It's the ritualistic last call over the radio each evening. As the final sweep leaves the patrol shack at the top of Jackson Hole's tram, a call goes out to the Bridger and Apres Vous stations, asking if there are any emergencies and informing the patrollers below they are free to leave. To acknowledge the call, the 'trollers at A.V. and Bridger wrap up the day with a poetic verse.

"By the nature of the beast, I bear a lot of the burden, so I need to keep my humor up at all times," says Jackson Hole Patrol Director Corky Ward. In addition to being read over the airwaves, these musings are logged into a book in each shack-an archive that Corky claims goes back at least six years. The poems range from tributes to fallen friends, to lamentations on the lack of snow, to friendly jabs at other patrollers, and the written words are often more biting than those read over the radio. "They tend to keep things a little more politically correct for the airwaves," Corky says. "I have to keep them in check a little"

The trend has caught on with other patrols as well, particularly those who offer an exchange program with Jackson. "It's understood that, on their last day, exchange patrollers have to write a little piece," explains Corky. "And when our guys leave other patrols, it's become tradition that they have to write something as well."

December 7, 2001/ Beyond the sign line/ There used to be pow/ But that was then/ And this is now/ I guess we could settle/ For some random tracks/ From super rad dudes/ Who look over their backs/ But bumps and crud/ When it should be fat/ All we can say is/ 'Sup with 'Dat!

March 5, 2003/ Mountain Station, this is Steve the host./ I'd like to be a part of a poetic roast./ I'm in the bowl and I can't quite see./ And I'm with some people who can't quite ski./ It seems that their having a heck of a time./ Am I giving you enough material for a rhyme?/ Well, in case I'm not-it's Steve again./ Oh hello Steve, Hey how have you been?/ I'm still with these folks and they are still having trouble./ Ok, we'll send three workers on the double./ Mountain Station will you send another?/ It seems the three you sent cant' find each other.