In May 2025, the Wydaho community came together on both sides of Teton Pass.
On Monday in Jackson and again on Thursday in Driggs, hundreds of residents gathered to learn, connect, and speak out against a proposal that threatens the wild heart of the Tetons. The Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, with a coalition of like-minded NGOs—Winter Wildlands Alliance, Teton Backcountry Alliance, and Wyoming Wilderness Association—hosted two community meetings empowering residents to stand against the proposed Grand Targhee Resort expansion and respond to a 625-page Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
The turnout was a signal.
People are paying attention. This community cares about wildlife, public lands, and the character of our mountain towns. And more than anything, they care about protecting what makes the Tetons special: solitude, wilderness, wildlife, and public land.
Valley residents listen and learn during the Keep Targhee Inbounds Meeting.
A Multi-Valley Movement
The first meeting was held at the Teton County Library in Jackson on May 12. Just a few days later on May 15, the second drew another crowd to the Seniors West of the Tetons, and the Valley Center in Driggs.
The crowd was diverse: lifelong residents, new families, business owners, backcountry skiers, and conservationists all had one thing in common—deep ties to this place and a readiness to protect it.
What emerged in those rooms was something bigger than any single nonprofit or neighborhood. It was a shared sense of responsibility and a powerful reminder of what can happen when people come together, informed and united, to speak on behalf of the land.
Making the Complex Understandable
The heart of the meetings was a shared goal: empowerment through clarity.
The proposed Grand Targhee expansion is complicated. The Forest Service’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) runs 625 pages long, filled with technical jargon and legal nuances. Our coalition dug into the details so residents didn’t have to navigate it alone. At both meetings, we distilled the DEIS into what mattered most—what’s proposed, what it means for wildlife and public land, and how it could affect our communities for generations.
Coalition Partners presented their expertise: wildlife biologists, wilderness advocates, recreation leaders, and policy analysts. Residents left with a deeper understanding of what’s at stake and, more importantly, a sense of agency.
Building Strength in Collaboration
The success of these events was rooted in something we don’t take for granted: trust and collaboration.
Each coalition partner brought unique strengths. Winter Wildlands Alliance lent national expertise on ski area development and Forest Service policy. Teton Backcountry Alliance highlighted the on-the-ground realities of skier access and wilderness integrity. Wyoming Wilderness Association brought deep experience defending the values enshrined in the Wilderness Act. And with 46 years of advocacy experience, the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance provided regional insight into wildlife conservation strategy.
Together, we created a space where people felt welcome, encouraged, and empowered to write effective comments.
This Is What Engagement Looks Like
The Keep Targhee Inbounds Community Meetings were an inspiring civic engagement opportunity, not because of any single speaker or slide deck, but because of the people who showed up.
Folks showed up on time, asked hard questions, and took notes. Some brought neighbors and family members with them. And while the topics were complex, the mood was electric, with the kind of hopeful momentum that comes from standing shoulder to shoulder in defense of something worth protecting.
This wasn’t just about one resort proposal. It was about affirming a shared belief: that public lands belong to the people, and that we all have a role in shaping what happens to them.
Read more about what’s happening at Targhee now → https://jhalliance.org/wild-places/targhee
Watch an audio recording and slide deck recording of the Keep Targhee Inbounds event, below.
