Alan (8) and Jorge (8) are cousins who have been hiking with Coombs for the past few summers. Both kids love hiking with Coombs, and almost never miss a day of programs. 

The pandemic has made it difficult for Alan and Jorge to stay busy this summer, and Coombs Summer Camp has been especially meaningful both for them and their parents this year.  “They’re so excited to come to camp everyday,” says Alan’s mom. “Besides Coombs Summer Camp, they don’t have anything else to do this summer.”

Paddling days at R Park are both kids’ favorite day of summer camp. “It is so fun we get to jump in the water and swim every day!” Jorge says as he jumps off the stand up paddle board he and Alan are sharing.

“Besides Coombs Summer Camp, they don’t have anything else to do this summer”

Alan also likes hiking at Snow King with Ranger Louie, from the Bridger-Teton National Forest because they “get to learn about nature.” The kids hike on local trails, identify wildlife, and learn about Leave No Trace practices. Every day when the kids eat lunch, Alan brings an extra bag from home to make sure all the other kids pick up after themselves and don’t leave any trash on the trail.

"I want to come to summer camp everyday, forever!" says Jorge. 

Without Coombs Summer Camp, Alan and Jorge wouldn’t have the opportunity to spend their days hiking, swimming, and learning about the natural world around us. Please consider making an Old Bill’s gift to make summers like this possible for kids like Alan and Jorge!

Donate to Coombs through Old Bill's

Welcome to Coombs Summer Camp!

On July 6th, we launched our first week of Coombs summer programs, a series of week-long camps for kids K-9 in small groups through the end of August. It wasn't easy to get summer programs off the ground in the midst of a pandemic, but it turned into an opportunity to re-work our summer program model to serve more kids than ever. Here's a little recap of our first week out.

We are proud to have over 100 kids out on the trails this summer!

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Day 1

Campers met at the base of Snow King Mountain on the morning of Day 1 for name games and intros before a full week of activities. Middle schoolers spent the afternoon on the Treetop Adventure Ropes Course and Alpine Slide at Snow King. The Forest Friends elementary group took the bus to R Park, where they spent the afternoon playing games, nature journaling, and hanging out by the water.

Day 2

On Day 2, groups went out for a hike with rangers from Bridger-Teton National Forest. Groups hiked locally around Cache Creek and Snow King and learned to identify wildlife, searched for wildflowers, practiced navigating with maps, and talked about Leave No Trace.

Day 3

Day 3 was a full day of outdoor fun at R Park! Both groups spent the day paddle boarding, learning to fish, nature journaling, swimming, and learning about outdoor safety. A few kids even caught their first fish!
Thanks for hosting us this summer, R Park!

Day 4 

The Be REAL Middle School group spent Day 4 at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, hiking up the Cirque Trail from the top of the Bridger Gondola. The highlight of the day was penguin sliding down the patch of snow in Ten Sleep Bowl at the top of the hike! Forest Friends spent the day playing games and doing arts and crafts at Snow King.

Day 5

Day 5 was another fun day at R Park for Forest Friends, with more exploration, time in the water, and arts and crafts. The Be REAL Middle School group got to spend the day rock climbing in Curtis Canyon! A great way to close out a busy week outside. 

Thank You to our Amazing Summer Program Sponsors!

Thank you to Roadhouse Brewing and the Community Foundation for providing PPE for all kids and program staff for the entire summer, thank you to R Park for hosting Coombs summer camp days, and thank you to Rendezvous River Sports for providing river days for Coombs kids.

We are incredibly grateful for this generous community!

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Coombs Outdoors will Partner with Faction and 1% for the Planet

Coombs Outdoors is pleased to announce our partnership with the Faction Collective through 1% for the Planet, a global organization that connects environmental nonprofits with businesses and individuals committed to giving 1% of sales back to the earth.

This winter, Faction will support the Powder Pals Program, our weekly ski mentoring program for middle schoolers at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort through ski donations for the volunteer mentors. Powder Pals serves 100 kids in middle school and high school, where kids learn the mountain skills they need to be lifelong skiers once they graduate from Coombs programs. 

We are so excited to be working with Faction as a winter program sponsor and look forward to seeing where this relationship takes us!

Read more on the Faction Blog.

Coombs Outdoors x 1% for the Planet
        

Stio Partners with Coombs Outdoors as Year-Round Program Sponsor

Inspiring connection with local youth and the great outdoors

JACKSON, Wyo. (July 15, 2020) –  Mountain lifestyle brand Stio announces today that they will partner with Coombs Outdoors as their official and exclusive apparel partner.  Coombs Outdoors is a non-profit in Jackson Hole that provides outdoor recreational programming for children of families who do not have access to the same opportunities as their peers. This partnership is dedicated to strengthening community efforts to promote inclusion and access in the outdoors and in Teton County.

As of 2020, Coombs Outdoors serves over 250 children and families from the service industry and workforce population in Jackson through both winter and summer programming. 

Through this partnership, Stio will provide winter outerwear and summer gear for the organization’s participants. Moreover, Stio’s commitment to Coombs Outdoors will go beyond supplying apparel, as they also plan to establish a mentoring and internship program between the two organizations and collaborate on storytelling opportunities to elevate new voices. 

“In our mission to inspire connection with nature, the issues of access and inclusion in the outdoors are very important to us. We want outside to be accessible for everyone. Through our shared vision, we can work towards this commitment together,” said Liz Barrett, Brand Director at Stio. “We believe that change starts in our own community first, and we’re beyond thrilled to embark on this meaningful partnership together with such a strong local organization.”

