans with food, they might spend more time in developed areas, which can lead to unwanted human/bear encounters. When this happens, hazing, relocating and euthanizing bears are all possible outcomes. The fate of grizzly 399 and her four cubs was unclear as this edition of Jackson Hole magazine was sent to the printer. While they were up in the park, the celebrity grizzlies proved to be more popular than ever, at least anecdotally. Mangelsen says that he and friends at times this past summer counted 200 to 300 vehicles—which likely meant there were several times as many people—at the largest bear jams. These THOMAS D. MANGELSEN

In 1999, a female mountain lion denned and reared her cubs on Miller Butte, on the National Elk Refuge. Their cave was visible, and people traveled here from around the world to see and photograph the family.

scenes are crowded, chaotic, and a challenge for Wilmot and her team of bearbrigade volunteers to manage, and can be off-putting for people seeking intimate wildlife-watching experiences. At the same time, they’re an opportunity for scores of people to peep their first-ever wild grizzly. GTNP’s Gus Smith sees the wildlife jams as the perfect nexus of the National Park Service’s mission. “It’s protecting the resource for future generations while allowing people to have these amazing experiences,” he says. Mangelsen, who’s watched the crowds swell as the years have passed, says the celebrity grizzly’s growing popularity is a worthwhile tradeoff. “I wish I had the whole park to myself, like everybody else does,” he says. “But this does give a voice to these bears.” Yellowstone’s Doug Smith understands where fellow wildlife scientists who’ve dug in their heels, refusing to embrace celebrity, are coming from. “A lot of respected colleagues say, ‘Don’t do this,’ because the public fusses about it and the public locks onto it, and it’s all about populations,” he says. “And that is true.” But he believes the celebrity status of wildlife in the ecosystem has helped the cause of conservation. Unlike GTNP staff’s more anonymous treatment of their numbered and recognizable grizzly bears, Yellowstone employees more readily share the research numbers of their wolves with the inquiring public. Former Yellowstone Wolf Project biologist Rick McIntyre, who remains a wolf-watching fixture in the park even though he retired in 2018, was famous for his skillful storytelling of wolves like Wolf 832F—known as 06 by the public. His tales, often told in human terms, inspired connections between people standing at spotting scopes and the named and numbered wolves running wild. “I think the ‘celebritization’ has helped,” Smith says. He explains that well-known individual animals are helping build champions of wildlife and wild places: “I’m not going to say I’m in favor of [celebrity wildlife], but nature needs help. Nature’s declining. We’ve got to connect people with nature, and that’s what the national parks are designed to do. How are we going to do that? You can’t speak in generalities. You’ve got to say, ‘This bear, this wolf, this bison, this elk.’ You need a story, and the naming gives you a story.” JH

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// PHOTOGALLERY

GHOSTS

The

of Kellyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Complicated Past

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

PHOTOS AND TEXT BY RYAN DORGAN

From flood to fire to condemnation, the attempted erasure of Kelly has been the town’s one constant.

IN 1978, DUNCAN Morrow, a National Park Service (NPS) spokesman, told the Jackson Hole News that there were two things giving him headaches. The first was “inholders”—some 32,000 people who owned private real estate within the boundaries of America’s national parks. The second headache Morrow offered up without hesitation: “Kelly, Wyoming.” At that time, Morrow’s two pains went hand-in-hand; the unassuming community of about one hundred people on the Gros Ventre River on Jackson Hole’s eastern flank was the center of a nationwide battle between private landowners and a federal government’s land-acquisition program. Kelly, as we know it today, was subdivided in 1937, ten years after a flood wiped out almost all of the community and thirteen years before Grand Teton National Park was expanded to encompass it. A massive landslide in 1925 created an earthen dam across the Gros Ventre River; in 1927 this dam failed and all but three of Kelly’s buildings—its school and the Episcopal church and its parsonage—were washed away. Six Kelly residents died in the flood. Of the 181 lots plotted in 1937, seventy-six of them (about 42 percent) have been acquired by the NPS. These are now part of Grand Teton National Park (GTNP). For years (and to this day), the NPS bought inholdings in Kelly and in national parks across the country under a “willingseller/willing-buyer” arrangement, often offering a cash deal with a lifetime lease that allowed residents to remain in their homes until they died, after which their homes would be demolished and the lots left to return to a natural state. To this day, 2.6 million of the 85 million acres that fall within NPS boundaries remain privately owned, with 884.3 of those private acres in GTNP. While the vast majority of Kelly’s inholders sold their homes to the NPS voluntarily, the pressure picked up in the mid-1970s. At that time, with land values continuing to rise, Congress allocated $450 million over three years to the NPS for the purpose of purchasing all inholdings across federal lands nationwide. A career real estate man named Robert Lunger was brought to GTNP to buy up inholdings on behalf of the NPS. “Willingseller/ willing-buyer” remained the park service’s public position, but two landowners in Kelly were told by Lunger that their land would be condemned under eminent domain after plans to build cabins on their properties were deemed incompatible with the park’s mission to preserve undeveloped lands within its boundaries. “It was all in a very threatening way,” said a resident who Lunger visited at work. “It wasn’t ‘We wish you wouldn’t do that.’” By the end of the 1970s, public pressure and changing park service priorities eased the push to erase Kelly, and by 1984 a new GTNP land-acquisition plan moved Kelly to the bottom of its priority list, recommending deferring any further acquisition of private property in Kelly so long as land uses compatible with the Teton County Comprehensive Plan continued. Today, Kelly remains a small community reflective of its past, a patchwork of attempted erasure locked in time. Million-dollar houses sit beside modest cabins and NPS-owned vacant lots, while dilapidated homes signed over to the NPS decades ago continue to fall into disrepair, waiting for just enough funding for the bulldozer to return them to the earth. WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

// PHOTOGALLERY

THE BONNEY HO U S E

Lorraine and Orrin Bonney spent many summers in this cabin, which they bought from Oscar Seaton. If you’ve spent any time up high in Wyoming’s mountains, chances are you’re familiar with the Bonneys. The couple met on a mountaintop in the early 1950s and spent most of the rest of their summers in the alpine, exploring and writing guidebooks so that others could share in their experiences. They eventually wrote nearly twenty guidebooks; their first was published in 1960, the exhaustive Guide to the Wyoming Mountains and Wilderness Areas. Because of their combined explorations in the Wind River mountains, Wyoming’s largest range, a pass between the Titcomb and Dunwoody valleys was named after the couple. In the Tetons, a pinnacle on the North Ridge of the Middle Teton also bears the Bonney name. Orrin was an attorney in Houston, Texas, but the family lived for their summers in Jackson Hole. Before buying this cabin, they stayed in a tipi near Jenny Lake. The Kelly cabin jokingly came to be known as “Fort Bonney.” In 1976, the Bonneys sold their “fort” to the National Park Service but took advantage of the NPS’s policy allowing former owners of inholdings to live in their homes until their death. Orrin died in 1979, and Lorraine lived and climbed for another thirty-seven years, dying in 2016 at the age of ninety-three. (She lived in this cabin until at least 2012.) In 2019, the two were inducted into the Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame. 78

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TH E D RIS KELL H OUSE Dean and Iris (Carlson) Driskell bought this place from Iris’s parents. Dean was a contractor and had a cinder block shop on the property that’s still standing. In 1946, he and his nephew Glen “Bob” Wiley built one of Jackson’s first motels, the D&W, which eventually became the El Rancho Motel and is now part of the Anvil Hotel. In 1948, the men built research facilities in Moran for the Jackson Hole Wildlife Park, which today is part of Grand Teton National Park. To keep busy in the winter, Dean and Bob built snow planes in a cabinet shop in Jackson. This shop still stands; it’s the long building behind the former Jackson Hole Historical Society cabin at the intersection of Mercill and Glenwood Streets in downtown. The Driskells sold their Kelly home to the National Park Service (NPS) in 1984 but lived in it until 2003, when Dean died. (Iris died in 2010.) A neighbor said the house is now boarded up because kids broke in and started a fire on the living room floor one night after the Driskells had sold and moved out.

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

// PHOTOGALLERY

In 1927, World War I vet David “Tex” Little cut off the back of his Buick, turned it into a camper, and traveled the country. In 1943, he and his wife, Blanche, landed in Kelly. At that time, there were just a handful of other people living there, although the town of Jackson had a population of about 800. The flood that wiped out most of Kelly had happened sixteen years before the Littles’ arrival, but Tex and Blanche were among the first people to build a new home there. They raised two kids in this home. Neighbors say the road that connects Main Street to the Kelly School is not named Little School Road because of Kelly’s “little school” but because Tex Little put the road in. Tex ran an outfitting business out of this property and had a hunting camp up Arizona Creek, near the northern part of Jackson Lake. Neighbors tell of watching Tex dress moose that were hanging from the water tower behind his house. In the summers, Tex and Boots Allen guided fishermen on the Snake River. In a December 2000 issue of the Jackson Hole Guide, Suburban Propane ran a quarter-page ad wishing Tex a happy birthday and recognizing him for forty-six years of continuous propane service to his home. The Littles signed their home over to the NPS in 1972, but Tex lived here until October 2001. (Blanche had died in 1986.) He was ninety-eight years old when he moved from this house to Jackson. Tex died in 2006 at the age of 103. At the time of his death, he was the oldest resident of Teton County. 80

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TH E L IT TL E H O U S E

TH E F U L L E RTO N H O USE Little is known of Sue Fullerton, who signed this home over to the National Park Service in 1978. It is not known how long she lived in the house after this. Fullerton helped to develop the geographic information system (GIS) for Grand Teton National Park and was recognized in 1993 for her accomplishments in the GIS program. She was a docent at the National Museum of Wildlife Art and was involved in the Jackson Hole Conservation Allianceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual silent art and antique auction. JH

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

STuCK P U Stickers offer a window into the Jackson Hole community and culture.

BY JH MAGAZINE STAFF // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRADLY J. BONER

“I THINK ONCE someone puts a sticker somewhere, it is just an invitation to put more there,” says graphic designer Walt Gerald, whose stickers celebrating the Teton County Library can be found around the valley (one is shown above). The biggest sticker repository in the valley might be the grain silo at the Snake River Brewery. The brewery has had this silo, which holds 60,000 pounds of Idaho-grown grain and is refilled about once a month, for twenty-six years. But it wasn’t until twelve years ago, when it was moved from the back of the facility to its current location at the entrance to the Snake River Brewpub, that stickerers really noticed it. “People just started putting stickers on it, and we

thought it was generally funny, so we never bothered to do anything about it,” says Luke Bauer, a former brewpub waiter and currently the brewing company’s sales and marketing director. Darrell Miller, whose production company Storm Show Studios has produced twenty full-length feature ski films, says he has been making Storm Show stickers and also stickers with the names of each of the movies the studio has done, since he founded Storm Show in 1999. He says he remembers putting a Storm Show sticker on the electrical box near the Mangy Moose about fifteen years ago. “Back then there were only about ten stickers on it,” he says. “It’s funny to see

how it’s been wallpapered over. Who knows how many layers the sticker I put there fifteen years ago is now under?” So why the electrical box by the Mangy Moose and not the one on Cache Street in downtown Jackson? “Location is key,” Miller says. “If you’re trying to get your message or brand to a particular group like, say, tourists or skiers, that electrical box at the Moose is the place. Hundreds of people probably walk by it everyday.” Miller says the giant microwave panel on the bootpack up Mount Glory on Teton Pass would be another great spot to get the attention of skiers and snowboarders. “That’s a cool spot, but I don’t think I’ve ever stuck anything there,” he says.

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

HIS NAME IS ANGUS

local sticker lingo

LOCAL OUTDOOR-INDUSTRY VETERAN SAM PETRI IS NOT INVOLVED WITH STICKERS HIMSELF, BUT, HE SAYS, “I PROBABLY PAY ATTENTION TO THEM MORE THAN MOST PEOPLE. MY FAVORITES ARE THE ONES THAT ARE SIMPLY THE BLACK STICKERS WITH THE WHITE WRITING—THE HOMEMADE ONES WITH NO DESIGN AND A PHRASE THAT IS SOME SORT OF INSIDE JOKE.” JACKSON HOLE HAS NO SHORTAGE OF THESE TYPES OF STICKERS. HERE WE’VE DECIPHERED SOME OF THE ONES YOU MIGHT FIND OUT IN THE WILD.

During a run for the U.S. Senate in 2013, Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, fumed at the then-editor-in-chief of the Jackson Hole News&Guide, Angus Thuermer, after he reported in the newspaper that Cheney had paid a fine for purchasing a resident fishing license even though she didn’t meet its requirement of having lived in the state for at least a year. At a campaign event, Cheney singled out Thuermer—“His name is Angus,” she told the crowd—and accused him of bias.

NO ONE CARES THAT YOU TELE Aimed at telemark skiers who talk too much about the fact that they are telemark skiers. Side Note: Shortly after this sticker appeared, a subsequent sticker surfaced bearing a full-body silhouette of Michael Jackson on telemark skis, one heel cocked upward in his famous Moonwalk pose, alongside the caption, “Michael Cares.”

CHENEY SKIS IN JEANS This dates back to the early 2000s when Dick Cheney, a resident of Jackson Hole, was Vice President of the United States. “Skiing in jeans” is a derisive joke in the ski community—essentially people who don’t have a clue are said to ski in jeans, so the sticker was a political dig of sorts.

