It’s no secret that Jackson is home to extreme mountains and extreme athletes. With its high altitude and vast uninhibited spaces, it makes for the perfect training ground for professional athletes and weekend warriors who want to get in shape and enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Treadmills are great, but the gym setting leaves a lot to be desired with their mirrors and endless rows of TVs set to bad cable channels. Sure you are going to get your heart rate up and get your workout in with your treadmill set to the “mountain climber setting” but really, you just want to get it over with as quick a possible. The gym experience is the equivalent of microwaving your dinner. It gets the job done, but you don’t exactly savor the experience.
Luckily you are in Jackson where you can be outside on an open road or trail and have a National Park and National Forest as your workout backdrop. We prefer that option and you should too, because exercising around Jackson is a full body and soul workout. So whether you classify yourself as an extreme athlete or just want to try your first 5k with the family, Jackson in the summer offers the athlete in you plenty of opportunities. Just get out there (the world outside the gym walls) and try these local competitions. And remember to just have some fun, get some fresh mountain air, and run your own race.
Ultimate Towner Obstacle Course – May 15
Pick your squad, get a team together, and get dirty and challenge yourself. This fun event inspires entrants to “turn every obstacle into an opportunity”. It kind of feels like a grown up version of a middle school sports day or a military obstacle course with people competing dressed up for Halloween or Burning Man. You and your team will make your way through all the challenging and fun events, such as the mud crawl, the sand pit, and the sack hop slalom. By the end you’ll be dirty, sweaty, smiling, and stoked with what you have achieved. All ages encouraged to participate. To register and find out more info go to ultimatetowner.com.
Run and Ride For the Cure – June 5
Run and Ride For the Cure is the 7th annual race to fight against cancer. Whether you run or ride your bike, you’ll not only get a great workout, but you’ll also be helping to support local cancer patients in Jackson. Participate solo or in a team. This race is also open to kids. For more info on this fun and charitable event, go to skinnyskis.com or contact Phil Leeds at 307-733-6094.
Jackson Hole Half Marathon – June 11
Always wanted to run a marathon, but found yourself a bit intimidated? Then start with a half and see how you like it. If you love it, you can always run it twice. Intimidated by a half marathon, don’t worry they offer a 5k too. The Jackson Hole Half Marathon starts at the base of the Tetons in Teton Village and finishes in downtown Jackson. So if nothing else, the scenery is going to motivate you. The 5k starts and finishes in downtown Jackson, but don’t worry the backdrop is just as epic. Everyone who participates gets a t-shirt as a keepsake to remember the big race, because your running blisters are going to eventually go away. You’ll also get a medal, pizza, and other treats at the finish. They pretty much had us at pizza. People can debate about whether hot or cold pizza tastes better, but we think it tastes best after a half marathon. The half marathon costs $75 to register and the 5k is $25. For more info and to get registered, check out jhhalf.com.
Shirley’s Heart Run – June 18
Shirley’s Heart Run is surely another great local run for a good cause. This community fun run helps to support cardiology at the St. John’s Medical Foundation. Your running helps to buy medical equipment as well as support medical programs and heart patients.
48th Annual Snow King Runners Hillclimb – July 23
This one is pretty self explanatory. See mountain, climb mountain. Don’t get psyched out when you look up, up, and further up to see where this trail is going to take you. One step at a time should be your mantra for this one. It’s not touted as “one of the most difficult foot races in the west!” for nothing. For more info, go to tetonparksandrec.org or call 307-739-9025.
Teton Ogre Adventure Race – June 25-26
Can’t decide between trail running, mountain biking, or canoeing for the day, then don’t, because the Teton Ogre Adventure Race is just for you. Grab all your gear and head over the hill to Teton Valley, Idaho for this jumbo-sized race. The Ogre is aptly named because it’s going to wear you out. The Ogre comes in two options. The 8-hour Ogre or “Ogre Light” can be done solo or as a two-person team and is made up of 10-15 miles of mountain biking and 6-12 miles of trail running. The 24-hour Ogre is a 2 to 3 person event that encompasses 65-75 miles of mountain biking, 10-20 miles of trail running, and 12-15 miles of canoeing. No, that was not a typo and yes, I had to actually stop and take a break while I wrote that sentence. That my friend is an “Ogre Royale with Cheese”. If you haven’t been scared off yet by the Teton Ogre description, head over to tetonogrear.com for all the details.
19th Annual Big Hole Challenge & Duathlon – July 2
Since you are probably still recovering from the Teton Ogre in Teton Valley you can just stay over there until the 19th Annual Big Hole Challenge & Duathlon kicks off. We recommend convalescing and recovering with daily IVs of the Emporium’s famous huckleberry milkshakes. After about a week of these you should be good to go for this next event. Similar drill, as you can do the biking event, or the bike and run, hence the Duathlon name. Do it solo or as a team. For more info, call Peaked Sports at 208-354-2354.
36th Annual 4th of July 10k – July 4
Put down that hot dog, fireworks, and beer for at least as long as it takes you to finish this local Jackson 10k race. Race starts at 8am sharp and the trail takes runners along Fish Creek in Wilson.
Star Valley Half Marathon – July 9
Run all through nearby Star Valley in the Star Valley Half Marathon. All types of runners and walkers are welcome in this fun event. You’ll run through beautiful Bridger National Forest to scenic farmlands.
9th Annual Tin Cup Challenge – July 16
Run for yourself and the local community over in Teton Valley, Idaho in the 9th Annual Tin Cup Challenge. Sign up for this laid-back 5k fun run/walk or get after it in the competitive 5k and 10k race. Proceeds go towards Teton Valley, Idaho nonprofits. Ages 12 and under get to enter any category for free. To find out more info, go to cftetonvalley.org
7th Annual Pierre’s Hole Race – August 6
Hop into the saddle of your trusted mountain bike for this endurance race at Grand Targhee. This scenic mountain course will motivate you as you pedal in the 100 mile, 100k, or 50k race. For more info on this challenging race, head over to grandtarghee.com.
