JAC KS O N H O L E: WH E R E AT H L E TE S R OA M
LOCAL FAVORITES
Rider: Travis Rice
Photo: Scott Serfas
Jackson Hole: Where Athletes Roam THE PERFECT HAVEN FOR ATHLETES Words by Emilé Newman Photos by Scott Serfas, Stephen Earl Photography, Jared Spieker, and Stephen Shelesky Jackson Hole: home of old-world grit and grind. Few places produce, lure, and boast a higher density of athletes—pros and non-pros alike— than the Tetons. As a local and global community, we prize these folks not merely for what they achieve publicly and personally, but for how they elevate those around them. Like the mountains we inhabit, our athletes are living purveyors of stoke, inspiring us to see what’s possible when you apply yourself to the dream. Regardless of whether you were born here or came and never left, there is something to this place that awakens, attracts, and encourages the best in us all. This valley gets into you, and there is nothing else.
Maybe it’s the caliber of competition, an instincttriggering landscape, or access to a wider range of possibilities. Maybe the beauty lies in our inability to name it. You’ll just have to spend some time here and see what she makes of you. Most Jackson Hole athletes will tell you it’s not necessarily about the accolades or boxes checked, but rather the journey, lifestyle, and relationships built along the way. From the prehistoric vision quests of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes to pioneers and fur trappers manifesting west, folks have journeyed to the Tetons to discover and test themselves for millennia. If you’re here long enough, life in this valley will distill you to your purest form.
Yet, there so many other mountain towns with similar qualities. What is it about this vortex that magnifies the athletic prowess of so many?
The following list of noteworthy Jackson Hole athletes is short but mighty, and a reflection of the deep pool of athletic stock in the Tetons.
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