“We are so pleased to announce this expanded partnership with Stio. They have been very generous with us over the years, but establishing a formal, collaborative agreement is a win-win,” says Mary Erickson, Executive Director of Coombs Outdoors. “We love having this level of support from a great business like Stio, homegrown right here in Jackson. We share a passion for outdoor recreation and this Valley’s community, and a commitment to inclusivity and diversity in the outdoors. It is a perfect fit.” 

To learn more about Coombs Outdoors visit: https://www.coombsoutdoors.org/

To learn more about Stio visit: https://www.stio.com/

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About Coombs Outdoors

Jackson Hole is known for its natural beauty and world-class outdoor sports. However, there is a large population of children from low-income families who do not have access to the same opportunities as their peers. In an effort to create a healthy community where all our children thrive, Coombs Outdoors provides year-round outdoor programming for youth from Kindergarten through high school graduation. 

Coombs Outdoors begins with basic instructional programs that introduce kids to a variety of activities to spark a passion for the outdoors, then adds a cohort-based mentoring component in middle school to help youth build deep relationships with their peers and trusted adults, and finally, works with high school youth to serve as mentors and coaches to younger kids, explore careers and college, and become passionate outdoor enthusiasts.

Coombs Outdoors’ goal is not to create world-class skiers or rock climbers, but to develop world-class people ready to embrace the future with confidence.

About Stio®

Headquartered in the heart of the Tetons in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Stio® was founded to inspire balanced living in connection with nature. Time spent on trails, in rivers and on summits inspires their beautiful, functional outdoor apparel. Their progressive, premium products are designed to meet the demands of the epic and everyday moments of outdoor life and can be found at stio.com, in their catalogs and at the Stio Mountain Studio® retail stores in Jackson and Teton Village, Wyoming and Park City, Utah. 

Coombs Outdoors Announces Partnership with 1% for the Planet

(JACKSON, WY, July 10, 2020) - Coombs Outdoors has recently joined 1% for the Planet as a nonprofit partner in steps to prioritize environmental stewardship within outdoor programs in Jackson, Wyoming. 

1% for the Planet connects businesses and individuals who pledge to give 1% of their sales back to the planet each year with environmental nonprofits around the world. This partnership will help Coombs Outdoors connect with businesses and individuals in the outdoor industry who share the same values of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in outdoor spaces as well as creating the next generation of environmental stewards.  

Coombs Outdoors serves 250 youth from low-income families in Teton County who experience socioeconomic and cultural barriers to outdoor recreation. Each summer, participants spend time on the trails in Grand Teton National Park and the Bridger-Teton National Forest, learning about the natural world around them and how to access the outdoors. Throughout the summer, kids participate in Leave No Trace workshops, practice navigating and using maps, and hike with local wilderness rangers who teach them about trail etiquette and the importance of public lands. 

“Many kids discover the spectacular beauty of the natural world for the first time through Coombs programs. Environmental stewardship lessons are woven into the program curriculum so that kids begin to understand the fragility of the world and their role in being good stewards of the earth,” said Mary Erickson, Executive Director, Coombs Outdoors.

Coombs Outdoors primarily serves the Latinx workforce in Jackson, a population that has risen to over one third of the population in Teton County. “These kids are the next generation of environmental stewards,” said Erickson. “Recreation and stewardship go hand in hand and it’s our responsibility to give them the tools to care for this world as we introduce them to the amazing opportunities the outdoors have to offer.”

About 1% for the Planet

1% for the Planet is a global organization that connects dollars and doers to accelerate smart environmental giving. Through business and individual memberships, 1% for the Planet inspires people to support environmental organizations through annual membership and everyday actions. The organization advises on giving strategies, certifies donations and amplifies the impact of the network.

Started in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, their members have given more than $250 million to environmental nonprofits to date. Today, 1% for the Planet is a network of more than 3,000 business members, an expanding core of individual members and thousands of nonprofit partners in more than 90 countries.

About Coombs Outdoors

Jackson Hole is known for its natural beauty and world-class outdoor sports. However, there is a large population of children from low-income families who do not have access to the same opportunities as their peers. In an effort to create a healthy community where all our children thrive, Coombs Outdoors provides year-round outdoor programming for youth from Kindergarten through high school graduation. 

Coombs Outdoors begins with basic instructional programs that introduce kids to a variety of activities to spark a passion for the outdoors, then adds a cohort-based mentoring component in middle school to help youth build deep relationships with their peers and trusted adults, and finally, works with high school youth to serve as mentors and coaches to younger kids, explore careers and college, and become passionate outdoor enthusiasts.

Coombs Outdoors’ goal is not to create world-class skiers or rock climbers, but to develop world-class people ready to embrace the future with confidence.

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Supporting our communities of color in Teton County is more important than ever.

Between the COVID-19 pandemic and the international awakening around systemic racism and inequity, our world has been forced to rethink many of the ways we go about our everyday lives. 

This has been a difficult year for everyone, there’s no way around that. But the youth we serve, primarily from low-income communities of color, are being impacted at far higher rates and in much more personal ways.

The COVID-19 pandemic shines a bright light on the inherent brokenness and inequity of our society. The youth we serve–both in Jackson and on the Wind River Indian Reservation—are often living in overcrowded conditions, do not have the educational or technical resources to learn in an at-home setting, and have parents who are either out of work or continuing to work in risky situations. The impact on these families is massive.

The work of Coombs Outdoors has always been about addressing systemic inequities. The organization was founded because the ski slopes, mountain trails, and soccer fields in Jackson lacked real diversity. Low income children, primarily from our Latinx community, were not participating in outdoor activities. 

