I thought it would be important time in my life to re-visit and reflect on specific memories, thoughts, lessons learned, odd occurrences, and overall reflection of a place that's incredibly important to me. So important in fact, that I chose to get married there. That decision didn't exactly fly, so obviously the wedding was promptly called off, meaning a different venue was chosen. In legal terms, overruled.
I graduated from college in 2011 and the only think I could think about was moving to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. In my mind, nothing would stop me from going. As a senior in college, I remember it consuming my thought process during the last semester of school. I was coming closer to a moment of time to be able to do something that had always been high up on my list. this moment of time, making a dream a reality.
My dream to go to Jackson post college was squarely rooted in a deep desire and love of snow skiing and the outdoors. I think back on Jackson now at thirty years of age, eight years removed from living there, skiing comes to mind, but so many other memories quickly filter in the gaps of the time I have spent when living there. Some of my experiences I think about every day, some of them I don't like revisiting. Reflection creates an opportunity to ponder on how a specific event or series events impacted not only that point in time, but time moving forward.
Living Vs Visiting
Every-time I had been to Jackson prior to 2011 had been for a vacation, with my family. Always a a nice place to stay, good meals, long ski days; the way a ski vacation should be. I quickly found that living in a place is much different than visiting. Making a living off a small income, eating cereal for dinner all quickly part of the norm. I lived in a small one bedroom apartment which was all that I needed for my time there, tight quarters. It was a swift adjust period and something I think about often now when I go back to visit. Day to day life quickly developed a much different feel than vacation life and was something that I had to learn adapted too quickly. I would love to live in Jackson one day again, when I go back and visit it's always interesting to draw back on the comparative aspects of living versus visiting.
Finding, People
When I moved to Jackson Hole, I knew one person through a family connection. He was a good bit older than me and worked full time, so we were in different phases in life. Until I started working for the resort in November, I really did not know anyone else. I found my time in Jackson being spent exploring, hiking, traveling, attempting to fly fish, and a lot of reading during October and November. I remember a lot of days I would be out and active, but may not even talk to another person or have human interaction. I think I enjoyed it some, but also was a time where I was lonely in some aspects of life. I guess in the back of my mind, I hadn't even thought about the fact that meeting people in a completely new town across the country would take time, simply overshadowed by why I was there, to ski. I am incredibly thankful for my parents who were extremely supportive in the transition that came with this move and time it took to get to know some people. My Dad drove out with me to Jackson, and then flew home. Both my mom and dad came out through the year on several occasions to visit. I had to work on Christmas day, my Dad came out and spent the holiday with me. To this day the transition to Jackson, believe it or not, remains something I look back as an area that was in many aspects a struggle, but also taught me a lot about growing up and the realistic aspects that come with a solo move across the country.
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| Trying to find my way along the Snake River |
Being Frozen
Many days during December and January were frigidly cold, sub zero temperatures in the early part of the morning was the norm. I would wait for the start bus in the town of Jackson and my hair would still be wet from a shower that morning. By the time I got on the bus, a large portion of my hair would be transformed into ice cycles. Cold December days translated on the ski hill as well. I remember one day in December it was so bitterly cold there was hardly anyone out of the mountain. The person I was skiing with at the time looked over at my face and commented that I was starting to de colorize in several areas. With that, I knew it was probably time to take it off the mountain. Again, going back to the living vs. visiting, I hadn't skied in Jackson in December prior to living here, so the extremely cold temperatures during this period was new for me, but I also do not mid the cold, to a certain extent.
The Changing Seasons, Fall, And that Season No one goes to Jackson For
Nothing can beat winter in Jackson, but I found fall to quickly be one season I would always want to come back for. Fall is a short lived time of year in the mountains, with the turning leaves and some clear crisp days before the late September 'rainy' season starts. October and November likely get the least amount of tourists, and for good reason. I would call it a in between season, the temperatures starting working there way down and there are lots of days of rain. So make sure you get to Jackson for that brief fall window, because it's magical season, and then come back when the lifts start spinning.
