Place:

The ropes course at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. I am writing about the ropes course because it is where I spent the best summer of my life, I worked as a guide there last summer. I think about the ropes course every single day. The ropes course is in Jackson Hole, Wyoming at the ski resort but, in the summer time the resort stays open for other activities like mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, the ropes course, etc. The resort is wedged between the Grand Tetons and the view of mountains surrounds the course all 360 degrees. It is three stories high and consists of different series of ropes and logs that present different challenges. Additionally, all throughout the course, there are people in yellow helmets, those are the guides of the course, the people I grew so close to over the summer and learned to love.

 

First Time: The first day of training

• All of the new guides who were working the course for the summer, including me. Mainly college kids or newly graduates, I was the youngest, being 18. Alex, the first person I talked to, a boy from Chicago, who had just finished his first year in college. We had to choose partners, Ashley and I chose each-other and we became best friends, she was just about my age and from Idaho.

• I walked into a room of filled with about 15 awkward strangers who didn’t know each other, it was quiet. I saw an empty seat and asked the boy next to it if anyone was sitting there and he said no, go for it. So, I sat and after a minute or two he looked at me and said, “Hey I’m Alex” and stuck his hand out for me to shake.

• The first day we did icebreaker challenges to get to know each other and the managers who were familiar with the ropes course. They took us out on the course, so we could get familiar with it and described the expectations for the week of training.

• I saw the tall ropes course, the fearlessness in all of the other guides eyes as they were effortlessly navigating the course because they were all backpackers or rock climbers and they were used to this sort of thing. I felt greatly underqualified. The beautiful mountains surrounded us. The conversation between the newly introduced guides was a little awkward and I was shy and quiet.

• I was 18 years old

 

Second Time: When it rained, and they closed the course

• Alex, Ashley, Jake, Max, Remy, all of my co-workers and friends.

• Not that much was said. We were just enjoying each other’s company, making jokes and laughing.

• We were all just playing around and hanging out. Alex was carrying me on his back and we were just laughing and having fun. Getting paid not to work

• I was so happy; Alex and I had already started dating. There was a storm, so it was kind of chilly, huge, dark, storm clouds were rolling over the mountains from the back country. Nobody was on the ropes course, so we were just hanging out at the barn (basically where you check people in before you go on the course).

• 18 years old

 

Third Time: When Alex went back to Chicago and I had work

• All of the other guides and me. Everyone but Alex

• Everyone was super nice to me, telling me it was going to be okay, let them know if I needed anything. I didn’t feel like talking to anyone

• I was no joke balling my eyes out, I had dropped off Alex at the airport that morning before work and I didn’t think I was going to see him again until Thanksgiving. Ashley was hugging me, Remy, the supervisor let me go home early. (Sorry, I know this sounds so lame and cheesy, but it felt like my heart was broken and I was a mess)

• 18 years old