LAST TRAM: One hell of a party
As the last red tram boxcar came over Corbet's Couloir, 500 people waited to it to dock. Then, on cue, they ceremonially killed the aging machinery and the passengers inside with snowballs, of course. Rest in peace dear tram.
Jackson's Powder Prophet (who listens to Poudre the Pig to determine if there will be a longer winter on Groundhog Day) reappeared on this sunny day. He held a gravestone that said it all: "R.I.P. JH Tram 1966 to 2006." The Jackson Hole Mountain Resort will retire the 40-year-old lift at the end of the summer season citing safety concerns.
Each year, Jacksonites have a quirky little tradition to close out the ski season. Anything goes. They dress as gorillas, pigs, chickens, rabbits, genies, nuns, Santas, Aladdins, golfers and gapers, or naked nothingness, to unload snowballs on the old tram. So being that it was the last winter run of the famous boxcars, it meant more snowballs and a bigger drunkfest atop Rendezvous Mountain's 10,4500-foot summit. "Careful," one snowball thrower said, "watch out for pee balls."
A replacement is planned to be ready for the 2008-2009 ski season. Whether the resort builds another tram or a gondola with 15-passenger cars, will be decided by mid-summer. The temporary solution is to build a chairlift up Rendezvous Bowl, which means skiers will have to take four chairs to access the Villages backcountry on the Cody Peak side. Details, details … "I just deflected a snowball," said tram driver Alaina Macauley, holding a Domino's Pizza box as a shield with the words "Don't kill the trammie" on the front. "That was a proud moment."
Instead of reading the tram announcement, she said, "Now get out!" and everyone piled onto the dock atop Rendezvous Mountain, immediately to be pummeled with snowballs. "They have been up there all afternoon packing snowballs," said Mountain Host Lee Ann Inberg-Schuff. And they had, fatso brothers Dan Wood and Greg Walters were completely tanked. They had tackled each other for the "11-teenth" time, said a smiling PBR comatose Walters.
Besides snowball fights and drunken debauchery, to celebrate the tram's last winter run, ski patrol hit the Headwall with 200 pounds of ammo as the last box passed over the top of Thunder chairlift. AC/DC's tune "It's a Long Way to the Top" played for the passengers crammed inside. And about the Beastie Boys and Spice Girls making an appearance, that was only rumor.
"It was amazing," said last tram rider, Jon Fay, who drove from Alta, Utah, for the event. "We were under attack for half the ride. It was an electrifying ride. It was awesome." To get to the party, many hiked 20-25 minutes from the top of Sublette chairlift to avoid the tramline that had extended to the patio of Teton Club (100-some feet beyond the tram waiting area) by 2 p.m. The wait was a little more than an hour. The last box left a few minutes before 4 p.m. and everyone in line started counting back to 52, the number allowed in the box. Three-time Austrian Olympic medalist Pepi Stiegler and son Seppi were two of the last tram passengers. "I'm a little emotional about it," said Pepi, the founder of Jackson's ski school. "It was so cool," said Seppi about the ride. "We were just getting destroyed by snowballs."
Though most, maybe all, of the skiers were drinking in celebration of the resort's last day and tram farewell, outgoing ski patrol director Corky Ward said few mishaps occurred. He reported a collision at the base of Thunder chairlift and two passholders were put on lifetime suspension for skiing the permanently closed Laramie Cliffs. He summed up the day: "Damn good, skiing's great, tram's great."
At the base of the mountain naked people ran around as the traditional snowball fight between Nick Wilson's Café and the Village Café erupted. For all those who thought they got on the last winter ride, the tram is running today for the resort employee party. And after that and the summer season and possibly patrol using it next season, R.I.P. dear tram. Or maybe the resort should rethink this last tram business and surprise skiers next season with one more run.