July 2023 Newsletter: Summer Camp Coming in Hot!

Dear Friends, 

Summer is here and with it comes endless opportunities for outdoor exploration. Here at Coombs Outdoors, we believe that summer should be about fun for kids, catching a break from school and, especially here in Jackson, taking advantage of the amazing playground outside our door. We are excited about the vast array of experiences and opportunities that our summer programs are offering to our participants. Our programs are not only an essential resource for families, but are providing local youth with access to the outdoors which improves quality of life, helps level the social playing field with their peers, and leverages the power of fun and adventure.

I'm excited to let you know that Coombs has enrolled the largest summer participant roster in our history, with over 220 local youth benefitting from programs this season. This growth directly reflects a dedicated effort to offer more programs year-round, filling gaps in services for working families and further reducing barriers to outdoor access. We have listened closely to families, participants, and community partners to learn more about what is missing for them and where Coombs programs can provide support. Our summer programs follow the traditional Coombs Path for participants: Activate, Engage, and Empower providing programming designed for kids in grades K-12. 

We wouldn’t be here without you. We are grateful for the support from friends like you, community partners, and businesses that make Coombs Outdoors programs possible. 

See you on the river!

Jenny Wolfrom Holladay

Executive Director 

Activate Camp

Activate summer day camp offers K-5 kids an inclusive introduction to outdoor recreation, developing comfort and excitement in the outdoors. This summer’s Activate programs have 122 participants receiving up to three weeks of camp each throughout the summer, which is a 35% increase from the 83 participants in summer 2022 programs. Activate participants experience many different activities such as hiking, biking, swimming, paddle boarding at R Park, rafting the Snake River, rock climbing in Grand Teton National Park, and camping at Colter Bay. Additionally, thanks to a special new partnership with the Grand Teton Music Festival, 13 Activate campers are learning to play the ukulele in an 8-week after-camp club with Meaghan Heinrich, a music teacher and GTMF children’s musician. 

Activate Participant Spotlight

Meet Amairany!

Amairany, a rising 5th grader pictured below, has been involved with Coombs since she was in Kindergarten. She participates in Coombs programs year-round, and especially loves summer camp.

This summer, she has…

- paddleboarded at R Park

- rock climbed in Grand Teton NP with Exum

- soaked at Astoria

- explored Phelps Lake

- spent time at the SK bouldering wall as a part of the Coombs Climbing Club

- run from Cache Creek to Snow King as a part of Coombs new trail running club

Engage Camp

Coombs Engage programs give middle and high schoolers a chance to dive deeper into the activities they tried in Activate programs, working with mentors and peers to build the skills and confidence to be independent recreators. Growing from 65 participants last summer to this year’s 100, summer enrollment in Engage programs is up by 64%. Engage participants will get up to three weeks each of backpacking-based camp programs, spending 2-4 nights out each week on trips through Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park, Caribou-Targhee National Forest, and the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Twenty Engage campers will also attend a week-long Snake River Fund camp to raft, kayak, fish, and camp along the Snake. As a grand finale to the summer, 75 Coombs campers will experience a week of sleep-away camp through a special partnership with Teton Valley Ranch Camp with support from the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole. 

Coombs also invites Engage participants to build skills and share passions for specific activities by attending weekly evening clubs led by staff and volunteer mentors.

  • The 25 members of Coombs Climbing Club meet every Monday at the Snow King Boulder Park, and also have two weekend climbing trips to Grand Teton National Park with Exum Mountain Guides.

  • Coombs Mountain Bike Club meets every Tuesday and provides 20 participants with mountain bikes, helmets, and other necessary gear to safely hit the singletrack.

  • Mountain Bike Club teaches important skills like general bike maintenance, technical riding skills, trail etiquette, and navigation, as well as helping participants feel welcome and supported on their home trail system.

  • Our brand new summer Trail Running Club, requested and attended by participants who developed a passion for hiking with Coombs and want to pick up the pace.

  • Participants with a passion for water can join Coombs Kayak Club, providing roll and skill clinics at the Teton County Recreation Center and offering six days of kayaking in August. Last summer, Kayak Club members progressed to running the iconic Snake River Canyon on their final day of camp. 

Engage Participant Spotlight

Meet Zoe!

Zoe, pictured below climbing, is a rising 8th grader who is one of our most involved Engage participants throughout the year. This summer, Zoe has…

Spent 4 nights backpacking in the Bechler area of Yellowstone and 3 nights backpacking in the Palisades

Bouldered at the Snow King bouldering wall as a part of Coombs Climbing Club

Run on local trails with Coombs new Trail Running Club

Zoe will spend one week in Colorado in August with Women’s Wilderness as a part of their BIPOC backpacking trip

Empower Internship Program

This summer marks the third year of the Coombs Empower internship program, connecting high school participants with competitively paid job opportunities at local businesses and organizations in the outdoor industry. Each participant develops professional and leadership skills through structured training, on-the-job experience, and dedicated mentorship from partner employers and Coombs Outdoors staff. With positions ranging from bike technician to conservation associate, this program provides a chance for participants to engage with the local community and explore outdoor career opportunities.

This summer 10 interns are working at:

  • REI

  • Wheel Wranglers

  • Jackson Hole Land Trust

  • Hole Food Rescue

  • Hoback Sports

  • Stio

  • Slow Food in the Tetons

  • Trout Unlimited

Empower Participant Spotlight

Meet Mikey!

After years participating in other Coombs programs, this is Mikey's first year working an Empower internship. He's working with Trout Unlimited's conservation team this summer going to different sites, conducting fish surveys, and helping with data entry on their findings. 

When we asked Mikey what his favorite part of his internship was he said: "Learning to fish and going to places near Jackson I've never been to before. I went to the Buffalo Fork and Mosquito Creek and they were so cool!"

Partner Spotlight: Snake River Fund

They're not just our office building neighbors, Snake River Fund is a key partner for our summer programs. Their dedicated staff offer unique opportunities for our summer camps and make it possible for our participants to connect with rivers in new and deeper ways. They take Coombs campers rafting on the Snake River, share the wonders of macroinvertebrates, and more. We're especially excited for two Engage camp groups to join them for Snake River Days - a full week of activities and learning centered around this amazing resource. Thank you, Snake River Fund!

“Snake River Fund's partnership with Coombs Outdoors in 2023 has allowed us to elevate all of our on-water programming. Together, we've been able to connect nearly 100 youth with the river who may not have otherwise had that opportunity.”

- Orion Hatch, Executive Director, Snake River Fund

Molly Watters