Slow Your Roll: Taking a Beat Before Exiting the Gates at Jackson Hole

Within the first week of the Mountain Resort being open from the top of the tram, we had a serious rescue for two individuals who left the Resort’s patrolled boundaries in the late afternoon. Just a few hundred meters beyond the backcountry gate, the party found themselves above a broken 60-foot cliff band, rife with avalanche danger and secondary hazards. One member of the party who lost a ski, miraculously clawed her way through the cliff band without injury. Nevertheless, it still left her exposed to avalanche hazard from above, with one ski, at dusk, high in an alpine canyon, and no real knowledge how to find her way out to the valley floor safely before nightfall.

Her partner wasn’t as lucky. Cliffed out above the rock face, he was clutching a tree in the middle of the crag, and required the assistance of three patrollers who ventured into a stand of trees above him, with ropes, anchor material and headlamps. The rope team put him on a secure belay system, and brought the cliffhanger back up and traversed him to the top of Rendezvous bowl, where they then skied together to awaiting snowcats at the bottom of the bowl. Another patroller made contact with the woman, who was given a loano ski, and then escorted down Rock Springs Canyon to the standard exit on the South Hoback. Both parties arrived in the base area well after dark.

Now, this didn’t have to happen. Had they had situational awareness or backcountry skiing experience, they would’ve stopped at the backcountry gate for a few minutes, taken in the relevant information on the panel, read the warnings, specifically the “You are here” image, which explicitly shows the large cliff band onto which they ran afoul. Furthermore, when questioned by patrol after the fact, the gentleman said he’d read the avalanche warning, which he stated was “moderate.” For the record, it was “considerable” that day, meaning human-triggered avalanches likely. Coupled with skiing above a large rock feature, and you’ve raised the consequences exponentially.

Let’s back up. The backcountry beyond the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is world class. Beautiful bowls, cirques, peaks, and long, gladed runs. It’s the stuff of legend, and people travel from all over the world to get a piece of it. But…

What comes with that are serious avalanche danger considerations, cliffs, terrain traps, exposed snowfields, complex route-finding egresses depending on where you go. It’s not a walk in the park, it’s not Disneyland. Personal responsibility, proper rescue gear, and experience are real in the Jackson Hole backcountry, and it’s not to be taken likely.

During the after-action review the party members stated they’d already been out once earlier that day—'following others’ tracks’ (never a good idea in Jackson)—and hadn’t had any prior issues. “We were doing it safely,” they said.

And yet they had zero backcountry rescue gear, which prompted patrol management to disabuse them of their thinking. Just because you made it back inbounds without incident does not mean you did it safely.

“We have done this at other resorts,” they maintained. (I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not making this up. This conversation took place.)

At the risk of sounding a little conceited, I offer this. We are not other resorts. We are Jackson Hole. Ordinary surfers don’t just paddle out to the North Shore of Maui to take a crack at Jaws in winter. “I’ve heard it breaks both ways. Let’s give it a go.” The average experienced local knows if, when and where to be in the water because otherwise they put themselves at considerable risk or death, not to mention those who might have to come rescue them. To put a sharper point on it: they know consequences. You’d be cautioned to do the same when you come to Jackson Hole. Or Snowbird, or Telluride, and many others.

We want our guests to have spectacular experiences, to enjoy our backcountry (if that’s your thing) and all that it has to offer. It’s a big part of why I love the Teton mountain range. But respecting mother nature and the realities of backcountry travel are paramount. Please, take it slow and ease up from there. Understand the terrain, have a partner, have a plan, carry the requisite rescue equipment, and know how to use it. Know the literature. Read the warnings on signs, ask questions, choose trustworthy friends who know the area, or hire a guide. It’s fabulous dropping into the Jackson Hole backcountry. Be mindful, know your limitations and have a fantastic time.