Words fall short from describing the riding we have on Teton Pass - I’ve been fortunate enough to have skied quite a few places in the world and while every area has it's special moments, there’s no next best place when it comes to the PASS. We've had license plates from all 50 states and riders from literally all over the world and they almost always rave about the Pass.
So, yes it's popular and yes it can get crowded, but it's mostly crowded with a great group of people who are psyched to ride in a place that almost always delivers no matter what skill level you 're com ing from.
The access is straightforward- the terrain varied- and the snowpack while being nice and DEEP, also seems to have a guardian angel in it: 70,000 or so backcountry runs a year from one 50 spot parking lot - you can ride in all 4 directions from this one parking area.
The access is very important here at Friends of Pathways and we realize it takes cooperation with the other groups using and maintaining the Pass. Our proactive stance in communicating with WYDOT, the highway patrol, and commuters who put 5000 trips a day over the Pass keeps us diligent in the energy we put into this cooperative effort. We encourage users to share the information we put out and work from an education-based approach.
So far their are no RULES on Teton Pass and we'd like to keep it that way- certainly we have guidelines and signs that point out information which was gleaned from years and years of use, but aside from some boundary restrictions for snowmobilers and wildlife concerns, the rest of the thinking is up to the user.
So, if we think about the number of backcountry runs a year and the commuter traffic and the plow drivers and the dogs and combine that with the varied use of moms with kids and 80-year-old snowshoers and hi-tech snowmachines and snowboarders and the list goes on, we should realize that this access and cooperation is and always will be a work in progress that suggests help from everyone. The PASS is a great place to lift the human spirit, let's all do our little part to share the good vibe.
-- Jay