This summer, our programs are more important than ever, and we are honored to be a part of these kids’ lives during such uncertain times. We will be providing meaningful and safe outdoor programs for more than 100 youth, which will be our biggest summer yet. For many of our participants, Coombs summer camps will be their first organized activities outside the home, and we will be the first adults they have interacted with in-person besides their families in months. These kids are hungry for exercise, adventure, fresh air, and personal connection. Please read more about our exciting summer programs below.

Will you support our kids this summer through a financial gift? Your gift will provide them with the chance to elevate and empower one another and to use their voices and actions to make a difference.

We can't do it without you.

In gratitude,

Mary Erickson
Executive Director

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Introducing The New Coombs Outdoors Summer Program!

Our staff has been working hard to modify our summer outdoor curriculum to comply with CDC guidelines in order to support Coombs families during this difficult time, and we’re excited to announce that programs will kick off on July 6th!

This summer, we’re excited to offer week-long outdoor camps for 100 kids from 1st through 9th grade, free of charge. Each kid will participate in two full weeks of outdoor camp in small groups with our new Coombs Summer Program Counselors.

The Forest Friends Elementary Group will spend most camp days at R Park, with educational nature activities, art projects, paddle boarding, and fishing. Groups will also spend a day hiking at Snow King and spend one day on the river with a local rafting company.

The Be REAL Middle School Mentoring Program will hike in Bridger-Teton National Forest, with navigation activities led by a BTNF Ranger, fish at R Park, hike, bike, and spend a day on the river with Rendezvous River Sports.

This new model of full weeks of camp will allow us to better engage with each kid, while minimizing overlap in interaction between kids and counselors. Despite these changes, we’ll be serving more kids than ever this summer!

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In order to provide summer programming to the at-risk children and youth we serve in Teton County, we’ve hired seven new counselors and increased program days. This is in order to comply with CDC guidelines and prioritizes the safety of participants and staff.

Thanks to two amazing donors who have stepped up and pledged $20,000, we’re half way to filling the $40,000 additional cost to summer outdoor adventure programs. 

To fill this gap in summer programming we need to raise an additional $20,000. Will you help us make this goal?

Thank You to our Amazing Summer Program Sponsors!

Thank you to Roadhouse Brewing and the Community Foundation for providing PPE for all kids and program staff for the entire summer!

Thank you to R Park for hosting Coombs summer camp days!

Thank you to Rendezvous River Sports for providing river days for Coombs kids!

How we can support those in need in Teton County and on the nearby Wind River Reservation.

These are tough times for everyone, but especially the communities around us who are already underserved and barely making ends meet. 

We have an amazing community here in Jackson. The incredible number of people volunteering their time to support relief efforts around town is a testament to the kindness and generous nature of the Jackson community.

Many have kindly reached out to ask how they can help during this challenging time and we appreciate you keeping our organization in mind during this crisis. 

If you have the means and are looking for ways to help, below are a few ways for your support to go directly into the hands that need it most right now.

Whatever you can spare, be it a small portion of your stimulus check or a larger gift you were planning to give later in the year, your support is more appreciated than ever. 

Thank you for being a part of this incredible community! 

How to Support Local Families in Teton County

As kids have increasingly more idle time during the pandemic, our programs and support have become more important than they’ve ever been. Coombs Programs have always served as a way to distract kids from difficult situations at home, get them outside, develop confidence, and foster a love of exploration. For everyone, regardless of their background or economic status, getting outside has become a priority and a way to escape the stress of the global situation.  

Over the last two months, the Coombs Program staff has created and implemented a robust Outdoor Challenge to keep our kids active and engaged while stuck at home. The Challenge was designed for all kids to be able to do at home, with daily, weekly, and monthly activities that encourage kids to get outside in a safe and healthy way and continue to engage with their peers over Zoom video calls and texts. We plan to run this through July, when our hope is to begin transitioning to outdoor activities in small group settings. 

While it’s still not clear what the summer will hold, we have plans for both a healthy, active summer and a contingency plan for more restricted summer. Both will focus on what’s best for the kids, and both will keep our staff as busy as ever while we work to support Coombs families.

We sincerely thank you for supporting our organization during this time. All donations will go directly to creating and adapting summer programming for kids this summer, helping keep our community healthy, active, and outside!

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How to Support Our Neighbors on the Wind River Reservation

For the last five years, Coombs Outdoors has been hosting kids from the Arapahoe School on the Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR) at Snow King for ski lessons. We have developed strong relationships and consider the youth and teachers from the Arapahoe School a part of the Coombs family.

As a community already living in deep poverty - with over-crowded conditions, a high percentage of elderly, high incidences of diabetes and heart disease, and many homes without running water - the people of the WRIR are extremely vulnerable. Fremont County, with 190 confirmed coronavirus cases, is the highest in the state, with a large percentage of those on the WRIR. Four of the seven deaths due to COVID in Wyoming were on the WRIR. Three of those deaths were family members of our primary contact from the Arapahoe School, Iva Moss-Redman. Our hearts are with our brothers and sisters from the Arapahoe School.

Currently, food needs are being pretty well met, but they are in need of cleaning and personal hygiene supplies, diapers, children’s books, and gardening supplies. If you would like to support our friends from the Arapahoe School, please donate through our website, writing “WRIR” or “Arapahoe” in the notes.

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One22 Emergency Relief Fund

One22 is offering financial assistance to those negatively impacted by the coronavirus outbreak to help cover urgent, personal and household expenses. Many of the families who will qualify for this emergency aid are families we work with at Coombs. 

