Teton Family Winter 22/23 Issue No. 38

MOUNTAIN STYLE

We just can’t live without these kid’s snow sports accessories!

Backcountry ice skating offers the thrill of swift glides and open space, but it also requires precautionary safety measures

TABLE TALK

Single parents in mountain towns must navigate by a different map, one with the steep terrain outlined in greater detail

IN SEASON

Move over oats and raisins, our not-so-new-school granola recipes provide a twist on the classics

WELLNESS WIRED

Our full-spectrum look into the claimed health benefits of CDB wades through the hype

SLOW HOME

Is your spice drawer up to snuff?

Check out our tips on storage, freshness, and purchasing to see

ON THE FARM

Local sheep ranchers give us a modern look at the time-honored tradition of wool production

PAW PATROL

Being a K9 ski patrol team requires nextlevel commitment to a life-saving game of play. Meet the teams at our local resorts

By Deb Barracato

THE SOURDOUGH EQUATION

The Holy Grail of loaves rests in sourdough, an ancient bread prized for its health benefits and unique fermentation process

By

Jenn Rein

SLOW YOUR ROLL

By Molly Absolon

On the Cover: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort ski patroller, Shannon Brown, cuddles avalanche rescue pup-in-training, Toby (owned by patroller Matt Kaso).

Photo by Katie Cooney

Photos:Ryan Dorgan (top); Natalie Behring (center); Paulette Phlipot (bottom)

Dear Parents,

It won’t always feel like this. Our lives won’t forever exist in a state of overwhelm, complete with mountains of laundry, limited sleep (made possible by either a newborn or a teenager), and a once fulfilling job.

Our dog won’t eternally wander into the woods, eat a rotting carcass, and proceed to throw up on the carpet while we’re changing the diaper of a screaming baby. And we won’t always lie awake at midnight wondering if our coming-of-age daughter can navigate the slippery winter roads home from a high school party.

We won’t always pilot the world in a state of brain fog (I promise!), forgetting where we put our keys, our glasses, and that field trip permission slip. We won’t always be cooking two, three, or more, breakfasts, plus packing lunchboxes, all before 7:30 a.m., only to collapse on the floor before getting ourselves out the door by 9 a.m.

It won’t always be a struggle to get to the gym. To meet your husband (or wife) for a ski date. Or, to arrange time for a girls (or guys) night out. And when we get home, we won’t always have our

Molly Absolon writes to support her outdoor habit. She’d rather be hiking, biking, or skiing in the mountains than just about anything else. A former outdoor educator and current mother of a college kid, Molly lives in Victor, Idaho, with her husband.

Sue Muncaster is a writer, activist, business consultant, and “adventuerpreneur” who lives in Victor, Idaho. Her current passion projects include promoting the regenerative tourism movement and @tetonstrong, a collaborative project dedicated to supporting the mental, physical, and spiritual practices of a valuesdriven outdoor lifestyle.

feel-good hormones upended by a sidewalk that’s not shoveled, a dirty sink full of dishes, and clothes all over the floor.

There won’t forever be a little (or big) one bantering our name like a skipping rendition of a scratched vinyl LP or a weathered CD. And we won’t always be playing Santa Claus, while wondering if the bears have really denned up for the winter, so that we can put the Christmas garbage outside without being an irresponsible neighbor.

And all this mountain living—you know, the one for which some of us renounced the suburban rat race in hopes of a slower pace or a life closer to nature—well, I promise you (even if your pace feels more frantic right now than it is slow), it is all worth it.

Let’s learn from our empty nesters —the mountain mamas and dads that came before us. Because once our youngest kid drives down the driveway for good, we might really miss that one time, while camping, when the pack-n-play tipped over in the tent during a wind storm, or when we were all sheltered at home due to COVID, but we could still ski out our back door.

Onward Teton parents! You’ve got this!

Contributing WRITERS

Deb Barracato visited a friend in the Tetons twentyfive years ago and never left. She appreciates the flexible lifestyle that her workfrom-home career as a corporate event planner, freelance writer, and editor allows. Deb’s free time is spent building quality memories with her son, Nathan.

Tibby Plasse is a freelance writer living at the base of the Big Hole Mountains in Idaho. She never sharpens her skates and always finds something from last season (or one of the last three) in her hockey bag that probably shouldn't be there.

Kate Hull, a Texas native, moved to Teton Valley in 2012. She is the co-publisher and editor-in-chief at Powder Mountain Press, publishers of Teton Valley Magazine (tetonvalleymagazine. com). This past year, Kate welcomed a new chapter of life— motherhood—and is now sharing the wonderful world of mountain town living with her baby boy.

ChristinaKopperud is a writer, editor, and end-of-life doula in west-central Florida, with a layover of nearly 20 years in local-foods farming in the Midwest. Many issues ago, she was a managing editor of Teton Valley Magazine. She is now a regular contributor for Becoming Jackson Whole. Read more of her work at kristinekopperud.com.

Jenn Rein is a writer and content producer living in Teton Valley. Her works appear in Homestead Magazine, Artists Magazine, and Plein Air Magazine. Jenn’s favorite activities include taking photos of OPD (Other People’s Dogs) and cooking her own food. Read more of her work at jennrein.com

Samantha Simma migrated west to Wyoming from Wisconsin in the pursuit of grander outdoor adventures. She’s the social media manager for New Thought Digital, and her writing appears locally in Dishing magazine, Grand Wedding, and Jackson Hole Magazine. Samantha unplugs by heading into the wilderness with her pup, Timber.

Editor photograph by Camrin Dengel

Kristine

St. John's Health Family Medicine

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Schedule an appointment: (307) 739-6111

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Please note that this location no longer accepts patients for urgent care services.

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Pictured (left to right): Duane Mortenson, PA-C, Layne Lash, FNP-C, Kelly Baxter, MD, Jim Little Jr., MD, Kevin Sanville, MD

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Contributing Photographers

Natalie Behring Katie Cooney Shannon Corsi

Ryan Dorgan Julie Millard Paulette Phlipot

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Teton Family is published two times a year and distributed at more than seventy-five locations for free throughout the Tetons. To request copies, call (307) 732-5903. Visit tetonfamilymagazine.com for additional content and insightful blogs. © 2022 Teton Media Works, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this magazine’s original contents, whether in whole or in part, requires written permission from the publisher.

Photograph by Natalie Behring

We can’t live without these

SNOW SPORTS ACCESSORIES FOR KIDS!

By Kate Hull

Exploring your backyard winter wonderland with kiddos is a mountain town-living must. Yet getting geared up for any ski, snowboard, or Nordic adventure can take as much time prepping as participating. Not to mention … the pants that no longer fit, the socks that are consistently damp, and the pair of gloves that just don’t cut it. From babies and toddlers to tweens and teens, our list of parent-approved winter accessories help nix the cold toes, keep bottoms dry, and prevent adventures gone awry this winter.

FOR BABY

Cozy, cuddly wool blanket. Your little one too young to ski, but you can make them winter-ready tucked under the Iksplor Adventure Blanket from the Jackson Hole-based company. Use this merino wool layer to snug your baby up in his carrier, or tuck him into a Chariot for a ski. Pack it in your backpack for extra warmth that doubles as a backcountry picnic blanket. Available at iksplor.com. MSRP $89 Cinchable mittens. The key to keeping your baby’s fingers warm and dry is all about ease of use. Local Teton Valley mom (and former Targhee cat ski guide), Jennie White, swears by the cinchable Dakine Hornet Mitt for babies and toddlers. Water resistant and insulated, your snow-loving child will keep these on throughout her adventures, thanks to the elastic cuff. (Hint: Look for other brands that have cinch, zip, or Velcro functionality to keep gloves put.) Available at REI, Teton Mountaineering, Wilson Backcountry Sports, Habitat, and Peaked Sports.  MSRP $20

FOR TODDLER

Adjust-as-yougrow outerwear. We get it. Snowsports gear can be pricey. And your kiddo— no doubt—is growing like a weed, so it’s hard to justify an expensive purchase you may only get one season out of. Charlie Jones, hardgoods buyer and floor manager at Teton Mountaineering recommends finding a ski pant with an adjustable design. “Both Marmot and Patagonia make kids ski pants with a stitch in the pant that you can pull out; it gives you another couple inches,” he says. “It’s a sweet design for pants and parents.” Try Patagonia’s Baby Snow Pile Bibs for waterproof, fashionable layering, with the grow-fit extended wear feature. Available at Teton Mou ntaineering, Skinny Skis, Yostmark, and Grand Targhee Resort. MSRP $139

Iksplor Kid Top

Handmade beanies. Choosing the best beanie for your kid is all about warmth and personal taste. We all have that one beanie we take on each and every outing. For Jake Hawkes, a local web developer and father of two ski-loving daughters, giving them handmade beanies from their grandparents was a great way to attach sentiment to their outside gear. Hit up a crafty member of your family, while shaping extra appreciation for exploration while you’re at it. You can also source beanies from tons of local artisans. Check out MADE and MD Nursery’s stock around the holidays.