DICK STOUT GOT ME OFF Stout is a long-time Jackson Hole criminal defense attorney who is known for representing clients charged with DUI.

BRO BRAH BLAH BLAH A dig at the vernacular of ski bums.

ROB SUCKS Sorry, we’ve got no idea who Rob is. “I’m not cool enough to know who Rob is,” Petri says. “I always see these and go, ‘Who’s Rob?’ I’d love to know, but it’s also fun not to.”

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

stickers as art

JACKSONITE JEN REDDY’S stickers have their roots in her art. “Stickers are a way for me to put my artwork out there,” she says. “They are more accessible to more people than an original painting.” For example, the twenty-four-bythirty-six-inch watercolor she did of a skier straight-lining through powder on a sunny day and casting a prominent shadow can only be in one place. She liked this painting so much though, and thought that it would resonate with others, so she turned it into a two-by-twoinch sticker and handed it out to people in lift lines at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. “Stickers give artists the ability to widely share their work,” she says. Walt Gerald, a freelance graphic designer whose “Came for the Mountains, Stayed for the Library” series of stickers that support the Teton County Library are ubiquitous around the valley, says that he has a whole box of stickers of his own design and by others that he has no plans to stick anywhere. “I keep them as these little pieces of art,” he says. “It is a thrill to see my stickers out there,” says Reddy, who estimates she has done about forty sticker designs in the last several years and usually prints one hundred at a time. Look for her “Sisters of Shred,” shown on pg. 83, and “Give Warm Fuzzies” stickers. The ideas for both came to her while in a lift line. About the latter she says, “It’s a reminder we can all be warm and comforting to each other, kind of like your favorite beanie.” “Sisters of Shred” started off as a painting. “Then I thought it would be perfect on a water bottle or skis,” Reddy says.

Right: Stickers on the refrigerator at D.O.G. (a cafe in downtown Jackson) Below: A sign at the top of Teton Pass.

If you think the Snake River Brewery’s grain silo has an impressive amount of stickers, know that there is actually a Guinness World Record for the world’s largest sticker ball. The current holder of this title is a ball of more than 200,000 stickers that weighs more than 230 pounds and lives in Longmont, Colorado. Created to coincide with the first-ever National Sticker Day, the ball was started by the StickerGiant labels company and was originally named Sticker Giant, SG for short. Recognizing that such a superlative sticker ball deserved a more imaginative name, the company renamed it Saul after the Saul Goodman character—initials were SG—in the AMC show Breaking Bad. If you’re around Longmont, you can arrange to visit StickerGiant’s world headquarters; Saul lives in the lobby and visitors are encouraged to add stickers to it.

“There are some very specific stickers that were made by brewpub regulars that are of some inside joke for the staff or locals, but by and large it’s just a phenomenon that’s fed on itself. People see stickers and they want to add their own,” says Snake River Brewery’s Luke Bauer, who estimates there are now thousands of stickers on the brewery's silo (shown to the left) and, in some places, the stickers are up to five layers thick.

The artist often credited with creating the first piece of art that was a sticker is Shepard Fairey. The summer of 1989, when he had just finished his freshman year at the Rhode Island School of Design, a picture of professional wrestler Andre the Giant caught Fairey’s attention. He did a simple, stylized stencil based on the image, adding “Andre the Giant Has a Posse” and the wrestler’s height (7’4”) and weight (520 pounds), and had it printed as a sticker. He gave it out to his “posse” of fellow skateboarders, never imagining it would be anything more than an inside joke. But, as Charleston magazine reported in a profile of Fairey, who grew up in the historic South Carolina city, that summer he became “increasingly intrigued by the evocative power of a mysterious, ambiguous image—simultaneously sinister and goofy—placed randomly and anonymously in the public sphere, with no apparent agenda.” And so he began plastering Providence, Rhode Island, where RISD is located, with his Andre stickers, and also mailed them to friends around the world. Fairey eventually tweaked the design, making it sleeker, removing Andre the Giant’s name, and editing the text to “Obey” or “Obey Giant.” Fairey estimates that, between 1989 and 1996, he had millions of these stickers printed. “Obey Giant” isn’t Fairey’s most famous sticker though; that honor goes to the sticker made from his 2008 Hope portrait of Barack Obama. (This design wasn’t originally created as a sticker, but as a poster. But it was very quickly stickerized.) JH

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

Living

LOOKING BACK

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

The

BROWSE A look back at the beginnings of Jackson Hole’s original thrift store on the event of its fiftieth anniversary, coming up in 2022.

COURTESY PHOTO

BY WHITNEY ROYSTER

SOME OF MY best purchases include Patagonia jackets for my kids, soccer cleats, coolers, and frying pans. We’ve gotten puzzles and games, then donated them back again for other people to use. The best kid toys were from the lower shelves, including an adding machine (Sure! Punch every button!) and several plastic spatulas that were worth far more than their fifty-cent price tag for the several days of beatings they eventually took. This is my love affair with Browse ‘N’ Buy. Dubbed the “longest running garage sale in Teton County,” Browse ‘N’ Buy is the community center for good deals. An offshoot of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Browse ‘N’ Buy—or “the Browse,” or “Browser,”—sits a block north of the Town Square and is the county’s oldest secondhand store. Its customers include those on a budget, those who love a good treasure hunt, those looking for something offbeat like an ugly Christmas sweater or Halloween costume, those coming to town in summer shocked by both the cold temperatures and the retail cost of a jacket, and those who, like me, go to get deals for a great bragging session.

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

IN A HISTORY OF ST. JOHN’S CHURCH, FRANKLIN JOHNSON, THE RECTOR THERE FOR NINETEEN YEARS STARTING IN 1981, QUOTED A CHURCH NEWSLETTER COMING OUT ON THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF BROWSE ‘N’ BUY, SAYING A SHOPPER PUT DOWN HIS JEAN JACKET TO TRY ON SOME CLOTHES. SOMEONE PICKED UP HIS JACKET AND BOUGHT IT FOR TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. WHEN THE MAN FOUND OUT HIS JACKET WAS SOLD, HE RAN DOWN THE STREET AND CAUGHT UP TO THE NEW OWNER. THE NEW OWNER SOLD THE JACKET BACK TO HIM FOR FORTY CENTS.

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

THE HISTORY OF Browse ‘N’ Buy is much as you’d expect. In the early 1970s, St. John’s church had a biannual rummage sale. People would donate items; volunteers from the church organized them and had a garage sale. Marge Hunt oversaw it. “I realized if we charged over a dollar, it wouldn’t sell,” Hunt, now ninety, says from her home in New Hampshire. She was polishing a set of donated sterling silver candlesticks (Remember when people had silver? And polished it?), and she told the priest at the time, Phil Zimmers, that they should save some of the best things and open up a little place and sell them at a more reasonable price. He liked the idea and brought Hunt to a meeting of church officials. He told the group, “People will come to browse and buy.” “When I heard those words, I knew he had named the store,” Hunt remembers. Hunt also heard a rumor that another church was talking about opening a shop, so she advanced the opening date to November 4, 1972, for an “advantage,” she wrote in an essay about the store’s beginnings. The shop’s first space was in the living room and kitchen of an apartment the church owned. There was a porch out front where people dropped off donations. Hunt cut a hole in the main door so people could pay for things that were left on the

ASHLEY WILKERSON

Customers peruse the goods that thrift store Browse ‘N’ Buy offers the valley.

porch. After that, the store moved to a bigger space in the basement of an adjacent building, where people dropped their donations off via a slide. “One night a man went down the slide,” Hunt says. “I don’t know what he was looking for. He was in the shop when it opened.” Lou Breitenbach, who lived at the church and ran the Browse for nine years, says nothing was ever locked, so a man going down the slide doesn’t surprise her. Hunt cleaned out a coal room in this basement herself in order to hang Halloween costumes for rent. She rented out her husband’s opera hat, took a $10 deposit for it, and never saw it again. For some time, the store had a reading nook where staff often found people asleep. Transient people would come in and get connected with jobs or places to live. People established friendships after seeing each other in the shop a few times.

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For several years, Browse ‘N’ Buy would set aside items of particular interest or potential value and sell them at their annual “Best of Browse ‘N’ Buy” silent auction fundraiser.

ASHLEY WILKERSON

A woman dropped off a fur coat sent to her by her mother. “The daughter wanted nothing to do with the coat,” Hunt says. “But the mother called and said, ‘Well, did you get the diamond I put in the pocket?’ The coat had already sold.” Hunt put an ad in the paper looking for the person that bought it but had no replies. By 1981 the store moved upstairs to Parish Hall, a space even larger than the basement, and in 1987, the current building on the south side of the St. John’s campus was built.

From clothing to kitchen wares to outdoor goods, Browse ‘N’ Buy offers customers a broad range of gently used items.

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

DONATIONS TO BROWSE ‘N’ Buy pour in from people moving, cleaning out their homes, and not wanting to throw out things that can be reused. Browse ‘N’ Buy’s current manager, Lonnie Brown, says the store gets donations of Thomas Mangelsen photographs and sculptures worth thousands of dollars. Once he got a donation that included a loaded handgun. (An accident, probably.) He gets so many donations of bullets that he keeps a collection by his desk and gives them to the police department about once a month. Brown also remembers a couple donating a car. “The people were leaving town, and the guy said, ‘I’ve got a car with a clean title,’ ” he says. Lonnie took it, reached out to organizations like the Community Safety Network and Climb Wyoming, and took applications to give the car away. He gave it to a woman with two children who took the bus every day from Alpine to Jackson. The charity aspect is the fulcrum of Browse ‘N’ Buy’s business. The first year the Browser opened, the church earned $3,725 from sales. Ten years later, in 1982, sales were $20,500, or 21 percent of the church’s budget. By 1991, sales increased to $130,000, and by 1997 reached $225,000. In 2007, the gross sales were nearly $300,000.

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CONNOR LILJESTROM

Today, Browser’s gross revenue is close to $1 million and proceeds are about half that. The church uses this money for community outreach. It has sponsored programs like the Jackson (Food) Cupboard, Alcoholics Anonymous, and One22, which provides assistance, services, and information to people in need. (These organizations are also on the campus of St. John’s.) Browser’s proceeds also support the Good Samaritan Mission and the Hirschfield Center for Children and were used to buy uniforms for the Jackson Hole High School crosscountry team. The shop does about 275 transactions on a typical summer day, with an average sale of $17, according to St. John’s communications director Haley Deming. That compares with 2016 averages of 175 daily transactions of an average of $12.48. Since 2005, Browse ‘N’ Buy’s growth has been about 120 percent, but it wasn’t until 2016 that Brown implemented a business plan for the operation. Part of this plan is a limit on prices. For example, a new-with-tags Patagonia jacket will never cost more than $38. Prices go down from there depending on condition and brand. Brown says anything Patagonia or Stio flies off the racks. Any item that gets donated has five potential destinations: the shop floor for sale, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Savers (a chain of thrift stores), the recycling center, or trash. (The amount of trash the shop generated in textiles is a mere 2 percent of its donations.) While employees plead with people to limit donations to things they would buy, donors can be assured that their wares will be reused to the best of the store’s ability. It’s the ultimate recycling center. Last year alone, Browser recycled 134 tons of textiles. Hunt delights in the legacy Browse ‘N’ Buy has created. She was happy to be a church volunteer, running the shop in its early years while her children played under the coat racks. She remembers selling blue jeans for fifty cents and cleaning a child’s jacket herself in her tub, changing the water every day for over a week until she could put it out for sale. “I still find it hard to believe that this last year they took in nearly $1 million,” she says. JH

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WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

Living

OUTDOORS

Two hundred years after John Colter was the first white man to see Yellowstone and Jackson Hole, two friends retrace his route, find it’s still full of adventure, and make a movie about it. BY DINA MISHEV IMAGES FROM COLTER: A LEGACY OF ADVENTURE

ONE OF THE early scouting trips that inspired Wilsonites Sawyer Thomas and Riis Wilbrecht to tackle the adventure that became the twenty-eightminute film Colter: A Legacy of Adventure was a seven-day winter skicamping trip in the Beartooth Mountains. “We managed to completely destroy ourselves on it,” Wilbrecht says. Rather than back off though, the pair doubled down. Thomas says, “As soon as we came out from it, I knew I had to go back and do the entire route.”

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

A Legacy of

Adventure

Map: The 1814 map that shows John Colterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s route after he left the Corps of Discovery. Image: Thomas trying to cross the South Fork of the Shoshone River outside of Cody, Wyoming.

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

Riis Wilbrecht (top) and Sawyer Thomas (below) grew up having adventures in and around the Tetons.