If you have the means to give anything extra at this time, your support will go a long way in the lives of families in Teton County who are struggling to pay rent and support their children. 

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Art For A Cause!

Meet Miranda Schrock, a local artist, EMT-B, healthcare worker, and physician assistant candidate.

She will be generously donating 50% of profits from her artwork to Coombs relief efforts during the pandemic as a way to support the community that she loves!

"I relocated to Jackson recently from Grand Junction, CO, and want to support this wonderful community I now find myself a part of. Realism Art has been a hobby, a passion and a form of personal meditation of mine for as long as I can remember. During quarantine I have spent a lot of time with the pen and paper and have explored a new form of art called Stippling or Pointillism. As a passionate skier, snowboarder and outdoor enthusiast, I hope to share that passion through the creation of custom ski pointillism pieces. 50% of my profits during this time will go towards Coombs Outdoors to help aid in their COVID19 relief efforts. Nothing would feel better than to help make a difference in and around this community and brighten homes with art pieces that reflect the outdoor activities this community is most passionate about." - Miranda

You can reach Miranda at: Mschrock0921@gmail.com or view her Instagram page
@307pointart for commission inquires.

Pricing is donation-based with a minimum recommendation based on size.
 6x9" - 40$ min
9x12" - 70$ min

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Join us in the Outdoor Challenge! If you're doing any of these healthy activities on your own, tag us on Instagram (@coombsoutdoors) with the hashtag #coombsOUTDOORchallenge.

We'd love to share this journey with you and the rest of our amazing community and continue to inspire active, healthy habits during this challenging time. 

At Coombs Outdoors, we are committed to the health and well-being of our clients, our staff, and our greater community. As an organization committed to getting kids outdoors, being asked to stay home has created unique challenges, and we have had to adjust how we think about our role in the lives of the families we serve.

Most of our parents work in the service industry and other low-paying jobs, and for many English is a second language. As frightening and confusing as this time may be for us, it is more so for our families. Helping them to get good, reliable information and support has been critical, and has given us purpose in these trying times.

We are continuing to plan our summer programs, but we are also developing creative contingency plans to connect with our kids and encourage them to be active outside in the event that we are still practicing social-distancing and the kids are still at home after Spring Break. Afterall, being active outside is one of the best antidotes to cabin fever and depression.

We will be here to serve the families of Coombs Outdoors, and to offer our help and support in whatever ways we can to the critical organizations that are on the front-lines of this crisis: St. John’s Health Center, Teton County School District, Teton County Public Health, The Town of Jackson and Teton County, One22, Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, Hole Food Rescue, the Food Cupboard, and so many others.

We feel blessed to be a part of this amazing community. I can’t imagine anywhere else I would rather be at this time.

Stay healthy, wash your hands, and get outside a little bit each day.

-Mary Erickson, Executive Director

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Over the last week, our hardworking staff has been in constant communication with the many families we serve to check in, see how the crisis has affected them, and how we can help.

Many parents have lost their jobs this week due to the outbreak, and a huge percentage of our families are facing eviction as they struggle to pay rent. 

These families are the number one priority of our staff right now, and we are working everyday to provide support where we can.

How we're supporting families during this crisis:

• Translating COVID-19 resources into Spanish to keep our families up to date and informed on community response and guidelines

• Daily calls with parents to check in and find out what they need

• Creating support groups to check in with idle kids who are out of school

• Assisting families with grant applications through One22 for emergency aid for financial issues related to COVID-19

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One22 Relief Fund

One22 is offering financial assistance to those negatively impacted by the coronavirus outbreak to help cover urgent, personal and household expenses. Many of the families who will qualify for this emergency aid are families we work with at Coombs. 

If you have the means to give anything extra at this time, your support will go a long way in the lives of families in Teton County who are struggling to pay rent and support their children. 

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COVID-19 RECURSOS EN ESPAÑOL

Información de St. John’s de Coronavirus (hay un botón para traducir a español): https://www.stjohns.health/about/community-engagement/coronavirus/

Información de COVID-19 en español: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index-sp.html

Jackson Food Cupboard

• Abierto - lunes y jueves 4 - 6 p.m., miercoles 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., comida gratis cada viernes 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., sabado 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

• Nadie estará prohibido la entrada

Teton County School District

• Almuerzo para cualquier niño/a menor que 19 años a Jackson Hole High School hoy hasta 20 de marzo

• iPads disponibles para cada estudiante que no tiene tecnología en casa

 
One22 tiene fondos de emergencia para ayudar con alquiler, comida, etc. 

• Aplicaciones serán disponibles el 20 de marzo y los fondos llegarán el 1 de abril

• Más información aqui: https://www.one22jh.org/covid-19

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With concerns and uncertainty related to COVID-19, we are continually evaluating our summer programs and preparing for both a normal, active summer and a contingency plan addressing the immediate needs of the families we serve.  We appreciate your support now as much as ever and will continue to keep you updated on our operations.

View the full newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/coombsoutdoors/marchnewsletter

Every Saturday and Sunday this winter, Coombs kids in middle and high school skied at Teton Village with volunteer adult mentors in our Powder Pals program. Each week, kids progressed their skills on the mountain under the supervision of our dedicated mentors, developing the skills and confidence to become independent skiers. 

This is the second year of the Powder Pals mentoring program, with 40 adult volunteers and over 60 kids participating in weekly ski days. The success of this program would not be possible without the mentors who volunteer their weekends to ski with Coombs, and we are so grateful to have such a dedicated and supportive community! Meet a few mentors who helped make this year such a success.

