Stephen Koch

When it is cold and raw, like it is now in Jackson Hole, I reach for my wool. The new Merino wool is not uncomfortable and scratchy like its predecessor. This is not the wool sweater your mother used to throw on you. The new wool is luxuriously comfortable, warm and best of all for the active set, doesn’t smell worse than if you rolled around in the dogs mess, like most synthetic long underwear, after sweating in it.

The thing I like about I/O Bio is the styling of the pieces. They are made to function for high intensity activities like running, biking, climbing, skiing and snowboarding, but they also look good worn on their own. So you can be just off a backcountry skiing or snowboarding run on Teton Pass, peel off your soft shell jacket and head straight into work with nary a nostril flared nor eyebrow raised.

Last winer Darrel Miller and I partnered for a climb and descent of he Teton Classic West Hourglass Couloir. The WHC rises above Garnet Canyon at a lovely steep angle on a north aspect for around 2,000 plus feet.

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When I first saw the Opedix S1 Ski and Board Tights, as a sufferer of knee pain for the past several years, I was intrigued enough to call Opedix to inquire. The owner, Kim Gustafson, called me back and we spoke for a while. He was telling me all the technical reasons why his tights work. [...]

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This video is of Jothy Rosenberg shredding Tower 3 Chute, one of the more difficult runs at Jackson Hole. I had the honor and pleasure to show Jothy around Jackson Hole recently. Jothy impressed me as a man and skier (one OR two legged). I was hard pressed to keep up with him on the [...]

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This past weekend my son, Axl, and I skied on Saturday evening at the King (Snow King Mountain). It was our first night runs together, at least of the skiing kind. We alternated skiing with swinging on the swing set at the base. I narrowly missed stepping in a dog dukie left by a woman [...]

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It has been suggested by JHMR that I remove the photos of the avalanche debris that hit the Bridger Restaurant at the top of the Gondola at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort that were here. I have complied and will discuss with JHMR and hopefully have them back up. I believe transparency is the best thing. [...]

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SITUATION: Special Information: The Wyoming Department of Transportation will close Teton Pass at 8 A.M. Tuesday for avalanche reduction work. Re-opening time will be dependant on the amount of snow impacting the highway. An upper level low pressure system brought dense snow, strong winds and very warm temperatures to Western Wyoming Monday. Winds at 10,4000 [...]

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I am home, in Jackson, WY and the windows are being rattled by what I assume is continued avalanche control work by the Jackson Hole Ski Patrol, several miles away at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. They are probably loading up sleds with explosives (fertilizer), lowering them down slopes to the perceived starting points and [...]

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I am taking the Instructors Training Course at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort for another two days. I am busy with that and only have a little time to write a few things now. I am learning to ride Switch. This was always called Fakie in the old days. Even Brian McGuire, the head of [...]

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What a beautiful sunset there was this evening! I was driving to Teton Village, WY for a meeting as a want to be snowboard instructor. I stopped a couple of times to take pictures. This was one of the more memorable “Valley” sunsets I have had the pleasure of experiencing in a long time! The [...]

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This is a short video of me speaking to a group of business professionals in Jackson Hole, WY. Footage included from Mount Everest, Grand Teton and story about my avalanche survival on Mount Owen in Grand Teton National Park. Please contact me if you would like to discuss having me speak for your corporate group, [...]

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