The “route” Thomas refers to is the one believed to have been taken through and around present-day Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and Jackson Hole over the winter of 1807–1808 by the first white man to see these areas, John Colter. (Read more about Colter, a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition from 1803 to 1806, in the sidebar.) “The whole idea came together over a couple of years,” says Thomas. “I was getting more interested in history and came up with the idea of adding a historical element to our usual mountain adventures. When we came upon Colter’s route, we knew it was perfect. His is an incredible story, and the route went through some of the most amazing terrain we’ve ever been in—exactly the kind of terrain where we wanted to spend time anyway.” The first big adventure Wilbrecht and Thomas had together was climbing Rock Springs Buttress in the Tetons with Thomas’s father, Charlie. They were in middle school. “Since then, it’s been constant—with running and skiing missions,” Wilbrecht says. “This was our biggest mission by far though.” WHILE HISTORY WOULD be more clear-cut if the exact route Colter took during the winter of 1807–1808 was known, it isn’t. Colter did not keep journals (he was likely illiterate). Upon his return to St. Louis in 1810, Colter described his route to William Clark, who included it in the 1814 publication A Map of Lewis and Clark’s Track Across the Western Portion of North America from the Mississippi to the Pacific Ocean. And that’s most of what we know about Colter’s solo travels around the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. “About 40 percent of historians think Colter never entered [Yellowstone], and 60 percent think he did,” former Yellowstone National Park historian Lee Whittlesey told National Park Trips Media. Also debated is whether Colter traveled into Jackson Hole via Togwotee Pass or Teton Pass. “It worked for us that Colter’s exact route isn’t known,” Wilbrecht says. “It gave us flexibility. The ski missions we did and the run were inspired by his route but also went to places we wanted to go.” Thomas says that, after reading various sources, he found historian David Marshall’s book on Colter, Mountain Man: John 94

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

IT WORKED FOR THE FRIENDS THAT COLTER’S EXACT ROUTE ISN’T KNOWN. “IT GAVE US FLEXIBILITY. THE SKI MISSIONS WE DID AND THE RUN WERE INSPIRED BY HIS ROUTE, BUT ALSO WENT TO PLACES WE WANTED TO GO.” — SAWYER THOMAS

The track of Sawyer Thomas’s run (white) and bike (red) through the areas John Colter visited over the winter of 1807-1808.

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“I HAD HEARD STORIES ABOUT JOHN COLTER GROWING UP, BUT NEVER UNDERSTOOD HOW MUCH OF AN ABSOLUTE LUNATIC HE WAS UNTIL WE WERE RETRACING HIS STEPS.” —SAWYER THOMAS

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

Colter, the Lewis & Clark Expedition, and the Call of the American West, to be the best researched. “Marshall himself even retraced the route he thought Colter took,” Thomas says. “Marshall’s was the main map we ended up drawing from.” After months of planning and pouring over maps, the two friends, who went to Wilson Elementary School together and had been making short ski films of each other for years, did several winter ski expeditions at different places around Colter’s route and then, starting May 15, 2019, Thomas began running the entire 600-mile route. (Wilbrecht joined when his full course load at Montana State allowed.) When Wilbrecht wasn’t around, Thomas sometimes ran solo, with his girlfriend, or with other friends or family members. “There were so many people who volunteered their time and helped us out,” Thomas says. (The route actually started, and ended, with Thomas riding about 200 miles on a bicycle, accompanied by his parents.) Not that the men were expecting the run would be easy, but, “It was a bit of

sh—t show from the start,” Wilbrecht says. “Right off the bat, Riis and I really got in over our heads,” Thomas says. The first couple of days of the run, which started outside of Cody, Wyoming, the pair had to cross a river raging with melt off, found the trail they’d planned to follow still buried beneath feet of snow, and would have gotten lost had they not found grizzly bear tracks to follow. And it was raining. “We suffered,” Wilbrecht says. The only rule of the route was that Thomas had to start at the same place he had finished the day before. There wasn’t an official schedule, but Thomas guesstimated it’d take about one month. “We’d take rest days when I was feeling bad, and I’d do big days when I was feeling good. Everything was planned in the moment,” he says. Weather also affected the schedule. “Wyoming in May can bring anything,” Wilbrecht says. “We posted up in Dubois for two days because it would have been an absolute nightmare to go out and up Togwotee [Pass] in a whiteout.” Thomas says. “It was definitely very unpredictable every single step of the journey. Even on the last day, I wasn’t sure I would make it the entire way, but that’s what makes an adventure.” Watch Colter: A Legacy of Adventure for free at vimeo. com/358862877.

Who Was John Colter? Little is known of John Colter’s life prior to his joining the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1803, and, even then it’s still pretty fuzzy. Colter likely wasn’t literate, so what we know about him comes from the writings and reports of others. He was born between 1770 and 1775 in the Colony of Virginia and, in 1780, his family moved to present-day Kentucky. Here Colter learned the outdoor survival skills that impressed Meriwether Lewis enough to hire him as a member of the Corps of Discovery. As a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, one of Colter’s first significant acts was threatening to shoot fellow corpsman Sergeant John Ordway, which happened even before the group left its base camp at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers north of St. Louis. Colter was court martialed and faced expulsion, but after apologizing and promising to reform, he was kept on. For two years and thousands of miles, Colter was one of the Corps’ best hunters and route finders, sometimes persuading Native Americans to work as guides for the expedition. He was one of the few corpsmen who got to see the Pacific Ocean after reaching the mouth of the Columbia River. In August 1806, Colter was honorably discharged from the expedition, and he set off on his own explorations of present-day Montana and Wyoming. For four years, he explored solo, guided others, trapped, and traded. It was the eight months of winter he spent alone in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem that he is best known for and that make the argument for him being the first “mountain man,” a particularly adventurous and skilled breed of Rocky Mountain explorer that peaked in number and popularity in the 1840s. Colter returned to Missouri in 1810 and, within a year, was married to Sallie (or Sarah, or Sally) Lucie (or Lucy). The couple had a son, Hiram, and settled on the Missouri River. One of their neighbors was an elderly Daniel Boone. Colter died of an unknown illness in 1812. JH

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EXPERIENCE WINTER IN GRAND TETON

Grand Teton National Park Foundation raises funds to groom the Teton Park Road, providing access for visitors to explore one of the most scenic winter destinations in the West. Visit gtnpf.org to give to this community effort today. Thank you!

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WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

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RYAN DORGAN

UPCOMING EVENTS

WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

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GETTING OUT

Winter Wonderland BY SAMANTHA SIMMA

RYAN JONES

Snowmobiling is an easy way to see winter in Yellowstone. No experience necessary.

Old Faithful erupts on a clear winter evening in Yellowstone National Park. WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

101

ROWS OF FROSTY SNOWMOBILES AWAIT US OUTSIDE WHILE WE STUFF OUR STOMACHS AT THE BREAKFAST BUFFET INSIDE THE LODGE.

THE EARLY MORNING light crests the eastern tree line in Yellowstone National Park, transforming the snow-covered ground into a sea of sparkles. The park’s main thoroughfare from the south parallels the Lewis River, which seems to keep pace with our snowmobiles. From early November through May, Yellowstone’s roads close to regular traffic with the exception of a road between Mammoth Hot Springs and the community of Cooke City, Montana, just outside of Yellowstone’s northeast entrance. Snow accumulates on the 100-plus miles of closed roads, and, beginning December 15, the park grooms them, allowing snowmobiles and snow coaches (tour buses with giant snow tires or tracks for wheels) to bring visitors into a winter wonderland. Our snowmobile tour began in a minibus in the 6 a.m. darkness of Jackson. The guide, Bri Rambles, was bright-eyed and smiling while we passengers struggled with drooping eyelids. Now, ninety minutes north of town, the minibus sputters to a stop at Flagg Ranch’s Headwaters Lodge in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, a strip of land between Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. We’re here to snowmobile in the latter, but first comes breakfast—and wiggling into puffy snowmobile gear. Rows of frosty snowmobiles await us outside while we stuff our stomachs at the breakfast buffet inside the lodge. In the “boot and suit” room, Rambles’s role is that of a tailor as she fits each of us into insulated boots and one-piece suits. Once we’re kitted out, we head outside and begin testing our borrowed clothing and boots’ ability to withstand Wyoming’s freezing winter temperatures. Mostly warm, we wait for instruction on how to operate a snowmobile. (Prior snowmobiling experience is not a requirement for the tour.) Our driver’s education, snowmobile edition, includes cautionary tales that toe the line between seriousness and humor, including: Gently squeeze the throttle to avoid landing yourself in a tree; and keep an eye on the brake lights of the snowmobile in front of you. And then we’re off in a slow-moving, single file line as drivers get acquainted with their throttles and brakes.

102

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

THE SUN RISES quickly, but the temperature does not. Our first stretch is short; less than a couple of miles from the lodge, we stop for a photo at the Yellowstone National Park sign. We don’t know it at the time, but this is the least interesting stop of the day. Communication is difficult under heavy full-face snowmobile helmets, so Rambles has taught us a repertoire of hand signals. A raised hand means “stop,” and, after we’ve officially ridden into the park, she raises hers at an overlook. When we’ve all demonstrated our mastery of this hand signal by stopping, we turn off our machines and Rambles regales us with the history of the surrounding sights, including that of Lewis Canyon, through which runs the Lewis River. A tributary of the Snake River, the Lewis River was named for Meriwether Lewis, of Lewis and Clark fame, despite the fact that neither his famous expedition nor Lewis himself ever set foot in Yellowstone. Brown, brook, and cutthroat trout live in the river all year. After the Lewis River, there’s Lewis Falls and Lewis Lake. Up the road, a mass of parked snow coaches indicates wildlife activity. We don’t know what it is the snow coachers see, but we turn off our machines and walk up the road in their direction. There’s a wolf pack in the trees. The Lamar Valley, in the northern part of the park, is Yellowstone’s most famous wolf-watching spot, yet, here in the southeast, we catch a fleeting glimpse of dark-bodied canines trotting

Commercial outfitters do day-long snowmobiling trips into Yellowstone daily from mid-December until mid-March (weather permitting).

RYAN JONES

Usually you can see dynamic exhibits about Yellowstone’s hydrothermal features at the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center, but it is closed this winter because of Covid-19. The park’s app, NPS Yellowstone, shares similar information and predictions of when the park’s geysers might erupt.

through the trees. We count more than one dozen—a big pack. Old Faithful is supposed to be the trip’s highlight, but seeing wolves in the wild is amazing.

RYAN JONES

IN THE SUMMER, each eruption of Old Faithful can draw more than 2,000 spectators. When we get to the world’s most famous geyser, only a few dozen people stand on the boardwalk that surrounds it. (Winter in Yellowstone sees about one tenth the number of visitors the rest of the year does.) The geyser, the tallest of the six in the park whose eruptions can be predicted, soon sputters to life, a plume of water and steam shooting high above our heads for a couple of minutes. When the eruption is over, we return to wildlife watching. Around the geyser basin, the dark behemoth bodies of bison move slowly, grazing on grasses kept snow free by

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RYAN JONES

Going Solo Between 1963 and 2004, unguided snowmobiles were permitted to tour the park, but the noise and air pollution they caused—and because some drivers harassed park wildlife— caused Yellowstone to close to private snowmobiles. This was revised in 2014, when the Non-Commercially Guided Snowmobile Access Plan was released. It allows one non-commercially guided (i.e. private) group a day to enter at each of the park’s over-snow entrances: the North Entrance, East Entrance, South Entrance, and West Entrance. Permits are $40 per day for a group of up to five snowmobiles, with an additional $6 application fee. Permits are available via a lottery system. Applications are accepted during the month of August, and lottery winners are notified by mid-September. Permits not claimed in the lottery are available on a first-come-first-served basis starting October 1. Only those snowmobiles registered with the NPS and certified as meeting requirements for new best available technology (BAT) are allowed inside Yellowstone. Four Jackson-based companies rent BAT snowmobiles: Jackson Hole Adventure Rentals, Leisure Sports, Old Faithful Snowmobile Tours, and Scenic Safaris. Apply for a lottery permit or firstcome-first-served permit at recreation.gov. 104

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Bison graze near Yellowstone’s Madison River.

the heated ground. Steam plumes from their nostrils with each exhalation, while geyser overspray has coated the backs of some in shimmering ice crystals. We go into the Old Faithful Snow Lodge to warm up and enjoy another buffet; this time it’s lunch (baked ziti or wild game chili, with a vegetarian option). Stuffed and warm, we form a caterpillar line of snowmobiles to start the trek back to Flagg Ranch. We follow the morning’s route but stop at sights we skipped on the journey in, including the Kepler Cascades and multiple crossings of the Continental Divide, the hydrological divide that runs from Alaska through western Canada along the crest of the Rocky Mountains to New Mexico and beyond. (The road crisscrosses this ridge several times between Old Faithful and Flagg Ranch.) The Kepler Cascades are on the Firehole River and drop about 150 feet over the course of their three tiers. The tallest tier is about 50 feet. At the Yellowstone Lake Overlook, we take in the largest high-altitude lake in North America. Yellowstone Lake’s surface area is about twice the size of Washington, D.C. The part of the lake we can see is frozen, but it does sit atop the southeastern edge of the Yellowstone supervolcano’s caldera. There are underwater geysers, hot springs, and fumaroles that prevent some areas from freezing. From its geological features to the roaming wildlife, Yellowstone’s ecosystem is a privilege to be immersed in on a quiet winter day. This is felt during the day. As Flagg Ranch grows smaller in the minibus’s side mirrors on the trip back to Jackson, the once-in-a-lifetime weight of the experience settles

Offered for Sale

Excellent business opportunity or Elite private ownership:

BRADLY J. BONER

Sister Bus S/N 17 from 1998

in even more completely. Knowing the impact we can have on Yellowstone’s land and wildlife, especially during the summer months when the roads are cluttered with crowds, I rest easy knowing that, by spring, the tracks we laid today will have melted away. With the wolves as our only witness, it’s like we were never there. JH

NUTS & BOLTS Check to see how Covid-19 has affected Yellowstone and the outfitters mentioned below. Yellowstone’s winter season is December 15–March 15. Scenic Safaris and Old Faithful Snowmobile Tours both offer single-day Yellowstone snowmobile tours. These include transportation between Jackson and Headwaters Lodge (and back), a guide, breakfast, lunch, a snowmobile, boots, and a snowmobile suit. Scenic Safaris’ Old Faithful Snowmobile Tour and Grand Canyon of Yellowstone Tour start at $280/driver; $175/passenger; 307/734-8898; scenic-safaris.com. Old Faithful Snowmobile Tours’ Yellowstone Snowmobiling Day Tour starts at $350/driver; $175/passenger; 307/733-9767; snowmobilingtours.com.