Rice, 20

Rice learned to snowboard when she was 11, thanks to the support and encouragement of her older brother, Luis. "Luis was my biggest inspiration growing up and the reason I snowboard today," she says. "He got me my gear and taught me to ride." As a Jackson local, spending time on the mountain is a big part of Rice's life, and she started volunteering with Coombs so she could help younger kids in the same way her brother helped her. 

"It's helpful that [Luis and I] share the same culture and speak Spanish like the kids do," she says. "I think it's definitely helped us build connections with the kids and allowed them to feel comfortable on the mountain."

Although Rice skis with the kids as a mentor, she says it's often her who learns from the kids. "This year we hiked the Headwall and I'd never done it. But the kids had done it before and encouraged me and it was really rewarding to get to the top together. That was a really cool moment."

Luis, 29

Luis moved to Jackson when he was 11, and he remembers riding the bus by Snow King on his way to school, watching everyone ski down the hill. "I decided I had to learn to do that," he recalls. Luis didn't have a program like Coombs to help him learn to ski or snowboard, and it was tough for his family to afford gear and lift tickets. When he got older, he made sure to help his sister, Rice, learn to ride. Now, volunteering with Coombs is especially meaningful.

"Snowboarding and spending time outside is a big part of my life. It's how I talk to people and make friends," he says. "Especially in a place like Jackson where everyone does it. It feels good to ski with the kids and inspire them, showing them that they can do it too."

Sophia, 29

As a professional skier, Sophia spends quite a bit of time on snow, both at Teton Village and in the backcountry, but some of her most memorable days this year have been volunteering with Coombs.

"Coming from a competitive background, skiing can sometimes feel like a job," she says. "Skiing with the kids grounds me and reminds me how fun skiing is. We laugh every day, regardless of the conditions."

Hiking the Headwall was a big goal for Sophia's group of high school girls this year, and she said that hiking for their turns was a great opportunity to talk about how skiing can translate into bigger life goals. "We talked a lot about what it means to work hard and the idea of delayed gratification," she says. "It was a really big moment for everyone."

Photo credit: JR Rodriguez

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Featured Partner of the Month: Teton County Parks and Recreation

Thanks to Teton Parks and Recreation, this was our first full winter we offered an after school Nordic ski program for our participants.

It was a huge hit, with 13 Coombs participants skiing every Tuesday and Thursday evening. 22Nordic generously purchased all gear for Coombs kids to participate and we're excited to see where this program goes in the coming years!

Coombs Outdoors Announces 5th Annual CoombsFest

Coombs Outdoors has come a long way since its inception in 2013, but the underlying message has stayed the same – getting outside and enjoying the mountains is good for EVERYONE. In its 5th year, the organization’s annual community party, CoombsFest, brings all of Jackson together to celebrate what unites us: our love of skiing, snowboarding, outdoor recreation, and the incredible youth of Jackson Hole. 

CoombsFest 2020 will take place on March 14 at King’s Grill, at the base of the Rafferty Lift at Snow King Mountain, from 2-6pm. Event sponsors Springhill Suites Jackson Hole, Mountain Modern Motel, Moe’s BBQ, and Snow King Mountain invite you out for an afternoon of great food, live music, the chance to win some incredible raffle prizes, and of course, skiing the King! Anyone making a donation of $15 or more to Coombs Outdoors will receive an afternoon lift ticket to Snow King Mountain, plus half off the Cowboy Coaster for the afternoon. Moe’s Bar-b-que will be onsite providing great food for the whole family, and Tram Jam will provide the tunes. 

Entrance to the event is free, and everyone is invited to come celebrate. “This is one of our favorite days of the year because it is one of the few places that people from across our community come together to celebrate the things that unite us–playing outdoors and creating incredible opportunities for all of our kids,” says Coombs Outdoors Executive Director, Mary Erickson, “We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors, Snow King, Moe’s BBQ, Springhill Suites and Mountain Modern Motel for making this event possible.”

In addition to a fun on-mountain afternoon, attendees of CoombsFest can expect to learn a bit about the partners and contributors that make the programs provided by Coombs Outdoors possible. Our sponsors and our great for-profit and non-profit partners will have informational booths at the event, and fest-goers will also have the opportunity to learn about volunteer opportunities and mentoring programs at Coombs.

For more information about Coombs Outdoors, contact Mary Erickson at (307) 264-0073 or mary@coombsoutdoors.org. For more information about CoombsFest, or if you are interested in volunteering at the event, contact Virginia Symons at (307) 413-0174 or virginia@vibranteventsjh.com. 

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In the wake of our cancellation of CoombsFest 2020, we are still selling raffle tickets! Tickets will remain on sale until we reach out limit of 250 sales, at which time we will live stream a drawing. And don’t worry, if you miss the stream we will contact you directly if you win.

BUY RAFFLE TICKETS NOW!

$10 each or 6 for $50

2020 Raffle Items:

• 2020/20201 Season Pass to Snow King Mountain Resort

• BRAND NEW SKIS from Hoback Sports + 2 single day lift tickets to the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

• Yeti Tundra 45 Cooler filled with your choice of La Croix or Snake River Brewing beer

• Full Day guided Fly Fishing float trip with Grand Teton Fly Fishing

ONLY 250 RAFFLE TICKETS WILL BE SOLD!



