Uncategorized
Jackson Hole’s final outlaws
Published
10 years agoon
Posted By
Outlaw PartnersBy Forrest McCarthy
Paul Petzoldt was 16 years old in 1924 when he first climbed the Grand Teton, wearing cowboy boots. A farm kid from Idaho, Petzoldt became one of America’s most influential mountaineers, eventually founding the National Outdoor Leadership School. He was intrepid, robust and virtually fearless; yet one thing frightened him – Jack Dornan.
Originally from Philadelphia, Dornan’s mother Evelyn homesteaded a property at the base of the Teton Range in 1916, and he joined her there in 1920. After struggling for several years growing cabbage and potatoes, Dornan found a better living trucking supplies from Salt Lake City to Jackson, including illegal whiskey.
In the fall of 1930, he hired Petzoldt to truck “supplies” from Salt Lake City to Jackson’s Hole. After a whiskey run in November, Petzoldt appeared back at Dornan’s empty handed, claiming he’d been hijacked, the contraband stolen. Dornan dismissed the lie and allegedly threatened Petzoldt with a butcher knife.
Petzoldt later confessed in his book, Teton Tales, that he hadn’t been hijacked, and instead abandoned the whiskey near Kemmerer, Wyoming, for fear of being arrested. The full story will likely never be known, but regardless, the incident bankrupted Dornan’s trucking business.
In 1934, after prohibition, Dornan turned the homestead into a convenience store, gas station and beer parlor. Following World War II, the establishment expanded into a full-service bar and restaurant – one Petzoldt would never set foot in. Jack Dornan was known to sport a six-shooter on his hip.
Continuing in the tradition of fine spirits, Dornan’s Spur Ranch Bar today has an impressive selection of wine and liquor year round, in addition to an assortment of pizza, pastas and salads. The adjacent Moose Trading Post and Deli offers sandwiches and various healthy trail snacks.
With the best Teton Range vistas in the Jackson Hole Valley, this is the perfect spot to admire the ephemeral signature of a day’s adventure – ski tracks gracefully adorning long slopes of powder snow. And when the sun sets behind the bar, backlighting the Tetons in soft alpenglow, it’s clear why Evelyn and Jack Dornan chose it nearly a century ago.
__________
Winter in Grand Teton National Park
Suggested adventures
Skate ski the groomed road to Jenny Lake
Snowshoe or cross-country ski along the marked trail to Bradley Lake
Backcountry ski or snowboard Maverick, 25 Short or Shadow Peak
Watch wildlife from the Moose-Wilson Road
Dornan’s details
Location: Moose, near GTNP’s south entrance
Winter Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., December – March
This story was first published in the winter 2013/2014 issue of Mountain Outlaw magazine.
The Outlaw Partners is a creative marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky, Montana.
Upcoming Events
april, 2024
Event Type :
All
All
Arts
Education
Music
Other
Sports
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before 9/10/2024:
more
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before
9/10/2024: Kindergarten
enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year can be completed by following the
registration process now.
Children
born on or after September 11, 2019: 4K enrollment is now open for
families that have a 4-year-old they would like to enroll in our program for
the 2023-2024 school year. Please complete the 4K Interest Form to
express your interest. Completing this form does not guarantee enrollment into
the 4K program. Enrollment is capped at twenty 4-year-olds currently
residing within Big Sky School District boundary full time and will be
determined by birth date in calendar order of those born on or after September
11, 2018. Interest form closes on May 30th.
Enrollment now is critical for fall preparations. Thank you!
Time
February 26 (Monday) - April 21 (Sunday)
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
more
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
Time
March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
Location
Santosha Wellness Center
169 Snowy Mountain Circle
Event Details
We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a
more
Event Details
We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a limited palette to create different color combinations? Are you tired of carrying around 15-20 different tubes when you paint plein air? Have you ever wanted to create a certain “mood” in a painting but failed? Do you create a lot of mud? Do you struggle to achieve color harmony? All these problems are addressed in John’s workbook in clear and concise language!
Based on the bestselling “Limited Palatte, Unlimited Color” workbook written by John Pototschnik, the workshop is run by Maggie Shane and Annie McCoy, accomplished landscape (acrylic) and plein air (oil) artists,exhibitors at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery and members of the Big Sky Artists Collective.
Each student will receive a copy of “Limited Palette, Unlimited Color” to keep and take home to continue your limited palette journey. We will show you how to use the color wheel and mix your own clean mixtures to successfully create a mood for your paintings.
Each day, we will create a different limited palette color chart and paint a version of a simple landscape using John’s directives. You will then be able to go home and paint more schemes using the book for guidance.
Workshop is open to painters (oil or acrylic) of any level although students must have some basic knowledge of the medium he or she uses. Students will be provided the book ($92 value), color wheel, value scale and canvas papers to complete the daily exercises.
Sundays, April 14, 21 and 28, 2024
Noon until 6PM.
$170.
Time
14 (Sunday) 12:00 pm - 28 (Sunday) 6:00 pm
Event Details
Come join us at Cowboy Coffee as we celebrate a fun night of drinks, games, and meeting others within the community. This event is from 6-8 and all are welcome
Event Details
Come join us at Cowboy Coffee as we celebrate a fun night of drinks, games, and meeting others within the community. This event is from 6-8 and all are welcome to come, if you don’t know who to bring come alone this is a great mixer event! This is an event hosted by Big Sky OUT as we work to provide queer safe spaces throughout the community.
Time
(Sunday) 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location
Cowboy Coffee
25 Town Center Ave. Big Sky, MT 59716