1932 White Model 65 National Park open air tour bus. Originally delivered to the Black Hills Scenic Tour Company - Custer State Park in 1932. Believed to be the only known remaining example of the classic 1932 Model 65 and appears to be Serial # 14 out of 22. It is a sister to the original fleet of Red and Yellow tour buses that traveled the roads of Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks beginning in the late 1920’s. Complete photographic documentation of the restoration and provenance documents dating back to 1932 are included. This bus initially traveled the roads of the Black Hills, then four other National Parks from the 1930’s thru the 1960’s being retired in the early 1970’s after duty in Yosemite National Park. It sat in an old barn at a northern California cattle ranch, awaiting restoration beginning in 1998. Restored over a 5 year period by award winning craftsmen in Oregon, it is now close to zero time on the Hobbs meter, ready for new life on the roads of Jackson Hole and the Grand Tetons National Park. Carrying 16+ people with the elegance, grace and nostalgia of a slower time in America, the early years of this nation’s new National Parks. Restored ground up, adopting new technologies, a reliable late model G.M. 7.4 litre high torque engine, Turbo-Hydromatic transmission and G.M. Saginaw easy power steering. All interior woodwork is solid oak and maple. Private individual owned never used commercially after restoration. Not only a highly lucrative business opportunity, but impressive and fun to pick up clients and friends at the airport for private nostalgic chauffeured travel to your mountain home. – $190,000 or best offer. Contact Us: NatParkBus@gmail.com or (817) 475-9419 WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

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GETTING OUT

i R ht e

h t g h u e o W r h o o d T s t o d n a ver A short, scenic snowshoe or Nordic ski brings you to the Murie Ranch, a historic crucible of the conservation movement. BY LILA EDYTHE

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JACKSON HOLE NEWS & GUIDE

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NOT TO BE too woo-woo or anything, but I always feel the Murie Ranch—where Margaret Thomas “Mardy” Murie, often called the “Grandmother of the Conservation Movement,” lived for more than fifty years—before I see it. The ranch has a peacefulness and tranquility that is palpable. “There is a definite magic about the place,” says Dan McILhenny, who has lived in one of the ranch’s rustic cabins for six summers as a volunteer docent. “My wife and I feel it, and I hear visitors talking about a positive energy. I always feel at peace there.”

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But the ranch is more than peaceful. It is a national historic landmark because it was the former home of Mardy; her husband Olaus Murie; his half-brother, Adolph Murie; and Adolph’s wife, Margaret (who happened to be Mardy’s half-sister). All four of these Muries spent their lives working to conserve the wild lands and wildlife of the United States. Much of their work happened at this ranch. While the one dozen-ish cabins and accessory structures are closed in the winter, this is my favorite time to visit the ranch—when each cabin is an isolated islet rising from a sea of snow and it’s not difficult to imagine you’re the only person in the world. McILhenny says winter was the Muries’ favorite time here, too. Olaus and Mardy, in particular, were drawn to this property, which was built in the 1920s and operated as the STS Dude Ranch until the Muries bought it in 1945 because it reminded them of the wild solitude of Alaska, where both couples had spent significant time. “It’s my understanding they felt that the winter times they had here mirrored what they had

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Half-brothers Olaus and Adolph Murie married halfsisters Mardy Thomas and Louise Gillette, and the rest is history. Meet the four Muries who together bought what had been the STS Dude Ranch and then used it as a base from which to change the face of conservation in the U.S. 108

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BECAUSE OF ITS TIES TO THE MURIES AND THE CONSERVATION MOVEMENT, THE MURIE RESIDENCE WAS LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES IN 1990. THE DESIGNATION WAS EXPANDED IN 1998 TO INCLUDE THE MURIE RANCH. IN 2006, THE MURIE RANCH HISTORIC DISTRICT WAS ADDITIONALLY HONORED WITH ITS DESIGNATION AS A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK. THE WILDERNESS ACT WAS PASSED IN 1964, A YEAR AFTER OLAUS MURIE’S DEATH. TODAY THIS ACT PROTECTS 111 MILLION ACRES OF WILDERNESS AREAS FROM COAST TO COAST.

COURTESY PHOTO

had up in Alaska,” McILhenny says about Mardy and Olaus. “I think they were surprised and happy to have found a place in the lower 48 that felt similarly wild.” Mardy once wrote about the ranch, “This piece of river bottom was my favorite spot years before we ever dreamed of owning it.” Today, Grand Teton National Park’s Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center is only about three-quarters of a mile from the ranch, but the ranch still feels like its own world. Take a break from snowshoeing or Nordic skiing—the only ways to reach the ranch in winter—to sit on the porch of one of the many cabins and enjoy the silence. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll feel the magic McILhenny and I do. Or maybe you’ll feel the history; these porches and cabins were the site of many of the meetings, debates, and discussions that birthed the modern conservation movement, including the landmark Wilderness Act of 1964. It was here that Olaus wrote wildlife-management and conservation texts that are still used today. He was here when he wrote in an essay, “Wilderness should be treated as a national asset, not as a commodity to be bartered, but as a place where people could regain a natural sense of dignity, harmony, tranquility, and individuality.” The Murie Ranch is not officially a Wilderness Area like the 111 million acres the 1964 act now protects, but it is a national asset and welcomes all to enjoy its harmony and tranquility.

OLAUS J. MURIE Born in Minnesota in 1899, Olaus J. Murie studied zoology at Oregon’s Pacific University before working for the U.S. Biological Survey conducting wildlife studies in Alaska and Wyoming. He and Mardy married in 1924, and, in 1927, the two visited Jackson Hole for the first time. Olaus came to study elk herds. In 1945, Olaus was named director of the Wilderness Society. His efforts and work were instrumental in the creation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the passage of the 1964 Wilderness Act. He was awarded the Audubon Medal in 1959 for his dedication to scientific excellence and conservation. Olaus died in 1963. He and Mardy had three children: Martin, Joanne, and Don.

NUTS & BOLTS You can drive to the ranch in the summer, but in winter the road and driveway are closed (and not plowed). The Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center is the best place from which to snowshoe or Nordic ski to the ranch; a flat trail between the two is about three-quarters of a mile and deposits you just west of Olaus’s studio. While the Park Service does not groom this trail, the ranch gets just enough visitors that the path, set by other explorers on snowshoes or crosscountry skis, is almost always obvious. (If a significant amount of fresh snow has recently fallen in the valley, maybe give it a day for someone to set the path.) If you’re at all worried about getting lost in the woods, you can snowshoe or Nordic ski up the ranch’s driveway, which is off Moose-Wilson Road across the road from the post office in Moose. This route is about the same distance and also flat but doesn’t have the drama of cabins materializing in the middle of cottonwoods and conifers. Free, tetonscience.org/locations/murie-ranch/

“MARDY” ELISABETH THOMAS Margaret “Mardy” Elizabeth Thomas was born in Seattle in 1902, but her family soon moved to Fairbanks, Alaska. In 1924, she became the first woman to graduate from the University of Alaska. That same year, she married Olaus. (Their honeymoon? A six-month, 500-mile boat and dogsled caribou-research trip through northern Alaska.) Together, the two spent nearly forty years working side-by-side in the field and advocating for conservation. Mardy wrote a memoir, Two in the Far North, among other books. Like Olaus, Mardy received the Audubon Medal (awarded to her in 1980). In 1998, President Bill Clinton awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She died (home at the Murie Ranch) in 2003.

ADOLPH MURIE Born in Minnesota ten years after Olaus, Adolph Murie shared his elder half-brother’s interest in the natural world. In 1922, he joined Olaus in Alaska to study caribou and went on to spend more than three decades studying wildlife—primarily grizzlies and wolves around Denali National Park and coyotes in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem—for the National Park Service. He and his wife, Weezy, moved to Jackson Hole with their two children, Jan and Gail, in 1945, when the two couples bought the STS Dude Ranch. Adolph studied wildlife until his death in 1973.

BRADLY J. BONER

COURTESY PHOTO

John Denver’s song “A Song for All Lovers” is about Mardy and Olaus Murie waltzing in the Arctic wilderness. Denver, a conservationist, was a longtime friend of Mardy’s and visited her at the ranch many times.

LOUISE “WEEZY” GILLETTE Louise “Weezy” Gillette was born in Fairbanks in 1912 and met Adolph through her half-sister Mardy. The two wed in 1932 and went on to spend twenty-five summers in a remote cabin in Denali National Park. During this time, Weezy researched and assembled an illustrated manuscript detailing 100 plants and flowers from Denali (she had studied botany). The manuscript was lost for decades but rediscovered in Denali’s archives just before Weezy’s 100th birthday. At that time, there was talk of finally publishing it, but that has not yet happened. Weezy died in Jackson Hole in 2012. JH

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GETTING OUT

Teton Valley Playground Make the most of a trip to Grand Targhee.

Fat Biking

RE AB OU ND AR

BY MOLLY ABSOLON

GRAND TARGHEE RESORT is not only on the opposite side of the Tetons from Jackson, but also Jackson’s opposite in terms of vibe. Instead of the fancy boutiques, upscale hotels, and spas found in Teton Village, Targhee’s base area is rustic and a little dated. Targhee is a family-friendly step back in time where the lift lines are short and the snow is deep. (The resort averages more than 500 inches of snow a year.) The skiing and snowboarding at the ’Ghee are great, but far from the only things to do. Although, because of Covid-19, there is not quite as much to do as usual. Tubing, Fat Me Up biking lessons, Early Tracks, and yoga are not happening this winter. So you have full info to plan a return trip, we’ve included descriptions of them, but not hours or prices. Activities available late November through early April, conditions permitting. Unless indicated otherwise, information and booking for all activities: grandtarghee.com, 800/827-4433

Snowshoeing

Tubing

Rent single or double tubes for an hour (or more, but we usually find an hour’s enough) and whizz down the hill and then get an easy ride back up on the Papoose magic carpet only to whizz down again and again and again. Covid-19 has cancelled tubing this winter, but it will be available again after the pandemic is over.

SHOSHO

Rent snowshoes and follow up to seven miles of packed singletrack trail on your own or, better yet, make a reservation to join a resort naturalist for a two-hour guided snowshoe tour offered daily (twice a day on weekends). Your guide will point out animal tracks, talk about winter ecology, discuss Grand Targhee’s geologic history, and show you some of the area’s wild residents that stay active through the winter. No experience necessary; it is recommended kids are ten or older. Self-snowshoe daily 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m., guided tours 10:30 a.m. daily and also Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m.; trail passes $15, guided tours require reservations, are $45, and include trail passes; snowshoe rentals $25

BLACKFOOT

You may not want to give up a powder day to try fat biking, but when the snow stops flying and the slopes get bumpy, fat biking—so named because of the width of the tires used, about four inches—comes into its element. Grand Targhee was the first ski resort in the U.S. to embrace this growing sport (formerly called snowbiking). Today the resort has seven miles of groomed singletrack bike trails, and, conditions permitting, fat bikers can also ride on the ’Ghee’s fifteen kilometers of Nordic ski trails. Prime conditions are after a freeze when there isn’t any fresh snow. Teton Mountain Outfitters at the Targhee base area rents bikes as well as all the necessary equipment to keep you comfortable and safe. If you’re new to the sport, take a two-hour Fat Me Up lesson from the resort’s winter sports school. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. daily, trail passes $15, bike rentals $30–$45

Nordic Skiing

Grand Targhee grooms fifteen kilometers of skate and classic tracks that wind around Rick’s Basin and up Quakie Ridge, taking you through ghostly groves of white aspen, across open meadows that glitter with sparkling snow, and deep into pine forests. Once away from the base, the only sound is the sliding of your skis—and maybe some heavy breathing. Lessons available for all levels. 9 a.m.–4 p.m; trail passes $15, Nordic ski rental packages $25 half day, $30 full day NORDIC / FAT BIKE AREA

terrain parks

The Sweetwater Terrain Park’s frequently changing features include boxes, rails, jumps, spines, and more. The North Pole Terrain Park is designed for kids, with twisting trails through the trees, mini jumps, banked turns, and features like the Giant Anthills, the Eyeball Forest, Otter Alley, and the Bobsled, each of which is exactly what its name suggests. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. daily; lift tickets from $105 for ages 13 and up, from $46 ages 6-12, kids 5 and under free 110

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Massage

When you need a little pampering, Anew Massage offers a range of massages—from Swedish to hot stone, sports, and deep tissue— in a rustic cabin next to the resort’s outdoor heated saltwater pool. The massage therapists are all skiers or boarders themselves, so they know just what the doctor ordered after a rigorous day on the slopes. $125 for 60-minute massage, $155 for 90 minutes (pool access included with all massages); 208/209-5650

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Backcountry skiing

If you’ve got the required skills and gear, Grand Targhee has lift-accessed backcountry skiing. The most popular is a 650-foot boot pack up Mary’s (formerly Mary’s Nipple) just outside the ski area boundary. Longer adventures are also possible, and you can hire a backcountry ski guide through Yostmark Backcountry Tours. $325 first person, $85 each additional person; groups limited to four; yostmark.com, 208/354-2828 S KI

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Cat Skiing

Targhee is known for its light, dry powder, and you can usually find lots of it on the resort’s lift-accessed runs. But if you want to paint an unmarked white canvas with your tracks, go cat skiing. The only cat skiing in the state of Wyoming, Grand Targhee Cat Skiing takes you to the open bowls, steep trees, and endless glades of Peaked Mountain in a snowcat. Disembark the cat and ski down. Repeat. (You can get as much as 18,000 vertical feet in a single day, if your quads can handle it.) Check-in is 8 a.m. for 8:45 a.m. departure; reservations must be booked by 1 p.m. the day before; $475 per person

DREAMCA TCHER

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NORDIC / FAT BIKE / SNOWSHOE AREA

Yoga

Relax, unwind, rejuvenate, and stretch your tired muscles during an hour-long yoga class. Designed for all levels, these daily classes focus on breath, basic poses, flow, and mindfulness to help you achieve an improved sense of well-being and calm. Covid-19 has cancelled yoga this winter, but it will be available again after the pandemic is over.