FOR GRADE-SCHOOL KIDS

Socks, socks, and more socks! We’ve all been there—a great ski day turned disaster because of cold toes. Jones recommends buying budding skiers warm, wool socks, like the Bridgedale kid’s merino ski sock (available at Teton Mountaineering, MSRP $25 for a two-pack). Not only will wool socks extend your kid’s powder day, Jones says the thick socks can also help fill a gap in big ski boots (to squeak out an extra season of use). Ski patroller Corey Rafeld’s go-to for adventuring with her daughter is Darn Tough Kids Overthe-Calf Ski & Snowboard Socks. (MSRP $20) Guaranteed for life, the midweight sock is ideal for hard-charging kiddos who need performance. Available at REI, Skinny Skis, Teton Mountaineering, Snow King Mountain Sports, JD High Country Outfitters, Yostmark Mountain Equipment, and Peaked Sports.

It’s all about that base … layer. Noticing a theme yet? Warm. Dry. Functional. It’s a delicate balance between finding a base layer that’s both warm and thick, or not thick enough. Smartwool hits the sweet spot with the Kids' Classic Thermal Merino Base Layer Crew.  This breathable layering top is made from 100 percent merino wool with a slim fit for movability. Available at Jackson Hole Sports, Teton Mountaineering, Skinny Skis, Yostmark, and Peaked Sports. MSRP $60

From sleep to summit, the Iksplor Kid Top is as versatile as it is cute. Featuring bold colors in buttery soft, biodegradable wool, they’ve thought of everything: a tagless neckline, thumbholes, and temperature regulating qualities. Your kiddo will, for sure, wear this shirt on and off the mountain. Available at iksplor.com, MSRP $55

FOR TEENS

This ultimate facemask comes in tons of styles and designs to showcase your teen’s individual flair. The Blackstrap Hood Balaclava helps provide wind protection, sun protection, and can be laundered easily in the washer and dryer. It is also made in the U.S. and comes in kids sizing, too. Available at Teton Village Sports, Teton Mountaineering, and Grand Targhee Resort. MSRP $38

Patch it up. When playing extra hard in the mountains, even the best gear can’t take a beating. Locallybased NoSo Patches has your teens covered in style. Choose from a variety of funky and functional mountain designs to cover pesky holes in a favorite puffy jacket or pair of ski pants. The patches are waterproof, peel and stick, and made with tough adhesive that gets the job done. Available at nosopatches. com. MSRP $10 to $18

FOR EVERYONE!

Parents can prep, plan, and pack for all the weather elements, but the secret weapon for a great day in the mountains isn’t necessarily gear. Are you ready for the must-have item that every parent mentioned? Snacks! Load your daypack with healthy snacks to stem off hungry bellies. Grab a handful of Kate’s Real Food bars loaded with energyproducing nutrients. (Oh, and a thermos full of hot chocolate is always a hit, too.)

Happy Wintering! tf

Handmade Beanie

WILD ICE

By Tibby Plasse // Photography by Ryan Dorgan

My first time out on frozen Newfound Lake in Alexandria, New Hampshire, was frightening.

My sister cruised by me laughing at my trepidation. What were we doing out on an icy lake where we could see rocks and fish underneath, and could maybe even fall through?

Not even an hour later, I saw a tractor-trailer drive onto the lake to unload an ice fishing setup—and then I thought, Well, if that guy can make it without creating a fissure, I could certainly take my chances on a few spins (which, at that time, was more like a few crashes).

I hadn’t started playing hockey yet and was still ruled by the figure skate’s anatomy. Still, I learned that day that a toe pick is not your friend on outdoor ice. By high school, I would come to use my dull goalie skates, with longer blades that were perfect for the rough and inconsistent conditions.

Natural ice. Wild ice. Backcountry ice. However you refer to it, this ice has no Zamboni. Any which way the wind blows, so does the ice freeze—and that, too, becomes a part of the chilly thrill of getting out onto it.

Outdoor skating is altogether a different animal than any trip to the ice rink. Conditions need to be perfect. Your skating needs to be loose enough to give with the uneven ice. And you need to prepare yourself for one of the best winter activities there is—so much so, that it might become

a bit of an obsession to seek out backcountry skating spots.

“It really is such a seasonal thing; a fleeting moment,” says Turner Resor, a Jackson native who, along with his brother, Miller, inherited their grandmother’s legacy for sailing blades across a lake.

“She was always checking ice at different ponds near the ranch and at Slide Lake. It was a rudimentary science, looking for the exact depth and the right conditions for black ice,” he says.

Resor considers the actual “hunting for ice” a good part of the fun, as well as finding community members who are hunting for it as well.

“You hear those whale sounds [otherwise known as ‘singing ice’ when the ice expands and contracts], the bubbles in the water below, and it’s a surreal experience,” he says. “It’s a confluence of how things work out in the right conditions.”

Resor and his brother are dedicated to finding good ice no matter where or what time of day.

“We went to Fremont Lake [near Pinedale] for a full moon skate … the moon’s glistening hit all the ice crystals around us; it was wild to see all the light.”

Skating outdoors, especially in coveted spots like Treasure Lake, Jackson Lake, or Slide Lake, can be extraordinary.

WILD ICE SAFETY

Heading out to skate can’t be a thoughtless activity. It’s like any other backcountry sport that requires making decisions based on safety, not selfies.

• First, always confirm the ice is safe to skate. Test out the frozen terrain by drilling several test holes on new ice. Don’t venture out unless the ice is at least 4 inches deep.

• Know the facts: River ice is about 15 percent weaker than ice over non-running water, and clear blue ice is the strongest; white, or opaque, ice is half as strong.

• Just like when you’re skiing, find ice buddies and never skate alone.

• Always wear a life jacket when skating in the backcountry, and carry hand-held ice picks draped around your neck.

• Other rescue tools to pack include a rope and snow tube.

• Wear a helmet—knee and elbow pads too—because ice is hard to fall on.

Often the experience is somewhat outside of the normal rules for time and space. You can glide across the reflection of the mountains and the alpenglow sunset, and only ever hear your skates … or others’ skates … or the nearest pond hockey pick-up game.

Mary Ryan, a licensed clinical social worker and registered dietitian-nutritionist, gets her fill every winter from lacing up in the park.

“I love—when skating at Slide Lake—that I can see trees and fish beneath the ice,” she says. “The scary creaking sounds that get my adrenaline moving, and the uneven surfaces that make the most experienced skaters look like hacks sometimes—Really, the mix of various levels of talent and experience adds to the fun. I love it so much!”

It’s not just the scenery that catches your breath, it’s also the speed at which you can skate.

A large lake, or a long stretch of frozen river, provides the open space no one ever gets at a rink filled with skaters. The expanse that frozen bodies of water provide in the wintertime lend themselves to broad, swift glides, giving skaters plenty of space to cruise, without needing to turn before the red line, or slow down gingerly to avoid another skater.

It might actually be the closest earthly activity to flying. tf

SINGLE PARENTING IN A SKI TOWN

(Hint: The après might involve hot chocolate.)

By Kristine Kopperud

Fact: Mountain towns make an epic home base for families. From the challenging outdoor pursuits, to the inspiring hell-or-high-water fortitude of fellow residents, mountain living is good for the minds and bodies of kids and parents alike.

However, that balance (opportunities-to-participants) gets decidedly trickier when the adults in charge are no longer in tandem. Single parents—whether it’s due to a legal split, personal preference, or tragedy—must navigate the territory of parenting by a different map overlay, one with the steep terrain outlined in greater detail.

First, I’m a resident of Singledom, on the tail end of a years-long, whole-life divorce (the breakup of my marriage, our joint business, and our farm home/ property). For the first year, I told people that between lawyers, refinancing, and nondisclosure minutia, the legal machinations of divorce were my full-time job. It forced a total reset of my orientation to work, my community, and the care of my teen daughter, even though I was her go-to parent inside the relationship, as well.

Some things I aced, like driving double-time to her riding lessons and maintaining a counselor she loves, even when it cost me double digit hours of productive work time each week. On other things, well, I was ‘that’ divorcee, rushing too fast and frantically toward my best re-partnering prospects.

Now that I’m almost fully on the flip side, I recognize what a gut-punch it was to lose the identity that, in large part, defined me, and I know intimately what it takes to stand up again and live well. Here’s a look inside the realities of single-parenting in a ski town, as well as tips for supporting (without judging!) the solo dads and moms in our midst, both as parents and as individuals.

NO. 1: THE FISHBOWL EFFECT

We mountainites all know each other down to our hubcaps, and often, the particulars of why a parent is single. This makes “getting out” immediately awkward, whether a parent has their children in tow, or they’re suddenly the odd partner out at the neighborhood barbecue.

Despite friends’ best intentions, I know the feeling of being that “plusone” to the everyday happenings I once attended as a family unit. I think my girlfriends felt I needed gendered support—a show of solidarity they weren’t always able to provide. And their partners (my guy friends) tried their damndest not to say anything about the breakup at all, which, given its impact on my

life, meant we all went mum pretty easily.

So if you happen to know both halves of the cleaved melon, or you cross paths a lot, ask about the kids and what’s going well, instead of how they’re coping or the latest gossip on the subject (even when offered, and yes, I stooped to it many times). Give new singles the space to find their groove, and ask what might make it easier for them to maintain their role in the carpool, say, or the school snack-bringing.

“I needed to heal a little bit, needed to step away and work on myself a little, before I could get back out there and be ‘Coach,’ who has some answers,” says Carlos Elizondo, former director of Jackson Hole Youth Soccer and co-founder of CGA Academy Soccer Club.

Elizondo and his 11-year-old son, who lives with him half the time, relocated back to Jackson from Idaho Falls and built a hybrid household with his sister’s family.

