Author: Jessi Friedman

Karen Daubert & Jared Smith: Nordic and backcountry skiing enthusiasts who love crust cruising and engaging in community, nonprofit efforts

Karen serves on the board of Friends of the Bridger Teton and Jared serves on the board of Southern Teton Area Rapid Transit (START)

Bridger Teton US National Forest, Featured, Grand Teton National Park, News, Profiles
Posted by Jessi Friedman Posted on

Karen Daubert and Jared Smith are not only avid skiers but also engaged Jackson residents involved in different organizations. Though Jared has more personal history in Jackson than Karen, since retiring 4 years ago, they have both been actively exploring all the winter trails of Jackson and actively involved in nonprofit work.  Jared’s history in Jackson Jared grew up enmeshed in the Nordic community of Jackson. His parents first came to Jackon in 1945 on… Read More

Renee Seidler: Wildlife advocate, winter enthusiast, Executive Director at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation

Winter wildlife observation, tracking, and protection and citizen science opportunities, winter recreation, and ways to get involved in wildlife advocacy

Featured, News, Profiles, Wildlife
Posted by Jessi Friedman Posted on

With a family full of scientists and a love for animals and the outdoors, Renee Seidler’s passion for wildlife and wildlife biology has been budding since a young age. Though she had a winding path, after getting her bachelor’s degree in microbiology and molecular biology and doing some river guiding in Jackson, Renee decided to go back to school in Bozeman to study wildlife biology. Then her path led her to become the Executive Director at… Read More

Erich Wilbrecht: Former Olympian Who Loves Flying On Skis and Listening to the Birds in Jackson Hole

1992 Nordic Biathlon Olympian and Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club Hall of Fame Honoree

Featured, News, Profiles, Skate Skiing
Posted by Jessi Friedman Posted on

A former Olympic biathlete and an inaugural member of the Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club Hall of Fame, Erich Wilbrecht is a Nordic force to be reckoned with.  Erich grew up on wildlife refuges and moved to Jackson at the age of 16 when his dad took the job managing the National Elk Refuge with the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Erich grew up cross country running, and when Jackson didn’t have a cross… Read More

Friends of Pathways: Utilizing Pathways to Promote Healthy & Responsible Recreation and Contribute Conservation Advocacy in Jackson Hole

Chris Owen gets into to the data & history of fat biking grooming in Jackson Hole

Bridger Teton US National Forest, Fat Biking, Featured, Grooming, News, Profiles
Posted by Jessi Friedman Posted on

Chris Owen is the Trails Program Manager at Friends of Pathways and works in partnership with the JH Nordic Alliance through his work grooming for fat biking and advocating for responsible trail use. Friends of Pathways is a non-profit that focuses on advocating for the completion of a safe and sustainable pathways system for healthy recreation and transportation opportunities in Jackson Hole. Chris first came to Jackson to work at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort… Read More

Hole Hiking Experience: Touring the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and All of its Wonders Year-Round

Cathy Shill tells us about exploring the stillness of winter via cross country ski and snowshoe

Bridger Teton US National Forest, Featured, Grand Teton National Park, News, Tours
Posted by Jessi Friedman Posted on

With a bachelor of science degree in biology in hand, Cathy Shill started Hole Hiking Experience in Jackson in 1989. She was driven by her passion for the outdoors and a desire to share information about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in hopes of ultimately increasing awareness and connection with the great outdoors. “When I started the company in 1989, people didn’t think a business like this could exist or be viable,” Cathy said. “But then… Read More

Scott Lacy: Grassroots-funded professional Nordic racer (and former Jackson Hole Ski Club Nordic coach)

Pursuit of a Passion for Nordic Ski Racing -Spectrum of Success

Featured, News, Profiles, Skate Skiing
Posted by Jessi Friedman Posted on

Though Scott Lacy grew up in a family full of alpine skiers, he was drawn to the Nordic community. He found that Nordic skiing was a different type of work than alpine skiing–one that required more long-term goal setting and achievement. In 5th grade, Scott won his first race. “[It] was probably just driven by a sugar high from hot chocolate,” he said, laughing. “But I had a great season, and I was [only] 11… Read More

Friends of the Bridger-Teton: One of Jackson’s Newest Nonprofits Aiming to Strengthen the Support for the Bridger-Teton National Forest

Sarah Walker, former Executive Director, tells us about their hopes and goals

Bridger Teton US National Forest, Featured, Trails
Posted by Jessi Friedman Posted on

Friends of the Bridger-Teton is the nonprofit partner that supports the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Though there are many nonprofits in Jackson that work with the national forest, including Friends of Pathways and PAWS, Friends of BT is the first solely focused on the national forest. “Prior to 2019, there had been talk of creating a nonprofit partner that is fully for the Bridger-Teton forest to bridge some of the gaps in needs that aren’t being… Read More

Jackson Hole EcoTour Adventures: At the Intersection of Wildlife Advocacy, Winter Recreation, and Tour Operation

Josh Metten tells us why this work is so special in Jackson Hole

Featured, Grand Teton National Park, Tours
Posted by Jessi Friedman Posted on

Jackson Hole EcoTour Adventures is a wildlife cross country ski and snowshoe tour operator in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks that has been operating for 12 years. For 365 days of the year, they run a variety of snowshoe and cross country ski tours and road-based wildlife tours for all ability levels that seek to connect visitors and give them a deeper experience with the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. In the winter, most of the… Read More

David Hunger, founder/owner of Teton Mountain Bike Tours, on fat biking, human-powered grooming, and giving back

Ever wondered about the origins of grooming for fat biking in Jackson?

Demos, Gear & Clinics, Fat Biking, Featured, Grand Teton National Park, News, Profiles, Tours
Posted by Jessi Friedman Posted on

David Hunger started Teton Mountain Bike Tours in 1991. In the beginning, he focused on mountain biking in the warm months. Before fat bikes came around, David ran winter bike tours on mountain bikes with studded tires, but it wasn’t really going anywhere. Then about 10 or 12 years ago, he got his first fat bike.  “I thought they were crazy right off the bat,” David said. “That’s when fat bikes weren’t really popular, but… Read More