A Community Solution to Winter Traffic & Parking
How the Teton Pass Shuttle Took Off
What if getting to your favorite winter trailhead didn’t mean circling for parking, squeezing onto a snowy shoulder, or adding another car to an already busy highway? Across the country, backcountry destinations are feeling the pressure of growing winter recreation, and communities are stepping up with solutions to keep access safe, sustainable, and enjoyable.
Local organizations in Winter Wildlands Alliance’s grassroots network are tackling these challenges head-on and sharing ideas that help improve access and reduce congestion. In Utah, Wasatch Backcountry Alliance is piloting a new Mill Creek Canyon shuttle beginning Saturday, March 7, and running every Saturday through March 21.
In Wyoming, Teton Backcountry Alliance is seeing success with its Free Teton Pass Shuttle. Keep reading to hear the backstory of how it all got started.
Shuttle programs like these show what’s possible when recreation access and transportation planning work together, and serve as a reminder that small communities can create big change.
The Free Teton Pass Shuttle grew out of a simple but powerful idea: Make backcountry access safer, more efficient, and less congested for everyone using Teton Pass. The idea emerged from the increased recreational use of Teton Pass in winter, now one of the most popular backcountry ski destinations in North America. The increase in use and congestion led Teton Backcountry Alliance (TBCA) to explore solutions that would reduce the number of vehicles and ease pressure on limited trailhead parking. The concept gained traction after a skier survey was conducted, which demonstrated that people were eager for an alternative to hitchhiking back to their starting point or waiting long periods for parking. But there is also a more personal origin story behind the shuttle.
In 2019, TBCA board member and owner of Igneous Skis, Michael Parris, was sidelined from skiing due to injury. Wanting to stay involved and give back to the community, he spent the winter season driving skiers and boarders from the base to the summit of Teton Pass. Building on that momentum and inspired by the Wasatch Backcountry Alliance shuttle to the Cottonwood Canyon area, TBCA decided to test the shuttle idea by running a limited program for a couple of days each month through the winters of 2021 and 2022. In 2023, the Federal Highway Commission released its report on a range of issues facing the Teton Pass Highway Corridor. One of its recommendations was to establish a Teton Pass shuttle.
TBCA decided not to wait for government action and launched the Free Teton Pass Shuttle in 2023, covering a route taking backcountry skiers from a parking area in Wilson to several popular trailheads of the Pass. Partial funding for a shuttle was obtained by the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board, and a van was leased. The goal was to offer a reliable alternative for skiers to link tours without needing multiple vehicles. Early ridership was low but grew steadily as word spread.
Today, the shuttle program has expanded beyond weekends to also run on Fridays from December through the end of March. The service remains free thanks to support from the skiing community. Dogs are welcome, and on powder days, the seats are full of grateful skiers.
Looking ahead, TBCA is exploring ways to expand the shuttle to include service from Victor, Idaho, on the west side of the Pass, and potentially partner with Teton County to integrate the shuttle into the local START bus system.
What began with one injured skier driving laps in his van has evolved into a core community service, one that reflects TBCA’s commitment to protecting access and fostering a culture of responsible backcountry use on the Pass.
Story by Tait Bjornsen, TBCA Program Director
Photos provided by Teton Backcountry Alliance
