March 15, 2020. That date was the line in the sand for many. That was the day, with 23 inches of new snow on the ground and a town full of spring break visitors, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort made the decision to stop spinning the lifts for the season. Or, for some, it was March
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Human ingenuity is nothing new. It’s the reason why I’m able to write this editor’s note on a laptop, using public Wi-Fi and why we can print this magazine and distribute it around town in a matter of hours. If you think about it, examples of human ingenuity are everywhere — from the phone you
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One of the first things Leif Routman and his bandmates did after forming the folk-rock group, Inland Isle, was head to a cabin in the woods. The four veterans of the Jackson music scene — Leif, Dusty Nichols, Pat Chadwick, and Shawn Fleming — packed up and hid out in a remote, scenic cabin in
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Daniela Botur speaks softly, her voice gentle and soothing even when speaking over the noise of a restaurant in downtown Jackson. She seems grounded and soft, with no rough edges to be seen. It’s this serene presence that adds to the power of her work. Whether she sits silently while running a mallet gently around
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Popular country music blares from the speakers, punctuated by the announcer’s sharp-shooting drawl. Horse hooves kick up dust, a rope cracks in the summer air, and people cheer for their favorite roper, bull rider, or barrel racer. This is the soundtrack of the fairgrounds in Jackson Hole — it’s a collection of sounds that’s steeped
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Busking on the subway late at night is one of multi-instrumentalist and composer Ben Musser’s favorite memories from his raucous, music-filled life in New York City. While living in Brooklyn, he and the bass player of his band, Benyaro, would head to Bedford Avenue Station at 1 a.m. or later. “That neighborhood at the time,
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To say Shannon McCormick is a fixture in the Teton Valley music scene — in both Wyoming and Idaho — is a profound understatement. Known for his trademark sombrero at summer festivals, Shannon is passionate about live music. He references Daniel Levitin’s book, This Is Your Brain on Music, as he describes getting goose bumps
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What are the sounds of your perfect summer? For some, it’s the near silence of nature — the soft rustle of aspen leaves, the meeting of foot and trail, or the soft flutter of a bird overhead. This may be background noise to some — but for hunters, foragers, and outdoor enthusiasts, these sounds offer
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It’s been a surreal year to say the least, but here in the least populated state in the U.S. we’re built for — and in some cases, intentionally chose — a life with more space and fewer neighbors. We recognize that isolation isn’t always a bad thing, and we know how to find comfort and
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Winter is a challenging time of year for wildlife. Deep snow makes it difficult for animals to find food or move quickly to escape threats. Just traveling through the snow—especially in bitterly cold temperatures—expends a tremendous amount of energy. Taylor Phillips, owner of Jackson Hole Ecotour Adventures, knows how important it is to protect wildlife
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Skiing up to Surprise Lake in Grand Teton National Park to check a weather station is just another day in the office for Lisa Van Sciver, who is an instrumental part of the local avalanche forecasting team. While her job title on paper says “meteorologist technician,” her position is more colloquially known as “snow ranger.”
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What would winter in Jackson Hole be without snow? While it’s unlikely snow will disappear from the area anytime soon, climate change is impacting our region along with the rest of the world. According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data and the U.S. Government’s climate.gov website, “Nine out of 10 of the warmest years
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Sixty-five avalanche paths have the potential to impact Jackson and the four highways leading into town. Brenden Cronin is one of just two Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) avalanche technicians charged with monitoring and mitigating the potential slides that could block Jackson’s roads. In the winter, Cronin checks weather models and forecasts and, along with
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If we’ve ever met on the slopes, or you’ve read my past winter Publisher’s Notes, you know I’m addicted to snow. Ever since my dad took me to Berchtesgaden, Germany, in 1971 for a family ski trip, I’ve been hooked. From living in Boulder and skiing the mountains of Colorado as a teenager, to making
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Lisa McGee looked out across the landscape on a recent summer trip she took with her son, Dylan, on the Wyoming Range National Recreation Trail, a 75-mile trail that runs along the spine of the mountains. If things had gone differently, she realized, they could have been hiking through an oil and gas field instead
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Laurie Andrews has always loved open space. Growing up in California, her family home sat near a ranch where she was allowed to play. When she learned the ranch sold, she cried. She was just 5 years old. “It’s where I found contentment and where I felt alive,” she says. “I just always felt that
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Upon first glance, Linda Merigliano may appear serious and quiet. However, get her talking about the great outdoors and its impact on the human condition, and her eyes snap with intelligence. Her smile, genuine and broad, is infectious. Merigliano is passionate about wild spaces—particularly those landscapes she serves as recreation manager for the Jackson District
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Living in Jackson means being surrounded by protected land. The town is ringed by the Bridger-Teton National Forest, Grand Teton National Park, and the National Elk Refuge, with endless outdoor recreation just a short drive, bike ride, walk, or horseback ride away. In fact, 97 percent of Teton County is publicly owned, and much of
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In the summer of 1976, Luther Propst and two high school buddies piled into a 1969 Ford pick-up truck excited to fulfill a longtime dream of exploring the West. Propst, who is now a Teton County commissioner, first became fascinated with the American West as a child, flipping through National Geographic photos of mountains, rivers,
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In the remote Wyoming wilderness, below Pendergraft Peak, a small bronze plaque commemorates slim Pendergraft: “mountain man, game protector, and gentleman.” Outfitter Peter Linn is paying homage to the outdoorsman in another way: he named his new business Pendergraft Outfitters. “My great granddad homesteaded here around 1905, and he outfitted with Slim Pendergraft,” Linn says.
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When people come to Jackson, whether to enjoy a vacation or build a life, they aren’t coming for the skyscrapers. People come here to see the area’s iconic natural beauty and immerse themselves in nature. Protected lands, both public and private, allow people to savor the natural world, whether by climbing a peak in Grand
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