Teton Pass has become a Mecca for backcountry skiers and snowboarders. In 1998 we created the Ski and Ride Wyoming 22 stickers to celebrate this local treasure and as a way to give back to those who make it possible for the rest of us to safely recreate there. Wyoming22.com now furthers that original goal by providing a conduit for information to help everyone safely enjoy this community resource.
Friends of Pathways is hosting the Winter Wildlands Alliance Backcountry Film Festival this Thursday, November 19, in the Snow King Grand Room. Doors open at 6pm with highlights from Tom Turiano’s backcountry ski adventures in the Tetons. Benefits from this fundraiser go toward the Teton Pass Ambassador Program and to maintenance of the Jackson Ski Cabin. Come out and enjoy some great ski porn!
There’ll be suds from Snake River Brewing and Grand Teton Brewing Company as well as lots of great raffle prizes. Many local businesses have generously donated prizes for the event. Also present will be local land management, non-profit and other organizations promoting safe, responsible ski and backcountry recreation. Don’t miss it!
If you missed the Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club’s annual ski swap last weekend, or you didn’t get or sell what you wanted, you’ve got another opportunity at the Wilson Elementary School Ski and Sports Swap this weekend, on Saturday, November 14, to try again. They’ll take ski and sports gear for all ages and 20% of the proceeds go to support the Wilson Elementary School’s Winter Sports Program. This is typically a less frenzied ski swap and a great place to unload and pick up new gear for the kids.
Here’s the beta:
WHERE:
Wilson Elementary School, Wilson, Wyoming
DROP OFF:
Friday, November 13 3:00 – 6:00pm
SHOP:
Saturday, November 14 9:00 – 11:00am
COLLECT unsold donations:
Saturday, November 15 11:00 – 12:00am
Wilson Elementary receives
20% from sales to support
the Winter Sports Program.
This fine will cost you $410 bucks beginning this winter.
Apparently the cost of getting caught pulling a trailer over Teton Pass in the winter wasn’t high enough, according to the Wyoming Supreme Court. I was unaware that the fine was so paltry: a mere 110 smackers. Hardly enough to deter most sled-heads and truckers looking for a short-cut from Victor to Wilson.
Well, this year the price tag for such violations will be quite a bit heftier. According to an article in today’s Jackson Hole News&Guide, that price just went up to $410! Hopefully that’ll keep the unwarranted trailer traffic to a minimum.
The parking lot at the top of Teton Pass on a not-so-busy day.
Parking at the top of Teton Pass can be challenging on busy days. But with some forethought, many problems can be avoided.
The first thing to understand is who manages what up there. While the trailhead access and surrounding land are managed by the Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF), Highway 22 and the parking lot at the top of the pass are managed by Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT). And while part of the Forest Service’s mandate is to provide for multiple uses on Forest Service land (including skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and snowmobiling), WYDOT’s mandate is to provide safe and efficient passage for automobiles on their roadways. Providing parking up there is not high on their priority list, and only through their unique relationship with the BTNF and Friends of Pathways (FOP) is this situation even possible.
These parking tips will help everyone accessing the backcountry from Teton Pass have a better experience:
Carpool
Get a ride from the bottom of the pass with your friends. Parking is available at The Stagecoach in Wilson and people have been known to park in the lot at Wilson Backcountry Sports, but keep in mind that these parking areas are for those businesses. You may also park at Owen Bircher Park on Main Street in Wilson or at Coal Creek on the west side of the pass.
Comply with all parking signs
There are two parking signs that “book-end” the available parking in the lot. Vehicles must be between these two signs and anyone parking beyond those signs will be ticketed or towed.
Please park straight in, not at an angle. And there is no parking behind other cars or in the middle of the lot.
Start parking on the west end of the lot
Especially for early morning skiers, please start parking on the west side of the lot. This allows the plow drivers to continue clearing the lot on snowy days and keeps cars from getting too spread out.
Park Tight!
Park close to other vehicles. If the lot is sparsely filled, don’t just pull up in the middle of a big space; park close to other vehicles and gear up behind your vehicle. There is only so much room up there, and too many large gaps can mean someone won’t get a spot. That someone could be you.
A few other things to keep in mind
Be courteous to snowplow drivers
If you are walking up the road, always walk against traffic; however, should a plow truck come along, please get to the other side of the road as safely and quickly as possible. Do not climb the bank on the same side as the plow as you could get hit with plow debris.