“I stepped completely away from soccer for a year and nine months,” he explains (and that is a long time for someone who has been a director of clubs, and coached the Western Region Olympic Development Program, as well as men's and women’s college soccer.) “Part of it was an identity thing—with my work and my relationship with my community.”

And a piece of that identity is romantic.

Though my own friends could hardly help it, I got caught up in their swift and well-meaning attempts at match-making (i.e., sorting through the scant small-town Rolodex to weigh the candidates). Beyond finding warm-blooded prospects, I found dating on any level to be cramped by available child care, and just too many inquiring minds. In my first year, I had to vet and hire an

overnight nanny for the two (count them: two) nights I spent away from home, just to get over the rim of the fishbowl.

Somewhere in the scarcity of evenings to myself, I also lost all awareness of timing (and propriety?). At one point, I asked a crush-acquaintance out, then when plan-making started to drag on, jumped right ahead and propositioned him before the weekend even started. I remember reading and rereading the text before I hit “send,” thinking, Is this nuts? But sent it anyway. Frenzied by the knowledge that I didn’t have a free evening for at least another month, I simply couldn’t see what crazy I was making. (He sidestepped my headlong agenda graciously, but such is best avoided.)

NO. 2: THE BUILT-IN BABYSITTERS MAY BE (LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY)

FAR AWAY

Breaking up in a mountain town, where most people have built a life without extended family, creates immediate challenges for a single parent. Suddenly, we’re responsible for many more drop-offs, pick-ups, and evenings without backup, and often with a mountain pass to commute, too.

Even at a distance, a change in family relations has a ripple effect among extended family, amplifying feelings of isolation.

“I had that backup system with my son's grandparents on his mom's side,” Elizondo explains. “They were a big part of my life, and when that changed, it was hard. You go abruptly from being good friends with your in-laws to casual acquaintances, unfortunately. I know they still care about me, but they’re at arms-length now.”

To make up for family that feels lopped off, it’s helpful to

parenting

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cultivate “chosen kin,” or multigenerational liaisons that model healthy relationships. (Hint: Be the family that has the coveted snacks, or the parent at the race, if a single just can’t make it due to … life.) Losing half the parental figures in our household made my daughter hyper-aware of classmates who did have two involved parents, prompting healing discussions of what she needs from me in our altered orbit.

NO. 3: THE KIDS REALLY ARE ALRIGHT

What’s cool about mountain towns is that they attract all species of outdoor enthusiasts, and that’s a boon for kids born into them. I’ve found that outdoor sports, with their high-stake physical and environmental challenges, pull kids together in “found family” packs bound by (I argue) more loyalty and trust than their suburban counterparts.

One mountain mom I know put it this way: “I’m OK with my kid skiing backcountry because I know the other kids out there with him, and their families, and the instructors and patrollers who’ve been watching out for them since they first clicked in. They know how to be safe, and they hold each other accountable.”

Youth Soccer and

of CGA Academy Soccer Club

The same code binds us as parents. If there’s a single in your mix, make them feel welcome in mixed-married company. Don’t do things that default to pairing off, if you can help it, and remember that singles run very tight schedules, due to limited time away from their children. Don’t blow them off, be late, or change plans last-minute.

Over the longer haul, support single parents’ career floating, as their roles and visibility shift within the community, and acknowledge the loss of identity they might be grieving.

“Being single changes how people look at you, without their meaning to make it a status thing,” Elizondo explains, making it harder to drift a while without drawing attention. “I’ve gone through the gauntlet,” he adds, “mowing lawns, selling things online, waiting tables, all while getting myself sorted out.”

Eventually, though, the psychosocial science reveals itself to be true: kids really do need just one adult who cares, and at any given time, a single parent (or their teacher, or their neighbor, or their chairlift-mate) can be exactly that.

“You can’t make things perfect,” Elizondo concludes, “but you can make things outstanding and amazing. Just keep asking, ‘What can I learn?’ followed by ‘What can I give?’” tf

“I needed to heal a little bit, needed to step away and work on myself a little, before I could get back out there and be ‘Coach,’ who has some answers.”

Carlos Elizondo, former director of Jackson Hole

co-founder

TIP NO. 1:

NOT-SO-NEW-SCHOOL

GRANOLA

By Sue Muncaster // Photography by Paulette Phlipot

ust like bell-bottom pants, granola—the iconic health food fad from the late 70s—is back in style. But what started as a respectable, simple breakfast cereal has been corrupted by saturated fats, preservatives, processed sugars (or no sugar!), and artificial flavors in mass-produced packages for extended shelf life. This results in dry, tasteless promises to meet every health food craze (think, keto, paleo, and gluten-free.).

So, let’s ditch the processed, sugary oat concoctions and get back to the basics: a bag of oats, some heart- and brain-healthy oil, honey and maple syrup, and your favorite combination of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and spices. Most granola tends to be high in calories, and my recipes are no exception. But there’s no need to count calories here. Instead, just be conscious of portion size. A quarter to a half cup serving is usually plenty to keep you energized for hours, especially when served with protein-rich yogurt and fresh berries.

FOR ALL RECIPES:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper, a Silpat, or grease them lightly with cooking spray.

2. In a small saucepan, heat the oil, liquid sweetener, and spices until incorporated. Do not boil. Taste and adjust the flavor, if needed.

3. In a large bowl, mix oats, cereal, nuts, and seeds. (DO NOT ADD dried fruit until baking is done.) Pour in the oil and mix well.

4. Bake 35 to 50 minutes until golden brown (not dark). Stir the granola a few times as it bakes, making sure to incorporate the edges. (Granola will continue to cook and dry out as it cools— you’ll be surprised by how it crisps up.)

5. As the mixture cools, add dried fruit or other add-ins. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Freeze any portion that won’t be eaten within two weeks.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Granola adds flavor and crunch to a breakfast grain bowl.

• Substitute granola for plain oats in your favorite baked crisp recipe.

• Sprinkle granola over fresh berries with whipped cream.

• Add large chocolate chips to your granola for a trail snack.

CBD: A FULL SPECTRUM GUIDE

By Christina Shepherd McGuire

I must admit—I’m a user.

As a recreational athlete who’s had four surgeries and is now approaching menopause, CBD (cannabidiol) has helped me overcome various health ailments, from inflammation and surgery recovery to insomnia and stress reduction. This supplement, with its host of claims—it’s said to inhibit pain, offset anxiety and depression, curb insomnia, and even help with acne—has been endearingly referred to by me as “mother’s little helper.”

We see CBD all over the media, and even on “sold here” gas station signs. Athletes put the supplement in their post-workout smoothies, arthritis sufferers rub it on their skin, and parents with epileptic children swear it's lifesaving. The hype, as they say, is real, but is this chemical compound really all it’s cracked up to be? And if so, how can we—the general public—make sure we’re buying the best product and using it in a safe and effective way?

“I’ve been following the advancement in cannabinoids for the past decade,” says Jackson-based Nicholas Krauss, VP of sales for Amota Processing (makers of Noble Leaf CBD products), board certified neurofeedback practitioner, and certified brain health coach.

“[As a practitioner], we aim to help people in a natural way by targeting a system [the endocannabinoid system] that is already being regulated by the body. It’s a much better way than bringing in something foreign.”

What is CBD used for?

Krauss educates his clients on CBD products using a coupled approach that involves consulting their practitioner. He recommends the products for those who have trouble sleeping, mentioning that poor sleep can throw off many of the body’s systems throughout the day. He also suggests using the product post-surgery, as it can allow the body to achieve its best homeostatic point, creating an internal environment more conducive to healing.

Babette Melka, Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and women’s health consultant based out of Teton Valley, Idaho, endorses the use of topical CBD for pain relief. She advises people to start with a small amount rubbed into the skin and used frequently in the area of pain. For relaxation or neurological symptoms, Melka likes sublingual CBD products (those that dissolve under the tongue or in the cheek) to induce a sense of calm and mentions that when you bypass the digestive system, absorption may increase by 6 to 20 percent, allowing for potentially better results.

Pain, inflammation, anxiety, and sleep … we get it. But what, exactly, is CBD?

Cannabidiol, the second most prevalent active ingredient in the cannabis sativa plant, comes from hemp, a cousin of the marijuana plant, and is manufactured and extracted in a

laboratory. Cannabis is a complex plant that contains hundreds of cannabinoids that interact with the receptors involved in a variety of bodily functions. Of these compounds, CBD is one of the most abundant phytocannabinoids found in the hemp plant, accounting for up to 40 percent of the plant’s extract.

CBD is considered nonpsychoactive, meaning, it does not get you high. In fact, this characteristic marks the defining difference between the hemp plant versus the marijuana plant. Hemp contains less than 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the compound found in marijuana traditionally associated with the “high.” CBD, in contrast, may make some individuals feel calmer or experience less pain and more comfort, but it does not alter your consciousness in the way that THC does.

How does CBD work?

Our body comes expertly equipped with a biological system called the “endocannabinoid system.” This system, comprised of countless neurotransmitters, regulates things like our physiological and cognitive processes, as well as our appetite, pain sensation, mood, and memory. Receptors are located in the brain, skin, liver, gut, central nervous system, cardiovascular system, and elsewhere, and are stimulated by molecules called endocannabinoids, which are similar in structure to the molecules in the cannabis plant. According to the article, “The endocannabinoid system: Essential and mysterious,” published by Harvard Medical School, “The cannabis plant, which humans have been using for about 5,000 years, essentially works its effect by hijacking this ancient cellular machinery.”

