PODCAST · sports
The Fine Line
by Backcountry Zero
The Fine Line podcast tells real stories of adventure, risk and rescue in the backcountry of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Fine Line is produced by Backcountry Zero, a project from the Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation that uses storytelling to elevate backcountry preparedness.
Episodes
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67. The Otterbody Odyssey
On this episode of The Fine Line, a young climber takes listeners through a remarkable journey that led him into one of the most terrifying sections of the Grand Teton. The conversation includes deep insight from Jenny Lake Rangers Mik Shain and Zack Little, who were involved in the dramatic…
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66. Avalanche at Broken Thumb
In the Season 10 premiere of The Fine Line, we hear a story about what happens when the euphoria and pure joy of riding powder goes over the edge and into a place you can’t even imagine. This episode features an honest conversation about what it means to pursue a life of riding powder, the deep...
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Coming Soon: The Fine Line Season 10
The Fine Line podcast returns for our 10th Season. Starting on October 1, we will release the first of six new episodes to help you understand the complexity of decision-making and how first responders bring people home after an accident. This season explores the devastating consequences of an...
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65. The Soloist
In this gripping season finale of Season 9 from The Fine Line, we hear from Jason Dunlop, a Jackson Hole local who’s been going on solo snowmobile missions deep into the Wyoming backcountry for more than 15 years. In March 2025, his string of successful adventures came to a crashing halt, leading...
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64. A Hunter Falls In The Forest
If a hunter falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, do they make a sound? Of course they do. They call for help and people come running. On this episode of The Fine Line, we look at at how a hunter happened to trip and fall in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the thickest of...
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63. Resilience
Resilience is like a whitebark pine tree: When life tries to beat you down, you stand up strong in the face of adversity. So what does that mean for those of us who like to go into the mountains? In this episode of The Fine Line, we step aside from our stories of rescues to have a conversation...
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62. Letting Go On The North Face
The most famous North Face in the United States... a terrible accident... a daring helicopter rescue... and some important lessons learned about risk and what it means to move on from chasing your dream. In this next episode of The Fine Line, climber Jim Dahle explains how a fall on the North…
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61. Severe Off On The Exum Ridge
When climber Dave Black got a new lease on life after receiving a revolutionary treatment for Parkinson’s, he wanted to once again stand on the summit of the Grand Teton. A lifelong climber with 15-20 ascents on the Grand, he invited two younger climbers to join him for a push up the Exum Ridge…
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60. Ride the Tram, Ski the 'Shoe
Season 9 of The Fine Line begins. In this premiere episode, we go deep into a backcountry skiing accident that occurred on May 18, 2024. Mark Fellermann and Tanner Flanagan recount how a picture-perfect spring day turned into a near-death experience after an accident in the Jackson Hole Mountain...
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Season 9 Trailer: The Fine Line Returns on May 29
A new season of The Fine Line drops on May 29. Join Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation and Backcountry Zero as we bring you honest conversations about how accidents happen in the backcountry, and how first responders solve complex problems to get people home safely. In the first of six...
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59: No Name: How Far Are You Willing to Go?
Season 8 of The Fine Line concludes with a wild story that demonstrates how there will always be people who go right up to the edge in the Tetons, and venture beyond it despite the risks. The story includes the keen perspectives of Teton County Search & Rescue volunteer Anthony Stevens and TCSAR...
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58. Glory Days: Don't Let Them Pass You By
Mount Glory is well known among backcountry skiers and snowboarders. But as a summer hiking trail? Not quite the same draw. And yet, for Lou and Kathy Fatkin, it made for the ideal location when they set out for a hike up the steep, dusty trail on July 16, 2023. Their story about the consequences...
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57. Tougher Than A Spud Bar
There are a million and one ways for people to get into trouble in the backcountry. And it is unfair to assume that everyone is being reckless. Sometimes, they just get their foot stuck. In this episode of The Fine Line, Teton County Search & Rescue volunteer Doug Van Houten takes us back to an...
