The Fine Line Podcast Returns for Ninth Season

Jackson, Wyo. — Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation is excited to announce the upcoming release of Season 9 of The Fine Line podcast. 

“Ride the Tram, Ski the ‘Shoe” drops on Thursday, May 29. Listeners will be able to hear the show at 2 p.m. on KHOL 89.1 FM, as well as stream it on all major podcast platforms.

The episode explores a backcountry ski accident from May 18, 2024, when locals Mark Fellermann and Tanner Flanagan attempted to descend Horseshoe Couloir, a steep, north-facing line outside the boundary of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. During a mandatory rappel on their descent, Fellermann fell about 1,500 vertical feet over a cliff band and frozen snow, sustaining serious injuries.

Teton County Search & Rescue volunteer Brook Yeomans, a special education teacher who has been with TCSAR since 2021, was part of the crew that was called to respond. Yeomans explains in the episode how this rescue went to the heart of why he decided to become a volunteer in the first place.

“Ride the Tram, Ski the ‘Shoe” is the first of six episodes in Season 9 and the show’s 60th episode overall. The new season includes stories about two separate climbing accidents on the Grand Teton, an all-night rescue of an injured hunter deep in grizzly country, a candid conversation about how mental health is a backcountry safety issue, and a ‘slam dunk’ snowmobile rescue that turned into an epic all-nighter for everyone involved.

After the May 29 premiere, a new episode will come out every two weeks.

Produced by TCSAR Foundation's Backcountry Zero initiative, The Fine Line uses storytelling to illustrate how accidents happen and what people can do to prevent accidents in their own adventures. Each episode brings together the perspectives from both rescuer and rescuee, and is often the first time they've met after an accident. The result is a touching, honest reflection of what happens during a backcountry emergency.

“We are so grateful for everyone who comes on The Fine Line to share their experiences so that the rest of us can learn,” says Matt Hansen, the show’s host, producer, and communications director for TCSAR Foundation. “These open and honest conversations help create awareness and empathy in our backcountry culture, and truly show that accidents can happen to anyone, no matter their experience level. We also hope to elevate listeners’ understanding of how our first responders solve complex problems to help someone who’s been lost or injured in the backcountry.”

The Fine Line features music from former longtime Jackson residents Anne and Pete Sibley, Victor, Idaho-based musician Ben Winship, and original cover art by Jen Reddy. The show’s editing and sound are by Melinda Binks.

Season 9 of The Fine Line is sponsored by Roadhouse Brewing Co. and by Arc’teryx. The show can be heard every Thursday at 2 p.m. on KHOL 89.1 FM, and downloaded for free wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about the show and find its entire archive at BackcountryZero.com.

The Fine Line Podcast Presents: A Very Close Call in Phillips Canyon

Jackson, Wyo. — Season 8 of The Fine Line podcast rolls onward with a story about a mountain bike crash with potentially serious consequences on a favorite local trail. 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 in the field.

“A Bridge Too Far: The Phillip’s Log Strikes Again” airs today, May 23, at 2 p.m. on KHOL 89.1 FM, and afterward on your favorite podcast platform.

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.

Produced by Backcountry Zero, Season 8 of The Fine Line is presented by Stio, with support from Arc’teryx and KHOL. Original art by Jen Reddy Ink. 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 atBackcountryZero.com.

TCSAR + Foundation Featured in New Film about Mental Health

First responders are often portrayed as being tough, burly, strong, physically fit…pick your adjective… And yes, they are all of those things, but they also experience rates of depression and suicide ideation far greater than the general population.

The dangers and stress of the job make first responders—no matter how tough they appear on the outside—susceptible to traumatic stress injuries. Just as physical injuries require medical attention, so do stress injuries. And while first responders have traditionally been expected to ‘suck it up’ and ‘be tough’ after dealing with stressful or traumatic events, that expectation doesn’t reflect the reality and dangers of stress injuries.

This issue is the focus of a new film called “A State of Mind: Protecting the Protectors,” part of a new series on mental health currently showing on Wyoming PBS. The film premiered in Jackson on February 9 at the Center for the Arts, and will be broadcast on Wyoming PBS later this spring.

Joanna Kail, Executive Director for Wyoming PBS, introduces the film “A State of Mind: Protecting the Protectors” at the Center for the Arts on February 9. Photo: TCSAR Foundation

Featured in the film are TCSAR volunteers Stephanie Thomas and Jen Reddy; Drew Kneeland, director of the Jackson Hole Ski Patrol; licensed therapist Lewis Smirl; Katie Davis from Jackson Hole Fire/EMS; and others who are working to provide a positive influence on mental health in Teton County and across Wyoming. The film provides an excellent look into the efforts from different individuals and organizations to eliminate the stigma around mental health as part of the TIPS program.

In 2019, TCSAR Foundation and several other local first-responding agencies launched the Teton Interagency Peer Support (TIPS). TIPS provides free mental health support for local first responders and their families, and is funded through private donations and grants. Since its inception, TCSAR Foundation has administered the program and accepted donations on behalf of the partner organizations. The TIPS’ approach gives first responders a network of peer support that works to keep them resilient, mentally strong, and of course, muscle bound.

Thank you to Alpheus Media for producing this important film and including TCSAR.

If you or a loved one is in need of mental health support, please know that help is available.

Contact the Jackson Hole Community Counseling Center at (307) 733-2046, or St. John’s Health Wellbeing Resources at (307) 203-7880.

The National Suicide Hotline offers 24-hour crisis support at (800) 273-TALK (8255), en Espanol (888) 628-9454.