The action of CBD’s role in the endocannabinoid system remains somewhat unclear. What is proven, though, is that cannabidiol doesn’t directly bind to the endocannabinoid receptors.

“We have natural enzymes that break down the cannabinoids after they have been used,” explains Krauss. “CBD doesn’t bind directly to the [endocannabinoid] receptors, but rather, it works with the enzymes to keep them from breaking down our natural cannabinoids, making more of the compound available to tame inflammation and promote healing.”

CBD does bind, however, to other receptors in the body, like the TRPV1 receptor, responsible for sensing pain, the 5-HT1A receptor, a serotonin receptor linked to mood, and the NMDA receptor in the brain, which is important for neuroplasticity (the flexibility of the brain to do something new) and memory retention.

But it goes deeper than that, as just a touch of THC is needed to fully activate the receptors, allowing CBD to bind.

“The universe gave us everything to use appropriately,” says Melka. “Industrial hemp was designed with the least amount of THC, not enough to get high on (less than 0.3 percent), but just enough to help activate the receptors and turn them on. … That said, broad spectrum CBD [which contains 0 percent THC] is still going to work; it just won't work as well as using a full spectrum product [containing 0.3 percent THC].”

Is CBD legal?

That brings us to the elephant in the room: the legality of a product that seems to be so good for us, yet needs just a touch of a questionable substance to optimally work. And the laws regarding CBD are not exactly black and white, especially in Wyoming and Idaho.

The 2018 U.S. Farm Bill removed hemp as a Schedule I substance and reclassified it as an “agricultural commodity,” making hempderived CBD products under this bill legal on a federal level. The bill

An increasing number of folks are starting to see these issues for what they are: an important component of your overall health and well-being, just like your physical health. Still, mental health and substance use issues, resources and conversations can still feel complicated and out of reach. Mental health conditions include depression, anxiety and panic attacks. Substance use issues can be an increase in use and/or the inability to control when and how much you use.

SOME SIGNS THAT YOU MAY BE EXPERIENCING A CONDITION THAT MIGHT NEED ATTENTION:

• Have things that used to feel easy started feeling difficult?

• Does the idea of doing daily tasks like making your bed now feel really, really hard?

• Have you lost interest in activities and hobbies you used to enjoy?

• Do you feel irritated, possibly to the point of lashing out at people you care about?

• Are you using alcohol or drugs more frequently or in larger quantities than you plan?

If you or someone you love are experiencing issues with depression, suicidal thoughts, alcohol or drug abuse, you may be experiencing a mental health or substance use issue. Please reach out to one of our organizations if you are struggling with any of these symptoms.

307-732-8495

CurranSeeley.com 307-733-3908

jhccc.org 307-733-2046

Since the start of the pandemic, more and more people are talking about mental health and substance use issues.

also removed restrictions on the sale, transportation, and possession of hemp-derived CBD products, allowing them to be transported across state lines, as long as the product meets the following criteria:

• It must contain less than 0.3% THC

• It must adhere to shared state-federal regulations

• It must be grown by a licensed grower

Where to buy high-quality CBDs locally:

Simply Health Collective; simplyhealthcollective.com (Jackson)

Western Medical Equipment; westmed22.com (Jackson)

Kuntz Chiropractic; facebook.com/KunzChiro (Driggs)

Liquor Market; facebook.com/LiquorMarket (Driggs)

Panacea's Project; panaceasproject@gmail.com (Driggs; by request)

* Pharmaceutical grade CBDs can also be sourced locally from some practitioners.

But CBD products are not treated equally according to state laws. Currently, in Wyoming, it is legal to sell and purchase CBD products—including tinctures, oil, topicals, and gummies— that are derived from the hemp plant and contain 0.3 percent THC (full spectrum CBD) or less.

Idaho laws, on the other hand, state that all CBD products must contain 0 percent THC (broad spectrum CBD), a regulation that can only be achieved in a lab, with or without the use of a solvent.

Is CBD safe to use?

Both Krauss and Melka recommend consulting a healthcare provider before enlisting the help of CBD for your symptoms. First of all, CBD is contraindicated when used alongside certain drugs, like antidepressants, some antibiotics, and certain heart medications.

“CBD is broken down by the Cytochromes P450 [a superfamily of enzymes] in the liver. This is also where a lot of other medications and supplements are broken down,” explains Melka. “CBD will metabolize first, before the other substance … so it’s possible to build up a toxic load of the other drug.”

Secondly, some laboratories use chemical solvents, like ethanol, to extract the CBD compound and to eliminate any residual THC.

Both Krauss and Melka urge people to do their research and make sure the brand they are buying—either directly from a practitioner or at a grocery or health food store—is reputable. They advise only buying from companies who use third party lab testing, complete with a certificate of analysis per lot number. The lab report will tell you the specific cannabinoid makeup, alongside the presence of several organic compounds, like heavy metals, pesticides, solvents, yeast, mold, and bacteria. Krauss says to look for a QR code on the packaging to route you to a website that outlines the production process from seed to extraction. This type of research assures the company’s values align with yours and that you are getting a quality product.

Above all, both Krauss and Melka urge people to go slow when using CBD (or any other supplement, for that matter).

“It’s not a sprint with a supplement,” says Krauss. “It’s more about finding that 1 percent difference each day, and then seeing how it continues over time. … Take it slow. … It might take a little while to find relief if you are dealing with something long term.” tf

Play. Explore. Connect. What do community spaces mean to you and your family?

The Jackson Hole Land Trust protects and activates these places with you in mind. Give back to R Park: jhlandtrust.org/WYLD

Zach Andres

IS YOUR SPICE DRAWER ON POINT?

By Samantha Simma // Photography by Paulette Phlipot

Akitchen stocked with a myriad of cooking tools and utensils won’t equate to a home chef’s success, unless the spice cabinet is equally well-equipped. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines spices as “aromatic vegetable substances in the whole, broken, or ground form, whose significant function in food is seasoning rather than nutrition.” But the role of spices is much more than that— these flavorful concoctions contribute taste, color, and aromatics to dishes, and the array available is as vast and diverse as the world’s cultures.

Chef Chas Baki, partner at Provisions, a local catering company and private chef service, puts it best.

“Spices add nuance to flavor,” he says. “A roast chicken is great by itself, but rub it down with smoked paprika and it’s going to taste even better.”

STORAGE

As various recipes call for different spices, it can be easy for spices to stack up in your storage space. So, for the sake of freshness, it’s important to develop an efficient system of organization. Popular storage methods include wall-mounted racks, turntables, spice drawers, and tiered shelving. Beyond that, your manner of organization—

alphabetically or by cuisine—is a matter of preference. What’s essential is that each spice is stored in a sealable container and is clearly labeled with the spice’s name and its date of purchase. Use nonporous containers—like glass or ceramic jars—and keep them small, refreshing the contents frequently. The storage location you choose for your spices should be cool, dry, and out of direct sunlight. By avoiding exposure to air, moisture, and heat, spices can be kept fresh for a longer period of time.

Spices in the red pepper family—including paprika and chili powder—will retain their color and flavor longer if they’re stored in the refrigerator. Seeds like poppy and sesame should also go in the fridge to keep their natural oils from going rancid.

FRESHNESS

And that brings us to freshness.

Baki explains, “When you toast or warm a spice, you activate the release of its aromas.”

So don’t store your spices near a stove or other heat source, as the heat may activate the spice prematurely within its storage container. Also, when using a spice, be careful not to sprinkle it directly over a steaming dish or

pan. The heat and moisture from cooking can waft into the open spice container, causing the rest of the its contents to clump or harden when it goes back on the shelf. Similarly, if you’re dipping into a spice container with a measuring tool, make sure it’s completely dry.

Spices are derived from various plant parts, including seeds, bark, roots, fruit, or stems, while dried herbs are made solely from the plant’s leaves. Neither will make you ill as they age, but over time, both will lose their flavor and potency. The lifespan of a spice or dried herb depends on: 1. How it was processed, and 2. How it is stored. A good rule of thumb is to only keep dried herbs 1 to 3 years, ground herbs and powdered spices for 2 to 3 years, and unground, whole spices can be kept up to four years.

SPICES TO HAVE ON HAND

• Garlic Powder: Garlic powder provides a great shortcut when fresh garlic isn’t available. Stick to one without added herbs or flavorings.

• Cinnamon: While crucial to many baking recipes, cinnamon can add depth to savory dishes, too.

• Bay Leaves: Dried bay leaves add a subtle, woodsy aroma to dishes. Test the leaves for freshness by snapping a leaf in half—it should yield a spicy, floral scent.

• Paprika: In the same family as cayenne, yet milder, paprika adds a smoky flavor to your cooking.

• Cumin: You’d be hard-pressed to find a substitute for the earthy, slightly nutty, notes of cumin. Its versatility makes it a popular component of spice blends.

• Dried Oregano: Fundamental to many Mediterranean and Latin American dishes, dried oregano inflects a warm, slightly bitter, flavor on dishes in which it’s incorporated.

• Cardamom: A little goes a long way when using complex cardamom. With fragrant notes of mint and pepper, this spice is best stored whole and ground on the fly.