Early Tracks

Targhee’s Early Tracks program allows you access to the lifts and slopes for ninety minutes before they open to the public. Follow a guide around the resort to find hidden stashes of untouched, untracked snow, or pristine corduroy if you prefer. As of mid-November, Early Tracks in on hold for this winter because of Covid, but it will be reinstated this season if conditions allow.

Free Mountain Tour

If it’s your first time skiing or boarding at the ’Ghee (or if it’s a storm day and visibility is low), and you’re an intermediate or better skier/rider, consider the daily free mountain tour. Led by an instructor from Grand Targhee’s Ski and Snowboard School or a volunteer host, these ninety-minute tours will introduce you to the mountain, show you where to find pockets of untouched powder and shortcuts to the lifts, provide you with insider tips about fun après activities, and allow you to enjoy Targhee’s incredible views of the surrounding mountains, Teton Valley, and, on a clear day, even up into Montana. 10:30 a.m. daily; free; meet at the Mountain Tour flag at the base of the Dreamcatcher chairlift

Après at the Trap Bar or the Branding Iron

Pairing a sloshie (a frozen adult beverage to the uninitiated) with the Wydaho Nacho plate—waffle fries, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, cheddar and jack cheeses, tomatoes, black olives, black beans, jalapenos, and green onions; chicken optional—at the Trap Bar is either the best or worst idea ever. The Branding Iron, which serves upscale food in a casual setting, is always a good idea, especially if you go for an entrée that includes Wyoming-raised beef. Both open daily for lunch and dinner. JH WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

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BODY & SOUL

Snack Time

Fuel your Jackson Hole adventures with these locally made snacks.

BY MELISSA THOMASMA // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRADLY J. BONER

WE DON’T REALLY do humdrum in Jackson Hole. Our mountains are extraordinary, as is the snow that covers them. Accordingly, our adventures are extraordinary too, which means that when we’re out in the wild, boring snacks simply won’t do. Meet some of the local companies making snacks as exciting as the adventures—from snowmobile rides to hunting for untouched backcountry powder to snowshoeing along the base of the Tetons—they’re meant to fuel.

PERSEPHONE BAKERY

Your throwback after-school favorite is all grown up. The secrets to Persephone’s Rice Krispy Treats are (1) the bakery first browns the butter, which creates a nuttier, more caramelized flavor and (2) Persephone uses its own house-made vanilla marshmallows. The rainbow nonpareils and sprinkles are just fun. $3.50; Persephone Bakery Jackson, 7 a.m.– 6 p.m. Monday–Saturday, 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday; 145 E. Broadway Ave.; 307/200-6708; Persephone Bakery West Bank, 7 a.m.–3 p.m daily; 3445 N. Pines Way Suite 102; 307/201-1944, persephonebakery.com; Picnic, 7 a.m.– 3 p.m. daily; 1110 Maple Way Suite B; 307/264-2956, picnicjh.com 112

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Bacon lovers, rejoice. Meet Cafe Genevieve’s Pig Candy, thick-sliced, applewood-smoked bacon coated with a signature blend of sugars and spices and then baked low and slow. It’s no surprise this explosion of sweet and salty (finished with a crunch) was featured on the Food Network’s Diners, DriveIns, and Dives. From $9; 8 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday– Saturday, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Sunday; 135 E. Broadway; 307/732-1910, genevievejh.com

CAFE GENEVIEVE

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LOCKHART CATTLE COMPANY, JH BUFFALO MEAT COMPANY, BOVINE & SWINE

Juan Morales, founder of Naughty Fruit, was inspired by the Mexican tradition of adding spice to fresh fruit bought in the country’s open-air markets. At Naughty Fruit, Morales makes thick and chewy fruit snacks. Letting the sweetness of the fruit speak for itself, Naughty Fruit adoesn’t add any additional sweeteners but does do a dash of salt, lemon, and chili pepper to make the snacks slightly savory. From $7.95; available at Bin22, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. daily; 200 W. Broadway; 307/739-9463, naughtyfruit.com

Of course, with Jackson Hole being in Wyoming, we have a multitude of locally ............................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................... made meat-forward snacks. Lockhart ............................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................... Cattle Company, a sixth-generation Jackson ............................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................... ranch, makes savory (salt and pepper) and sweet (honey) uncured, nitrate-free jerky from its 100 percent grass-fed beef. The buffalo and elk jerky from Jackson Hole Buffalo Meat Company is seasoned and slow cooked prior to the drying process. This gives it a soft, easy-to-eat texture. Looking for something spicy? Try the salami or pepperoni elk and bison sticks. Bovine & Swine, the craft meat enterprise from Fine Dining Group, makes Beef Snack Sticks, which have a unique tangy, umami, and salty flavor profile. From $5; available at markets, boutiques, and grocery stores around the valley; lockhartcattle.com, jhbuffalomeat.com, bovineandswinejh.com

NAUGHTY FRUIT

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COOP & CO

HEALTHY BEING

Healthy Being Juicery’s Beet Berry Breakfast Bar is as flavorful as it looks. (And it looks like a purply-pink party for your mouth.) While it is a great breakfast option, it is also a nutrient-packed and delicious snack. “The berries—blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries—take over the flavor profile, but the beets keep it light and airy to keep from bogging you down,” says Anna DeLand, the juicery’s manager. Coconut makes it a little creamy and imparts a taste of the tropics. $7; 7 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday–Saturday, closed Sunday; 165 E. Broadway; 307/200 9006, hbcafeandjuicery.com

Some days, your snack game demands a dash of fancy (we’re looking at you, ski dates.) On such occasions, go for Coop & Co.’s artisan macarons. “Macarons are comprised of two parts, the shell and the filling,” says founder Katie Coop. The former is made from almond flour and confectioners sugar, and the latter can be anything from butter creams to fruit curds or chocolate. Together this pair is a perfect marriage—crunch (outside) meets soft (inside). Winter-only flavors include salted caramel, chocolate cherry, and blood orange. $3.50; Persephone Bakery West Bank, 7 a.m.–3 p.m. daily; 3445 N. Pines Way Suite 102; 307/2011944, persephonebakery.com

JACKSON HOLE GROCER

“They stand up to the cold really well; you won’t have to worry about having a frozen snack once you reach your destination,” says Jackson Whole Grocer’s chef Victor Chamorro about the store’s 7 Layer Bars. Also, they’re delicious. Graham cracker crumbs are the first layer. In order, the other six layers are butter, butterscotch chips, semisweet chocolate chips, shredded coconut, sliced almonds, and sweetened condensed milk. Do your adventure partner a favor and get two. $2.99; 7 a.m.– 10 p.m. daily; 1159 S. US HWY 89; 307/733-0450, jacksonwholegrocer.com

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LIVE WHERE MOTHER NATURE IS A PERMANENT RESIDENT

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There is something magical about mixing fresh clean air, big skies, magnificent views, hiking, skiing and fly fishing at their best. Add in an abundance of wildlife with Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park as neighbors. I invite you to visit our spectacular little corner of the world and experience the connection….......... Get that mountain feeling every day. NANCY MARTINO

Associate Broker, CRS,GRI

nancymartino@jhrea.com | 307.690.1022 80 W. Broadway

KATE’S REAL FOOD

....................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................... Founded in 2010 with the launch of ....................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................

the original Tram Bar (made from oats, peanut butter, apricots, sunflower seeds, honey, and milk chocolate), Kate’s Real Food now offers a variety of energy bars and bites in seven different flavors, including new-this-fall Dark Chocolate Mint. All bars and bites are organic with ingredients you can pronounce like oats, rice crisps, berries, seeds, nuts and nut butters, honey, chocolate, and dried fruit. Originally made by founder Kate Schade to eat while she waited in Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s tram line, the bars provide sustainable, long-lasting energy. From $2.50; available at Skinny Skis, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday; 65 W. Deloney Ave; 307/733-6094, katesrealfood.com JH

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NIGHTLIFE

Don’t think that skiing all day MANY NIGHT CAPS in Jackson means you can’t dance all night. Hole cater to your sense of sound, BY SAMANTHA SIMMA

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with a range of genres presented by local musicians. Whether you’d like to twirl around the Silver Dollar’s downtown dance floor to bluegrass or dance to DJ tunes in Wilson, you can easily find a beat for your feet to follow. And while one of the Jackson music scene’s largest venues recently closed its curtain (RIP Pink Garter Theatre), this nighttime pastime will not go quietly. Times listed below are for when there is live music; for the full opening times of each bar, and current Covid-19 closures and restrictions, check out its website.

BRADLY J. BONER

The Mangy Moose Saloon is the king of the music scene in Teton Village, with at least one live show every day all winter long. Some days, it will have two shows—a local artist playing for après-ski and a bigger artist doing a late show (sometimes the touring act will play both shows). It’s not just the constancy that makes the Moose the place for live music in Teton Village. The range of music you can hear here is as eclectic as its decor. (And its decor includes a stuffed moose hanging from the ceiling.) The après lineup changes each season, but, once the season gets going, it’s often the same from week to week. Expect acts to range from soloists to bands, including Major Zephyr, Whiskey Mornin’, and Canyon Kids. Touring acts have included Hell’s Belles, Trout Steak Revival, and The Motet. Après-ski is free; touring acts from $25; daily from 4–7 p.m., special acts usually start at 9 p.m.; 3295 Village Dr., Teton Village; 307/733-4913; mangymoose.com

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The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar is hard to miss and definitely shouldn’t be by music enthusiasts. The talent on stage is constantly changing but is mostly regional acts that fall within the country or country rock genres, including the Walker Williams Band, The Linfords, and Nathan Dean & The Damn Band. This commitment to country is occasionally interrupted by local groove band Sneaky Pete & the Secret Weapons. But even though the music these nights isn’t country, the bar’s interior remains very much so—with taxidermy animals displayed behind plexiglass and hanging above the bar, Western saddles as barstools, and an excess of knobby pine. From $5 for those without a Teton County, Wyoming, or Idaho ID; Sunday–Wednesday 8 p.m.–12 a.m. and 9 p.m.–1 a.m. Thursday–Saturday; 25 N. Cache St.; 307/733-2207; milliondollarcowboybar.com

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THE LAST, BEST PLACES FOR CUTTHROAT TROUT

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BRADLY J. BONER

Photo: Eric Seymour

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BRADLY J. BONER

Swing into the Wort Hotel’s Silver Dollar Showroom for live music Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. Bluegrass band One Ton Pig has owned Tuesday nights here for the past twelve years, creating a tradition known as Bluegrass Tuesdays. Other evenings you’ll likely hear country or folk, but the Silver Dollar—so named for the 2,032 uncirculated 1921 Morgan Silver Dollars inlaid in its bar—keeps things interesting with the occasional jam or rock band, or even a big name band on a national tour. These “Showroom Sessions” have included Steve Wariner, Mac McAnally, and Larry Gatlin. Tuesdays, Thursdays–Saturdays 7:30–11 p.m.; 50 Glenwood St.; 307/732-3939; worthotel.com/silver-dollar-bar

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REBECCA NOBLE KATHRYN ZIESIG

The Stagecoach Bar hosts two very different evenings of music. Sunday nights the Stagecoach Band plays country to a crowd two-stepping around the dance floor. Thursday nights a DJ—sometimes even former Jackson mayor Pete Muldoon—hosts Disco Night, where ski bums bring their best ’70s moves. Each night has an amazingly dedicated following of locals, and visitors looking to get an authentic taste of Jackson Hole life should hit both. If you have to pick just one though, make it Sunday night. The Stagecoach Band is believed to be the longest continuously running house band performing today in the U.S. It played its first show at the ’Coach in February 1969 and has only missed a few Sundays since (usually when Christmas is on a Sunday)—that’s more than 2,600 shows. While Disco Night’s history can’t match this, it has been a Jackson institution since the 1990s. Stagecoach Band, 6–10 p.m. Sunday, Disco Night, 10 p.m.–2 a.m. Thursday; 5755 W. Hwy 22, Wilson; 307/733-4407; stagecoachbar.net

