JACKSON HOLE, WYO – Two new projects debuted this fall to honor Stephen Adamson, who died in a 2015 ski mountaineering accident. Funded by the Stephen P. Adamson, Jr. Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, one is a physical memorial, and the other helps send Teton County School District (TCSD) students to live arts performances.
Pathway Bridge Binoculars
Adamson’s family has worked with Teton County Pathways to install a set of Italian panoramic binoculars on the Snake River Pathway Bridge, where pathway users can view the full sweep of the mountains Adamson loved, from Mount Glory to the Grand Teton. Pathways coordinator Brian Schilling, and Elizabeth, Margaret, and Sara Adamson installed the binoculars on November 20.
The plaque to be mounted on the bridge by the binoculars will read, “These binoculars were placed here in memory of Stephen Perrow Adamson, Jr. (1973-2015) to inspire your next adventure.”
Adamson was an outdoorsman who loved climbing, skiing, and hunting in the mountains. He often had a set of high-quality binoculars or a spotting scope on hand to scout interesting terrain or wildlife. The stainless steel Vellardi binoculars feature waterproof, nitrogen-filled, Nikon 16×56 lenses, honoring Adamson’s appreciation for top of the line gear.
Friends of Pathways and Jackson Hole Community Pathways helped bring the project to fruition.
“Stephen didn’t waste a moment of his 42 years on earth, and we hope these binoculars inspire others to seize the day and get into the mountains to explore,” said Sara Adamson, Stephen’s widow. Below the dedication, the plaque reads:
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. –Sarah Frances Brown.
Stephen P. Adamson Jr. Live Performance Fund
On Dec 7, the newly formed Stephen P. Adamson, Jr. Live Performance Fund at the Teton County Education Foundation (TCEF) will sponsor 900 TCSD students in attending Dancers Workshop’s Fairest of Them All. The Fund joins with the Center for Wonder, which created the program, to underwrite the cost of sending all Teton County School District elementary students to a live performance at the Center for the Arts each year, as well as opportunities for the district’s middle and high school students to attend performances at the Center for the Arts and elsewhere.
Adamson was a supporter of the arts in Jackson Hole. He served on the boards of the Center for the Arts and National Museum of Wildlife Art. Adamson often said this was because he felt the arts gave the children of Jackson Hole, including his daughters Elizabeth and Margaret, the culture of a big city while growing up in a small, mountain community.
TCEF Board President Patricia Russell said, “The Education Foundation is thrilled and honored that the Adamson family has chosen to promote exceptional opportunities for student growth and enrichment.”
The Stephen P. Adamson, Jr. Live Performance Fund enables TCSD students to experience our community’s cultural events free of charge during the school day. These performances are many students’ first exposure to the performing arts.
“The opportunity to see live performances meaningfully impacts the quality of the education our students receive, and we are so grateful for support from the family and friends of Stephen Adamson,” said Dr. Gillian Chapman, Superintendent of Teton County School District.
Performances are selected each year by the district administration to be age-appropriate and related to curriculum. The Fund will contribute $7,000 annually to this program, and this year alone, over 1,600 students will benefit.
Projects previously supported by the Stephen P. Adamson, Jr. Memorial Fund include:
- Kendra Haste’s bison sculpture at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in memory of Adamson and Luke Manger Lynch, Adamson’s close friend who died in the same accident.
- Teton County Search and Rescue’s “What’s in Your Pack?” program and Wyoming Snow and Avalanche Workshops, which have educated hundreds about backcountry preparedness.
- The Skyline Trail, built in memory of Luke and Matt Lynch and utilized by thousands of recreationalists annually.
- Jackson Hole Ski and Snowboard Club Scholarship Fund.
Adamson’s family plans to keep the Stephen P. Adamson, Jr. Memorial Fund active for the foreseeable future.