• Turmeric: Part of the ginger family, this yellowly-orange spice adds a bright, floral flavor to a variety of dishes, beyond just the Indian and Thai plates it’s known for.

• Black Peppercorns: Called for in practically every savory dish, the strength of black pepper’s flavor is stored in whole peppercorns, as the oils break down more slowly in its whole form.

• Red Pepper Flakes: From homemade marinara sauce recipes to topping your takeout, red pepper flakes are the go-to spice for adding heat to your meals.

Get into a routine of regularly auditing your spice stock, refreshing it every six months. If you’re unsure about a spice, rub a pinch of it into the palm of your hand. Warming the spices just slightly with your body heat will encourage the release of the spice’s aroma, which is the best indicator of its freshness. If the color is looking pale and lackluster when you spread it on your hand, and the aroma is weak, the spice is past its prime. If you must use an aged spice, be cognizant of the loss in potency. You’ll need to incorporate more to yield the desired strength of the spice in the final dish.

PURCHASING

“Buy only small amounts of spices,” Baki recommends. Avoid bulk spice containers—what you save in cost will be a loss in flavor over the time it takes you to use the entire container. If you’re able, opt for whole spices and only grate or grind the amount you need when you’re preparing a meal.

“If you want more bang for your buck, spice blends are the ticket,” Baki adds.

For the novice chef, he suggests getting familiar with one spice at a time.

“See how you like it, and how it pairs with different food. Gain a baseline knowledge and compound on that,” he advises. “You can always put more in, but you can’t take it out. Layer flavor over time—start with a little, taste it, add more, taste it, and get to the point where the dish’s flavor has brightened.” tf

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On the FARM

SHEEP TO SHEAR

The plight of wool in the Mountain West

By Jenn Rein // Photography by Natalie Behring

Sheep ranching is a long-held tradition in most mountain states, grown from roots established sometime in the 1800s. Emigrants—from Scotland, Peru, and the Basque region of Spain—migrated to the mountains to participate in this agricultural practice. In the early part of the twentieth century, Idaho was second only to Australia in sheepherding, having as many as 2.65 million sheep ranched within its borders. This landscape has changed drastically, but sheep ranching families still manage to make a living in South Central Idaho, and some outfits even use our Teton neighborhood for pasturing.

The Siddoway family runs their sheep in the Big Hole Mountains of Teton Valley, Idaho.

A Dual-Purpose Animal

Sheep are raised to serve two purposes—for their meat and their fleece. In fact, the health of the animal is maintained by a yearly shearing, one that is not optional. Domestic sheep do not shed their wool naturally, with the exception of some breeds that grow hair rather than wool. Should the shearing be neglected, the animal would suffer from a variety of difficulties, like a body temperature imbalance and hampered mobility.

The Siddoways breed between five to twelve thousand head of sheep a year, making shearing a three to four-week endeavor each spring.

Shearing is part of the ebb and flow of a sheep rancher’s life. At our altitude, this practice ordinarily takes place in the spring due to weather conditions. The herds are brought in from their grazing territory, one right after another, to get an annual haircut. For the Siddoway family who breeds between five to twelve thousand head of sheep a year, depending on the market, this effort takes between three to four weeks.

After the fleece is cut, it’s graded, or sorted, into different classes based on the thickness of each wool strand (referred to as the micron). Some fleece is sorted by staple length (the average length of the fiber within the fleece when measured from the skin to the fiber tip), as well, and then baled to be auctioned off.

Navigating the Landscape

The Siddoways originally settled on Canyon Creek in 1886 as Mormon pioneers. Once they registered their sheep brand in 1898, the herds ran in the Tetons. Today, this ranching family, spread out between Victor, Newdale, and Terreton, Idaho, runs their herds exclusively in the Big Hole Mountains of Teton Valley and along the Idaho and Wyoming boarder in the Snake River Range.

“If someone is hiking in Teton Valley to the west or south, and they run into sheep, they are more than likely from the Siddoway Sheep Company,” explains Billie Siddoway.

In addition to their summer grazing locales, the sheep also enjoy winter grazing in the Arco desert. This method of moving from seasonal ranges without a fixed location is referred to as “transhumance.”

Billie is a fifth generation Siddoway who is actively involved in her family’s ranching operations. She says the wool and meat markets dictate how intensive their efforts are from year to year. Like any family who depends on agriculture to make a living, both market value and politics influence their livelihood.

“Policies for agriculture change when a federal administration changes, so ranchers have to stay aware and involved to understand how those changes might affect them,” she says.

Over the past few years, auctioning bales of raw fleece (to both domestic and international bidders) has been slow-going for this ranching family. Success in selling wool has a great deal to do with the needs of consumers and market demand for specific types of fleece.

“We take bids by email, but recently it’s been tough to turn over. For the last few years we haven’t been able to get enough money on the market to even cover our shearing cost, so we’ve just been warehousing all of our wool,” Billie explains. (Siddoway Ranch currently has 160,000 pounds of wool in storage.)

This slowing down of sales has a lot to do with the breed of sheep the Siddoways raise. The wool yielded from their Columbia and Suffolk breeds is primarily used for wool blankets and socks. Demand for these goods has slowed, in favor of man-made textiles,

and, as Billie points out, “Once you’ve purchased a wool blanket, how many more do you need? These items are durable and long-lasting.”

The wool market has not only been affected by demand, but also by environmental policy. The Clean Water Act prohibits the use of many of the solvents that have been traditionally needed to clean wool. Raw wool fibers contain fat, suint, plant materials, and minerals. It is necessary to remove these by scouring with a combination of detergents, wetting agents, and emulsifiers before further processing. As the demand for wool has decreased, the expense of this stage in wool production has caused the majority of U.S. woolen mills to shut down. Not only that, but some of the detergents that have been used in scouring wool are also eco-toxic.

Playing the Wool Game

The Idaho Wool Growers Association (IWGA) focuses on protecting the livelihood of Idaho’s sheep producing families, an effort that dates back to 1890. From its inception, this organization has helped with issues like the use of public lands, the processing of both meat and wool, and the pricing of those commodities. (Wyoming, currently ranked Number 1 in the U.S. for wool production, has a similar organization, Wyoming Wool Growers Association.)

Since the IWGA’s inception, the state’s ranching culture has seen a deep decline due to international competition, rising costs, depredation, and government regulation. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, at one time, Idaho’s sheep population outnumbered people six to one. The demand for wool was high, and its uses were broad.

The sheep outfits that remain in Idaho raise about 230,000 head throughout the state. The holdouts that endure have made the best of their circumstances, some turning to direct marketing in order to control how their livestock and yield is managed. This means eliminating the need to sell sheep in order for meat to be processed, but instead processing on site. And for wool, cleaning is executed by the ranch or a direct partner. The IWGA aids in these efforts by educating the rancher on what needs to be done to succeed in direct marketing.

Achieving Wooly Success

In our region, the 25,000 acre Helle Rambouillet Ranch in Dillon, Montana, is one of the greatest success stories. Their approach to direct marketing has been achieved in partnership with a facility in South Carolina that cleans the fleece in order to create apparel that is American-made. This has resulted in the Duckworth brand, the world’s only sourceverified, single-origin Merino wool apparel company.

Siddoway Ranch currently has 160,000 pounds of wool in storage due to the declining market demand for wool.

The Helle family raises the Rambouillet (ram-boo-ley) breed, a French version of the Spanish Merino. Certified Rambouillet wool has fine fibers and a natural stretch that is wonderfully soft. The Helle sheep are exposed to tough Rocky Mountain weather that results in a fleece with an exceptional loft and breathability. They call this “Montana Merino,” and their success can be seen in the high demand for the Duckworth brand.

Today, consumers are savvy when it comes to understanding the source of the goods they invest in, and whether or not those goods are eco-conscious. The Helle Rambouillet Ranch, and the wool industry in general, acknowledges this and is making adjustments. To protect the environment, wool can now be scoured using only environmentally-friendly detergents containing no bleach or other chemical enhancements. From sustainable ranching practices, ensuring that their apparel follows a supply chain that is single-origin, and ramping up online sales of their product, Helle Rambouillet meets consumer demands, assuring the success of their product.

Celebrating a Heritage

Despite market challenges, Idaho sheep ranchers maintain their tight community heritage by finding ways to stay connected. Not only through IWGA membership, but with a yearly celebration in Ketchum—the Trailing of the Sheep Festival—held during the first week in October. In its 26th year, this cultural event is an important reminder of the role that sheep ranching has played in Idaho and beyond.

Moving sheep, or “trailing” them from high mountain summer pastures to winter grazing areas is a living history, as well as the focus of this unique festival. Ranches and community members gather here to celebrate the people, art, culture, and tradition of sheep ranching with a folklife fair, lamb culinary offerings, and wool workshops.

Taking the time to appreciate how sheep ranching has contributed to the culture of the Mountain West means paying a little more attention to this ancient practice. These animals were among the first to be domesticated by humans—a relationship that began around 10,000 BC—and the connection still remains. However, the value of this tradition rests in the hands of the consumer. Making lifestyle choices— what products to buy, wear, and support—creates a small shift in a collective mindset, one focused on sustaining a local heritage. tf

Play builds the foundation for the dogs’ avalanche rescue skills, so handlers, like Targhee’s Daniel Nagy, spend a lot of time throwing fetch toys and playing tug with their canine partners, like Mikko.