BRADLY J. BONER

Moose Junction is quiet in the winter because the majority of Grand Teton National Park is closed, but the exception is Monday nights, when Dornan’s Spur Bar hosts the Hootenanny. (Sound like a local and call it the Hoot.) An open-mic night of sorts, the Hoot has existed since the 1950s and has been held at Dornan’s for more than twenty-five years. (In its earliest days, when it was still only an informal jam session among friends, it was held beneath the Snake River bridge in Moose.) The Hoot welcomes local musicians to showcase a song or two on a stage temporarily erected opposite the bar. Hoot cofounder Bill Briggs was originally inspired by the music making of Dick Barker, the Hoot’s other cofounder, around a Jenny Lake campground campfire. “It was, for me, a great experience, the real thing—exactly what music making should be,” Briggs says. Now the Hoot is a “traditional gathering of acoustic music makers, each trying to make it the real thing without the campfire and yet sometimes achieving just that, which is an alltoo-rare privilege for both the performer and his focused listeners.” Free, 6–9 p.m. Monday, 12170 Dornans Rd., Moose; 307/733-2415; dornans.com

You need some pretty amazing music to tear your gaze from the views of the Tetons out the expansive windows at the Granary at Spring Creek Ranch, a cozily elegant cocktail lounge and restaurant perched on the side of a butte about 700 feet above the valley floor. Enter jazz pianist Pam Drews Phillips. Phillips, a veteran of Tony Award–winning Broadway and Off-Broadway shows who still pinches herself that she once accompanied the legendary Ella Fitzgerald as a member of the Nelson Riddle Orchestra (in Chicago), has been taking attention from the Granary’s views since 1997. Sometimes she plays solo, other times with friends. “It’s always different,” she says. “When I’m by myself, I go off on a music tangent, but when there are five or six players, that’s a different vibe.” Sometimes there’s even a celebrity appearance; Oprah Winfrey and Reba McEntire have sung with Phillips, and Bruce Hornsby pops by whenever he’s in town. 7–10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 1775 N.E. Butte Rd.; 307/732-8112; springcreekranch.com JH WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

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Best of

DINING

Pearl Street Bagels’ ‘everything’ bagel with a generous spread of cream cheese.

RYAN DORGAN

Eat Like a Local Bite into Jackson Hole with these dishes locals love. BY MELISSA THOMASMA

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RYAN DORGAN

Persephone’s cinnamon brioche breakfast rolls are swirled with cinnamon and brown sugar before being dusted with more cinnamon and sugar.

HOME TO INTERNATIONALLY celebrated chefs and restaurants, Jackson Hole is a foodie community. But foodie doesn’t necessarily mean fancy. To many locals, myself included, favorite dishes are reliably delicious and keep me coming back again and again. And again. Go ahead and order elk or bison if you want to try something “Western,” but if you want to eat like a local, go for some of these area favorites. No, Pearl Street Bagels won’t toast your bagel. So save yourself the humiliation and don’t even ask. (They argue they don’t have to toast because they bake their bagels fresh all day.) This bagelry, the first in Wyoming when it opened in 1990, boils and bakes its bagels in the East Coast tradition, resulting in the perfect bagel texture: subtly crisp on the exterior, irresistibly chewy within. Go for the Everything Bagel, encrusted with sesame and poppy seeds, crunchy nubs of garlic and onion, and a healthy sprinkle of sea salt. Pair it with house-made Mexican cream cheese for a hearty, slightly spicy treat. Open 7 a.m.– 3 p.m. daily; 145 West Pearl Ave., Jackson and 5674 WY HWY 22, Wilson; 307/739-1218 and 307/739-1261, pearlstreetbagels.com “Colorado might have a ‘smoke and a pancake,’ but here we go for a ‘waffle and a Corbet’s huck,” says Grant Bishop, PSIA National Team member and trainer at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. He’s demolished his share of the signature fresh-made waffles at Corbet’s Cabin, a cozy, ski-clad hut perched at the top of the tram. Corbet’s offers a few waffle topping combos; Bishop favors the timeless combination of nutella and bacon. Open 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. daily; Rendezvous Peak, Teton Village; 307/739-2688, jacksonhole.com/waffles.html

Locals love to end a day of skiing on Teton Pass with a heaping plate of Mexican street-style tacos at Streetfood, which is inside the unassuming Stagecoach Bar at the base of Teton Pass. Piled high with fresh cilantro, onion, house-made salsa, and lime juice, these handfuls of post-adventure bliss come with protein options; carne asada and al pastor are favs. “The al pastor has such great flavor, and the marinade we make in house creates a really tender bite,” says owner Amelia Hatchard. The secret ingredient? Sweet, zippy pineapple. Open 11 a.m.–9 p.m. daily; 5755 WY HWY 22; 307/200-6633, streetfoodjh.com Once upon a time, there was a cook at Jackson Hole’s oldest independent brewery, Snake River Brewing, and he made wonderful pizza. He fell hopelessly in love with a beautiful server who loved cheeseburgers. In a bold attempt to win her love, he created the Cheeseburger Pie. It succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. They’re married with kids now, and the Cheeseburger Pie pizza has been on the Brewub’s menu for more than a decade. Topped with locally raised Mead Ranch ground beef, crispy bacon, two kinds of cheese, tomatoes, pickles, and onions, the Cheeseburger Pie is the perfect hybrid of two classic comfort foods. Open 11 a.m.–10 p.m. daily; 265 S. Millward St.; 307/739-2337, snakeriverbrewing.com WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

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RYAN DORGAN

Snake River Brewing’s Cheeseburger Pie features bacon, tomatoes, pickles, red onions, romaine lettuce, and special sauce, all on a creamy bed of Mead Ranch ground beef and white cheddar and mozzarella cheeses.

More than one local has claimed they could not survive without Persephone Bakery’s Cinnamon Brioche. “It’s a laminated pastry, like a croissant, so you get those amazing flakey layers, but it is rolled with plenty of cinnamon and sugar,” says Ali Cohane, the cafe’s owner (with baker-husband Kevin). The Cinnamon Brioche has been on Persephone’s menu since it first opened, and can now be found at both Persephone locations and at sister restaurant, Picnic. Pair it with a simple drip coffee, black, which won’t compete with the pastry’s sweet and spicy notes. Persephone Bakery Jackson: Open 7 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday; 145 E. Broadway Ave.; 307/2006708, persephonebakery.com. Persephone Bakery West Bank: Open 7 a.m.–3 p.m. daily; 3445 N. Pines Way Suite 102; 307/201-1944, persephonebakery.com. Picnic: Open 7 a.m.–3 p.m. daily; 1110 Maple Way Suite B; 307/264-2956, picnicjh.com When locals grab breakfast on the go, whether we’re headed to find some backcountry powder or aiming for a lunker on an ice-fishing expedition, D.O.G.’s spicy Breakfast Burrito is our first choice. It’s loaded with scrambled eggs, potatoes, veggies, and cheese— all wrapped in a flour tortilla—and you can add meat, too (locals usually do). Most important, though, is to order “spicy”—and also not to expect a sit-down space. This tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant 124

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on Glenwood (hence the name, Down On Glen, aka D.O.G.) has been strictly walk-up since it opened more than two decades ago. Open 6:30 a.m.–2 p.m. daily; 25 S. Glenwood St.; 307/733-4422 One the oldest restaurants in town, The Bunnery has been just off the Town Square since 1980. For nearly as long, it’s been serving O.S.M. (oat, sunflower seed, millet) French toast, waffles, and pancakes. You can’t go wrong with any of these, but it’s hard to beat a stack of O.S.M. pancakes topped with blueberries. Open 8 a.m.–2 p.m. daily; 130 N. Cache St.; 307/733-5474, bunnery.com Nearly twenty years ago, long before his string of James Beard “Best Chef: Northwest/Mountain West” Award nominations, chef Jeff Drew of Snake River Grill had the idea to reinvent the retro dish steak tartare. But how? For two full weeks, Drew focused on nothing else. “I was like a bulldog with a bone.” he says. He finally landed on a Steak Tartare Pizza. Found on the menu under “starters,” this classic combination of raw steak, creamy aioli, capers, and red onions works as an after-adventure happy hour snack with a glass of wine or as a main dish. Local tip: Consider ordering two; it’s so delicious, it’s a difficult dish to share. Open 5:30 p.m.– 9:30 p.m. daily; 84 E. Broadway; 307/733-0557, snakerivergrill.com

DAVID J SWIFT

Snake River Grill’s steak tartare pizza, with Mead Ranch beef, garlic aioli, capers, parsley, and red onion.

INDEPENDENT JETS ANYTIME, ANYWHERE ON-DEMAND LUXURY domestic & international charters

Some mornings absolutely require a generous helping of the Virginian Restaurant’s house-made Corned Beef Hash. (Many of these mornings follow late nights of too many house margaritas at the Wort or too many spins around the dance floor at the Cowboy.) The menu at this family-owned establishment hasn’t changed much over the past few decades. The corned beef hash is savory and tender, with just enough sear to add hints of crunch. Mounded atop perfectly crispy hashbrowns, it’s served alongside a couple of fried eggs and toast. It’s not a proven hangover cure, but it’s worth a try. Open 6:30 a.m.–2 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 6:30 a.m. –1:30 p.m. Sunday; 740 W. Broadway; 307/733-4330, virginianrestaurant.net JH

Kym Rambo Founder/CEO

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BOOK LUXURY TODAY: kym@Independentjets.com (307) 699.1422 • independentjets.com WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

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Best of

DINING OUT

RESTAURANT

LOCATION

PHONE

BREAKFAST

LUNCH

DINNER

ALPENHOF LODGE Alpenhof Dining

Teton Village

703-733-3242

$$$

Bunnery Bakery & Restuarant

Jackson 307-733-5474 $$ $$

Dining In Catering & The Wildwood Room

Victor, ID

208-787-2667

Gather

Jackson

307-264-1820 $$$

Branding Iron Grill

Grand Targhee Resort

307-353-2300

$$$

Trap Bar & Grill

Grand Targhee Resort

307-353-2300

Snorkels Café

Grand Targhee Resort

307-353-2300

Jackson

307-733-2200 $ $$ $$$

Piste Mountain Bistro

Top of Bridger Gondola

307-732-3177

RPK3

Teton Village

307-739-2738 $$

Jackson

307-201-5208 $$

Pinky G’s Pizzeria

Jackson

307-734-PINK(7465)

Snake River Brewing Co.

Jackson

307-739-2337 $ $$

Kings Grill

Jackson

307-734-3351 $ $

Snow King Cafe

Jackson

307-201-5464 $ $

$$$

GRAND TARGHEE

HOTEL JACKSON Figs

JACKSON HOLE MOUNTAIN RESORT $$$

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WILDLIFE ART Palate

SNOW KING MOUNTAIN

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Teton Pines

Wilson

Teton Thai

Teton Village

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

307-733-0022 $$ $$

ALCOHOL

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Homemade breakfast, lunch, pastries, & espresso bar

Vegetarian friendly Mediterranean small plates/entrees

Swiss cuisine/European wine & beer

Enjoy Rocky Mountain cuisine at 9,095

Enjoy lunch and a full bar under the tram

Incredible views, fabulous food & close to town

Voted Best Pizza in Jackson since opening in 2011

Family-friendly brewpub since 1994

Classic American menu. Happy hour. Families welcome!

Sandwiches, burgers, beers and kids meals

Member only dining winter 20/2021 Best of JH: Best Overall Asian Restaurant

Average entree; $= under $15, $$= $16-20, $$$= $21+ WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

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PalateJH.com (307) 201-5208 info@palatejh.com Lunch at The National Museum of Wildlife Art 2820 Rungius Road CATERING AND EVENT SPACE AVAILABLE

LUNCH WITH A VIEW

“Teton catering at its finestfor forYour over 20 years”Event “Tetonwedding Hospitality at its Finest Special

or In Home Dining Experience” GatherJH.com (307) 264-1820 info@gatherjh.com Dinner in TAKE $5 OFF Downtown Jackson Hole

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ONLINE ORDERING AND DELIVERY

307.734.PINK (7465) www.pinkygs.com

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Center St

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S. Glenwood St

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W. Broadway PINK GARTER THEATRE

Pearl Ave

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50 W. BROADWAY • 1 BLOCK FROM THE TOWN SQ

The Jackson Hole service industry works hard to keep our visitors safe.

