The Mountain Women of Jackson Hole: Trekking Up A Mountain

At one time or another, most of us have gone on a stroll through the woods and called it a hike. A few of us have undertaken a more strenuous hike through the mountains.  For Connie (69), Kay (69), Ruthie (64) and Annie (62), this is an annual excursion, taken together as dear friends and fellow adventurers.

This year, we were lucky enough to accompany them as they hiked the Cirque Trail at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.  Now, don’t mistake this for an ordinary nature walk, even with four women pushing their 70’s.  They actually made some of us look like we have never hiked before in our lives, and trust me, we are not in bad shape.  Co-Executive Producer Tom Rau, Associate Producer Chaz Millard, Field Producer Jay Rau and myself certainly found that we had our work cut out for us!

Not only the Mountain Women of Jackson Hole’s annual hike, this occasion was also their farewell to Annie, who, along with her husband, will be leaving Jackson Hole after more than 20 years and moving to Turkey to build a boat with which they will travel the Mediterranean.  At 62, Annie is a cancer survivor and her husband, Cuper, also a cancer survivor, is 68.  They agreed it was the right time to embark on a journey to the sea, which has been her husband’s lifelong dream.

With that in mind, this particular hike took on a whole new meaning.  As they made their way up the trail, the women laughed and cried about the good times that they have shared.  Prior to stopping for lunch amid a nicely treed spot about halfway through the adventure, we had a candid conversation with Annie about her feelings about the significance of the day and her emotions regarding her dear friends and the numerous activities they have done together over the past twenty years.  Among the quieter pursuits that the ladies have shared is quilting, and lunch was highlighted by a quilt that was made especially for this day.  It was kept a secret from Annie and her joy and surprise showed clearly on her face.  The group offered her a heartfelt toast and gave her a few special gifts.  It was obvious that such a profound friendship is something that we should all be so lucky to experience. They embraced and, naturally, shed a few tears; this was more than simply a friend moving away, but a member of the family moving on to another phase of her life.

Aging is something that a lot of people seem to fear.  These women have faced it head on and in no way show any signs of slowing down.  They made their way to the top with a sense of accomplishment as well as the bittersweet sadness in reflection.  To commemorate the special day, Connie, Annie, Kay and Ruthie climbed to the top of the aerial tram for the ride down. Think of the largest rollercoaster that you have been on, add 2,000 feet in height to it while you are sitting in the front car.  It was a sight to see the public look up in awe as these women ascended to the top for the ride.  Annie was given the top spot, making her the queen of the mountain.  It was well deserved.

This was a day that we will always be grateful to have been a part of.