Paw

Patrol

A peek inside the life of an avy dog

By

Ski patrollers, even the seasoned ones, spend countless hours training every winter, honing their avalanche rescue and emergency medical expertise, equipment mastery, crowd control abilities, and customer service skills: often, in sketchy terrain and challenging weather conditions. They almost never do it for the pay. Why would some voluntarily, even enthusiastically, embrace an opportunity to add even more to their plate?

Well, for the dogs, of course.

Deb Barracato // Photography by Katie Cooney

Meet the team: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

Sable (human, Shannon Brown)

NICKNAME: Sabie Baby

BREED: Boykin Spaniel

AFTER-WORK REWARD: Dinner—she’s extremely food-oriented

FAVORITE TREATS: Carrots and watermelon

FAVORITE OFF-SNOW ACTIVITY: Hunting pheasants

NOTABLE TRAITS: She has large feathery ears (for warmth), and an amazing sense of smell!

Cache

Sable Scout

Cache (human, Chris Brindisi)

NICKNAME: Cache Dog

BREED: Dutch Shepherd

AFTER-WORK REWARD: Playing tug or fetch

FAVORITE OFF-SNOW ACTIVITY: Playing tug or fetch

FAVORITE TREAT: Playing tug or fetch

PET PEEVE: Not getting to play tug or fetch

NOTABLE TRAITS: Her lack of a food drive. She’s also playful, intense, loyal, and relentless.

Scout (human, Bill Vore)

NICKNAME: Red

BREED: American Labrador

FAVORITE GAME: Fetch

PET PEEVE: Getting wet

NOTABLE TRAIT: She’s happy-go-lucky.

Sparrow

Sparrow (human, Pete Linn)

NICKNAME: Sparrowhawk

BREED: Airedale Terrier

AFTER-WORK REWARD: A nap

FAVORITE TREAT: Nulo snack bites

FAVORITE OFF-SNOW ACTIVITY: Protecting people from grizzly bears in high alpine areas

NOTABLE TRAITS: She’s adventurous, easygoing, and passionate about helping people.

Toby (human, Matt Kaso)

BREED: English Shepherd

FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Training to be a JHMR rescue dog

NOTABLE TRAITS: Toby is brave, curious, and happy.

The avalanche dogs at Grand Targhee Resort and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR) inspire otherwise normal humans to put forth in a superhuman way. Becoming a K9 ski patrol team requires next-level commitment from both the dog and their person. On average, being validated—or certified to perform in an actual rescue—takes two years, and most dogs remain active for eight to ten years. Some teams accomplish validation with just one season of on-snow training, although getting there faster doesn’t necessarily make a dog better or more skilled in the long run, says Daniel Nagy, the human part of a Targhee K9 team which includes Tele, his dog. Most teams start training when a dog is about six to twelve months old, and aspiring handlers typically spend a year shadowing a mentor before they even begin to work with their dog, beyond general obedience training.

Nagy and Tele started a little later than usual, but still validated during their second season over the winter of 2020 and 2021. Tele was a rescue and mixed breed, and while Nagy hoped she would have the right disposition for the job, he didn’t know how she would

Tobyrespond. He explained that many handlers choose a dog breed for particular traits conducive to avalanche training. It took a little longer to develop a bond with Tele, he said, but once they started doing rescue-specific training, she quickly showed the aptitude and willingness he needed to build the relationship.

“I spend more time with my dog than my wife in the winter,” he says.

Bill Vore, the dog program coordinator at JHMR, says most dogs validate at age 2, though Cache, a Dutch Shepherd handled by Chris Brindisi, notably validated when she was one. She is the second dog raised by Brindisi, and the two share a particularly strong bond, Vore explains. If a team doesn’t validate by the time a dog reaches the age of 3, they start to question whether it’s the right dog. With one dog recently retired, another potentially sitting out the season with a handler taking leave, and a third that passed away unexpectedly, the JHMR team is in a bit of a rebuilding phase, much like a highschool football team that loses players to graduation.

Not pictured, but equally important: Ziggy

Bill Vore, JHMR avalanche dog program coordinator, adjusts Scout’s special work vest, letting her know it’s time to focus and pay attention to his commands. She knows her good performance will be rewarded with lots of praise and her favorite game.

The dogs go to work every day with their handlers, and ideally, there will be four on the mountain at all times at JHMR, and at least two on duty at Targhee. The workday looks a little different for the canine half of the teams; the dogs spend much of their time relaxing on sofas in the patrol shacks, while their handlers perform regular duties on the slopes. (The dogs lounge on furniture not because they’re spoiled, but because getting a paw crushed by a ski boot could end a season, and possibly, a career.) And while the humans come to work, the dogs actually come to play.

The training techniques, used by the Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association (CARDA) and the Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment (CRAD) programs, turn every rescue exercise into a game of hide and seek. When dogs respond appropriately to the protocol-specific commands, they’re rewarded with an energetic game of tug using a favorite toy. A special red vest signifies when the fun/work begins. The dogs wear these when they ride the lift, participate in dedicated training exercises, and go on a rescue operation. They move about the mountain often on the shoulders of their handlers, which keeps them out of deep snow and reduces wear and tear on their joints.

uneventful

Bottom left: Sable, an eight-year veteran of the

in the patrol shack each day until she’s called to duty.

Bottom right: Tele (foreground) and Mikko (background) know serious fun will soon begin

Right: Avalanche rescue dogs tend to be under 50 pounds, making it easier for them to ride on their patroller’s shoulders through the deep snow to a rescue scene. But on

days, groomed runs make for easy travel for Mikko and Grand Targhee’s program director, Casey O’Connor.

JHMR avalanche rescue team, rides the tram to the top of the mountain where she waits patiently

when they get on the lift wearing their special work vests.

Meet the team: Grand Targhee

Calvin (human, Joe Calder)

NICKNAME: Calllvinnn!!

BREED: German Shepherd and Brittany mix

FAVORITE OFF-SNOW ACTIVITY: Chewing slippers

NOTABLE TRAITS: He likes to run wild in the mountains and dig holes.

Mikko (human, Casey O’Connor)

Mikko Calvin

NICKNAME: Meatball

BREED: Yellow Labrador

FAVORITE TREAT: Meatballs!

FAVORITE OFF-SNOW ACTIVITY: Swimming, especially to retrieve in a river or lake

NOTABLE TRAITS: He’s steady and focused with a high play drive and a love for work.

Tele (human, Daniel Nagy)

NICKNAME: Tele Mundo or The Avy Squirrel

BREED: Mixed cattle dog (rescue)

AFTER-WORK REWARD: A game of fetch

FAVORITE TREAT: Marrow bones or a moose paddle

FAVORITE OFF-SNOW ACTIVITY: Whitewater rafting

PET PEEVE: Vacuum cleaners and big fireworks

NOTABLE TRAITS: She’s incredibly friendly and bounds like a deer through snow.

Not pictured, but equally important: Levi and Ivy

Even with the most advanced man-made technology—digital transceivers, backpacks equipped with airbags—and improved awareness among those who ski and ride in the backcountry, a trained search dog with a skilled handler often leads to better outcomes during a rescue. Equipment can fail, and in the rare but still possible case of an in-bounds slide (it’s happened at both Targhee and JHMR), potential victims would unlikely have transceivers. With a nose that can sniff out a particular scent in a concentration of one part per trillion—the equivalent of a single drop of food coloring in 500,000 barrels of liquid—the olfactory power of one dog can make short work of a job that might require hours, or even days, of effort by human patrollers with probes. A buried victim can survive with an air pocket (in the early 90s, an off-duty JHMR ski instructor survived for 90 minutes before a search dog located him), but it’s always a race against time.

Understanding how much more effective she can be in a rescue situation with her dog Sable fuels JHMR patroller Shannon Brown’s commitment. In training exercises, Sable, an eight-year veteran on the verge of retirement, still dependably finds items buried deep in the snow, Brown explains. “It’s astounding what she can find, even after days and a big storm.”

When a search switches from rescue to recovery, time still matters.

A dog’s ability to zero in on a victim’s location in minutes vastly reduces the amount of time rescuers spend in dangerous conditions. It also achieves closure more quickly for a victim’s friends and family. And in the event of an avalanche with no reported victims, a trained dog can clear the scene with much greater efficiency than a human probe line, confidentially confirming that no one got trapped under the snow. In the rare occurrence of an in-bounds avalanche, having the highly trained dogs on site makes it possible for the team to respond effectively without moving every available patroller to the scene and leaving the rest of the mountain without coverage.

To be effective, a handler must make each encounter related to rescue work positive, rewarding every successfully completed training exercise, rescue, or recovery with that special game of tug. In a real scenario, which might involve a death, the search must still end with a celebration. For the dogs, it’s the ultimate reward for good performance. It can be emotionally challenging for a handler to follow through on this, especially with grieving survivors on the scene, but they know the reward must be delivered consistently to reinforce the desired behavior.

“Patience is a big key,” explains Casey O’Connor, Grand Targhee’s K9 program director and handler to Mikko, a 6-year-old yellow lab and veteran on the team. “If you make a mistake in your discipline, it can take months to come back.”

Upper left: Toby, the newest recruit on the JHMR avalanche rescue dog crew, will begin formal training this winter. Here, he’s already showing promise with patroller Bill Vore.

Upper right: A day at work might include riding lifts, a snow machine, or even human shoulders, but Mikko takes it all in stride.