— please — Wear a mask Say thank you Be respectful Enjoy your visit

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Best of

ART SCENE

Icon of the West Noppadol Paothongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photography exhibit at the National Museum of Wildlife Art highlights the importance of greater sage-grouse to Western culture and conservation. BY MAGGIE THEODORA // PHOTOGRAPHY BY NOPPADOL PAOTHONG

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“WE HAVE AN EXHIBIT ABOUT A SPECIES THAT, IF THEIR HABITAT IS DESTROYED, IT AFFECTS THE WHOLE ECOSYSTEM OF THE SURROUNDING AREA, WHICH OUR MUSEUM IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF. THE [NMWA] SEEMED LIKE THE PERFECT PLACE FOR THIS EXHIBIT.” —DR. TAMMI HANAWALT, CURATOR OF ART AT NMWA

Greater Sage-Grouse in Wyoming WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER NOPPADOL Paothong spent eleven years working on his first book, Save the Last Dance. It features images of seven species of North American grassland grouse. His second book, Sage Grouse: Icon of the West—which focuses on a single species of grouse, the greater sage-grouse—took five years and is the backbone of an exhibit of the same name hanging at the National Museum of Wildlife Art through May 3. “You’d think with only one species, it would have gone much faster, but I wanted the book to be bigger than the species,” says Paothong, an associate fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers. “These aren’t just a bird, but part of the Western landscape and of Native American dances and traditions. Early pioneers hunted and ate them. They are an indicator species; the health of their population offers insight into what might be happening with the 350-some other species that share the same terrain. 132

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The greater sage-grouse is the largest grouse in North America and lives in eleven Western states and two Canadian provinces. There were once about sixteen million of the birds in North America, but today less than 300,000 remain. About 37 percent of these live in Wyoming. “Wyoming has the world’s largest population of greater sage-grouse,” Noppadol Paothong says. This is because of the species’ habitat. They live in the sagebrush steppe, also known as the “sagebrush sea,” that blankets the plateaus and basins of the Intermountain West. “Across the continent, we’ve lost about half of what used to be sage-grouse habitat,” says Tom Christensen, a wildlife biologist and coordinator of the sagegrouse program at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department who retired in 2018. “Wyoming still has about 90 percent of its sagebrush landscape, though.”

WHAT THE HECK IS A LEK?

In other areas of the country, sagebrush habitat has been lost to agriculture and development. However, in Wyoming, fortythree million acres—an area about equal in size to the state of Florida—remains sagebrush. “In neighboring Idaho, a lot of what was sage-grouse habitat is now potato fields,” Christiansen says. “In Wyoming, we don’t have the climate and soils to make agriculture pay. Saving sagegrouse habitat wasn’t anything altruistic on our part.” While Wyoming doesn’t need to worry about agricultural development, energy development, including oil and gas drilling and wind turbines, does adversely affect sage-grouse habitat. Since 2008, to prevent the species being listed on the federal Endangered Species Act, Wyoming has had gubernatorial executive orders in place that attempt to balance the protection of sage-grouse habitat with energy development.

The areas where sage-grouse mate in the spring are called leks. These areas are usually flat and open, so female grouse can see the males’ elaborate mating rituals. Populations usually return to the same leks year after year. While sage-grouse as a species are particularly sensitive to human disturbance, it’s possible to settle yourself a safe distance from a known lek and watch their mating antics via binoculars. “It’s an amazing sight,” says wildlife biologist Tom Christiansen. “I’m always surprised by the number of local folks who have never seen a sage-grouse strut on a lek.”

A male greater sage-grouse performs a mating display before dawn during its spring courtship ritual to attract hens.

Email pamela.renner@jhsir.com or call 307.690.5530 to contact Pamela Renner today! WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

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Meet Noppadol Paothong “I’ve been watching Noppadol’s rise for a long time,” Jackson Hole–based wildlife photographer Tom Mangelsen told the NMWA’s annual magazine Call of the Wild. “Sure I admire his skill with a camera and the compositional design of his images, but most of all I respect the feel and knowledge he has for the animals he portrays. Great photos either have heart or they don’t.” Growing up in Thailand, Paothong did not think about wildlife photography as a career. “My mom always knew I would be something different. I wasn’t that typical kid in the classroom; I wanted to go outside and fish or look at insects,” he says. Wildlife photography wasn’t on his radar even after he came to the U.S. as a foreign exchange student in 1993. “I did not plan on living here. My mom wanted me to get educated and learn English and then go back home and help,” he says. After studying for a couple of years in northern Idaho, Paothong moved to Missouri and, he says, “I just fell in love with the landscape there.” He graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a degree in communications in 2001. Before he had even graduated, he was working as a photojournalist at the Joplin Globe and doing wildlife photography in his spare time. It was while at the Globe that his editor sent him on an assignment to a small town in southwest Missouri to photograph greater prairie chickens. “I immediately felt in love with these birds, and it was the beginning of my obsession to photograph

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all prairie grouse species across the U.S., from the West (sage-grouse and sharp-tailed grouse) to southern Texas (endangered Attwater’s prairie chicken) to Martha’s Vineyard (extinct heath hen).” That year, Paothong started work on his first book, Save the Last Dance. He thinks it was because of his commitment to this book—this is the one he worked on for eleven years—that the Missouri Department of Conservation hired him as a staff photographer in 2006. “It showed the depth and level of my commitment for a long-term project,” he says. Paothong has been with the department ever since, shooting more than 160 covers for its monthly magazine, Missouri Conservationist, which publishes about 500,000 copies of every issue. “It isn’t just a dream job, but it is the best for me as it allows me to explore every corner of Missouri and learn to appreciate the state,” he says. “Even Audubon doesn’t have staff photographers.” With Icon of the West published and the exhibit based on it traveling to museums around the West, Paothong is looking for his next big project. “I’m actually more of an insect person [than birds] and have been working with a lot of pollinator species. It’s a different direction, and it doesn’t mean I feel like I’ve finished with sagegrouse. I am still photographing them, too. I think that, with all of the years I’ve photographed them, I’ve only scratched the surface.” npnaturephotography.com

Male greater sage-grouse gather on a lek in southern Wyoming.

They’re iconic.” More of these iconic birds live in Wyoming than anywhere else in the world, and many of Paothong’s images in Sage Grouse (the exhibit and the book) were taken in the state. “As a wildlife art museum, it’s one of our goals to educate visitors about topics that affect wildlife and our natural world,” says Tammi Hanawalt, Ph.D, curator of art at the National Museum of Wildlife Art (NMWA). “With Sage Grouse: Icon of the West, we have an exhibit about a species that, if their habitat is destroyed, it affects the whole ecosystem of the surrounding area, which our museum is right in the middle of. [The NMWA] seemed like the perfect place for this exhibit.” The Sage Grouse exhibit features about sixty of Paothong’s photographs. “I selected images with the goal of telling a story,” he says. “Each image leads to the next one. There are shots of males at leks

“IT IS AN EMOTIONAL EXHIBIT. HE TAKES YOU THROUGH THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE GROUSE, AND YOU SEE GROUSE THAT HAVE DIED BECAUSE OF HUMAN ADVANCEMENT INTO THEIR ENVIRONMENT.”

advancement into their environment.” The exhibit also includes images that show the species’ importance to Native Americans, who hunted the birds and also mimicked their mating displays during ceremonial dances. “These birds

have a cultural importance as well as [significance] to conservation—that’s a big part of their story and what makes them important,” Paothong says. “I can’t think of a better place than Jackson Hole to share their story.” Wildlifeart.org JH

—DR. TAMMI HANAWALT, CURATOR OF ART AT NMWA

[mating areas], and these are followed by images that show the species’ nesting season, life cycle, the winter, the ecosystem, and what’s happening to their environment.” Hanawalt says, “It is an emotional exhibit. He takes you through the life cycle of the grouse, and you see grouse that have died because of human

180 E. Deloney Jackson WY | (307) 203 - 7856 | workshopjh.com |

@workshopjacksonhole

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COEUR D’ALENE ART AUCTION

Best of

GALLERIES

WHETHER YOU’RE PASSIONATE

about plein-air, a serious collector of Western paintings by contemporary or deceased masters, or a casual art fan searching for a keepsake to remind you of your time spent here, in Jackson Hole you have the opportunity to enjoy art in its multitude of forms. Over the past two decades, Jackson Hole has grown to become one of the most heralded art centers of the West, popping off the tongues of aficionados alongside the likes of Santa Fe, Palo Alto, and Scottsdale. Begin by visiting some of the galleries highlighted here that show the diversity of art available in the valley, from traditional wildlife and Western art to contemporary paintings and sculptures.

Specializing in the finest classical Western and American Art, the Coeur d’Alene Art Auction realized a total of over $10.6 million in sales at our 2020 Auction with over 91% of all lots selling. Recognized by the Wall Street Journal as “the nation’s biggest and most successful auction of Western Art,” we are now accepting quality consignments for our July 2021 Auction to be held in Reno, Nevada.

208.772.9009 cdaartauction.com

CRAZY HORSE

Crazy Horse Jewelry celebrates its 42nd year in business this year! Open since 1978, Crazy Horse has one of the largest collections of authentic handmade Native American Indian jewelry and crafts in Jackson Hole. Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, and Santo Domingo artists create jewelry, pottery, baskets, fetishes, rugs and beadwork in classic and contemporary designs. Visit our store in Gaslight Alley in downtown Jackson to see this beautiful work!

125 N Cache St 307.733.4028 CrazyHorseJewelry.com 136

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GALLERY WILD

Gallery Wild showcases contemporary works of art inspired by wildlife, wild places, open spaces and conservation. Gallery Wild’s works and philosophy are inspired by and directly impacted by thousands of hours in the field observing, studying and falling in love with all things wild. Gallery Wild features established and emerging artists who offer a variety of mediums that includes, painting, sculpture and photography. Gallery Wild also features a working artist studio where Carrie Wild and visiting gallery artists showcase their techniques and share their process with guests as they produce new work.

80 West Broadway 307.203.2322 gallerywild.com

HINES GOLDSMITHS

Celebrating 50 Years Hines Goldsmiths is Jackson’s Fine Jewelry, hand etched Crystal and Glass Gallery. Our famous Teton Collection is available in Karat Golds or Sterling Silver in a range of sizes and prices with our Diamond pave and inlays of Opal or Turquoise highlighting our superb craftsmanship. In our Jackson studio we also create the Wyoming Bucking Bronco and custom Elk Ivory jewelry as well as Wyoming’s largest collection of unique gold and silver charms. Our dazzling collection of crystal and glass bar and giftware is hand etched with local wildlife. Custom pieces can also be created for weddings, anniversaries or business promotions.

80 Center Street (307) 733-5599 hines-gold.com

NATIVE JACKSON HOLE

Native has been serving clients in Jackson Hole since 1983. We feature contemporary, museumquality fine art work and artisan, precious and semiprecious jewelry. Our fine art collection includes local landscapes, wildlife and one-of-a-kind Native American art. Whether you are searching for a handcrafted gold ring of the Tetons highlighted with a diamond or fine art painting featuring the beauty of the area, our curated selection and decades of experience will to connect you to Jackson Hole’s rich living history.

10 West Broadway 1.800.726.1803 NativeJH.com

SUSAN FLEMING JEWELRY | WORKSHOP

Hand. Made. Things. Workshop is a boutique specializing in contemporary crafts by local and national artists and home to Susan Fleming’s jewelry studio. We offer a unique mix of locally handcrafted ceramics and jewelry, home goods, children’s gifts and apparel. We are located one block off the town square in the quaint grey house.

180 East Deloney 307.203.7856 workshopjh.com

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WILDLIFE ART

The National Museum of Wildlife Art is consistently recognized as a top attraction in Jackson Hole. The stunning building overlooks the National Elk Refuge and features 14 Masterwork Galleries, Museum Shop, Palate Restaurant, Children’s Discovery Gallery, Library, and outdoor Sculpture Trail. World-class exhibitions change regularly so there is always something new to see. Featuring work by prominent artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, and Carl Rungius, the Museum’s unsurpassed permanent collection inspires humanity’s relationship with nature. The National Museum of Wildlife Art is a private 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

2820 Rungius Rd. 307.733.5771 www.WildlifeArt.org

A TOUCH OF CLASS

Add a little sparkle to your life by stopping by A Touch of Class. Showcasing spectacular jewelry and sparkling keepsakes, A Touch of Class has been serving Jackson Hole since 1983. Our familyowned boutique features premium selections and exclusive charms from internationally renowned brands such as Swarovski® and Pandora, plus locally made charms and jewelry to serve as a thoughtful memento of your time in Jackson Hole.

125 N Cache St 307.733.3356 Facebook.com/ATouchofClassJH

NEW WEST FINE ART

“Bold, contemporary and original.” - Oona Doherty, Jackson Hole Center for the Arts. New West Fine Art features the work of Jackson native, Connor Liljestrom. Liljestrom’s running solo exhibition, The Last of the Old West, explores themes inspired by the artist’s life in the Tetons, mythologies, Hollywood and pop culture, natural history, colonialism, and the canon of Westerncentric art history. Open every day 10am - 6pm.

98 Center St, Unit C 307.730.9262 NewWestFineArt.com

WEST LIVES ON

The West Lives On Gallery features fine art reflecting the rich heritage of the American West. Featuring Western, wildlife and landscape art in our traditional and contemporary galleries. The West Lives On Gallery has been representing over 100 national and regional artists since 1998.

