S k i

a n d

B a c k c o u n t r y

O p e r a t i o n s

theBTNFtoemploytheforecastersand provideequip-
ment.Technicalsupport is provided by the BTNF and the
JHSC.
Observations regardingbackcountry avalanche activity
and snowpack conditionsare provided to the laboratory
bybackcountryusersviaaphonelineandanswering
machine.In addition to observations from private parties,
observationsare routinely received fromHigh Mountain
HelicopterSkiing Guides who operate in the Snake River
and the GraysRiver Ranges, climbing rangers who operate
in GTNP, NOLS instructors who operatewithin theforecast
area,highwaypersonnelwhomanage activeavalanche
paths which impact roads on Teton Pass,Hoback Canyon
and the Snake River Canyon and Forest Service personnel
whodocumentconditions,eventsandincidents within
theirdistricts.
When visibility permits observations are made by fore-
casters who have visual access to portions of the forecast
region.The forecasters also enterthe touring terrain and
unskiedareas oftheresorttoconductsnowpitanalyses
and perform snow stability evaluations.
Asystemofremotemeteorologicalrecording stations
(SNOTEL) is also located throughoutthe forecastarea and
can be accessed via modem.These stationsprovide the
forecastlaboratorywithtemperatureandprecipitation
observations from numerous remote locations.Other fore-
cast centers located in southwestern Montana, Idaho and
northern Utah are sources of information regarding snow-
pack, meteorological and avalanche conditions in regions
to the north, west and south of the forecast area.

PHYSICAL ACCESS MANAGEMENT

Present user access to the touring areas is provided from
fourcontrol points.These access points are comprised of
gates and signs located along the operational boundary of
the resort.Access is only provided via these gates at times
when the criteria necessary foropening have been met as
determined byamemberofthe skipatroldesignated as
the touring officeror his assistant.
These four access points have a swinging exit gate.The
gate hasa locking flip sign which can read closedor can be
flipped down to read "YouAre Leaving The Jackson Hole
Ski Area Boundary.This IsYour Decision Point".Users
must physically push throughthegate to accessthetouring
areas.
Twoother signsare postedat eachgate.Thebackcountry
avalanche hazard report issued by the forecast laboratory
is posted on one of these signs.The second sign is a lock-
ing flip sign whichwhenflippedupreadsclosed andwhen
flipped down has language which states hazards exist in
the touring area, guides are recommended and that indi-
viduals are responsible fortheir own safety and rescue.
Touringstatusboardsare located atthebase andtop
stations of the aerial tramway and at the top stations of the
Subletteand ApresVous chairlifts.Thesesignslistthe
touring gates and whether each gate is presently open or
closed.A determinationregardingwhetherthe gatesshould
be open or closed is made in the morning and may rely on
information obtained by the touring officerand assistants
afteran early morning reconnaissancerun in the touring
areas.Thegatescloseearlyiftheavalanchehazard
increasessignificantly, if poor visibility develops and/or if

manpowerresourcesareindemand.Ifnoneofthese
conditions exist the gates may remain open until the early
afternoon.

PAST ACCESS MANAGEMENT

The aerial tramway was constructed in 1965.Early access
to the backcountry was informal and was primarily early
morning corn skiing on well established melt/freezecrust
oroccasionalrunsinstablepowdersnowconditions.
Backcounty excursions were generally limited to experi-
enced parties who ventured into Rock Springs and Green
RiverBowls which are the most easily accessed areas.
During the 1970s,interest and use in the touring areas
increased and a touring management program was devel-
oped.During periods of low avalanche hazard, good vis-
ibility and when good ski conditions existed guests of the
resort wereallowed access to the backcountry.Users were
requiredto sign out with the ski patrol for specific runs in
the touring area.The signout procedure required the us-
ers to be in groups with a designated leader who was fa-
miliarwith the terrain.Group members were required to
sign a liability release form and specify the group's desti-
nation and route.Groups were required to call in to the
patrol when they returned to the base area.Searcheswere
conducted forgroups which did notcall in.The call in
requirementwasdroppedinthe1980s,althoughthe
signout procedure was still in effect until 1994.
Thisprogram provided an interchange of information
between the users and the ski patrol.The patrol routinely
advisedusersregarding route selection,local pocketsof
instability,snowpackstratigraphyandmountaineering
hazards.Groups wereroutinely directed to areasbelieved
tobelowinhazardand advisedagainstentering areas
believed to have greaterhazard potential.During spring
conditions when the daily warmup was forecast to result
in a significant increase inthe hazard tourers were advised
to leave the backcountry by a specified hour.Users were
alsoabletocommunicatetheirobservationstothe
patrollers.
Increasing use of the backcountry in the 1980s eventu-
ally led to a request by ski resort guides to review the ac-
cess management plan.A review in 1990 resulted in the
determination that therescueresourcesof the TCSD, GTNP
andtheJHSCwereinsufficienttohandleanopengate
policy. In addition, a determination was made that guided
partiescouldnotbeallowedpreferentialaccess during
periods of greater than "low" hazard.This determination
was based upon the premisethat members ofthe public
who did not have guides could not be unilaterally denied
access during these periods.The "one goes, all go" man-
agement philosophy resulted.
As pressure for accessincreasedduringthe early 1990s,
it became apparent that a substantial number of users were
circumventingthesignoutprocedure.Thisintroduced
some potential liabilityto the resort in that these tourers
were not afforded the opportunity to be advised of poten-
tial hazards associated with the touring area.
Toaddress this issue the managementpolicy was modi-
fied to the existing format where accessto the backcountry
is provided through controlled points wherewarningsand
liabilitydisclaimers are posted.This new policy was de-
vised in 1993 and instituted in 1994.

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