“I think I might come up and handcuff myself to it when they’re trying to take it down to try and stop them — it’s a horrible thing.”-Evan Flach, a local snowboarder who may be in love with a billboard.
One of the most famous landmarks in the Jackson Hole area for backcountry skiers is no more. KHOL-Jackson Hole Community Radio reports that the passive microwave repeater on Mount Glory in Wyoming was removed on June 6th. The reason why they removed was that no one has been maintaining it for many years.
The billboard, which was originally built to connect landlines, became useless in the 2000s as satellites and other technologies began to rise to prominence. Despite this, the 1600-foot reflective billboard has been a rite of passage for those summiting Mount Glory. The base of the billboard featured outdoorsy stickers from across the world. The billboard is a landmark that let boot packers or skinners know that they are close to the summit.
Sam Nierman, who is an avid backcountry skier, described the mystical nature of the billboard:
“I think the best way to describe the billboard is it’s kind of like the shrine of the pass. There used to be prayer flags at the summit, and they took those down. So, the last thing we were left with was the billboard.”
Other people though, like Ben Rossetter, aren’t as enamored by it:
“Apart from being a cool sticker holder, it doesn’t phase me. My head’s usually down. I’m usually huffing and puffing. It’s hard to look up and see the damn thing.”
The Powder Project refers to Mount Glory as possibly one of the most efficient and crowded backcountry skiing access spots in America. It’s very accessible due to the option to either boot pack or skin up to the summit. Skiing down Mount Glory is appealing to many due to its steep and open bowl skiing, but it should be noted that avalanches there are common. You can learn more about Mount Glory’s backcountry skiing experience here.
Image/Video Credits: Gary Kofinas from Teton Backcountry Alliance (Featured Image), Caribou-Targhee National Forest
