The Fine Line

On this episode of The Fine Line, a young climber takes listeners through a remarkable journey that led him into one of the most terrifying sections of the Grand Teton.

The conversation includes deep insight from Jenny Lake Rangers Mik Shain and Zack Little, who were involved in the dramatic rescue effort. Together, they paint a fascinating picture of the Otterbody Chimney, discuss the many problems they had to solve during the rescue, and explain why it is so important to check in with rangers before attempting a climb—especially if you are new to the Tetons.

Interview by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. The theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music produced by Ben Winship. Original cover art by Jen Reddy.

Produced by the Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation as part of the Backcountry Zero initiative, The Fine Line uses storytelling to help build awareness for backcountry safety while shedding light on the dedication of first responders. Support for the Jenny Lake Rangers can be done through the Grand Teton National Park Foundation: gtpnf.org.

Season 10 of The Fine Line is sponsored by Stio.com, Roadhousebrewery.com, and Rockytalkie.com.

Learn more at BackcountryZero.com.

In the Season 10 premiere of The Fine Line, we hear a story about what happens when the euphoria and pure joy of riding powder goes over the edge and into a place you can’t even imagine.

This episode features an honest conversation about what it means to pursue a life of riding powder, the deep bonds of friendship formed in the Tetons, and how seemingly small decisions and getting caught up in the momentum of a storm can lead to enormous, life-changing consequences.

Interview by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. This story was recorded in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM.

The Fine Line theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship. Original artwork by Jen Reddy.

Season 10 of The Fine Line is sponsored by Roadhousebrewery.com, Rockytalkie.com, and Stio.com.

Learn more at BackcountryZero.com.

The Fine Line podcast returns for our 10th Season.

Starting on October 1, we will release the first of six new episodes to help you understand the complexity of decision-making and how first responders bring people home after an accident.

This season explores the devastating consequences of an avalanche, a dramatic rescue in a very tight spot on the Grand Teton, downhill mountain biking on Teton Pass, a look back at 10 years of The Fine Line, a life-saving rescue in the Wind River Range, and how the backcountry can heal us even after it threatens to take everything away.

Huge thanks to RoadhouseBrewery.com, RockyTalkie.com, and Stio.com for supporting this special 10th anniversary of The Fine Line. This musical track was produced by Victor, Idaho-based musician Ben Winship, with original cover art by Jen Reddy.

Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts, and find the entire archive at BackcountryZero.com.

In this gripping season finale of Season 9 from The Fine Line, we hear from Jason Dunlop, a Jackson Hole local who’s been going on solo snowmobile missions deep into the Wyoming backcountry for more than 15 years. In March 2025, his string of successful adventures came to a crashing halt, leading to a complicated rescue that revealed many difficult lessons. The episode covers several topics, such as: emergency satellite texting via an iPhone; how and when to call for help; the dangers of complacency; and how SAR missions are never easy, even when they might appear to be on paper.

Interview by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. This story was recorded in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM.

The Fine Line theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship. Original artwork by Jen Reddy Ink.

This episode is sponsored by Arc’teryx.

If a hunter falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, do they make a sound?

Of course they do. They call for help and people come running.

On this episode of The Fine Line, we look at at how a hunter happened to trip and fall in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the thickest of timber you can imagine, just as the sun was going down. The response led to an all-night mission from Teton County Search & Rescue.

This story features TCSAR Chief Advisor Cody Lockhart, hunters Charlie Short and Jeremy Dietz, and some deep Wyoming wisdom about a rough and tumble rescue in a wild location.

Thanks to Roadhousebrewery.com for sponsoring this episode.

Interview by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. This story was recorded in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM.

The Fine Line theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship. Original artwork by Jen Reddy Ink.

The Fine Line is produced by the Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation as part of its Backcountry Zero initiative, which uses education, outreach, and storytelling to help prevent accidents in the backcountry. Learn more at www.BackcountryZero.com.

Resilience is like a whitebark pine tree: When life tries to beat you down, you stand up strong in the face of adversity.

 So what does that mean for those of us who like to go into the mountains?

In this episode of The Fine Line, we step aside from our stories of rescues to have a conversation about resilience and the importance of mental health as a backcountry safety issue.

Our guests for this show are:

Josie McKee is a professional climber, mental health coach for climbers, a volunteer with Lander Search & Rescue, and the director of communications and operations for the Responder Alliance.

Hunter Lee is a mental health coach and founder of Flourish JH.

They sit down with host Matt Hansen to explain why resilience matters to mountain athletes and how backcountry users can be aware of how stress may impact their decision-making.