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56. A Bridge Too Far: The Phillip's Log Strikes Again
Season 8 of The Fine Line rolls onward with a story about a mountain bike crash with potentially serious consequences on a trail near Teton Pass, Wyoming. The episode dives into the effectiveness of the BackcountrySOS app, and how Teton County Search & Rescue volunteers responded with delicate...
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55. A Whistle in the Dark
Teton County Search & Rescue volunteer Carol Viau, one of the longest tenured members on the team, shares this memorable story from her very first rescue. It was October 26, 2000, a time before cell phones were ubiquitous, and when most callouts for TCSAR required good old-fashioned boots on the...
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54. Big Little Decisions: The Long, Weary Road to Mosquito Lake
Two bikepackers embark on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, a 2,700-mile journey that traverses the Rockies from the Mexico border all the way to Canada. During their trip, a seemingly little decision comes back to haunt them in a big way, right as their route enters one of the most remote...
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53. No Fall Zone: Central Couloir
Season 8 of The Fine Line begins with a story from one of the most recognizable features of the southern Teton range, and a ski line that makes even the bravest skiers buckle their boots a little bit tighter: Cody Peak’s Central Couloir. On Saturday March 18, 2023, skiers Will Brown and…
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52. Classic Rock: A Little Piece of Orange Grip
There aren’t many mountain bike trails in Jackson Hole as classic as the one called Ferrin’s. Built in 2005, the trail is one of the most popular in Jackson due to its challenging terrain, proximity to town, and linkage to other trails. But like any classic trail, it has inherent dangers that can...
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51. Decision Point: No Guarantees for Tomorrow
On March 29, 2023, skier Dave Brown felt a sudden onset of extreme fatigue that was entirely new to him, and terribly serious. At 67 years old, the former ski patroller had never had any previous medical issues. But during a backcountry ski tour near Teton Pass, he knew he needed to get help—and...
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50. Cornice Fall: Heli Rescue in the Salt River Range
How far back is far enough from the edge of a cornice? 10 feet, 20 feet, 30? On March 5, 2023, Jordan Bluse found out the hard way. He was riding his snowmobile with a group of friends in the Salt River Mountain Range outside of Afton, Wyoming, when a large cornice sheared off below him. He and…
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49. Pedal Strike: Short-haul Behind Snow King
On July 13, 2022, three friends went out for a mountain bike ride on a trail they'd done too many times to count: the classic Ferrins-West Game-Cache Creek loop just outside of Jackson, Wyo. But the ride gets cut short when one of the riders has a violent crash, leaving him with severe injuries…
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48. Nowhere to Hide: Avalanche on Albright Peak
When skier Benton Hodges heard trees snapping and saw a huge powder cloud below him from an avalanche on Albright Peak in Grand Teton National Park, he thought he’d be in a life-or-death struggle to recover his buried friend. Instead, friend Charlie Pirc was saved when he struck a tree…
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47. Angel Fire: Broke Down in Hidden Corral
On June 25, 2022, Terri Evenson and Brit West drove a truck and horse trailer way out into a little known corner of the Tetons. The Coyote Meadows trailhead is in Teton County, Wyoming, but it's at least a two-hour drive from Jackson. With three horses and a couple of dogs, they were aiming for a...
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46. Open Fracture on Open Book
When climbers Lars Schou and Sahir Enriquez joined up to climb the Open Book in Grand Teton National Park on July 25, 2021, they were confident it would be a beautiful “Sunday cruise” in the mountains. On the third pitch, however, Schou took a bad fall and sustained major injuries to both of his...
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45. A Lot More Than a Chipped Tooth on Togwotee
When the emergency call came in to TCSAR on February 6, 2022, the report said that the patient had crashed on his snowmobile and could not feel his arms or legs. In this episode, TCSAR volunteers Dr. AJ Wheeler and Ryan Combs explain how the team responds to such severe injuries in a remote...