Bottom: Cache, a veteran avalanche rescue dog (handled by JHMR patroller Chris Brindisi) tolerates newbie Toby, but she takes her fetch game seriously and draws the line at sharing her prize.

The repetition and consistency in the extensive training really involves the entire patrol, including even those who don’t work directly with a dog. Everyone participates at some level, O’Connor explains, supporting training exercises, transferring dogs to their handlers on the mountain, and learning enough about the protocol to reinforce the work being done. As Vore explains, you always fall back to your lowest level of training in the extremely stressful environment of a rescue. So, that training must be rock solid.

While both JHMR and Grand Targhee provide some financial and material support to the avalanche dogs, they are nonprofit programs, with the patrollers raising a significant portion of the necessary funding through business sponsorships, merchandise sales, and public events. The K9 teams contribute their resources and expertise to the search and rescue organizations in both Teton counties as well.

At Targhee, the dogs and their handlers conduct demonstrations on Sundays at the top of the Sacajawea lift. The handlers all say they like it when people ask to meet and pet their dogs. Because, despite the seriousness of the job and the intensity of the relationship with their handler, at the end of the day, the dogs turn back into beloved pets, spreading the same joy to their other family members. tf

T h e SourdoughEquation

By Jenn Rein // Photography by Paulette Phlipot

TThe home baking game has seen a resurgence over the past couple of years, as we continue to embrace what can be done in the name of nesting. And as far as bread goes, the Holy Grail of loaves seems to rest in sourdough, a heavenly loaf known for its distinctively tangy flavor, softness of crumb, and lofty texture. To some, making sourdough bread is a challenge; others have their technique nailed.

Why not try your hand at this ancient baked art, while delighting your palate in the process?

An Ageless Tradition

Using sourdough tactics in leavening started in ancient Egypt around 3,000 BC. This approach to breadmaking crept its way into Europe, ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire,

making it the oldest form of leavened bread. It was not until the nineteenth centur y that baker’s yeast almost completely replaced the use of sourdough as a leavening agent, thus avoiding the time-consuming nature of its preparation.

When the practice of making sourdough on a broad scale declined, so did some vital health benefits. Although sourdough bread still contains gluten, the fermentation process alters the enzymes in the wheat, making it more tolerable to those with sensitivities. Plus, fermentation, along with the high fiber content of sourdough bread, results in a lower glycemic index rating— helpful to those with blood sugar issues. Sourdough bread may also offer more nutrients than other breads, as the microbes created in fermentation degrade the phytic acid (an “antinutrient” said to block the absorption of important minerals, like zinc, iron, and calcium) found in some flours and whole grains.

Committing to Bread Science

Compared to other recipes, sourdough breadmaking involves extra steps, but it’s not exactly complicated. The process of committing to the adventure and refining the steps is what makes it taste so good! Sourdough bread requires an active starter that needs feeding, even before you make the dough. This first step, considered the “prefermentation,” is often where the novice bakers can trip up.

Creating an active starter can take up to ten days. And, as with most science experiments, trial and error must be allowed. Once that starter comes alive through fermentation, you need to decide when you are going to use it, and if you want to keep feeding it. Continuing to feed a starter that is kept at room temperature is a daily activity reserved only for those making bread every day. Not many home bakers overachieve to this level, so instead, you can store your starter in your fridge, allowing it to go dormant, until you make another batch.

Striking a Balance

There are two schools of thought on sourdough starters. The first includes abandoning the effort to make your own, and instead, asking around to see if someone you know can spare a scrape off of theirs. The other includes starting from scratch and knowing you’ve got this.

Ben Ellis of 460 Bread isn’t here to sugarcoat. “Making and maintaining a starter is easy, but it takes dedication,” he says.

Blaine Gallivan of In Season JH (pictured above) says the key to good bread is paying attention to the feel and the smell, while also using your intuition.

Photography by Shannon Corsi

And, as with anything worthwhile, consistency means everything.

“If you got your starter through a long line of hand-medowns, I would suggest you make your own from scratch,” Ellis says. “Building a great starter takes multiple days of feeding and fermentation, but only requires a couple of minutes a day.”

And, what are you doing during that couple of minutes a day?

Well, you are discarding some of your starter, then adding flour and lukewarm water to what remains. The next day, you do the same. This repetitive feeding schedule of discarding, then adding, helps keep the size of your starter manageable, and should eventually yield a bubbly response. Once your starter doubles in size, feed it only one more time.

Getting to Know Your Dough

Typically, bakers first add their starter to a little water before adding in all the other ingredients. Blaine Gallivan, of In Season JH, discourages using a mixer for this step.

“Get your hands in there,” he says. “Part of the baking process

Easy Artisan Sourdough Bread

Yields 1 loaf

Note: Using whole wheat flour gives your starter a jump start, as it contains more microorganisms and nutrients, which will make your new starter especially happy.

For the starter:

Whole wheat flour Unbleached all-purpose flour Non-chlorinated water

1. Mix 1/2 cup whole wheat flour with 1/2 cup water in a quart-sized Mason jar. Stir vigorously, loosely cover, and then let it sit for 24 hours.

2. Add 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup water to the jar and stir vigorously. (Try to form the consistency of a thick pancake batter. If it is too thick, add more water.) Loosely cover, and let it sit for another 24 hours. You should see bubbles in your starter at this point, but if not, don’t give up.

3. Discard half of the starter, then feed it again with 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup water. Stir, loosely cover, and let it sit 24 hours.

4. Keep repeating Step 3 until the starter doubles within 4 to 6 hours of feeding. (This usually happens between days 7 to 10.) Now, the leaven is ready to use.

* If you don’t see bubbles after several days of this process, dump the starter and start over.

For the bread:

1 cup starter

1 1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons salt

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (may need more or less, depending on the hydration of your starter.)

1. Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and knead by hand until the dough is stretchy and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. (You can also opt to use an electric stand mixer, but this is not recommended by Gallivan.)

2. Give your dough the “windowpane test.” Take a small piece of dough between your fingers and stretch it out. If the gluten is properly formed, you should be able to stretch it out so that you can see through it. If it doesn’t pass this test and is breaking apart, place the dough back into the bowl and knead for a few more minutes.

3. Place the dough in a large, oiled bowl and cover it with an airtight wrap.

4. Allow the dough to ferment 8 to 24 hours (longer is better) in a warm environment (75°F to 80°F).

5. The next day, punch down the dough, shape it into a round by folding the sides into the center, and then place the dough seam side down in a basket or colander lined with a towel. Cover with another towel and allow the dough to rise until doubled (about 2 to 4 hours), in a warm environment.

6. Preheat your oven to 500° F degrees with a cast iron Dutch oven placed inside.

7. Turn the dough out onto parchment paper. Sprinkle it with flour and score a pattern of your choice into the top.

8. Place the dough on the parchment paper into the preheated Dutch oven. (Optional: spray top with water for a crustier exterior.)

9. Bake 20 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid, reduce the heat to 450° F, and then bake an additional 20 minutes.

* Any remaining leaven is your new starter. Continue to feed it if you plan to bake again soon or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for future use.

* Recipe adapted from Farmhouse on Boone

To prepare a dormant sourdough starter for baking, bring it out of the refrigerator at least 24 hours before use. Discard half of the starter, and feed it (see recipe). Repeat the feedings every 12 hours until the starter is active with bubbles within 4 to 6 hours (should take approximately 2 to 3 rounds).

is getting to know how it’s ‘supposed’ to feel.”

Gallivan uses this method for his wood-fired pizza’s sourdough crust and swears by the recipe from Tartine Bakery calling it “a great baseline formula to work with.”

When he goes to bake, Gallivan adamantly uses his large, sealed cast iron Dutch oven, which traps the moisture coming off of the dough, allowing the loaf to expand and form air pockets within the crumb.

“You need steam to be sure the outer surface doesn’t harden too soon because then it restricts the loaf of bread from expanding and reaching its full potential,” he says. “Steam keeps it moist, and the Dutch oven is the way to [achieve] that.”

When asked how a home baker will know if they have won the sourdough game, Gallivan laughs a little.

“People are really concerned with the look of a loaf,” he says, “But, how does it taste? If it tastes good, you have won. A lot of this can be based on feel, smell, and intuition. There are books out there that can help, but it doesn’t always have to be ‘by the book.’ Trust your intuition.”

Your Moment Has Arrived …

If you’ve always wanted to give sourdough a try, there is no reason why you shouldn’t. True—more steps are involved, but committing to the time that this taste-filled loaf needs will be well worth the effort. Then, once you have an understanding of what is required, you will be encouraged to bake more.

“While baking great bread is easy, it takes dedication,” says Ellis. “But when you do make a perfect loaf at home, it’s like alchemy. You have turned a few humble ingredients into that perfect mix of aromas, crunchy crust, and soft crumb. It’s nearly impossible to stop eating a warm loaf until it’s gone.” tf

s low

By Molly Absolon // Illustrations by Julie Millard

your roll

A

Parent’s Intro to Teen Driving

iit happened so fast.

Meg Woodbury, 15, was riding in a car with a friend this summer when the front wheel flew off the road. Her friend overcorrected, lost control, and drove into a tree. The two girls, both of whom were wearing seatbelts, were fine. The car? Totaled.

