For Wyatt Gentry, the Tetons are more than a place to ski—they’re where he grew up pushing his limits, learning from the people around him, and developing a deep connection to the backcountry.
From hitting his first big backcountry line at just 13 to chasing fresh snow with his brother and closest friends, Wyatt’s approach to skiing is rooted in progression, community, and an appreciation for simply being in the mountains. And when the terrain gets bigger and the group spreads out, preparation and communication become just as important as finding the next line.
We caught up with Wyatt to talk about growing up skiing around Jackson Hole, what makes the Teton backcountry so special, how he approaches a day in the mountains, and why he believes sometimes the best thing you can do is stop and take it all in.
Meet Wyatt Gentry and get a glimpse into life on skis in the Tetons.
Follow along: @Wyatt.Gentry_
ONE MOMENT IN THE TETONS YOU WILL NEVER FORGET?
One moment, I will never forget was my first time going and actually skiing a film wine in the backcountry. I was 13 at the time with my old Ski Coach and my older brother and a couple other Jackson locals, and we went and hit this cliff smart bastard. It was so much bigger than anything I had ever hit in my life and somehow I skied out of it.
WHAT MAKES THE TETON RANGE SO SPECIAL? WHAT BRINGS YOU BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR?
One thing I love about the community in Jackson is that everyone is just so passionate about skiing. Yes sometimes it can make people get a little carried away and it definitely turns our backcountry into a race to get out there but once everyone’s out or to the bottom of their lines, it’s just an incredible vibe, where everyone is stoked for each other and just happy to be in the mountains.
WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE SOMEONE JUST GETTING INTO BACKCOUNTRY SKIING?
One piece of advice I would give to anyone trying to get into backcountry skiing is to use skiing in the backcountry is to use it as your escape into nature. Never take anything for granted and just enjoy every moment you have out in the mountains. Sometimes you need to stop and take a look around.
WHEN PLANNING OUT YOUR DAY IN THE BACKCOUNTRY, WHAT DOES YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS LOOK LIKE?
My decision making process always starts with looking at the avalanche forecast and the weather for the day. Then I normally discuss with my crew(a couple of my best friends and my brother) on what we want to do that day. Normally, it’s either going for a hike out the side country of Jacksonville resort or going for a snowmobile. I’m trying to find some fresh snow where no one’s been. we always look somewhere where we can get a little creative on cliffs and some different lines.
IF YOU COULD TAKE ANYONE ON A SKI TOUR, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
If I could go on a ski tour with anyone in the Jackson backcountry, it would probably be someone from the Jackson Hole Air Force because they were really the first people to pioneer the backcountry off the resort and I would just be able to ask them questions and see what it is like to be the first couple people skiing in this area that we both love
COMMUNICATION CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE BACKCOUNTRY. HOW DO YOU TRUST OXBOW TO BEING SAFE WHILE OUT IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY?
To be completely honest, communication is the most important thing in the backcountry and that’s why I switched over to Oxbow a couple years ago. I had a friend that had used them before and had never had a problem. That same year I had had multiple problems with a couple different radios and ever since then I have used Oxbow and never had any problems and it is definitely kept my group safer with being able to always communicate throughout the day.