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44. Chivers Ridge: So Close, but So Far
Just one ridge to the south from the top of Teton Pass, Wyo., Chivers Ridge is known as a popular backcountry ski run for its ease of access. But it also features steep drop-offs on either side, as well as manmade infrastructure such as power lines and cables that you may not always expect to…
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43. A Life-Threatening Encounter with Anaphylaxis
While many Jackson Hole locals flocked to the Tetons for a day of powder skiing on February 15, 2020, Teton County Search & Rescue volunteers loaded up their heavy packs for routine training on Snow King Mountain. But the training session quickly turned into a life-or-death emergency when…
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42. The Sliver Couloir: The Downfall of Miscommunication
The consequences of not communicating in the mountains became abundantly clear on January 22, 2022, when skiers Collin Binko and Michael Martin encountered a lone snowboarder at the base of the Sliver Couloir in Grand Teton National Park. All three had eyes on the same prize, but neither party...
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41. Peer Support: Stress Injuries and First Responders
Most of us are pretty good at talking about our physical injuries. A broken wrist on a bike ride. A blown ACL while skiing. When it comes to stress injuries and mental health, however, it’s easy to want to pretend that everything is fine—no doctor necessary. But we have come to understand that...
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40. Texas Two Step: We Bounce Pretty Good
People and horses have a long shared history in Jackson Hole. But not everyone rides off into the sunset. Example: On September 12, 2020, Teton County Search & Rescue was alerted to two women, sisters from Texas, who had been seriously injured after falling from their horses at the same time in…
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39. The Ray Shriver Story, Part 2
In Part 2 of "The Ray Shriver Story," Mike Moyer discusses how he survived the tragic helicopter crash that killed his TCSAR teammate, Ray Shriver. Carol Viau, another TCSAR volunteer, talks about how she was first on the scene, while Tim Ciocarlan goes into detail about how the team recovered…
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38. The Ray Shriver Story, Part 1
On February 15, 2012, Teton County Search and Rescue received an emergency call to help an injured snowmobiler in the Togwotee area, about 60 miles northeast of Jackson, Wyoming. The response started like many others, with the team gathering at the hangar to decide on a plan. Given the remote...
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37. Youth in the Backcountry
How does a young person gain access to the backcountry? How do they do it safely? What happens when their Instagram feed is taken over by high flying stunts instead of avalanche awareness? How do they navigate not just the unforgiving wilderness, but life during the pandemic? What should parents...
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36. Avalanche on Taylor Mountain, Part 2
It’s human nature for all of us to want to prove ourselves. But in backcountry skiing, where margins for error in avalanche terrain can be razor thin, this can be a dangerous path—for experts, beginners, and everyone in between. Concluding this two-part series of The Fine Line, Anna Meteyer...
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35. Avalanche on Taylor Mountain, Part 1
On April 1, 2020, Anna Meteyer met her friend Trace Carrillo for a backcountry snowboard tour on Taylor Mountain, a large peak on the west side of Teton Pass, Wyoming. In this two-part series of The Fine Line, Meteyer describes the tragedy that unfolded, the brutal lessons she learned, and her...
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34. Part 2: Crevasse Rescue on the Teton Glacier
In Part 2 of our story about a crevasse rescue on the Teton Glacier, Jenny Lake Climbing Ranger Mike Shain helps Tyler Willis get off the mountain to medical treatment, and they discuss the lessons that every climber in the Tetons should be aware of before they begin an adventure.
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33. Part 1: Crevasse Rescue on the Teton Glacier
Thirty feet down a dark, icy crevasse, Tyler Willis never gave up hope that he would be rescued. That he was eventually pulled from the depths of the Teton Glacier by his climbing partner and two passersby after more than an hour of rope rigging is testament to the value of companion rescue. The...
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32. Night Rescue in Phillips Canyon
Season 5 of The Fine Line begins: On the calm evening of September 5, 2020, two mountain bikers set off to ride the technical Phillips Canyon trail off Teton Pass. About halfway into the ride, they approached the second of three log bridge crossings. One rider made it across. The other lost her...
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31. A Powder Day comes Crashing Down
Four Pines is one of the most popular ski descents in the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort backcountry. And yet, when something goes horribly wrong, as it did for Tom Gehling on the snowy afternoon of February 5, 2019, it can be like another planet and have life-altering consequences. Gehling's...
