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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.
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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.
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My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy
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My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy that tells the story of Toby and Melinda, two lonely people whose lives are forever changed the night they encounter a starving coyote at their apartment building. Over time they grow to expect him, leaving ritual offerings to entice the coyote every night. Toby and Melinda forge a connection over this visitor and share curiosity and concern about his presence in the city. The coyote expands their world–until, one night, their world is shattered. Their lives are pushed suddenly into uncharted territory, sending them on a surreal odyssey that changes their city–and the world–forever.
Directed by LX Miller. Starring Max Schneider and Denise Hergett
Verge Theater is continuing their mission to provide accessible theater to our community. Tickets for My Barking Dog are Pay What You Wish with a suggested price of $35. Audience members are offered the opportunity to select the price point that is comfortable for them when purchasing tickets.
My Barking Dog runs March 15-17, 22-24, 28-30
Performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays begin at 7:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees offered at 3:00 p.m.
Suitable for ages 16 . No animals are harmed in the staging of this production.
Tickets are available online at www.vergetheater.com
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15 (Friday) 7:00 pm - 30 (Saturday) 8:30 pm
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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
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Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
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March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
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Santosha Wellness Center
169 Snowy Mountain Circle
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Thursday of the Lord’s Supper Mass St. Joseph Catholic Mission
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Thursday of the Lord’s Supper Mass
St. Joseph Catholic Mission
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