Some say it’s a beautiful life. Or- as the Italians offer- a sweet one. This year, the bros at Jackson Hole-based Teton Gravity Research announce it’s a ‘Way of Life’ with regards to their annual homage to celebrating la vie de ski. Teton Gravity Research’s Premier and party, usually held a couple weeks into the month of September in Teton Village, is marked with a crisp fall-infused anticipation but actually almost officially ushers in winter in the eyes, hearts and excitable bones of the ski bums. They flock to the site of the Grand Teton Music Festival’s Walk Festival Hall and take their seats for a powder ride offered by the directors, producers and premier athletes skiing the most impressive and fluffy stuff on earth. While the Pros at TGR travel the globe dropping cliffs and couliors from Chamonix to the Chugach, they remain true to their roots and always give props to their home base here in Jackson Hole. The marriage of this production house and the place inspires a chicken-egg conversation (if you wanna go really deep here).
Teton Gravity is undeniably a pioneer of the ever-growing offering of adreneline-infused winter -focused production companies. Most of these relative newcomers are really good. Most have only-the-best athletes. All offer up the fun we crave on snow and deliver it in HD. But a rare few can claim this place- Jackson Hole– as their perpetual muse. Teton Gravity has certainly helped put Jackson Hole on the map, but with the off-the-charts terrain, bitter cold, bluebird powder days and namesake mountain range at it’s backdrop to stir and sooth the soul…alas the ultimate answer to the aforementioned quandary.