We would like to wholeheartedly thank our sponsors and supporters, Snow King Mountain Resort, Moe's BBQ, Snake River Brewing, Mountain Modern Motel, Springhill Suites by Marriott, Hoback Sports, and Grand Teton Fly Fishing, for their unwavering support in the difficult decision to cancel CoombsFest.

Stay healthy, wash your hands, and don’t forget - getting outside is still good for us all!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (JACKSON, WY, December 15, 2019) - The Share Winter Foundation will partner with Coombs Outdoors beginning in the 2019/2020 winter season.

The Share Winter Foundation is a grantmaking organization that strives to make winter sports accessible to a more diverse community. Share Winter’s primary focus is on learn-to-ski programs, helping to make skiing more accessible for kids around the country. Their goal is to get 100,000 youth on snow, every year, by 2028.

“For Coombs Outdoors, the past several years have been focused on building out infrastructure, developing a clear and replicable program vision, and creating a sustainable business model,” said Mary Erickson, Executive Director of Coombs Outdoors. “The Share Winter Grant is a real validation of the work we have done, and we are grateful to Constance and her team for seeing our potential. Share Winter is making a significant financial investment in Coombs for the next 3-5 years, while also providing us with resources and strategic support to help us improve our efficiency and impact.”

Besides a significant amount of financial support, Share Winter also works directly with grantees on program logistics and marketing, helping to set them up for success in the long run.

“The significance of this partnership cannot be underestimated,” said Erickson. “With Share Winter on our team, Coombs Outdoors will be able to effectively reach more low-income families in Jackson as well as becoming a leader in the non-profit winter sports industry.”

Coombs Outdoors will serve over 170 participants in learn-to-ski programs this winter, with 222 total kids on snow for the 2019/2020 season.

About Coombs Outdoors

Jackson Hole is known for its natural beauty and world-class outdoor sports. However, there is a large population of children from low-income families who do not have access to the same opportunities as their peers. In an effort to create a healthy community where all our children thrive, Coombs Outdoors provides year-round outdoor programming for youth from Kindergarten through high school graduation.

Coombs Outdoors begins with basic instructional programs that introduce kids to a variety of activities to spark a passion for the outdoors, then adds a cohort-based mentoring component in middle school to help youth build deep relationships with their peers and trusted adults, and finally, works with high school youth to serve as mentors and coaches to younger kids, explore careers and college, and become passionate outdoor enthusiasts.

Coombs Outdoors’ goal is not to create world-class skiers or rock climbers, but to develop world-class people ready to embrace the future with confidence.

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Contact: Lily Krass, Marketing and Communications Manager

Email: lily@coombsoutdoors.org

Ski with the Stars at Teton Village!

The 3rd annual Skiing with the Stars fundraiser at Teton Village is happening on Thursday, January 16th!

Join skiing legends like Tommy Moe, Dave "The Wave", Benny Wilson, Kit and Rob DesLauriers, and more for an afternoon of skiing at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, followed by cocktails at the Caldera House.

Skiing with the Stars is our biggest fundraiser of the year and a great way to give back while doing what we all love best - ripping resort laps at Teton Village!

On behalf of everyone at Coombs Outdoors, THANK YOU for your generous donations at Old Bill's this year! Your support will help over 200 kids ski and snowboard this winter, kids who otherwise might never have the chance. The opportunity to join friends and classmates on the slopes is an incredible gift, and we're so touched that you've decided to be a part of this journey with us. 

Here's a little sneak peak to where your support will go this season.

Lessons at Snow King

Snow King is where the magic happens for first-time skiers! This winter, we expect to have over 150 kids in afterschool and weekend lessons. Parents can make their first turns with the Padres Program and we also have a few kids snowboarding this year with support from Carving the Future!

Afterschool Nordic Program

Generous local donations have allowed us to partner with Teton County Parks and Rec, Fischer Sports, and 22 Nordic for Teton County’s first ever introductory afterschool Nordic program. The afterschool program will be a beginner cross-country ski course, where kids in grades 3-5 and their parents can come to learn the basics.

Jackson Hole Ski and Snowboard Club

One of our longest standing partners, the Jackson Hole Ski and Snowboard Club offers scholarships for Coombs kids to participate in alpine racing and freeride programs. This program helps some of our more competitive skiers get the best possible instruction in order to hone their skills on the mountain.

Powder Pals

Last year’s pilot program was such a success that we've expanded Powder Pals to Saturdays and Sundays. Adult mentors ski with middle and high school Coombs kids at JHMR, building skills to eventually ski at the mountain on their own with their friends and family. This program is for kids who have graduated from lessons at Snow King and are ready to become independent skiers - for life!

As another summer comes to a close, it’s a great time to appreciate our partners and sponsors who make our programs such a success. Chelsea Phillippe, a Wilderness Ranger with the Bridger-Teton National Forest, has played a huge role in our summer programs, hiking with Coombs kids and helping foster their confidence in the outdoors. “The Forest Service is literally in their backyard,” she said. “I love working with the kids to help them build the tools to get out there and appreciate it.”

Growing up in Nebraska, Chelsea didn’t get to spend much time on public land. “Where I grew up, I saw ‘Private Property’ signs, not ‘Enjoy your Public Land’ signs,” she said. After college, Chelsea worked as a raft guide in Moab, guiding clients on multi-day trips down the Colorado, Green, and Dolores Rivers. “Watching guests gradually get more comfortable in the outdoors and develop a love affair for nature was really powerful. It was really special to get to share that with them,” she said. It was on the river that Chelsea discovered her love for helping others enjoy the power of the outdoors and set her on a path to becoming a Wilderness Ranger for the National Forest Service. 