55 & 75 North Glenwood 307.734.2888 westliveson.com WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

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Best of

AS THE HOLE DEEPENS

American Life in 2024 BY TIM SANDLIN // ILLUSTRATIONS BY BIRGITTA SIF

AS FATE WOULD have it, my PaPaw’s seventieth birthday and the end of our forty-eighth month in isolation fell on the same day. To celebrate, my son, Chub, who is stuck in an employee dorm at Old Faithful, set up a Zoom party for the family. Four years into this plague and I still haven’t figured out Zoom. I can join meetings but can’t organize one. So the three generations—PaPaw and MeMaw from their place in Moose; me (Peter Pym) and my wife, Delores, from our house in Jackson; our daughter, Ambrosia, in an apartment in Florence, Italy, where she is supposed to be studying art history but isn’t; and Chub—all got together on our various computer screens, looking like the opening credits from The Brady 138

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

Bunch, to sing “Happy Birthday” to PaPaw. I’m not certain he noticed. PaPaw has sort of faded in the last few years of sitting in his Barcalounger, eating cheddar popcorn and watching TV. The first year it was 1960s bowling, the so-called Golden Age of Bowling. He was sharp enough to tell you Bill Bunette’s average score on the pro circuit, but not sharp enough to distinguish Coke from Mountain Dew. Then he discovered Willow TV—all cricket all the time. With no clue as to rules or terminology, PaPaw sat through twentyfour hours a day of boys in white flannels with little canoe paddles running from stick to stick. Every four hours or so, they

broke for tea. That’s when PaPaw microwaved his popcorn. PaPaw hasn’t had a haircut since the original outbreak. He looks like Mr. Natural in his gnome phase. “What’s Dad watching these days?” I asked MeMaw, who has developed a weird eye tic. PaPaw doesn’t seem to blink at all. MeMaw’s eyelashes flutter like a moth caught in a sticky trap. “He’s stuck on Dog TV,” she said. Delores asked, “Is that like Pet TV only more niche?” MeMaw fluttered. “Pet TV is for people who own pets. Dog TV is for dogs. You work at home and feel guilty about not playing with your dogs, you plop them in front of Dog TV all day. It’s mostly Frisbee catching or sleeping by the fireplace.” I found this intriguing. “And PaPaw watches with Fluff Puff?” “Fluff Puff can’t watch. Our TV isn’t digital. Dogs can’t focus on the picture on pre-digital televisions.” I didn’t know that. Even in lockup, you can learn new things. MeMaw fluttered onward. “They did a study and dogs get nervous when TVs bark, so the videos run with light classical music and no dog sounds. I think PaPaw likes the music better than the Stupid Dog Tricks, but it distracts me from my puzzles.” MeMaw has dedicated her self-quarantine to jigsaw puzzles. She orders 1,000-piece boxes from Puzzle Overstock. “The last one was all lavender and took two months. I’m running out of space,” MeMaw said. Mom can’t stand the thought of breaking up a masterpiece so she leaves them where they are and orders a new card table from Amazon. My parents have seventeen set-up card tables in their house now, each one sporting its own table-size work of jigsaw art. “My new puzzle is the Tetons from Shadow Mountain,” MeMaw said. “You’d be surprised how many puzzles make use of Teton shots. They have the aspens in autumn. Makes it almost impossible to tell pieces apart.” “I have a continuous loop of the Dornan’s webcam,” Ambrosia said. “I rode my bicycle toward the Cathedral Group for nine and a half hours yesterday while listening to Hidden Falls. Then I counted cats out my window. I’m up to 5,281, although some might be repeats.” “Were you wearing hazmat?” I asked, feeling like I was addressing Charo on Hollywood Squares. Ambrosia’s wardrobe has morphed into designer hazmat. Technically, she could go outside in Italy if she borrowed a dog to walk, but she doesn’t. Instead, she drinks Chianti and rides her sta-

tionary bike in a nature scene. “Of course.” She did a little twirl in front of her computer camera. “This one is by Alberta Ferretti.” Her suit was stylish. It had the Ferretti logo—a Chinese-wordlooking ink spot—across the mask and fake prison tattoos running up the sleeves. I suspect Ambrosia sleeps in hazmat. I’m afraid to ask. Delores, my lovely wife, reads the news off her phone from get-up to go-to-bed. She’s obsessed with infection rates and hot spot curves. In between news flashes, she writes letters to the editor. Chub asked if there are any editors left since the Emperor closed all media. “They call themselves ‘influencers’ now,” Delores said. “They keep popping up on blogs and vlogs. Bogs, all kinds of new places. The Emperor is playing Whac-A-Mole.” A lot of them come out of Delaware since Delaware broke off into its own nation. Teton County tried to form a break-away, but the government sent in mercenaries from Ottawa and that’s why we haven’t been outside, officially, in two years. I sneak out at night to collect feathers and roadkill hide for my fly tying. That’s what I do to pass time. I tie flies. My flies keep getting bigger as the months go by. I’ve created flies as big as bats. They scare Delores when I leave one in the bed. Chub was at Old Faithful on a school field trip when the Wichita, Kansas, riots broke out and everyone was ordered to shelter in place for life. He watches the geyser go off from his window. The Park employees have a group competition for who can watch every episode of every show on Netflix. Chub was leading till he got to “Umbrella Academy,” which gave him an eating disorder that made pizza smell like West Thumb. The competition winner receives a rock Cornish game hen that popped out of Teton Glacier during the Great Melt of 2022. Chub has a girlfriend he’s never seen in West Covina, California, although I suspect she’s a Russian bot. So many Californians are. So, we sang “Happy Birthday” to PaPaw while he watched a dachshund ride a mechanical vacuum cleaner around a nursing home. MeMaw showed us a completed jigsaw, which was a photo of the last polar bear cut into a thousand pieces. Delores read us a letter to the editor deploring the name change from Oklahoma to Trumpville. I showed them a dead hummingbird on a hook, Ambrosia saw a cat with two heads, and Chub stuck his phone to the window while Old Faithful soared skyward. A typical day for a typical family in 2024. JH WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

139

JUST A FEW THINGS TO DO IN

JACKSON HOLE

JACKSON n Find your favorite hot chocolate

n Get a bagel at Pearl Street

n Ice skate on the Town Square

n Look for bighorn sheep on the

(p. 60). (p. 64).

n Try Kaiserschmarrn at Coelette

(p. 23).

n Fat bike up Cache Creek

(p. 64).

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JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

TETON VILLAGE Bagels (p. 122).

on the National Elk Refuge (p. 59).

n See a photo exhibition about

sage-grouse (p. 130).

n Eat a cheeseburger pie

(p. 122).

n Après-ski at Continuum (p. 48). n Stand at the top of Corbet’s

Couloir and ponder entering it via a double backflip (p. 20).

n Ice skate in the Village

Commons.

GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK n Go for a ranger-led snowshoe tour

(p. 59).

n Take a wildlife safari to look for

wolves (p. 66).

WILSON

FARTHER AFIELD

VIRTUAL

n Dig into street-style tacos at

n Soak in mineral hot springs at

n Marvel at the suffering in

Streetfood at the Stagecoach (p. 122).

n Get a cinnamon brioche at

Persephone West (p. 124).

Astoria (p. 61).

the movie Colter: A Legacy of Adventure (p. 92).

n Watch athletes compete in Kings

& Queens of Corbet’s (p. 20).

n Listen to DJ Lauren Chase’s Dance

Odyssey show on KHOL (p. 38).

Go to jacksonholemagazine.com for more details. WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

141

Best of

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

BRADLY J. BONER

Winter 20/2021

Events below are based on information and Covid-19 conditions/restrictions as of mid November 2020. Please check with organizers to make sure the global pandemic has not further affected their event.

A horse-drawn sleigh gives visitors an intimate view of elk wintering on the National Elk Refuge. Sleigh rides depart the Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center daily December 14 through April 3 (except Christmas) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Area code 307 unless noted

ONGOING

JACKSON HOLE MOUNTAIN RESORT—with its 2,500 acres and 4,139 vertical feet of terrain is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily through April 11 (estimated) with an aerial tram, two gondolas, and eleven other lifts. The Mountain Sports School offers ski, snowboard, telemark, and adaptive lessons for all ages and abilities. 1-888-DEEP-SNO (733-2292), jacksonhole.com JACKSON HOLE MOOSE HOCKEY team plays against other clubs across the country. Home games start at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Attendance is limited due to Covid-19, but spectators are allowed in the arena. Snow King Center, moose.pucksystems2.com GRAND TARGHEE RESORT, on the west side of Teton Pass, is open through April 11 (conditions 142

JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2021

permitting). Take advantage of short lift lines on all five lifts, 2,602 acres of powder, and a 2,270-foot vertical drop. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 353-2300, grandtarghee.com

are required; reservations for smaller groups are not necessary but highly recommended over holidays and can be made by calling 733-0277, nersleighrides.com

SNOW KING MOUNTAIN is Jackson’s locals’ hill—and was the first ski resort in the state—with 400 acres of terrain and a 1,571-foot vertical drop. With three chairlifts and thirty-two named runs, the King is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday from December 5 to March 28; 734-3194, snowkingmountain.com

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WILDLIFE ART takes an expansive view of wildlife art, with pieces in its 5,000-plus-item permanent collection from Albert Bierstadt to Pablo Picasso. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 733-5771, wildlifeart.org

WAPITI WATCH. Sleigh rides onto the National Elk Refuge—and into the middle of the elk herd—depart the Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center (532 North Cache) daily December 14 through April 3 (except Christmas) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reservations for groups of twenty or more

KING TUBES & COWBOY COASTER at Snow King are alternatives to skiing. The former is a tubing park and the latter is the first Alpine Coaster in the state, with individual carts (to hold one or two people) that climb nearly 400 feet before winding and looping their way down two-thirds of a mile back to the base. Open Monday through Friday from 2 to 6:30 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; snowkingmountain.com

The 45th World Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb charges up Snow King Mountain from March 25-28, 2020.

REBECCA NOBLE

16–21: KINGS & QUEENS OF CORBET’S. Skiers compete to see who can ski Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s most iconic run with the most style. Teton Village, 739-2686, jacksonhole.com

NOVEMBER

JANUARY

11– DECEMBER 30: ART ASSOCIATION OF JACKSON HOLE HOLIDAY ART BAZAAR showcases local artists in time for the holiday season. See and buy select items at the Art Association Gallery. See and shop the entire Bazaar online. 733-6379, artassociation.org

26: DOWN UNDER THE TRAM: AUSTRALIA DAY celebration with free beer and giveaways. Teton Village Base Tent, 739-2686, jacksonhole.com

DECEMBER 11–13: DANCERS’ WORKSHOP PRESENTS THE CRACKED NUT, a Babs Case and Bob Berky original take on The Nutcracker for coronatimes; the production will have limited socially distanced seating and be live-streamed. Center for the Arts Center Theater, 733-4900, jhcenterforthearts.org 24–31: HOLIDAY ROUNDUP is a week of activities including stargazing, ice skating, and a visit by Santa Claus. Teton Village Commons, 739-2686, jacksonhole.com 31: NEW YEAR’S EVE IN TETON VILLAGE includes fireworks and more. Teton Village, free, 739-2686, jacksonhole.com

29–FEBRUARY 6: PEDIGREE STAGE STOP SLED DOG RACE begins in Jackson and includes seven stages around the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem for twenty-five teams of mushers. wyomingstagestop.org

FEBRUARY 3–4: SPECIAL OLYMPICS WYOMING at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. 235-3062, sowy.org 3–9: NATURAL SELECTION 2021 is the brainchild of snowboarder Travis Rice, a local snowboarder who has won gold at the X Games and is called the “Paul Revere of the freeride movement.” JHMR is the first of three stops in the comp’s schedule. At each resort, riders will be challenged to do freestyle tricks on big mountain terrain. Teton Village, naturalselectiontour.com

25–26: WHODUNNIT is an anonymous art show and sale where you bid on new works donated by more than 200 artists and guess WhoDunnit? See artworks in person at the Art Association Gallery and the Center for the Arts Gallery and also online from Feb. 18 through March 5. All pieces sold only online via first-come/first-to-buy or silent auction February 25–26; 733-6379, artassociation.org

MARCH 5–7: DICK’S DITCH CLASSIC BANKED SLALOM tests racers’ ability to descend a challenging run as fast as they can. JHMR, jacksonhole.com 11–13: 4TH ANNUAL JH FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL includes food and wine events around Teton Village. Teton Village; tickets start at $150; jhfoodandwine.org 12–14: 38TH FCEXCAVATION TOWN DOWNHILL is one of spring’s most popular events, both for racers and spectators. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, 733-6433, jhskiclub.org 25–28: 45TH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SNOWMOBILE HILL CLIMB. Snow King Mountain, 734-9653, snowdevils.org

APRIL 10: 45TH RENDEZVOUS RIVER SPORTS KAREN OATEY POLE PEDAL PADDLE consists of five events: Alpine skiing, running, Nordic skiing, biking, and kayaking. Teton Village to the Snake River Canyon, 733-6433, jhskiclub.org WINTER 2021 JACKSON HOLE MAGAZINE

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MUSIC DIRECTOR DONALD RUNNICLES

The Grand Teton Music Festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission to provide exhilarating musical experiences does not stop when the summer ends. As part of our commitment to share our passion for music, GTMF provides a variety of events and community programs throughout the year.

We greatly appreciate the support of our community, donors, board, musicians and staff, all which help to ensure that great music in Jackson continues. We look forward to Summer 2021â&#x20AC;&#x201D; when we can all enjoy the live music we love and celebrate our 60th Season!

Photo: Katie Cooney

Only

For your modern classic

Your home is more than a building or an address. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where you experience life, connection, and growth. The real estate team you chose to represent your property should be as exceptional as you are, and as your next chapter is going to be. Only Jackson Hole Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Realty offers unrivaled service and limitless opportunities.

jhsir.com | Jackson, Wyoming | Property ID: VKPZQB Each office is individually owned and operated

Jackson Hole Magazine // Winter 2021

Articles inside

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

AS THE HOLE DEEPENS

ART SCENE

DESIGN

Over the River and Through the Woods... to the Grandmother of Conservation’s House We Go

LOOKING BACK

GETTING OUT

NIGHTLIFE

BUSINESS

PIQUED

MEET THE LOCALS Q&A