Folgen
-
Season 8 of The Fine Line concludes with a wild story that demonstrates how there will always be people who go right up to the edge in the Tetons, and venture beyond it despite the risks.
The story includes the keen perspectives of Teton County Search & Rescue volunteer Anthony Stevens and TCSAR Chief Pilot Steve Wilson, and how they rescued local snowboarder Sasha Motivala after a traumatic accident on No Name Peak back in April.
Please tune in for this thought-provoking conversation about risk tolerance, decision-making, and the lifesaving skillsets of Teton County Search & Rescue.
Produced by Backcountry Zero, Season 8 of The Fine Line is presented by Stio, with support from Roadhouse Brewing Co., Arc'teryx and KHOL.
Editing for The Fine Line is by Melinda Binks, with original artwork by Jen Reddy. The theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music produced by Ben Winship. Interview and storytelling by Matt Hansen.
Thank you so much for listening to The Fine Line. If you like what you hear, please leave us a review and share it with a friend. -
Mount Glory is well known among backcountry skiers and snowboarders. But as a summer hiking trail?
Not quite the same draw.
And yet, for Lou and Kathy Fatkin, it made for the ideal location when they set out for a hike up the steep, dusty trail on July 16, 2023. Their story about the consequences of that day, despite the hardship, lends inspiration for experiencing some of our country's most treasured landscapes.
TCSAR volunteer Anna DiSanto joins in the conversation about the team’s response: a good old-fashioned boots on the ground gruntfest during one of the hottest days of the year.
Interview by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. This story was recorded in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM.
The Fine Line theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship. Original artwork by Jen Reddy Ink.
This episode of The Fine Line is presented by www.stio.com, with additional support from https://roadhousebrewery.com and https://891khol.org. -
Fehlende Folgen?
-
There are a million and one ways for people to get into trouble in the backcountry. And it is unfair to assume that everyone is being reckless. Sometimes, they just get their foot stuck.
In this episode of The Fine Line, Teton County Search & Rescue volunteer Doug Van Houten takes us back to an incident from 2018 when the SAR team had to pull out all the stops in order to help a Nordic skier get out of a jam, literally.
Interview by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. This story was recorded in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM.
The Fine Line theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music written and produced by Ben Winship. The original cover art is by Jen Reddy.
This episode of The Fine Line is presented by Stio, with additional support from Arc’teryx and KHOL. -
Season 8 of The Fine Line rolls onward with a story about a mountain bike crash with potentially serious consequences on a trail near Teton Pass, Wyoming. The episode dives into the effectiveness of the BackcountrySOS app, and how Teton County Search & Rescue volunteers responded with delicate treatment of potentially life-altering injuries.
Thanks to Rick Gordon and Dr. Tobin Dennis for sharing their experiences so the rest of us can learn—right as mountain bike season ramps up across the Mountain West. To hear another episode about misadventures on this same log bridge, check out "Night Rescue in Phillips Canyon" from Season 5.
Season 8 of The Fine Line is presented by Stio, with support from Arc’teryx and KHOL. The original cover art is by Jen Reddy. The Fine Line’s theme song is by Anne & Pete Sibley, with additional music produced by Ben Winship. The Fine Line is produced and hosted by Matt Hansen, with editing and sound by Melinda Binks.
Learn more about The Fine Line at BackcountryZero.com. -
Teton County Search & Rescue volunteer Carol Viau, one of the longest tenured members on the team, shares this memorable story from her very first rescue. It was October 26, 2000, a time before cell phones were ubiquitous, and when most callouts for TCSAR required good old-fashioned boots on the ground.
"A Whistle in the Dark" reveals how and why someone is drawn to be a first responder, how intuition and basic skills can be invaluable during a cold, dark search, and how gentle conversations with a person in need can help us gain a deeper understanding of ourselves.
Produced by Backcountry Zero, The Fine Line is presented by Stio, with additional support from Roadhouse Brewing Co. and KHOL 89.1 FM in Jackson.
This episode was produced by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. The story was recorded in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM.
The Fine Line theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship. Original artwork by Jen Reddy Ink. -
Two bikepackers embark on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, a 2,700-mile journey that traverses the Rockies from the Mexico border all the way to Canada. During their trip, a seemingly little decision comes back to haunt them in a big way, right as their route enters one of the most remote parts of Teton County, Wyoming.
This episode not only reveals the challenges of preparing for such an undertaking, but takes on the headwinds of long-distance cycling and how, during our times of greatest need, we can rely on the kindness of complete strangers.
For more information on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, Bikepacking.com is the authoritative voice on the subject.
Interviews and writing by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. The interviews were conducted in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM.