“It’s amazing to see them trusting themselves more and more and learning that they can go places on their own”

Most of the summer, Chelsea is deep in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, managing backcountry campsites or working with trail crews. This summer, she's invested over 70 hours with Coombs Outdoors, joining Forest Friends and the Be REAL mentoring group on hikes and evening workshops. She’s worked with the mentoring kids on Leave No Trace practices, navigation skills, and helped them prepare for their first ever backpacking trip this summer. “It’s amazing to see them trusting themselves more and more and learning that they can go places on their own”

Over the past two summers, Chelsea has watched Coombs kids get more and more comfortable outside. “We’ll be out hiking and they’ll jump in the creek and get soaking wet and muddy and then they just put their shoes on and keep walking - it’s awesome that they don’t even care.”

Support from the Forest Service has played a huge role in allowing Chelsea to allocate so much of her time to Coombs programs. “Usually rangers don’t get to focus so much on education, but it’s a huge priority for the Forest Service to work with underserved youth. It’s amazing how dedicated the organization is on a national level to prioritize all of our users.”

Welcome to Coombs Outdoors!
Everything you need to know about the Coombs rebrand. 

Coombs Outdoors takes the Coombs Mission a level deeper, not just providing opportunities for access in the outdoors, but turning the outdoors into a tool for youth empowerment. 

The Coombs Foundation has grown exponentially since our founding in 2012. When we began with just 28 kids in lessons at Snow King, we had no idea that by 2019 we would be serving more than 250 kids and families in year-round outdoor activities. As our programs and organization have grown, we felt ready for a new name that better reflects the work we do as an organization, and a new look that breaks away from the organizations previously ski-centric logo.

“The Doug Coombs Foundation has always been primarily associated with skiing, but we do so much more than that,” said Mary Erickson, Executive Director. “Since outdoor recreation is our primary tool for impacting kids lives, Coombs Outdoors resonated with us. We are excited about a new name and fresh look that will grow and evolve with us for many years to come.”

Mission: The mission of  Coombs Outdoors is to empower children and youth to reach their full potential through the life-changing power of outdoor recreation. 

So what does this mean for donors and families? Donations to Coombs Outdoors will now support a more robust, year-round outdoor youth empowerment program. Rather than just supporting the cost of a season of skiing, your generous donations will help us develop Coombs-grown programs, allowing low-income kids to build confidence in the outdoors through skiing, hiking, rafting, biking, climbing, and more. 

Year-round programming allows us to provide more consistent support to the families that we serve in Teton County. Through weekly outdoor activities and mentoring programs in the summer and winter, Coombs participants have the opportunity to build valuable relationships and develop skills in the outdoors and life. At every stage, outdoors remains at the center of the work of Coombs Outdoors, whether a hike with a Forest Ranger, a ropes course with a mentoring cohort, or an internship working at our local ski hill. 

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The Coombs Outdoors Vision: Activate. Engage. Empower.

• ACTIVATE! Introduce children and youth to a variety of outdoor activities year-round to get them off the couch and their cell phones and active in nature.

• ENGAGE! Connect with youth to build deeper interpersonal peer relationships and provide strong role models.

• EMPOWER! Provide youth with the tools and confidence to pursue their dreams in life beyond high school.

Join us for our first ever summer fundraiser!

The first annual Coombs Cup Golf Club Challenge Tournament and Fundraiser will take place on August 22, 2019 at the Snake River Sporting Club. 

Teams from Snake River Sporting Club, Shooting Star, Jackson Hole Tennis and Golf, 3 Creek, and Teton Pines will face off in a golf scramble to benefit the Coombs Foundation followed by a cocktail reception and live auction. Amateur teams will play alongside Club Pros in a team scramble, with additional contests throughout the day. 

Everyone is encouraged to come the cocktail celebration at SRSC at 4 p.m. to enjoy hors d’ouevres and a live auction supporting the Coombs Foundation. This will be an exciting evening as the Coombs Foundation reveals a few exciting announcements regarding the future of the organization!

 Contact Mary Erickson, Executive Director for tickets and questions - mary@coombsfoundation.org

Meet Our Forest Friends Hiking Group!

The Forest Friends hiking club is our introductory summer outdoor program, where kids in Kindergarten through 5th grade get started hiking in the Tetons. Forest Friends meets once each week to explore trails in Grand Teton National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest, learning about wildlife and basic trail practices while having fun outside with their friends.

In the first few weeks of summer, Forest Friends learned how to read trail maps from a Wilderness Ranger, journaled in their nature notebooks in Game Creek, hiked up Snow King, and splashed around alpine lakes in Grand Teton National Park. Summer is off to a great start at the Coombs Foundation!

Annie, 6
Favorite part about summer hiking club: "That I get to run on the trail wherever I want!"

Gael, 8
Favorite part about summer hiking club: "When I get to take off my shoes and play in the mud because it's fun to be allowed to get dirty."

Sebastian, 7
Favorite part about summer hiking club: "Drawing my own map outside so I can find my way home."

Find us on the Trails!
2019 Summer Program Overview

Forest Friends (Elementary School)
Hiking groups meet Tuesdays and Wednesdays for activities in Grand Teton National Park and Bridger Teton National Forest.

Be REAL Outdoor Adventures (Middle School and High School)
Kids and mentors meet Wednesday evenings for skill-building workshops, with activity days on Thursday and Saturday. Activities include hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, rafting, and more!

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We're proud to partner with Community Soccer Camp! This summer over 50 kids are playing soccer with CSC. Teams practice Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with games on Saturdays.

