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 Bridger-Teton NationalForest Avalanche Forecast Laboratory
Jackson Hole Ski Patrol, P.O. Box 290, Teton Village, WY 83025
(307) 733- 2292, fax: (307) 733-2660, e-mail: ComeyK@sisna.com
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KeyWords:Avalanche,Teton,Backcountry,Jackson,Ski,
Comey
ABSTRACT
In Jackson Hole, Wyoming skiers and snowboarders access
rugged avalancheterrainonpubliclyownedlandfrom
privately owned ski lifts.Backcountry avalanche terrain
in Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF) and Grand Teton
NationalPark(GTNP)iseasily accessed bytourersfrom
an aerial tramway operated in the National Forest.These
areasare managed in a cooperative effort by the US Forest
Service,the NationalParkService,theJackson HoleSki
Corporation(JHSC)andtheTetonSheriff'sDepartment
(TCSD).
To managethese areas theUS ForestService requires
an assessment of avalanche hazard and incident response
planning.Dailyregional avalanche hazard forecasts are
provided by employees of the BTNF who operate from an
avalancheforecastinglaboratory locatedat theJackson Hole
Ski Area in TetonVillage, Wyoming.On-site instrumenta-
tion,dailyobservationsandhistoricalmeteorological
avalancheactivity data are used to develop theseforecasts.
Initial incident response is provided by the Jackson Hole
Ski Patrol.Secondary response is available from the TCSD
and GTNP.
Themanagementofpublicaccesstothisterrainhas
evolved during the last 31 years primarily in response to
changes in liability issues and user demands.This paper
has attempted to present the current access management
policy,recount the historical development ofthis policy
and offerinsightintofuture management issues.A dis-
cussion of alternative management options and the advan-
tages anddisadvantagesof alternativeoptions has not been
the goal of this paper.
INTRODUCTION
TheJacksonHoleSkiResortislocatedinthesouthern
portion of the Teton Mountain Range near the Idaho-Wyo-
mingborderin theRockyMountainsofNorthAmerica.
Thesteep eastern slopeofthisrange plummets froman
elevation of 3,185 meters to the valley known as Jackson
Hole.The crest of this range is the location of the starting
zones of numerous majoravalanchepaths some of which
extend 1,250 vertical meters to the valley floor.
Theclimateisprimarilycontinentalwith somemari-
time influences.The average annual snowfall is approxi-
mately 10 meters with an average February temperature of
-10º Centigrade at themid mountain elevation.Snow den-
sities typically rangefrom 5 to 15%moisture content. From
Novemberto May prevailing southwest winds create nu-
merous soft slab avalanches and occasional hard slab and
wet slide eventswhich typicallyrun on suncrust,radia-
tion recrystallization crust,light density layers and weak
strata comprised of temperature gradient crystals.
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From the top of the resort's aerial tramway easy access is
available with minimum physical effort toout-of-area al-
pine touring terrainto the south, west and north of the ski
area.Glacially carved valleys transect the rangeanddrain
totheeast.Thesefeatures provideeasy egressfromthe
touring areas to the resort base.This topography allows a
wide rangeof users includingsnowboarders andskiers with
conventional ski resort equipment to easily access Class I
avalanche terrain.
For 31 years, the JHSC has operated a ski resort on pub-
lic land undera special use permit with the BTNF.The
operationsplan for the resort includesdaily avalanchefore-
castingandavalanchehazardreductionwithintheski
boundaries andin unskied avalanchestarting zoneswhich
overhang the resort.
PRESENT ACCESS MANAGEMENT
The touring terrain andall of the resort except for the base
are publicly owned land within the BTNF and GTNP.As
the permitting authority the BTNF ultimately has the lead
roleinpublicaccessmanagementtotheseareas.The
permittee,JHSC,isresponsible forthe development and
implementation ofanoperationsplanwhichaddresses
backcountry access.Access to the touring terrain has tra-
ditionallybeenmanaged bydesignatedmembersofthe
Jackson Hole Ski Patrol.The patrol has also historically
provided primary incidentresponse.Secondaryor backup
responsecanbe providedby the TCSD viathe TetonCounty
SearchandRescueGroupandbyGTNPrangersifthe
incident occurs within the boundary of the national park.
BOUNDARIES
The touring areas to the north and west of the resort are in
GTNP.Ifanincidentoccursintheparktheskipatrol
providesan initialresponse and ifnecessaryGTNPper-
sonnelwillprovideasecondaryresponse.Thetouring
areas to the south of the resort are located in the BTNF.If
anincident occursinthe NationalForesttheskipatrol
providesan initialresponseand ifnecessaryTCSDper-
sonnel will provide a secondary response.
On the BTNF touring area, slope stability evaluation ef-
forts including the use of test bombs is allowed,however
the systematic use of explosivesto reduce the avalanche
hazard is not allowed.The use of explosives is not permit-
ted within the boundaries of GTNP.
The ski resort operates on 2,400 acres which is located
inthe BTNF.Thisarea ismarkedbyan operational ski
areaboundary comprised of barricadesand signs.The per-
mitted operational area of the resort extends beyond this
boundary on the BTNF.This terrain is available for future
expansionoftheresortand ispresentlymanaged asan
alpine touring area.In this terrain the special use permit
allows for avalanchehazardreductionefforts includingthe
systematicuse ofexplosivesand orartillery.The resort
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