Get Ready for a Safe Winter at the Wyoming Snow & Avalanche Workshop

• Two-day event highlights winter backcountry safety, and provides a free lunch, beer, vendors, and a huge raffle supporting TCSAR volunteers

Jackson, Wyo. — The 12th Annual Wyoming Snow & Avalanche Workshop is officially three weeks away. The two-day event focusing on backcountry safety begins with Pro Day at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, November 13, at the Center for the Arts. Rec Day, focused on all levels of backcountry users, begins at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 14, also at the Center.

Register ASAP to take full advantage of all six Rec Day Lunch ‘n Learn station options (they are filling fast!). And of course, spread the word to your favorite backcountry partners so that you feel safe with them, they feel safe with you, and you’ve got more juicy skills, topics, and questions to chat through on the skin track this winter.

Attending WYSAW is the best way to gather with folks from all corners of our awesome community before the winter starts to begin honing your backcountry safety systems.  At both Pro Day (Friday, Nov 13) and Rec Day (Saturday, Nov 14), you’ll learn lessons from leading experts in the field of snow and avalanche safety and have the chance to win some great raffle prizes in support of TCSAR volunteers. 

A sneak peek of some presenters and topics you don’t want to miss…

• Stepping Out with a Persistent Weak Layer: A Panel (Pro Day)

• Wind Slabs vs Storm Slabs w/ Nata De Leeuw (Rec Day)

• A Deep Dive Into Fracture Propagation + Mechanics w/ Dave Hamre (Rec Day Lunch ‘n Learn station) 

• SAR Response Assessment and Decision Making in Avalanche Terrain w/ Jen Reddy (Pro Day)

• Creating Inclusive Communication and Group Consensus w/ Julz Holder (Rec Day)

• Navigating The Terrain Between My Ears w/ Zahan Billimoria (Rec Day)

• Using the BTAC Big Sheet to Make Decisions w/ Eeva Latosuo and Alex Drinkard (Rec Day Lunch ‘n Learn station)

Click here to register and see the full list of phenomenal speakers on the WYSAW docket. We can't wait to see you at some or all of our programming!

WYSAW is made possible by these generous sponsors:

Coming Soon: Season 10 of The Fine Line Podcast

Jackson, Wyo. — The Fine Line podcast is returning for its 10th season, with the first of six episodes set for release on October 1.

Produced by the Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation as part of the Backcountry Zero initiative, The Fine Line uses storytelling to help build awareness for backcountry safety while shedding light on the dedication of first responders. 

Subscribe Wherever You Get Your Podcasts, and Listen to the Season 10 Trailer

Each episode explores the perspectives of those who have experienced a backcountry emergency, as well as the first responders who came to their aid. The interaction between rescuer and rescuee is often the first time they’ve been able to debrief an incident together, revealing surprising insights that can help the audience learn key lessons about best practices in the backcountry.

“There is something special about rescuers and rescuees coming together to discuss a backcountry emergency,” said The Fine Line host and producer Matt Hansen. “These personal stories really help the rest of us understand the nuance of an emergency, and can lead to more empathy for the survivors and awareness to what we can do to prevent such accidents in the future.”

Patrick Cunningham discusses a mountain bike crash on Teton Pass with TCSAR volunteers Anthony Stevens and Dr. AJ Wheeler.

The Fine Line’s original host Rebecca Huntington reconnects with Jesse Stover over the podcast’s first episode, released in July 2016.

Left to right: Hunter Ianozzi with Jenny Lake Rangers Zack Little and Mik Shain. In September 2025, Little and Shain were part of the team that pulled off a complicated rescue of Ianozzi on the Grand Teton.

Season 10 of The Fine Line explores the devastating consequences of an avalanche, a dramatic rescue in a very tight spot on the Grand Teton, downhill mountain biking on Teton Pass, a look back at how The Fine Line got started, a life-saving rescue in the Wind River Range, and how the backcountry can heal us even after it threatens to take everything away.

The Fine Line is proud to feature the work of local artists, musicians, editors, and writers to give the podcast an authentic connection to the Jackson Hole community.

Sponsors for this special 10th anniversary include Roadhouse Brewing Co., Rocky Talkie, and Stio.

The Fine Line streams everywhere podcasts are available, and is broadcast at 2 p.m. every Thursday on KHOL 89.1 FM. Learn more at BackcountryZero.com.

TCSAR Gets Busy with Four Rescues in Two Days

Jackson, Wyo. — Teton County Search & Rescue responded to four calls in two days last week.

The first two rescues involved two backpackers from the same party, but at different times, on the Teton Crest Trail. Both men, in their 60s, were backpacking as part of a group.

TCSAR volunteers treat an injured paraglider near the summit of Mount Glory on September 12. It was one of three rescues that day. Photo: Teton County Search & Rescue

One man reported a calf injury, which resulted in TCSAR flying the helicopter to pick him up on the Fox Creek trail on Friday morning. Roughly 12 hours later, the same group called to say that another member of their party was in distress due to a previous medical issue. Due to the late hour, TCSAR informed the party that they would have to wait until the following morning for a response.

At first light on Saturday, Sept. 12, the pilot and two volunteers departed SAR HQ and found a spot to land near the patient. They loaded him internally for a flight back to Jackson, where a friend was waiting to pick him up.

TCSAR welcomes the opportunity to respond to emergencies, and stresses the need for people to be prepared before tackling multi-day adventures in the backcountry. Time of day, weather conditions, and mechanical issues may also affect how and when the team is able to respond. This isn't intended to shame or judge anyone—rather, it's meant to underscore the critical need for preparedness and to be self-aware of any personal limitations.

Photo: Teton County Search & Rescue

Shortly after that rescue wrapped up, at 9 a.m. on Saturday, TCSAR was called to respond to a paraglider who had crashed near the summit of Mount Glory. The patient, a 37-year-old male from Telluride, had suffered trauma to his lower legs.

TCSAR assembled a helicopter short-haul team, and the pilot found a landing zone near the patient. The volunteers disentangled the patient from his wing and loaded him into the helicopter for a short flight to a waiting ambulance near the summit of Teton Pass.

In the day's third rescue, a hunter required TCSAR assistance after slashing his leg while field dressing an elk in a remote section of the Teton Wilderness. The hunter, a 26-year-old local resident, had tried to self-rescue by riding his horse several miles after sustaining the injury. Eventually, the pain became too much and he called for help using a Garmin satellite device.

TCSAR responded with a helicopter team consisting of the pilot and three volunteers. The team located the patient and landed nearby. They loaded him into the ship and flew him to SAR HQ, where he was transferred to an ambulance with Jackson Hole Fire/EMS.