About 20 years ago, Lisa Franzen visited Jackson Hole for the first time; she was on a ski trip to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. “I had no idea back then that the resort was part of the Bridger-Teton National Forest,” she says. Since relocating to the valley full-time in 2017, Lisa has become a part-time instructor and mountain host at JHMR and has found that many people—locals and visitors alike—don’t realize how many of the hikes, skis, lakes, and rivers that they love are part of the BTNF.
One of the reasons Lisa, who grew up skiing and hiking in upstate New York, joined the FBT board is to work to spread awareness of the forest’s size and diversity and how to responsibly recreate within it. “We didn’t have public forests anything as large or diverse as the BTNF where I grew up. I’m in awe of the landscape and sheer breadth of it—almost 3.5 million acres extending from southeast Yellowstone down to lower Lincoln County and out to encompass part of the Wind River Range.” (The BTNF is the single largest mass of public land in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.)
Lisa recreates on the BTNF year-round—she hikes, mountain bikes, paddles, forages, and skis, both backcountry and at the resorts. “There are so many amazing places to play and explore around here, and one of the things I appreciate about the BTNF is that we can bring our dogs,” she says. Lisa’s dog, a corgi named Millie, loves to hike. Ski Lake and the History Trail on Teton Pass are favorites of hers.
In addition to serving on the FBT board, Lisa is also on the board of Protect Our Water Jackson Hole. “I come to the FBT board with a special awareness of the stressors that threaten the BTNF’s rivers, creeks, and lakes,” she says.
How Lisa recreates responsibly:
“I’m so grateful for what the forest provides that I really do try to approach it with humility. I try not to leave a trace by sticking to the center of hiking trails, even when it’s muddy, and I always respect the avalanche forecast before backcountry skiing. Millie sticks to the trails, too, but I keep her on a remote call-back anyway just in case she sees wildlife she might be inclined to herd.”