Frequent winter visitors to Teton Pass and surrounding areas will eventually bump into a smiling skier with a bright orange jacket with an embroidered logo reading âTeton Pass Ambassador.â
The Teton Backcountry Alliance has recruited seven skilled volunteers to help with the load that for many years fell on the shoulders of Jay Pistono. Pistono and recently, Mike Penterson of Victor, work for the Bridger-Teton National Forest to promote safety, a sense of community and sustainable access for visitors in the wintertime. Now, the Bridger-Teton will have seven more helpers.
âWith the winter of COVID and the dramatic increase of backcountry use and the helluva winter weâre having, all of which are related to each other, we thought it would be good to have more boots on the ground,â said Teton Backcountry Alliance director Gary Kofinas. âPeople who can basically be there for folks. We have a lot of out-of-towners. If youâve gone over Teton Pass recentl