March Newsletter: Mentorship on the Mountain at Jackson Hole
Thanks to our amazing skiers, stars, volunteers, sponsors, partners, and staff, we exceeded our goal of raising $90,000 at the 4th annual Skiing with the Stars fundraiser!
Check out some of the highlights from an unforgettable day in the sun at Jackson Hole.
If you missed the virtual program, you can watch a recap (including some heartwarming kid interviews featuring Jimmy Chin, Hadley Hammer, and Hannah Kearnery) on our website.
A huge thank you to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Caldera House, Stio, JH Stillworks, Bear Roots Bitters, Naughty Fruit, Bovine & Swine, Tram Jam, Orvis, YETI, Grand Teton Fly Fishing, Four Seasons Jackson Hole, K2 Skis, Keelys Camp, Ski Utah, Share Winter Foundation, and more for making this event possible.
Mentorship on the Mountain
What’s the best part of skiing at Jackson Hole? For Aldric (15), it’s getting to spend a carefree day outside with his friends.
“The kids run the show, as they should,” Matt (26), a local filmmaker, says of their days at JHMR. He says the boys usually make a game plan for the day, choose a few warm up runs and then go right into finding little jumps and powder stashes in the trees. “Some days it’s challenging themselves on Tower 3, some days it’s groomers on Apres Vous. Every other day of the week they have school, stuff to do. Saturday is their day.”
While they’re outside, Matt says side conversations about life come naturally. “We’ll talk about troubles at school or getting a job for the first time. Those early teen years are a confusing time. The beautiful thing about Coombs is that it’s an informal way to work through that stuff when you’re outside and have an activity like skiing at JHMR to focus on.” Whether it’s asking Matt about his photography work or having a bad week at school, Aldric says they talk through it on the lift between runs.
“We’ll talk about troubles at school or getting a job for the first time. Those early teen years are a confusing time. The beautiful thing about Coombs is that it’s an informal way to work through that stuff when you’re outside and have an activity like skiing at JHMR to focus on”
Looking back on those days where the Tram felt daunting, Aldric now feels comfortable skiing anywhere on the mountain—and being at the top of the Tram after some fresh snow is one of his favorite parts of winter. “I love going up the Tram on powdery days with my friends. It’s so special to be up there when there aren’t as many people.”
For Matt, Powder Pals is the highlight of his week. “Their enthusiasm is really infectious, and I learn so much from them witnessing their energy on the mountain. It’s given me a new lens to view skiing and made me appreciate just being out there.”
For Aldric, he can’t believe how fast the days go by at Jackson Hole. “Every time we’re done skiing it feels like only 30 minutes has passed. I think it’s because we’re just having so much fun and just feel so happy to be outside.”
Originally published: JHMR Blog
Partner of the Month: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Our partnership with Jackson Hole Mountain Resort plays a huge role in our year-round programming. In the winter, JHMR hosts the Powder Pals ski program on Saturdays and Sundays, providing discounted ski passes for staff and participants, as well as hosting our winter fundraiser, Skiing with the Stars. For our summer program days, JHMR provides Gondola passes for hiking groups so they can explore the beautiful trails on the upper mountain.
“Coombs Outdoors encompasses the spirit of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort by inspiring local children and teenagers of all backgrounds to enjoy the unparalleled outdoor recreation JHMR has to offer. Whether it be skiing or snowboarding in the winter, hiking, biking and climbing in the summer, JHMR is the perfect outdoor learning environment for this important community program.”
Donor Highlight: Community Foundation of Jackson Hole
Support from the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole has helped fund our study hall programs for middle and high school participants. Study hours in the Coombs Room provide participants with a quiet place to work on schoolwork with help and supervision from Coombs staff, and many kids have told us they've never been so productive and on top of their homework.
Study hall began as a fall program, but thanks to the CFJH (and the request from Coombs kids), we are now able to continue it throughout the school year!
“Our nonprofit organizations were tested in 2020, a year with multiple crises. Coombs Outdoors responded to community needs during a pandemic, stepping in to offer a new model of out-of-school programming and safe socialization for middle and high school students. When our youth asked for safe, supportive, structured places to study and engage with their peers, Coombs Outdoors answered, strengthening students’ mental and physical health.”
Letter from the Executive Director
In true fashion, March came roaring in like a lion here at Coombs Outdoors.
With programs running every day through the winter, and more than 300 participants alpine skiing, snowboarding, and learning to Nordic, Coombs Staff has been busy planning and running programs and making sure our kids are staying safe, learning new skills, and having fun. March also brought our annual Skiing with the Stars event at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort during which we hosted 55 skiers who joined 14 Stars and 12 Mountain Sports School instructors to celebrate and support Coombs Outdoors. As March winds down, so do our winter programs. Look out for the Coombs Kids skiing around in costumes this weekend at JHMR as they spend one more day building camaraderie, confidence, and independence through their experiences with the winter sport we all love.
Although the winter season at Coombs is coming to an end, we are looking forward to providing inclusive outdoor access and mentorship opportunities all summer long through our Activate, Engage, and Empower Programs.
Jenny Wolfrom Holladay
Executive Director, Coombs Outdoors