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| One of my favorite shots of the Tetons from my Fall in Jackson |
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| The Tetons fully transitioned from fall to winter |
You Can Never Be Over-prepared
This is one of the most important key takeaways from my time in Jackson. I departed on a hike in Jackson during the September time frame. It was a full day hike that took us from the base of the mountain to the back-country. The morning started warm and pleasant and I dressed accordingly. After reaching our hike destination the weather begin to deteriorate, and quickly. The clear skies turned to rain and the temperature begin to drop significantly. We found ourselves hiking back in temperatures not far above freezing with a consistent sleeting rain falling. I had not packed enough layers for this weather, or even a jacket shell for the rain. I found myself completely unprepared in a uncomfortable position for the remainder of the hike. Concerns over frostbite and body heat became more and more of a concern as we continued. Thankfully, we made our return safely back into the town of Jackson. I had lost feeling in several areas of my hands that did not fully return until a few weeks later. Ever since that hike, I run a full thorough evaluation of what is needed or could be needed for a day in the mountains. When hiking in the mountains, always have layers, a jacket that can handle changing conditions, and more water than you think you may need. A good question to ask before heading out on a bike hike or into the back-country, no matter what time of year, if I had to spend the night outside, would I be prepared?
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| Marion Lake, 14 miles round trip, clearly, my humbling lesson learned hike |
Choosing Your Ski Days
I got spoiled, quick. I figured I'd ski every day and every minute I could when I was living in Jackson. I found this to work out differently than I anticipate going in. When you live in Jackson, barring work, you could pick and choose your days. Save your knees, your legs, and your body for a big snow storm. Skiing solo versus with friends or family carriers a much different feel. If I had to go back and do it again, there was some days where I stayed in where I probably could have gone out. My season cut short by injury, but thankfully it was filled with close to 80 ski days or so (need to go back and verify), a handful of which were of the rather sweet powder variety. The ones I had dreamed about prior to the move and solidified the Jackson Hole ski dream of living there.
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| Solo ski days became a norm during my time in Jackson |
Endless Hiking
While my time skiing was incredible in Jackson for 2011 and 2012, the two month period I got in August in September to hike and explore Jackson and the Tetons was almost just as memorable. There is no such thing as a bad hike in Jackson. I went back and pulled a few picture from some of my favorite hikes from Fall 2011:
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| Stunning views from Phelps lake, a hike that was quickly gaining popularity in GTNP whit the building Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve. |
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| Rock Springs Loop, a popular back-country ski area in the winter, turns into a nice hike off the Tram in the summer. |
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| Surprise Lake sits just below the Tetons |
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| Taggart Lake |
Ending The Season and Beginning a New One
My ski season ended earlier than it should have. It also happened to end on a blue bird powder day which was rather unfortunate. Thankfully it was towards the end of February and not the start of the season. I had gotten to the mountain early ready to roll, skiing with a friend from the ticket office. We decided to take the Gondola to start the day, which takes you to around the mid point on the mountain. Our Goal was to get to the Headwall, which is about a 20 minute in bounds hike that can be accessed from the Supreme lift. There is also a secondary access hike from behind the Gondola, this hike to the top is known locally as 'white spider' or the 'elevator shaft'. It lives up to it's name , as much of the hike is straight up.
As we got into the first section of the hike, I found myself loosing my footing in the steep boot-pack on several occasions. One final slip and I found myself sliding back down the mountain at a fairly quick rate, I remember distinctly so much fear entering my body at that point in time. My right leg caught behind a tree with my body downhill. I was somehow able to readjust but found that my right knee cap came out of place in the process. For some reason, I thought I could keep hiking only to find my knee to keep coming out of place. I made the decision to put my skis on and head to the top of the Gondola. I rode the gondola down went to the doctor at the base of the mountain and was diagnosed with a torn ACL. They sent me to the hospital after that for further diagnosis and it was determined it was a torn meniscus and not a ACL tear.
That day, for the most part, ended my ski season. I would ski a day or two more gingerly to close the season and then move back to Birmingham where I had surgery. To this day, I know God had a hedge of protection over me that morning. I was sliding down a mountain, helpless without a helmet on. I could have broken my neck, my back, but instead I now have less cartilage in my knee. It was a humbling, incredibly difficult experience. It was on of the highest levels of fear and pain I have ever experienced, but I look back at it now eight years later with a sense of praise and thanks.
One of the closing days at the mountains ski season was a Easter sunrise service at the top of the Tram. It was a fitting end to close this chapter of my life, and move on to the next one. I am so thankful for everything Jackson has taught me and meant to me through the years. It's always going to be a place I seek when it comes to a life transition or just a life experience in general. I do not know any other place I would rather be and treasure every minute of time I am fortunate enough to spend there.
In 2011 I moved away from Jackson to start my career in Atlanta. In 2019, I took in a week long experience in Jackson that signifies a incredibly important next step in my life and one I couldn't be happier or more blessed to have coming up, marriage.
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| Easter Sunrise in Jackson Hole Wyoming 2011 |
