JACKSON, Wyo. — A local benefactor has committed to donating $100,000 to the Jackson Hole Land Trust (JHLT) to go toward the purchase of a parcel near High School Butte if the community can log 1,000 hikes next week during the Boot up the Butte campaign. JHLT will also receive $750,000 from the Teton County Scenic Preserve Trust (TCSPT) to conserve the property.
Last week, the Jackson Hole News&Guide reported that the Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole was planning to sell a 3.74-acre parcel that encompasses the trailhead for the popular trail up High School Butte. The church was driven to sell the property in order to fund future employee housing. The parcel sits on the northeast corner of the intersection between South Park Loop Road and Blair Drive/Hi-Country Drive.
“High School Butte’s easy trailhead access has made the quick hike a local’s ritual, whether after school or before the sun rises,” JHLT wrote in a Wednesday press release. “For more than 30 years, the Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole has kept it open, and now that the church needs to sell the parcel to build employee housing, the Jackson Hole Land Trust is stepping in to secure permanent, safe public access for the whole community.”
JHLT, which plans to preserve public access on the property, requested that TCSPT allocate $750,000 of Specific Purpose Excise Tax (SPET) funds to help with the purchase. At Monday’s Board of County Commissioners’ voucher meeting, the Commissioners convened as the TCSPT and voted in favor of contributing the money. In 2022, Teton County voters approved an $8-million SPET measure to be used for “Teton County Land Conservation Opportunities.” JHLT is now attempting to raise an additional $130,000 through fundraising. The exact sale price has not been disclosed.
“I’m grateful we have the opportunity to deploy these SPET funds to protect access to a beloved community trail,” TCSPT Board Member Natalia Macker told Buckrail on Wednesday. “It’s a true win-win and exemplifies the power of collaboration.”
On Wednesday, JHLT announced its Boot up the Butte campaign to raise a chunk of money that will go toward purchasing the High School Butte property. Between Monday, Sept. 28 and Saturday, Oct. 3, the organization will host a hike-a-thon. If community members hike the butte 1,000 times during that window, then a local family has pledged to donate $100,000 to the effort.
“We’re grateful to the family behind this challenge, and to the many other donors whose early generosity brought us this close,” JHLT Director of Advancement Jill Callahan said in a statement. “By tying their gift to 1,000 hikes, the family is inviting the whole community to show what this trailhead means to them. That kind of visible support is what protects places like High School Butte for the long haul.”
Next week, from Monday to Saturday, participants can hike High School Butte at any time and scan the QR code posted at the top of the switchbacks to log their climb. For three hours each day, JHLT will host “Butte Scootin’ Boogie Hours,” where partners will offer free perks for hikers. See the schedule below to learn which businesses will be present each day:
- Monday, Sept. 28, 3 to 6 p.m.: Aguas frescas from La Michoacana
- Tuesday, Sept. 29, 3 to 6 p.m.: Bike tune-ups from The Hub Bicycles
- Wednesday, Sept. 30, 3 to 6 p.m.: Ice cream from Jackson Drug
- Thursday, Oct. 1, 3 to 6 p.m.: Beer burros with root beer from Grand Teton Brewing
- Friday Oct. 2, 3 to 6 p.m.: Cookies from Bake Me Vegan
- Saturday, Oct. 3, 9 a.m. to noon: Coffee and treats from Snake River Roasting Co.’s red trailer
