Ryan Mertaugh

TCSAR Recognizes Volunteers For Outstanding Service

Jackson, Wyo. — Teton County Search & Rescue recently recognized numerous volunteers for reaching significant milestones in their commitment to the team and the betterment of our community.

Each summer, the organization honors those volunteers who have reached 10 years of service or more, in five-year increments. The volunteers who reach these milestones receive a limited-edition belt buckle at the team’s summer picnic. This year, Teton County Commissioners also recognized the volunteers with a certificate of service.

Volunteers Chris Stiehl and Carol Viau were recently recognized for their 25-year commitment to Teton County Search & Rescue. Photo: Matt Hansen

This year, volunteers Chris Stiehl and Carol Viau were recognized for their 25 years of service on TCSAR. Having joined the team in 2000, the two are among the most tenured volunteers in the organization. Only Tim Ciocarlan (1993), Mike Moyer (1993), Mike Estes (1993), and Jenn Sparks (1998) have been on the team longer.

Ten Years and Counting

The volunteers who have reached the 15-year mark include: Ryan Combs, Ethan Lobdell, Cody Lockhart, and Galen Parke.

Reaching the 10-year anniversary include volunteers: KC Bess, Phillip Fox, Chase Lockhart, Ryan Mertaugh, Keegan Pfeil, Scott Shervin, Anthony Stevens, Doug Van Houten, and Don Watkins. 

Of the 36 volunteers on TCSAR, 27 have served for more than 10 years. Every year, TCSAR volunteers collectively donate more than 10,000 hours of service back to the community in the form of rescues, trainings, and backcountry safety education. All rescues performed by TCSAR are free of charge.

Please join us in thanking all of these volunteers for their exceptional commitment to our community.

Mira Ahora: Videos from Spanish-language Avalanche Awareness Night

On January 28, 2025, a consortium of concerned residents in Jackson came together to present the valley’s first Spanish-language Avalanche Awareness Night at the Virginian Lodge. The event was recorded, with each presentation now available to watch via the TCSAR YouTube channel.

The goal of the event was to increase access to essential safety information for community members for whom Spanish is their preferred language. Based on local school demographics, an estimated 40 percent of county residents have a home language other than English, and the majority of those are Spanish-speakers.

With the outdoors such an important part of the Jackson Hole culture, it’s important that backcountry safety information is accessible to all.

"Language access is one of the important first steps in ensuring that everyone in our community has the tools and knowledge they need to make informed decisions in the backcountry,” said Piper Worthington, a language access advocate and event co-coordinator. “This event will be educational, but also a celebration of local people and organizations who have changed the ways we think about who is represented in the outdoor industry."

Below, TCSAR volunteer Ryan Mertaugh discusses how to mitigate your risk while traveling in avalanche terrain. This is just one of several presentations done entirely in Spanish.

Thanks to all of the presenters, the Virginian Lodge, Camino Conmingo, Coombs Outdoors, Exum, Jackson Hole Mountain Guides, the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center, and TCSAR for making this event possible. All videos were recorded and edited by Garrett LeRoy.