Thank you to Maggie Slepian and Matt Maar for sharing their story, and to Mike Baum and TCSAR volunteer Ed Fries for lending their perspective to this slow burn of an epic journey.
The Fine Line theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship. Original artwork by Jen Reddy Ink.
This episode of The Fine Line is presented by Stio, with additional support from Arc'teryx and KHOL. -
Season 8 of The Fine Line begins with a story from one of the most recognizable features of the southern Teton range, and a ski line that makes even the bravest skiers buckle their boots a little bit tighter: Cody Peak’s Central Couloir.
On Saturday March 18, 2023, skiers Will Brown and Jacqueline Dickey dropped into Central after hiking out to the top of Cody from the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Aerial Tram. What happened next forever changed their relationship to skiing and big, complex mountains.
We also hear from Jackson Hole Ski Patroller Jeff Burke, who helps explain how different responding agencies come together to perform rescues in the JHMR backcountry—and how a pair of skis took the long road to get back to Jacqueline.
If you are looking for mental health support, please visit Mental Health & Recovery Services of Jackson Hole, or dial the national crisis and suicide prevention hotline at 988. As we hear in this episode, mental health is a backcountry safety issue.
Interviews and writing by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. The interviews were recorded in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM.
The Fine Line theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship. Original artwork by Jen Reddy.
The Fine Line is presented by Stio, with additional support by Roadhouse Brewing Company and KHOL. -
There aren’t many mountain bike trails in Jackson Hole as classic as the one called Ferrin’s. Built in 2005, the trail is one of the most popular in Jackson due to its challenging terrain, proximity to town, and linkage to other trails. But like any classic trail, it has inherent dangers that can take down even the best riders.
In this episode of The Fine Line, we close out Season 7 with a wild story from August 22, 2022. The conversation goes deep into how a highly experienced mountain biker took a vicious crash on Ferrin's, and how her companion and Teton County Search & Rescue volunteers helped her get home during a torrential rainstorm.
As we conclude this season, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has come on this podcast to share their stories of resilience and survival, and to our generous sponsors Roadhouse Brewing Co. and Stio.
Special thanks to the musical artists Anne and Pete Sibley and Ben Winship for providing such beautiful sounds to accompany these stories, and to Melinda Binks for her masterful editing and partnership in producing this podcast with host and writer Matt Hansen. Caryn Flanagan is our smooth voice for sponsor readings. All interviews were recorded in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM in downtown Jackson.
And of course, a huge shout out to all the TCSAR volunteers who give so much of themselves to our community to bring people home after an accident in the backcountry. We are all indebted to your service.
We'll be back in your feed with more stories of adventure, risk and rescue for Season 8 in 2024. Learn more at BackcountryZero.com. -
On March 29, 2023, skier Dave Brown felt a sudden onset of extreme fatigue that was entirely new to him, and terribly serious. At 67 years old, the former ski patroller had never had any previous medical issues. But during a backcountry ski tour near Teton Pass, he knew he needed to get help—and get it fast.
In this episode of The Fine Line, we’ll hear how Brown and his ski partner made a critical decision that helped save his life. Joining the conversation is Teton County Search & Rescue volunteer Keegan Pfeil, who explains how the team responded to this life-threatening emergency in a deep timbered ravine where simply locating Brown was a challenge.
Interviews and writing by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. The interviews were conducted in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM.
Our theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship.
The Fine Line is produced by Backcountry Zero and sponsored by Stio and Roadhouse Brewing Co. -
How far back is far enough from the edge of a cornice? 10 feet, 20 feet, 30?
On March 5, 2023, Jordan Bluse found out the hard way. He was riding his snowmobile with a group of friends in the Salt River Mountain Range outside of Afton, Wyoming, when a large cornice sheared off below him. He and his snowmobile fell through the cornice and tumbled down 1,200 vertical feet over multiple cliff bands.
In this episode—our 50th—we’ll hear about Jordan's miraculous survival, while Teton County Search and Rescue’s Ian Johnston explains how a SAR assist plays out in this very remote corner of Wyoming. Thanks to the Star Valley Search & Rescue for the invaluable partnership in helping to bring this rescue to a positive outcome.
Interviews and writing by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. Interviews were conducted in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM in downtown Jackson, Wyoming.
Theme song by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship. The Fine Line is produced by Backcountry Zero and sponsored by Stio and Roadhouse Brewing Co. -
On July 13, 2022, three friends went out for a mountain bike ride on a trail they'd done too many times to count: the classic Ferrins-West Game-Cache Creek loop just outside of Jackson, Wyo. But the ride gets cut short when one of the riders has a violent crash, leaving him with severe injuries and a complicated rescue. In this episode of The Fine Line, the incident demonstrates how even the most experienced riders sometimes have accidents, even in their own backyard, and the hoops that TCSAR and other agencies must jump through to get someone out of the backcountry safely.