The Fine Line theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship. Original artwork by Jen Reddy Ink. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. This interview was recorded in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM.

This episode is sponsored by https://arcteryx.com.

For more on resilience and stress injuries, go to www.ResponderAlliance.com.

To find Hunter Lee, go to www.FlourishJH.com.

The most famous North Face in the United States... a terrible accident... a daring helicopter rescue... and some important lessons learned about risk and what it means to move on from chasing your dream.

In this next episode of The Fine Line, climber Jim Dahle explains how a fall on the North Face of the Grand Teton left him unconscious, with severe head, neck, and facial trauma. His partner, Christian Feinhauer, was left to treat his longtime friend and call for help from the Jenny Lake Rangers.

Ken Kreis, a year-round Jenny Lake Ranger, discusses how the rescue unfolded into a helicopter mission, where the blades of the ship were just feet from the cliff face. The pilot that day was Jon Bourke, from Teton County Search & Rescue, underscoring the critical partnership between TCSAR and the Jenny Lake Rangers.

As Dahle says, “Not all heroes were capes. Some of them wear harnesses.”

You can learn more about the Jenny Lake Rangers and how you can support them at www.gtnpf.org/jenny-lake-rangers.

Story and interview by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound by Melinda Binks. This story was recorded in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM. Original artwork by Jen Reddy Ink.

The Fine Line theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship.

This episode is sponsored by RoadhouseBrewery.com.

When climber Dave Black got a new lease on life after receiving a revolutionary treatment for Parkinson’s, he wanted to once again stand on the summit of the Grand Teton. A lifelong climber with 15-20 ascents on the Grand, he invited two younger climbers to join him for a push up the Exum Ridge on July 16, 2024.

The events that occurred that day revealed several complex layers of high consequence adventure: decision-making, preparedness, person-to-person conflict, and the effect of a disease like Parkinson’s.

In this episode, Dave is joined by Lexie Hunsaker, a seasonal Jenny Lake Climbing Ranger at Grand Teton National Park, who was inserted via helicopter short-haul—at about 12,800 feet up—to assist in the response.

You can learn more about the Jenny Lake Rangers and how you can support them at www.gtnpf.org/jenny-lake-rangers.

This interview is by Matt Hansen. Editing and sound are by Melinda Binks. This story was recorded in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM.

The Fine Line theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship. Original artwork by Jen Reddy Ink.

Huge thanks Arcteryx.com for sponsoring this episode.

Season 9 of The Fine Line begins. In this premiere episode, we go deep into a backcountry skiing accident that occurred on May 18, 2024.
Mark Fellermann and Tanner Flanagan recount how a picture-perfect spring day turned into a near-death experience after an accident in the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort backcountry.
Meanwhile, Teton County Search & Rescue volunteer Brook Yeomans explains how this rescue went to the heart of why he wanted to become a volunteer in the first place.

This episode covers the importance of being familiar with your gear, the special bond between ski partners, and how mental health can play a significant role in backcountry accidents.

“Ride the Tram, Ski the ‘Shoe” is the first of six episodes in Season 9. This story was recorded in the studios of KHOL 89.1 FM. Editing and sound are by Melinda Binks. Hosted and produced by Matt Hansen from the Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation.

The Fine Line theme song is by Anne and Pete Sibley, with additional music provided by Ben Winship. The original cover art is by Jen Reddy.

This episode of The Fine Line is sponsored by Roadhousebrewery.com. Learn more about The Fine Line and additional risk mitigation programming at BackcountryZero.com.

A new season of The Fine Line drops on May 29. Join Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation and Backcountry Zero as we bring you honest conversations about how accidents happen in the backcountry, and how first responders solve complex problems to get people home safely.

In the first of six episodes, Season 9 begins with a story about a backcountry ski accident outside the boundary of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Then, we dive into two separate climbing accidents on the Grand Teton, an all-night rescue of an injured hunter deep in grizzly country, a candid conversation about how mental health is a backcountry safety issue, and a ‘slam dunk’ snowmobile rescue that turned into an epic all-nighter for Teton County Search & Rescue.

The Fine Line features music from former longtime Jackson residents Anne and Pete Sibley, Victor, Idaho-based musician Ben Winship, and original cover art by Jen Reddy. The show’s editing and sound are by Melinda Binks. Matt Hansen is the host and producer.

Season 9 of The Fine Line is sponsored by Roadhouse Brewing Co. and by Arc’teryx. The show can be heard every Thursday at 2 p.m. on KHOL 89.1 FM in Jackson, Wyo., and downloaded for free wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more at BackcountryZero.com.