JACKSON, Wyo. — Teton Backcountry Alliance (TBCA) and the Teton Climber’s Coalition is hosting a free panel discussion about navigating risk in the backcountry on Saturday, Jan. 18, from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Black Diamond retail store.
The discussion, Dancing with Risk: Exploring the Fine Line between Joy & Consequence, will be a conversation led by backcountry experts Kim Havell, Garrick Hart and Jim Ryan as part of the 2025 AlpinFilm Festival.
According to TBCA, Havell has skied on all seven continents with first descents on four, including in the Arctic and Antarctic. She is the first woman to ski-guide the Grand. Ryan is a professional skier who has starred in four Warren Miller movies and three TGR films. Hart has climbed ascents on El Capitan in Yosemite, as well as rock and ice routes in Red Rocks, Moab, The North Cascades and throughout Wyoming. He is also the author of “Teton Ice: an Ice Climbing Guide of Grand Teton National Park.”
TBCA wrote online that each of the panelists will share stories and insights that explore the choices and consequences that come with adventure in the mountains.
TBCA Board Chair Gary Kofinas told Buckrail that risk is a complex topic.
“There’s perceived risk, there’s actual risk and there’s all the uncertainty in trying to understand what are the risks,” Kofinas said. “We do that dance every time we go out into the wilderness and have adventures.”
The discussion will end in time for those who want to attend the AlpinFilm Festival. The Black Diamond retail store is located on 160 W Pearl Ave.