Interviews and writing by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. The interviews were conducted in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM.
The theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship.
The Fine Line is produced by Backcountry Zero, and sponsored by Stio and by Roadhouse Brewing Co. -
When skier Benton Hodges heard trees snapping and saw a huge powder cloud below him from an avalanche on Albright Peak in Grand Teton National Park, he thought he’d be in a life-or-death struggle to recover his buried friend. Instead, friend Charlie Pirc was saved when he struck a tree, preventing him from being buried in the 2,000-foot-long avalanche but leaving him with severe injuries high on the mountainside. In this episode, Benton, Charlie, and friends Evan Flach and Seth Frey talk about why they came forward to openly discuss this harrowing incident, while Teton County Search & Rescue volunteer Dr. AJ Wheeler offers insights to how rescuers were able to bring Charlie safely out of the backcountry.
Interviews and writing by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. Interviews were conducted in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM.
Theme song by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship.
The Fine Line is produced by Backcountry Zero and is sponsored by Roadhouse Brewing Co. and by Stio. -
On June 25, 2022, Terri Evenson and Brit West drove a truck and horse trailer way out into a little known corner of the Tetons. The Coyote Meadows trailhead is in Teton County, Wyoming, but it's at least a two-hour drive from Jackson.
With three horses and a couple of dogs, they were aiming for a hidden valley deep inside the Jedediah Smith Wilderness, a vast landscape of snow-covered mountains and plateaus, pristine alpine lakes, and deep canyons that drain the western slope of the Tetons.
On day two of their trip, Terri suffered severe injuries after her horse, a buckskin named Angel Fire, fell on top of her on an exposed section of trail roughly nine miles in the backcountry. In the Season 7 opener of The Fine Line, Terri and Brit revisit the ordeal, while TCSAR volunteers Chase Lockhart and Andrew Armington discuss how the team responded.
Interviews and writing by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. Interviews were conducted in the studios at KHOL 89.1 FM.
Theme song by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship.
The Fine Line podcast is sponsored by Stio and by Roadhouse Brewing Company. -
When climbers Lars Schou and Sahir Enriquez joined up to climb the Open Book in Grand Teton National Park on July 25, 2021, they were confident it would be a beautiful “Sunday cruise” in the mountains.
On the third pitch, however, Schou took a bad fall and sustained major injuries to both of his legs.
In this episode, Schou and Enriquez discuss the ordeal, while Jenny Lake Climbing Ranger Philip Edmonds shares his perspective on responding to the incident on a precarious ledge. Meanwhile, climber Julia Heemstra speaks to how she and friend Hadden Goodman witnessed the fall and made the call to 911, and we hear from pilot Steve Wilson, who explains how he ever so carefully placed Edmonds on the wall via short-haul with the helicopter’s rotor blades mere feet from the rock face.
Tune in for this incredible tale of a Teton rescue.
Interviews and writing by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks.
This episode of The Fine Line is sponsored by Roadhouse Brewing Co. Thanks to KHOL 89.1 FM for the use of their studio. -
When the emergency call came in to TCSAR on February 6, 2022, the report said that the patient had crashed on his snowmobile and could not feel his arms or legs.
In this episode, TCSAR volunteers Dr. AJ Wheeler and Ryan Combs explain how the team responds to such severe injuries in a remote location. And we hear directly from the snowmobiler about how the crash happened—and how he's doing now.
Thanks to Roadhouse Brewing Co. for their generous support of The Fine Line and backcountry safety in Jackson Hole.
Interview and writing by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. -
Just one ridge to the south from the top of Teton Pass, Wyo., Chivers Ridge is known as a popular backcountry ski run for its ease of access. But it also features steep drop-offs on either side, as well as manmade infrastructure such as power lines and cables that you may not always expect to find on a backcountry run.
On January 23, 2022, Matt Bambach, a 29-year-old skier, found this out the hard way. That morning, he gathered on the pass with a bunch of friends to celebrate his roommate’s birthday. It was supposed to be a fun day of party skiing. But on their very first run, it all came crashing down when he sustained a life-threatening injury about halfway down Chivers Ridge. Despite how close he was to the road, it presented some very real challenges for his companions as well as the response from Teton County Search and Rescue.
In this episode, Bambach recounts his freak accident and the response from TCSAR volunteers Anthony Stevens and KC Bess. The volunteers offer an in-depth look at TCSAR’s short-haul operations, while Jules Bell explains how she was suddenly put into the position of keeping Bambach from bleeding to death while maintaining composure to dial for help.
