69 Year-Old Connie Kemmerer and 69 Year-Old Kay Wilson
Rock Climbing, Jackson Hole, WY

It was a crisp, sunny morning in Jackson Hole as we boarded the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Aerial Tram to journey up to the top of the highest peak in the area.  This 10,450 ft. jagged-toothed terrain is the playground for highly skilled and experienced skiers in the winter and adventure thrill-seekers in the warm summer months from paragliding, hiking to extreme, mountain rock climbing, not to mention nature enthusiast.

On this day, co-executive producer Tom Rau, associate producer Chaz Millard, field producer Jay Rau and myself would be documenting 69 year-old, soon to be 70, Connie Kemmerer and her gal pal Kay Wilson, climbing the 600 to 700 ft. wall face of Corbets Couloir.

Our filming started as we journeyed up the Aerial Tram, which normally can hold 100 passengers.  We had the glass-enclosed, Swiss made tram all to ourselves, which is suspended by cables and hangs some 700 to 800 feet above the ground at its highest point.  We had pre-arranged with the help of Connie, who just happens to own the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, to have the Aerial Tram stop at the perfect spot where the sliding doors could open to allow us to film directly across to find them hanging on the mountain wall like two Spiderwomen super heroes.

The entire time filming we were carefully strapped in with a harness to ensure our safety by Mark Hannon, one of the trams operating technicians.  Once this first stage of filming was complete, we made our way down a beautiful rocky path from the top of the tram drop off location to find the ladies on the wall face with the blazing morning sun reflecting upon them.

Connie and Kay patiently, with the strength of young athletes, repelled and climbed the wall face several times for me so I could get all the necessary filming I would need.  All of us guys were sure we could never had done this!

Aimee Barnes, their climbing guide for these types of extreme excursions, helped ensure that their climbing rigging was done safe and professional.  Climbing like this is not new to these ladies; Connie and Kay have trekked to some of the world’s highest peaks, all in the spirit of challenging themselves as well as keeping this truly wonderful close friendship alive. 

It is clear that as friends, they are going to embrace aging together with the attitude that anything is possible as long as you take care of your body by eating right, exercising daily, as well as regular meditation.

To learn more about all the adventures you can partake in at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, go to www.jacksonhole.com.

The Aerial Tram Ride Back Down The Mountain

You know the saying, “what goes up must come down.”  Well, this is for sure true when taking the Aerial Tram to the top of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort after a full day of filming on the mountain with Connie and Kay - it was time to head back down.  Connie had arranged for the both of us to ride on top of the tram outside.

For this once in a lifetime experience, you had to wear a special harness with large, claw-like clamps that secured you in place to avoid falling to a most certain end of your existence.  Connie rode on top while I was in what is called the “crow’s nest.”  The ride down was all that you could imagine: exciting, tense and exhilarating, with the majestic Teton Mountains imposing one of the boldest geological statements in the Rockies to the warm Wyoming sun and mountain air.  It was the ending to a perfect day.

We all thank Connie and Kay for sharing with us a small glimpse into their adventurous and healthy lifestyle in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.