Hitchhiking is illegal
Hitchhiking is illegal in Wyoming; however, the Wyoming Highway Patrol has been known to turn a blind eye to hitchhikers on Teton Pass. But when they do issue tickets it is usually because the driver of the vehicle stopped in a dangerous place, and usually it is the driver and not the hitchhiker who is cited.
That said, picking up hitchhikers makes for efficient use of parking space and natural resources. It also boosts your own hitchhiking karma, increasing the likelihood of getting picked up when you need a ride.
Parking in the “auxiliary” lot
What has become known as the “auxiliary lot” just to the east of the main lot on the pass is not really for parking; it is a turn-around for snowplows. That said, WYDOT realizes that parking can be at a premium and has not enforced a no-parking policy in this lot.
Thanks for taking the time to refresh yourself on these parking guidelines. Please keep them in mind when recreating on Teton Pass, and share this information with those who may not be familiar with them.
Chris had long complained about having to go to a dozen or more sites and pages to gather all the information needed (or at least desired) for a day of skiing, and I know he’s not alone. I’m sure many readers will recognize the data he has aggregated on this new site. I highly recommend checking it out and then bookmarking it. (You can also find it under Conditions in the sidebar of this site.) It will surely become your go-to site for all the info you need for a day in the Tetons.
If you are interested in the full press release about the launch, you can view it here.
This post is the first of many outlining Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF) regulations and recommendations for safe recreation on Teton Pass. As noted, Teton Pass has become a veritable Mecca for backcountry skiing and snowboarding. It is the access point to some of the best backcountry terrain in North America, and to say that it has become very popular in the past several years is an understatement.
It is also a home to wildlife, most notably moose. As stated by the BTNF and Friends of Pathways,
“An attitude of respect and responsibility is essential. Your actions can help ensure future access and protect this special place.”
These types of posts on Wyoming22.com will always favor the regulations that the BTNF and Friends of Pathways have put forth; however, they may also reflect my interpretation of those regulations while encouraging you to provide your input about them. This is not a perfect world; while governmental entities have developed their agendas with the broadest range of user groups in mind, it does not mean those agendas are completely thought-out or that there is no room for further feedback. The only way for the user experience to improve (or at least maintain a satisfactory level) over time is to make your voice heard. The only thing I ask is that you do so in a constructive manner; disrespectful or abusive comments will not be tolerated.
With that, please consider Wyoming22.com your forum for issues of concern on Teton Pass. Following are general safety tips provided by the BTNF and Friends of Pathways; details about these safety tips will be expanded upon in future posts, and further safety information will be provided in subsequent posts. And, of course, please feel free to post your comments.
General Safety Tips
Prepare for backcountry travel (including proper equipment and training).
This winter hasn’t quite been the winter of last, so any time we have the potential for significant new snow lately, people get excited. After a week of so-so snow fall, followed by a warm, dry weekend, this week looks to bring in quite a bit of new snow. Take a look at the GOES West satellite loop for the past 12 hours. There’s quite a bit of unsettled moisture streaming our way, and it appears to be slung inland with the help of a low pressure center off the Oregon coast.
On Friday, February 20, from 5-7 pm, Cloudveil Mountain Works will host a fundraiser for the Teton Pass Ambassador program in their retail store at the corner of Pearl and Glenwood in downtown Jackson. This event offers an opportunity to find out what’s going on now on Teton Pass. Pass Ambassador Jay Pistono will lead a discussion about current issues on the pass, including parking, user interaction, plowing, dogs and anything else that comes up. Friends of Pathways and the U.S. Forest Service host the event and will offer snacks and free beer from Snake River Brewing! This is a great opportunity to find out more about backcountry travel on Teton Pass and to support this incredibly valuable program.
In addition, Cloudveil will donate 50% of all sales from their store Friday to the ambassador program. What a deal!
The Teton Pass Ambassador Program provides information about backcountry ethics and safety through the nearly daily human presence on The Pass of Ambassador Jay Pistono. It is funded through a partnership with Friends of Pathways and the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
We’re told you can find out more about this event by contacting Stephanie from Friends of Pathways at stephanie@friendsofpathways.org or at 733-4534.