Cache-Teton Relay – August 12-13
Like the famed LOTOJA bike race, the Cache-Teton Relay will take participants from Logan, Utah to Teton Village, Wyoming, but instead of riding on bikes it will all happen on foot. At least you won’t have to do it alone, you’ll be on a team of 12. When it’s all over your team will have travelled 205 miles from state to state. Go to epicrelays.com to get all the info on this epic race.
Running Wild: Dick Jennings Memorial – August 13
This 5k and 10k run or walk in honor of Dick Jennings starts and ends at the National Museum of Wildlife Art. The museum offers one annual college scholarship to a local high school senior who plans to study art. For more info on this event, go to wildlifeart.org.
Grand Teton Relay – August 19-20
The equation for this race is 12 friends + 24-hour party + 180 miles = the Grand Teton Relay. This long distance race will take you through Idaho and Wyoming and finishes in Jackson, with each team member running a leg of 4-7 miles before the next teammate takes over. Pick your team and start training. For more info, go to grandtetonrelay.com.
7th Annual Wydaho Rendezvous Teton Mountain Bike Festival – September 2-5
It’s like Lollapooza but for mountain bikes as mountain bikers from all over the west converge on this weekend festival at Grand Targhee. Check out demos, clinics, music, and biking events. Go to tetonbikefest.org to start planning for your weekend of fun.
Jackson Hole Marathon – September 3
After a summer of training, you’re finally ready for the Jackson Hole Marathon. The marathon will take you from town out to Teton Village. If you aren’t ready just yet for a whole marathon, you can sign up for the half marathon or a team relay. For more info on the Jackson Hole Marathon, go to jacksonholemarathon.com
34th Annual LOTOJA Classic – September 10
This is the biggest, baddest bike race of them all that take riders from Logan, Utah to Jackson, Wyoming. It’s the longest one-day bike race in the nation, and riders will travel 206 miles as fast they can while competing in different classes and divisions. It’s not just the distance that will get you, but it’s the three mountain passes for each state: Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming that riders will pass through. Much respect to all who enter. For more info on this one-of-a-kind bike race, go to lotojaclassic.com.
10th Annual Old Bill’s Fun Run for Charities – September 10
This annual Jackson classic race includes a 5k, 10k, and 2k for competitive classes and recreational participants. Runners compete and nonprofits win with nearly $222 million raised since the first Old Bill’s Fun Run. For more info about this feel good event go to cfjacksonhole.com.
Tri The West – September 11
If at this point in the season, a marathon isn’t quite doing it for you anymore, then enter into the Tri The West triathlon where you can not only run, but swim and bike as well. Lucky for you the swimming portion is done in a heated pool and not the ice cold Snake River. Athletes compete for bragging rights as well as awards. Plenty of food and fun round out this event.
11th Annual TVTAP Horseshoe Challenge – September 17
Compete in either this 11.7k or 20k race and Teton Valley Trails and Pathways wins, as all proceeds go to this local organization that provides a network of trails and pathways for the community. For more info on this event, go to tvtap.org.
Well, if you compete in all of these events or just one this summer we salute you. Don’t worry the gym with all of its mechanical treadmills and bikes will still be there come fall and winter.
Schwabacher’s Landing in located conveniently just off Highway 89, which makes it a great stop when leaving Jackson and heading north on your way to Yellowstone. Schwabacher’s Landing is just 5 miles north of Grand Teton National Park’s main entrance in Moose, Wyoming. It’s an easy spot from the highway to find just turn at the Schwabacher Landing Road sign, although once you turn off the highway you’ll be on a well maintained dirt and gravel road, so you may need to wash the family cruiser sooner than later. Four-wheel drive isn’t needed.
The best kept secret of Schwabacher’s Landing may be that you don’t have to pay an entrance fee to access it. So it makes for a great spot for those who don’t have the time or cash to enter the park at one of the paid entrances. So, no need to worry if your park pass just expired, just follow the road to the parking lot and grab all your photo equipment or simply your iPhone and make your way down the trail. As you head down this well defined path with that futuristic phone of yours that takes amazing photos, surfs the net, and plays Pokemon Go, think about old Ansel Adams. To get the same photo, he was forced to make his way through rough terrain sans a trail lugging a rucksack of about 30 pounds of photography gear as well as a pack mule trailing behind with another 100 pounds of gear and food. Maybe when you are explaining to your friends and family how you got that perfect shot of the Tetons, feel free to embellish your hardship with some of Ansel Adams travails, though maybe leave out the mule part, that might be a bit over the top.
The pro and wanna-be-pro photographers all flock to Schwabacher’s Landing for early morning sunrises or early evening sunsets. It’s common knowledge that those are the best times to spot wildlife in the park, but even those who can’t wake up early or time that perfect sunset with animals will be rewarded with gallery worthy images of the Tetons mirror reflected in the water in the foreground. If you are lucky you’ll spot such wildlife from beavers to bald eagles, but unless it’s an extremely cloudy or wildfire smoky hazy day, you are guaranteed to bag a photo of those priceless Tetons.
If you don’t fancy yourself the next Ansel Adams simply make an afternoon of it and grab picnic supplies in town and spend the day with the family looking for wildlife and enjoying a mellow hike with stunning views. This hike is a favorite among wildlife photographers who flock here in hopes to capture wildlife and the amazing reflection of the Tetons in the meandering path of the Snake River.
