That Summer Feeling

How does one write about Summer in Jackson Hole? 

The Winter is so easy, the cold weather and the snow channels us into a much narrower collective experience. In the Winter, the entire community circles the same venue and talks about the forecast.  

The early summer, the season of choice, is blooming with apprehension: how do I effectively spend my time in the land of stoke and the mountains of plenty? With such an emphasis put on a fun, how can I be sure I make the right investment? Will it be worth it? Am I too old to learn something new? 

As someone who came here to experience winter, and then fell in love with summer, let me offer the tiniest bit of advice: there is no “best” way to spend your time here. Everything you do will be the best thing you’ve done. The river, the trails, the mountains, and the lakes all hold their unique appeals and host incredible communities of people. 

And if you’re just getting started, as I was when I moved here, I promise it’s not too late to learn. Nothing is as complicated or dangerous as that one guy you met at the Cowboy would have you believe. This town is full of experts with a passion for teaching and plenty of courageous beginners willing to suffer by your side. Ask for advice–I promise you’ll get it. Throw yourself into something new. 

Or nothing at all. That’s the best part. In a town where extreme pursuits have become commonplace, reading a book in May Park may be the most radical choice of all. 

Make a list and understand that you won’t have time for half of it; that your greatest experience won’t have been on that list at all. 

Breathe it in. It’s only just begun, which means it’s already almost over. 

Words by Jim Ryan

Photos by Stephen Shelesky