Jackson, Wyoming- Another tree well death at Jackson Hole has killed a beloved member of the local community.
KIFI reports that sixty-seven-year-old Kelly Krause, who was the owner of the Virginian Restaurant in Jackson, died at Jackson Hole Mountian Resort on March 1st. Kelly was skiing with a sports school group at Jackson Hole, but they got separated. While skiing alone, Kelly fell into a tree well. Because of the tree well immersion, he died due to asphyxiation. This is the second tree well death in that terrain area during the past month.
Eric Seymour, who’s the resort spokesperson for Jackson Hole, said the following about the incident to KIFI:
“The Jackson Hole Ski Patrol responded immediately to the location, which was in a section of tightly spaced pine trees between Rendezvous Trail and The Hobacks on the south side of the mountain.”
Kelly Krause was the owner of the Virginian Restaurant, a very popular dining spot that’s situated next to the Virginian Hotel. The dining establishment, which is open for breakfast and lunch, is beloved by tourists and locals alike in Jackson, as it has a rating of 4.6 stars out of 5 on Google. On Tripadvisor, it’s the fourth best-rated restaurant in Jackson, Wyoming.
Diana Eden, who was a family friend of Kelly Krause, described his character to the Jackson Hole News & Guide:
“He was warm and hospitable. He wasn’t interested in being the center of attention, but if you were lucky enough you might catch one of his quick observations, delivered with a twinkle in his eye. He was great at reading the room. I picture him setting up a grill at the baseball game and feeding all the players and parents.”
In honor of Kelly, a GoFundMe has been created to make “an endowment for an annual scholarship for the culinary arts program at Central Wyoming College for future students at Jackson Hole High School who embody what Kelly held most dear – bringing joy through friendship and food.” So far, it’s raised over $121,000. Click here to check out the GoFundMe.
Image/Video Credits: The Krause Family (Featured Image), The Virginian Restaurant (Header Image), KIFI Local News 8