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30. Grizzly Attack at Pacific Creek, Part 3
In Chapter 3, James Moore talks with rescuer Lizzie Watson, his wife, Betsy, and brother, Jake Peasley, about his rescue, recovery and even some unexpected moments of humor as rescuers rushed him to safety. Photo: TCSAR team member Lizzie Watson was medical lead in responding to Moore's injuries....
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29. Grizzly Attack at Pacific Creek, Part 2
In Chapter 2, James Moore and his brother, Jake Peasley, describe the intensity of the grizzly attack, and their hasty retreat from the wilderness via horseback to get to help. Photo: TCSAR team member Lizzie Watson was medical lead in responding to Moore's injuries. James' wife, Betsy, stands in...
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28. Grizzly Attack at Pacific Creek, Part 1
James Moore had experience hunting in grizzly country. And if the Teton Wilderness is anything, it's full of grizzly bears. Moore struck out for the Whetstone Mountain area with his brother, Jake Peasley, and good friend Brent Bongers. It didn't take them long to spot their first grizzly. In a...
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27. All Friends on a Powder Day
On Jan. 18, 2019, Jackson skier Jenny Karns fell upside down into a terrain trap during a powder day at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. With her ski partner well ahead and unaware, she became trapped, with just one ski sticking out of the snow. Just seconds from suffocating, she was found and dug…
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26. Breaking Point in the Spoon Couloir, Encore Episode
The wind. It’s a dangerous variable, stripping snow from one zone and then loading up another. Even when danger is moderate and a ski route, well known, wind can be a wild card. With a heavy dose of wind in the weather this month, we replay an episode about skiing the Spoon Couloir. Rene...
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25. Rescue on the Reef
On February 20, 2018, IFMGA-certified mountain guide Paul Rachele was trying to set up a winter climbing route on a sharp crag off Teton Pass called The Reef. As he was setting the final anchor, he ran out of rope and fell 100 feet, sustaining numerous severe injuries. His call for help set in...
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24. The Search for Bernhard Rietmann
Bernhard Rietmann had a great sense of wanderlust. His drive for adventure landed him in Jackson Hole in the 1960s. Back when tourists only came in summer and innkeepers routinely hung up a gone fishing sign after Labor Day. After decades of exploring the valley, Rietmann knew the Granite Creek...
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23. Struck by Lightning on the Grand Teton
The forecast looked promising the day before. But when climbers set out to summit the Grand Teton on July 21, 2010, a thunderstorm blasted the iconic peak. As repeated lightning strikes pinned climbers to steep, exposed terrain, rangers suddenly found themselves racing to save 17 people, even as...
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22. Trapped Underground
Spencer and Jessica Christiansen knew once they rappelled into the Darby Canyon Ice Cave they couldn't turn back. Spencer had done what he could to research the route, but the maze-like caves are mostly unmapped and ever changing. As clues pulled them in misleading directions, the couple found...
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21. Once Is Enough
An experienced athlete, Sally Franklyn started skiing with her parents before she could even walk. On March 24, 2012, she and three friends headed for a steep couloir called Once is Enough south of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort boundary. When the 26-year-old dropped into the couloir she took a...
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20. Lost in a Whiteout
After taking a wrong turn on his snowboard in a whiteout, Pierre Bergman ended up stranded and alone in the backcountry. The 26-year-old works at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort where he skis everyday, but even experienced skiers can lose their way in blowing snow. Not knowing if rescuers would come...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Fine Line podcast tells real stories of adventure, risk and rescue in the backcountry of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Fine Line is produced by Backcountry Zero, a project from the Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation that uses storytelling to elevate backcountry preparedness.
HOSTED BY
Backcountry Zero
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Fine Line have?
The Fine Line currently has 66 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Fine Line about?
The Fine Line podcast tells real stories of adventure, risk and rescue in the backcountry of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Fine Line is produced by Backcountry Zero, a project from the Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation that uses storytelling to elevate backcountry preparedness.
How often does The Fine Line release new episodes?
The Fine Line has 66 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Fine Line?
You can listen to The Fine Line on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Fine Line?
The Fine Line is created and hosted by Backcountry Zero.
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