How to talk like a local in Jackson Hole, WY

I live in Jackson, WY, also known as Jackson Hole. Jackson is full of people whose opinions count more because they were born here, or even better, because their grandfather was born here. [Wait a minute, I’m hijacking my own blog…back to the topic at hand] Sadly, I’ll never be a “local”, since I only discovered Jackson in 1999. But if you come to visit, let me give you a few hints on how to blend in a little better… Come a little closer…

It’s all about knowing how to pronounce things. For instance, the Teton mountains are NOT the Teetins, they are the Tee-Tahns. And if you have to drive up over Togwotee Pass to Dubois, you should tell people you are heading over Toe-guh-Tee to see your friend in Dew-Boys. Just head north on the highway out of town, past Gros Ventre Junction (“Grow Vaunt”) and keep going past the airport (“Airport” – we’re not that dumb!) To really impress your new friends in the brew pub (where the real locals go), don’t say creek, ’cause in these parts it’s a crick. For instance, I live in Hoback Nation (although the map says it’s Hoback Junction), which is south of Game Crick and Horse Crick.

If you REALLY want to impress, rattle off a few names of the unnamed ski runs on the mountain…

So drop by, and look me up. I’ll meet you for a beer at the pub, and we can talk about how great this place used to be before people like us got here. 😉

Tim