See It Here: Photo Gallery & Video Presentations from WYSAW

We know how busy schedules can be. We also appreciate the enormous pull of being outside during one of the last beautiful weekends in October. So it’s understandable if you missed the Wyoming Snow & Avalanche Workshop, which drew an attendance of more than 350 people to the Center for the Arts on October 18-19.

And that’s why we record each and every presentation during the event.

We're happy to announce that the videos are now up online.  Each video is edited into individual presentations, and can be found on our WYSAW page, YouTube, and Vimeo.

With fresh snow on the ground, catching up on WYSAW is an appropriate kickoff to a safe and fun winter in the Tetons. 

We are also including a killer photo gallery from the event. All photos below by Zach Montes from Orijin Media. Images may not be used or reproduced without permission.

Managing Mental Health in the Mountains

As the importance of mental health continues to be addressed and recognized as a safety issue for backcountry users, TCSAR Foundation was proud to organize a recent workshop detailing the ins and outs of stress trauma and psychological first aid.

On March 5, 2024, local TIPS therapists Lewis Smirl and Ryan Burke led 50 first responders, mental health practitioners, mountain guides, and community members passionate about psychological first aid through a workshop on ‘Managing Mental Health in the Mountains.’

Ryan Burke is a local therapist who works with the Teton Interagency Peer Support group, commonly known as TIPs. Photo: Taylor Fasolo

After a brief deep dive into the neuroscience of stress exposure, Lewis and Ryan facilitated an open conversation about the interface of mountain town culture and trauma. Participant questions underlined the prevalence of ‘stress injuries’ in Jackson and the stigma that can exist surrounding peer and professional support.

Therapist Lewis Smirl engages with the audience on March 5 at the Black Diamond store in downtown Jackson. Photo: Taylor Fasolo

Thank you to Black Diamond for hosting, Yeah Buddy for providing pizza, and Lewis, Ryan, and everyone who attended for making this night so meaningful. Mental health is incident prevention and we appreciate your commitment to normalizing these conversations.

If you need stress injury support, check out Responder Alliance, Mountain Muskox, Redside Foundation, Soar4Life, and the Community Counseling Center of JH. And don’t forget all Teton County first responders get FREE access to therapy thanks to the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole’s Teton Interagency Peer Support (TIPS) program.

TCSAR Foundation will continue to make this issue a priority in our educational programming. Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media to be alerted when new classes are scheduled. You can find all of our programming on the events page at Backcountry Zero.

Join TCSAR for a Mental Health Workshop on March 5

As the Jackson Hole community continues to address the importance of mental health, Teton County Search & Rescue will host a workshop on March 5 to help backcountry users obtain tools to recognize how this affects their well-being in the mountains.

“Managing Mental Health and Trauma in the Mountains” will be led by local therapists Lewis Smirl and Ryan Burke, and will take place from 6-8 p.m., on Tuesday, March 5, at the Black Diamond store located at 160 W. Pearl, in Jackson. 

Smirl and Burke will help participants understand new research about trauma, develop tools to support themselves and others through stress injuries, and engage in discussions that allow you to expand your network of people who are passionate about the intersection of mental health, emotional resilience and the role of vulnerability in mountain towns like Jackson. 

Registration is $20, with discount codes available in order to make this important class available to anyone who wants to attend. To receive a discount, please email TCSAR Foundation PSAR Coordinator Maddie Johnson (maddie@tetoncoutysar.org). Yeah Buddy pizza will be provided!

To learn more, please visit BackcountryZero.com.