If you would like to help support TCSAR’s emergency helicopter program, you can do so at www.TetonCountySAR.org. Until May 13, all donations are generously matched and go directly to helping TCSAR volunteers save lives in the backcountry.
Interviews and writing by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. Thanks to Angus Thuermer for pointing us in the right direction regarding the history of Chivers Ridge.
Thank you to Roadhouse Brewing Co. for the generous sponsorship of The Fine Line. We are also grateful to KHOL 89.1 FM for the use of their studio. -
While many Jackson Hole locals flocked to the Tetons for a day of powder skiing on February 15, 2020, Teton County Search & Rescue volunteers loaded up their heavy packs for routine training on Snow King Mountain.
But the training session quickly turned into a life-or-death emergency when longtime TCSAR volunteer Robb Sgroi came down with a rare and severe form of anaphylaxis.
Most people associate anaphylaxis with bee stings, which of course is not possible in Jackson Hole in the middle of February. Anaphylaxis can also be brought on by food allergies that kick someone’s immune response into overdrive and may therefore shut down vital organs. But that’s not what happened here, either.
So how did Sgroi—a tall, lean husband and father—end up itchy, on the ground, and spiraling into unconsciousness? This episode explores the mysterious reasons for his condition, how the team was able to diagnose it in the field, and ultimately save his life.
Interviews by Matt Hansen. Editing by Melinda Binks.
Thank you to Roadhouse Brewing Co. for sponsoring The Fine Line and supporting backcountry safety in Jackson Hole. -
The consequences of not communicating in the mountains became abundantly clear on January 22, 2022, when skiers Collin Binko and Michael Martin encountered a lone snowboarder at the base of the Sliver Couloir in Grand Teton National Park. All three had eyes on the same prize, but neither party talked to the other. What happened next has been a frequent topic of conversation in the backcountry community, and a growing concern for many heading into the high alpine.
Leading off Season 6 of The Fine Line, this episode explores this issue head on, with Martin and Binko giving their account of the day. We also hear from alpinist and licensed therapist Ryan Burke about coming onto the scene and the dangerous role ego plays in the mountains. Jessica Baker, an AMGA-certified ski guide who has more than two decades of experience in the Tetons, walks us through the importance of situational awareness and why communication is so crucial for everyone’s safety.
This episode does not seek to expose villains or heroes, but rather to shed light on an important lesson everyone can learn from.
Interviews by Matt Hansen. Editing by Melinda Binks.
Thank you to Roadhouse Brewing Co. for the generous sponsorship of The Fine Line, and to KHOL 89.1 FM for the use of their studio. -
Most of us are pretty good at talking about our physical injuries. A broken wrist on a bike ride. A blown ACL while skiing. When it comes to stress injuries and mental health, however, it’s easy to want to pretend that everything is fine—no doctor necessary.
But we have come to understand that experiencing a traumatic event, as well as the cumulative effect of stress over the years, can have a serious impact on one’s mental health.
In this episode, Laura McGladrey and Nick Armitage discuss stress injuries and psychological first aid for first responders. They also explain the Stress Continuum, and how the 3-3-3 approach is a useful tool for helping others build resilience after experiencing a traumatic event.
Even if you are not a first responder, you'll find this conversation relevant and relatable on many different levels. It touches on life in mountain towns (guess what, it's not always powder days and scenic vistas), stress depletion, and how each of us can be more intentional with our ‘green choices.’ And let's be honest: we could all use more help dealing with stress these days.
ResponderAlliance.com is an excellent resource for additional information, and can help teams establish programs to build resilience. Teton Interagency Peer Support (TIPS) provides mental health services for first responders and their families in Teton County, and can provide guidance for teams around the country establish similar programs. MentalHealthJH.com is another great resource for Jackson Hole residents.
Interview by Matt Hansen. Editing by Melinda Binks.
Thanks to Roadhouse Brewing Co. for their support of this podcast and backcountry safety in Jackson Hole. -
People and horses have a long shared history in Jackson Hole. But not everyone rides off into the sunset. Example: On September 12, 2020, Teton County Search & Rescue was alerted to two women, sisters from Texas, who had been seriously injured after falling from their horses at the same time in the Gros Ventre Wilderness.
In this episode, the two women share their experience with a finely tuned sense of humor, while TCSAR volunteers Keegan Pfeil and Lizzie Watson discuss the team's response up what might be the most rugged road in Teton County.
Interview by Matt Hansen. Editing by Melinda Binks.
Thank you to Roadhouse Brewing Company for sponsoring The Fine Line and supporting backcountry safety in Jackson Hole. - Mehr anzeigen