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A Note from our Executive Director

The Fourth of July always brings about a little bit of childhood nostalgia for me. I grew up in a mid-sized city on the west coast, in a close-knit neighborhood filled with young families. The Fourth of July parade was always a highlight of the summer—we would decorate our bikes with red, white and blue streamers and parade to the “round park” where the entire neighborhood would gather for hot dogs, corn on the cob, and watermelon. For that one day, we carved out our own small town in the midst of the city.

 In Jackson, we sometimes get lost in our sophistication and our extraordinarity, but at the Fourth of July parade, we are small town America at its finest. People lined the parade route last Thursday morning—often three or four deep—waving American flags and cheering at the passing floats. Local businesses, non-profits, and political candidates came out in force, with decorated floats, flags and banners, tossing candy to kids on the side of the road. What struck me was how genuinely joyful everyone seemed. In that moment, we were one community.

 When we turn on the news, all we hear about are the polarizing topics that drive us apart. But on this one sunny morning last week, no one asked the person next to them what they thought about Trump. No one argued over the border wall or Obamacare. Everyone was there to celebrate the best of America, where we still believe that every child should have the opportunity to strive for greatness and create their own future, in spite of the obstacles society may put in their way.

This was most poignant for me parading along with 50 kids and parents from the Coombs Foundation. A large percentage of our families are Latino, some immigrants, others born right here in Jackson. It’s easy to feel like an outsider when you aren’t a part of the majority culture and your family doesn’t have the same resources as your classmates. But as I watched our kids march with the same pride and joy that I saw in their peers around us, what struck me was the sense of belonging, of community. My hope is that every child in Jackson grows up believing in the increasingly elusive “American Dream” – that every child believes they can achieve their dreams.

 May your life be filled with that Fourth of July sense of joy, belonging, and hope all year long.

Mary Erickson, Executive Director

Get to Know a Coombs Family!

Tristan (12) and Aldric (13) were some of the Coombs Foundation’s first participants. They learned to ski through our programs at Snow King when they were just five and six, and now are ripping skiers in the Jackson Hole Ski and Snowboard Club. A few years later, their dad, Hugo, learned to ski in our Padres Program and became a certified ski instructor last year. “Skiing was something that we’d always seen everyone doing, but we never thought we’d have the opportunity to actually do it,” says Hugo. “When we found out we could participate, there was no question - we were doing it.” Hugo says when Tristan and Aldric first learned to ski they would count down to ski lessons all throughout the week. “They just loved it. And they still love it. It’s really no different today,” he says. “It’s just so fun. And I love trying to follow them down the hill, too.”

“When we found out we could participate, there was no question - we were doing it.”

Last summer, Tristan and Aldric learned to rock climb for the first time with Coombs on an instructional day with Exum Mountain Guides. “It’s really great to see how they are together when they’re outside,” Hugo comments. “Instead of hanging out inside and playing video games like kids do at that age, they’re more social and talkative. They want to go outside and have fun with their friends and try new things.” Hugo says that this spring, after skiing with the JHSSC Shredders all season, Tristan decided he dreams of skiing in the X-Games. “He wants to do back flips and compete...I don’t know how we feel about the backflips yet, but we love to see him so excited about these things.”

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Be REAL - Outdoor Adventures 

Be REAL is the summer component to our winter Powder Pals Program, an opportunity for our middle and high school participants to develop leadership skills and learn how to spend time in the mountains independently. “The kids and volunteers were so excited and engaged this winter, and we’re really looking forward to keeping that momentum going,” says Maggie Shipley, Program Manager. “Last winter, Powder Pals had the greatest success (and fun) in the groups with the most consistent mentors. Our goal this summer is to maintain that kind of consistency to keep that momentum going.”

This summer, Coombs kids will rock climb with Exum, hike in Grand Teton National Park, Kayak with Rendezvous River Sports, and even learn to mountain bike at the Village. Groups will meet twice a week for one full activity day outside and one evening workshop. “Group mentorship has been a proven way to make a positive impact on the lives of youth,” says Shipley. “Our mentors focus on helping our youth successfully navigate their time outside and life in the community at large.”

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A Note from our Executive Director

Our summer programming starts next week - let the adventures begin! This summer we will take kids hiking, biking, rock climbing, rafting and more through our Forest Friends program for elementary school kids and our BE Real Outdoor Adventures for middle and high school kids. We are also partnering with Community Soccer Camp of Jackson Hole to offer the very popular summer soccer program for kids from 1-8 grades.

This summer we are also working with Wilderness Adventures, a locally-based outdoor adventure company, to provide full scholarships to three Coombs kids to participate in one of two 14-day adventures. We invited active middle and high school members in good standing in our program to submit a paragraph explaining why they wanted to participate. Two of the selected students are headed to Denver at the end of June for Colorado Explorer - two full weeks of rafting, climbing a 14er, and backpacking in the Rockies. The third student will participate in Yellowstone Teton Discovery. Kids on these trips are coming from all over the world, so the Coombs participants will have the opportunity to step out of their comfort zone socially and connect with people from very different backgrounds. The three youths attending have never spent time away from home, better yet 14 nights under the stars, and this will be a life changing trip for each of them!

Finally, congratulations to all of the Jackson Hole seniors who graduated this past weekend – and their parents! What an exciting time in a young person’s life. This got me thinking about all of the young people in the Coombs’ programs. My hope is that we are able to positively impact these kids’ lives so when their graduation day comes, they also have big dreams and big plans and the confidence to pursue them.

Now get outside and enjoy summer!

Mary Erickson, Executive Director