JACKSON HOLE, WYO – Want to keep Teton Pass open for winter backcountry use? So, too, does nascent organization Teton Backcountry Alliance. The new community organization is forming around the need to find balance between backcountry access and stewardship.
The growing popularity of winter recreation on Teton Pass, in Grand Teton National Park and on other public lands in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem has increased pressure and impacts on finite backcountry resources, from powder to parking to winter wildlife.
Skier- and snowboarder-triggered avalanches, for example, have closed the Pass multiple times since 2010. In some cases, these events have buried vehicles and endangered commuters. This in turn has caught the attention of the Wyoming Department of Transportation, which is charged with keeping the Pass open to commuters in winter.
Teton Backcountry Alliance says a lot in its tagline: “Stoke. Steward. Sustain.” The top priorities for the fledgling group are community, conservation and access. The group will host three happy-hour events this winter to discuss access and safety issues on Teton Pass, as well as steps the backcountry users can take to keep Teton Pass open.
The organization hopes to use the events to foster camaraderie among Teton backcountry enthusiasts, as well as address the future of parking on Teton Pass before it becomes a. bigger problem.
While exact dates and locations for the happy hours have yet to be announced, the group is planning to hold one event per month in the first weeks of January, February, and March.
The first event is scheduled for January 9, from 5:30pm – 7:00pm at the Coach in Wilson, WY to discuss skier & snowboarder impacts on WYDOT’s ability to keep the Pass open to commuters.
