Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article stated Jen Day Denton held the Fastest Known Time for the route, when really she holds the women’s FKT record. This has been corrected below. Buckrail regrets the error.
JACKSON, Wyo. — It sounds like a lot of people are training for the Grand Teton Picnic this summer. From overheard conversations at Persephone regarding a “training climb” up the Grand to a back-and-forth in the Rec Center sauna about the Jenny Lake swim, the valley is abuzz with the Picnic if you listen closely enough.
When there are so many things to try here, at the end of the day it can be just another thing to try.
Okay, cool, so what’s the Picnic?
Among feats like running the Teton Crest Trail in a day (around 9,000 feet of elevation gain over 40 miles of trail), the Picnic is a classic challenge faced by many an athlete. To complete the Picnic, contenders must ride their bike from Town Square to Jenny Lake (around 20 miles), swim across Jenny Lake (a little over one mile), summit the Grand Teton (around 7,000 feet of elevation gain) and then proceed to do the entire process in reverse.
Some people insist the Picnic starts with a shot of whiskey at the Cowboy Bar at midnight.
The mega-mountain triathlon was first done by mountaineer David Gonzales in 2012, and since then has gained an incredible amount of popularity amongst athletes recreating in the Tetons.
As many residents of Jackson will eventually glean, there is no shortage of athletes and athletic pursuits in this valley nestled between Grand Teton National Park and the Gros Ventre Mountains. Outdoor activity and adventurous pursuits seem to be baked in to the the cultural zeitgeist of this tourism-driven town.
Mountain athlete (and mother of three) Jen Day Denton got the women’s Fastest Known Time (FKT) for her unsupported Picnic in 2023. She completed the challenge in 10 hours, 40 minutes and 54 seconds.
It’s not unusual to see folks hiking Snow King (around 1,500 feet of elevation gain over 2 miles) every day, nor is it strange to catch your coworker mountain biking up Ferrin’s Trail — a steady 3.5-mile climb with a similar amount of elevation gain up to a saddle just east of the Snow King summit — after work on a Tuesday.
Local Bethany Fennessey is one such athlete, and told Buckrail one of her main motivations for doing the Picnic last summer — she is, actually, considering attempting the Moranic this year, which is a bike ride to Jackson Lake, a swim across the lake, and then a summit of Mount Moran — was that she simply thought she could. “I was just going out there to have a good time and do something big,” she said with a happy shrug.
Fennessey went on to explain that she hears commonly from people in town that it’s hard to live here because “whatever you do, someone is going to do it faster and be stronger.” She was unfazed, saying, “I’m just a regular person. A casual, mediocre athlete. I’m not doing the most and being the fastest. That’s just never been me. … I’m not a race car. I’m a tank. I’m not going to go fast, but I’m also not going to stop.”
Athletes can attempt the Picnic either supported or unsupported. An unsupported Picnic relies entirely on self-sufficiency, with the athlete carrying all they need for the day with them — stashing gear ahead of time immediately makes the attempt supported. Supported Picnics often include having some kind of support crew to either join for certain legs of the day or at transitions, and also could suggest gear stashed along the way to help the athlete along.
Abundant physical challenges are available to people here, from the most extreme professional athlete to an accountant. Sometimes, the professional athlete is the accountant.
To paraphrase? People here just do things, and then afterwards? They go to work.
Training for the Picnic this summer? Tell us about your training at tips@buckrail.com.
