Watch: WYSAW Videos Are Now Up! Plus a Photo Gallery from the Event

Did you miss WYSAW? Videos from every presentation are now available to watch right here on our site. We know that schedules can be tough, but we believe this year’s WYSAW was one of the best ever. Each presentation was delivered with the utmost professionalism and has something to offer for everyone—no matter your experience level. We hope you can join us next year for the 10th Annual in October 2024.

A huge thanks to all the incredible speakers who offered their deep perspectives and immense knowledge on how we can all stay safe and be better backcountry users. You can still access the digital program to learn more about each speaker, our awesome sponsors, and why WYSAW is such a valuable event for our community.

WYSAW Photo Gallery

All photographs by Zach Montes from Orijin Media.

Register Now for the 9th Annual WYSAW: Oct. 20-21, 2023

We are excited to announce that registration for the 9th Annual Wyoming Snow & Avalanche Workshop (WYSAW) is now open. Presented by Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation, Backcountry Zero, Bridger-Teton National Forest Avalanche Center, and Central Wyoming College, WYSAW is a two-day event helping backcountry users get their brains tuned up for a safe winter ahead.

The dates for this year's WYSAW are October 20-21, at the Center for the Arts in downtown Jackson. 

To see the entire speaker lineup and to register online, visit our WYSAW page.

Old Bill's Giving Season: 30 years of Being Rescue Ready

With Old Bill’s Giving Season on us, it's important to reflect on the values that have been baked into 30 years of Teton County Search & Rescue. A particularly important one is doing whatever it takes to help someone get out of the backcountry alive. Back in the early days of TCSAR, volunteers often used whatever tools they had available—including their own snowmobiles. 

"I was the motorhead of the team, so I was more into using the snowmachine," says John Davidson, a TCSAR volunteer for 16 years, starting with the team in 1995. "We could pack some gear in, tow a toboggan behind us, and then tow you out to an ambulance."

"It was pretty common for the team to use snowmobiles for rescues back then," he says. "We didn’t always have access to a helicopter, and the weather wasn't always good. When we could get a helicopter, it was a race to see if we could get there before they could."

John Davidson responds to a backcountry emergency in the mid 1990s. Photo: TCSAR Archive

Being well-versed in snowmachines remains critically important for TCSAR. Fast forward three decades to the winter of 2022-23, and the team responded to 18 rescue calls for lost or injured snowmobilers.

Here are a couple of things to remember about donating to TCSAR during Old Bill's:

• TCSAR volunteers respond to more than 100 calls every year, with 120-plus coming in the last two consecutive years.
  

• In order to stay Rescue Ready, TCSAR volunteers need your support to conduct all kinds of different training and rescue scenarios, like snowmobile training and avalanche rescue training. That hasn't changed since John Davidson helped train up less experienced riders three decades ago.
  

• We all stand on the very strong and capable shoulders of those who came before us. 

Thank you for supporting TCSAR—then and now.