When Meg tries to piece together the accident, she has a hard time pinpointing exactly what happened. Was there a slight bend in the road? Maybe. Was her friend distracted? No, but she was tired. Regardless, one minute everything was fine. The next minute, they were off the road, their car crumpled around a tree.

“Life has a way of slapping you down,” Meg’s father, Josh Woodbury, says. “In the process of becoming an adult, you make mistakes that you grow from. That’s inevitable. As parents we do our best to get our kids through that period safely.”

Woodbury learned to drive as a young kid on dirt roads around his hometown in rural Wyoming. He believed that helped him become a better driver, so he had Meg start driving at an early age to allow her to gain experience in a safe, controlled setting. They started in the Mormon Church parking lot in Jackson, and then graduated to deserted dirt roads south of town. By the time Meg took drivers’ education in high school last year, she had more experience behind the wheel than any of the kids in her class. Still, the accident with her friend shook her up. She was surprised how quickly her friend lost control of the vehicle.

Meg knows bad things can happen. Her father’s brother died in a car accident when he was a teenager. She heard the story, but there is a difference between hearing stories and knowing the sound of metal crushing and feeling the abrupt impact of hitting a tree. Stories only go so far in capturing what a car accident feels like.

“Juvenile drivers often overestimate their abilities,” says Deputy Andrew Roundy, who is the school resource officer for the Teton County, Wyoming Sheriff’s Office. “They’ve been riding in cars their whole lives. Most of them have never been in an accident. … They often have no understanding of just how dangerous driving can be.”

local danger zones

→ JACKSON

Jackson is busy, the lane markers and crosswalks are faded and hard to see, and there are a lot of pedestrians and bicyclists on the roads. For all these reasons, O’Donoghue sees it as a challenging place for new drivers, and one where they have to be attentive at all times.

→ HIGHWAY 33 BETWEEN VICTOR AND DRIGGS

Increasing traffic on this two-lane highway, its lack of turning lanes, and the varying speeds of vehicles on the road have led to an increase in accidents along this stretch of highway, including several fatalities this past summer.

→ OTHER REGIONAL CHALLENGES

Dark roads, wildlife, winter-weather driving conditions, and distracted driving are other challenges new drivers face on roads in Wyoming and Idaho.

wyoming teen driver’s license requirements

→ INSTRUCTION PERMIT

In Wyoming, teens can apply for an instruction permit at age 15 with required documentation. Applicants can then take the vision test and written exam to obtain their permit. Instruction permits are valid for one year, and may be used to operate a vehicle only under the direct front-seat supervision of a licensed adult.

→

INTERMEDIATE PERMIT

At 16, instruction permit holders can apply for an intermediate permit. Requirements for an intermediate permit are:

• A parent or guardian signature on the application

• A parent or guardian signature on a driving log

• Passing a driving test at a local DMV or driver’s education center

Intermediate permits authorize a teen to operate a vehicle between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m., and only outside these hours when:

• Supervised by a licensed adult

• If required by medical necessity or emergency

• Traveling to and from school

• Traveling to and from work

• Traveling to a religious or athletic activity

Intermediate permit holders are restricted to one passenger under 18, not including family members. The intermediate permit expires 30 days after the holder’s seventeenth birthday.

→ UNRESTRICTED LICENSE

An unrestricted license is available to all 17-year-olds. However, teens who have completed driver’s education and held an intermediate license for six months can receive an unrestricted license at 16.5 years old. Curfew and passenger restrictions no longer apply.

→

HARDSHIP LICENSE

Wyoming offers a restricted license for 14 and 15-year-olds who can show “extreme inconvenience.” That means, teens who must drive more than five miles for school, work at least 10 hours a week more than five miles away from home, or need a license to help with a family business.

Motor vehicle crashes are the second-leading cause of death among teenagers, according to the Center for Disease Control. In 2019, 2,400 teens between 12 and 19 were killed, and more than a quarter million teenagers were treated in emergency rooms for injuries sustained in car accidents. In 2018, the medical and lost work costs from motor vehicle fatalities among teens ages 15 to 19 totaled $4.8 billion, in addition to property damage. The crash risk is particularly high during the first few months after a new driver gets their license. Additionally, the crash rate per mile driven is about one and a half times higher for 16-year-old drivers than it is for 18- to 19-year-old drivers, according to data from the 2016 to 2017 National Household Travel Survey.

Still, most of us survive learning to drive. Roundy believes parents play a critical role in this.

“Driving is fun,” he says. “We like to drive. The way we live dictates that we have to drive. But driving is dangerous. Helping kids understand there is no easier way to die then being careless while driving is critical.”

“Parents can and should give their kids as much training as possible. Drive with them. Coach them. Let them drive in easy conditions.

tips for teaching your teen how to drive

• Set a patient, reassuring tone, when driving with your child. Keep your emotions in check. Maintain a calm, even voice at all times.

• Practice the basics, such as backing up, braking, parking, making safe turns, maintaining lanes, signaling to other drivers, and driving at safe speeds for the given conditions.

• Talk about the essentials of how to operate a vehicle— checking fluids, fueling up, adjusting mirrors, inspecting tires, observing dashboard warnings and indicators, etc.

• Teach your child responsibility for driving a vehicle. Have them handle routine maintenance, pay for gas, contribute to insurance coverage, and understand the obligations of caring for a vehicle.

• Make your instructions clear and unambiguous. (For example, only use the word “right” when giving directions.)

• Be attentive and give your teen a lot of advance notice when you want them to change lanes or make a turn.

• Correct your teen’s driving by asking questions. Talk through situations (calmly), and draw their attention to what’s going on.

• Set a policy on listening to music while driving. Make sure your child puts their phone in a place where they cannot be tempted to use it, or turn it off.

• Debrief a drive when you are home and in a safe, neutral setting to help lessons sink in.

Let them drive in difficult conditions. Share with them good experiences. Share with them bad experiences. Be a teacher. Don’t just turn them loose. Continue to parent and coach every time you are in the car with them, even after they get their license.”

Melissa Streubel, whose son Nate, 15, just got his Idaho drivers’ license, says, as he approached driving age, she started using every car trip they took together as a learning opportunity. She’d point out hazards, talk about her decisions, and discuss what she was thinking and doing as she drove. As he got older, she let him take the wheel and coached him as he practiced driving on rural roads.

It wasn’t always perfect, she admits. Nate says his mom was a little more anxious than his drivers’ education instructor, but he also says practicing with her helped him gain critical experience. Like Meg, the fact that he’d been driving on backroads with his parents long before he took a formal class helped a lot.

“It’s kind of funny; I’m a different instructor than I am as a parent,” says Holly Faulkner, the owner of Rocky Mountain Driving School in Idaho Falls. “My son just got his permit, and I find it’s harder to be as patient with him as I am with my students.”

And patience, according to Faulkner, as well as Vicky O’Donoghue, who has been teaching driving for more than 20 years and runs Jackson Hole Driving Academy, is critical.

“Patience helps keep students from getting too nervous,” O’Donoghue says. “When drivers are nervous, they make more mistakes. I’ve been doing this so long I can read my students. I know what they can and cannot do, and I gauge the challenges I present them with accordingly.”

Both Faulkner and O’Donoghue say having their own brake for emergencies gives them added security when they are on the road with new drivers. But they say parents can get around that lack of an extra brake by being alert and thinking like they are behind the wheel at all times, even when they are in the passenger seat. That way, parents stay a couple of steps ahead of their kids and can anticipate problems that would require them to have access to a brake. Faulkner and O’Donoghue also recommend adding complexity slowly. So, start by driving in empty parking lots, move to quiet dirt roads, and only as your teen gains experience and confidence, venture out in traffic, after dark, or in more challenging conditions.

“I do think there are a lot of responsible teenage drivers,” Deputy Roundy says. “Lots of kids understand and make good decisions, but that doesn’t negate the fact that inexperience and being new to driving has an increased risk.”

“If kids understand the significance and responsibility they have when they get behind the wheel, they make wiser decisions,” he says. tf

idaho teen driver’s license requirements

→ DRIVER’S ED

All teens must pass an approved driver education class consisting of:

• 30 hours classroom instruction

• Six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction

• Six hours in-car observation

Students must be at least 14.5 years of age to enroll in driver’s ed, and are only allowed to drive with an instructor during class until they are issued their Supervised Instruction Permit (SIP).

→ SUPERVISED INSTRUCTION PERMIT

Teens must complete a supervised driving period, which includes:

• No less than six calendar months of supervised driving with a licensed adult

• 50 hours of supervised driving (10 must be at night)

• Supervising driver needs to be at least 21 years of age, and possess a valid driver’s license

→ LICENSING

Teen drivers of at least 15 years of age must pass the written knowledge and road-skills test. All drivers must also pass an eye examination and provide required documentation. Applicants who fail a test must wait at least three days before retaking it.

Additional rules:

Drivers under the age of 16 can only drive during daylight hours unless accompanied by a licensed adult driver.

For the first six months from the date of licensing, drivers under the age of 17 cannot have more than one passenger under the age of 18, unless the passenger is related to the driver by blood, adoption, or marriage.

→ HARDSHIP PERMIT

Teens ages 14 and 15 can apply for a restricted learner’s permit or hardship permit if they live far from their school or job. After 10 days of learning, this permit will allow them to drive during the day within 50 miles of their home.

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BOBCATS & BIG CATS

MULTI-WEEK LESSON PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN