COVID-19 Community Note from Alex Yoder

A snowboarder and a snowmobiler both lost their lives in avalanches this week in the Bridger-Teton area.

Trace Carrillo, a manager at the Mangy Moose and wilderness ranger for the US Forest Service was snowboarding off of Taylor Mountain when he was caught in an avalanche – his body was recovered the next day.

Robert Kincaid, a pillar of the professional snowmobiling community, was snowmobiling south of the Snake River Canyon near the Palisades area when he was caught in an avalanche – his body was also recovered the next day.

Sadly, it’s not out of the ordinary for us to lose friends to the mountains in this valley, but right now is an exceptionally unique point in history. One that ostensibly demands us to hit pause on our lifestyles in support of a fight that is becoming exceedingly challenging for communities large and small.

I do not intend to shame those who are still going out into the backcountry. It’s a lifestyle for most of us who call the mountains home. Still, it feels necessary to acknowledge a concern that I have for those doing so and especially those who are in a position of influence posting about it on social media. Whether or not you advocate for people to make good choices in these posts, we know the mountains are unpredictable. Frequently recreating in the backcountry plus encouraging others to do so, whether you intend to or not, will increase the likelihood of another accident that could have an untimely impact on our limited healthcare resources.

Our community is far more familiar with the occurrence of avalanches than we are with pandemics. Limiting our exposure in the backcountry in this time is crucial to mitigating unnecessary pressure on our community’s ability to efficiently handle the inevitable effect of the virus. Even though we have a limited number of COVID-19 cases reported in the area, the numbers are growing steadily. The future is unknown, but right now, it’s the small, individual sacrifices, like staying out of the backcountry and social distancing, that serve as our greatest defense against the virus for our community at large.

The sidelines are not where we want to live. We don’t live in places like Jackson to stay home and read books, but this is a time that is reaching far out of the realm of ordinary and, at the very least, a necessary time to exhibit the most caution possible. The reality of this situation is just beginning to unfold. Our most courageous act at this time is to stay home and watch the snow blanket the mountains that bring us so much joy – unified as a community – knowing that this will not last forever and when it’s all over we’ll pick up right where we left off.

My heart goes out to Rob and Trace’s family and loved ones.

Hats off to all of the healthcare and rescue workers out there. Those who dedicate their lives to helping others. Whose sacrifices often go unnoticed. They are heroes, and the mitigation of our risk is the absolute least we can do to thank them.
Consider your impact, stay safe, and healthy

Here is a great resource to keep up to date on how COVID-19 is affecting our community by the numbers:
Teton WY Emergency Management COVID Response Overview

Alex Yoder