Teton Pass closed by “catastrophic failure” – Here are workarounds

If your RV travel plans include a trip to Jackson, “the tourism capitol of Wyoming,” add some extra time and fuel. Teton Pass was closed by what officials describe as a catastrophic failure.

One of the most used in the West, Teton Pass closed now

Officially known as Wyoming Highway 22, it’s one of the most-used passes in the West. Trouble started last Thursday, when crews found large cracks in the highway at milepost 12.8. That spelled just a temporary closure while the cracks were filled, and the tourist highway soon reopened. But early the next morning, Friday, a mudslide cascaded across the highway at milepost 15. Long-suffering crews responded.

But the capper came late on Friday, when a landslide took out the highway, right back at milepost 12.8, where the cracks had been fixed the day before. No short-term closure now—the landslide did major damage, which will keep Teton Pass closed, probably for months.

“Significant impacts”

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon rapidly declared an emergency, making available the potential for federal aid to repair the damage. “We are closely monitoring this ongoing situation, and Wyoming Department of Transportation personnel are working diligently to develop a long-term solution to rebuild this critical roadway,” Gordon said. “I recognize the significant impacts this closure has to Teton County residents, regional commuters and the local economy.”

State geologists and highway engineers have been burning the midnight oil to come up with a fix that will salvage at least part of the summer travel season. The idea is to have a safe, relatively close, two-lane detour. But they were quick to point out the detour will come equipped with “strict” length and weight restrictions. How will this affect RVers? That isn’t clear yet.

“They are planning to do this work simultaneously with the temporary detour work at milepost 12.8,” according to a highway department release. “The work is dependent on availability of crews and materials, but WYDOT’s goal is to have this work completed when the temporary detour at 12.8 is ready for limited traffic.”

How do you get your RV to Jackson, Wyoming?

With Teton Pass closed, how do you and your RV get to Jackson? Forgive us if we flashback to the Beatles. It’s called the long and winding road. Rather, roads. It depends on where you’re coming from.

From the west, drive through Swan Valley and Snake River Canyon. Come into Jackson from Hoback, Wyoming. From Idaho Falls, this takes about two hours.

If from the north, use Wyoming Highway 191 through the national parks. From Island Park, this takes about 2 hours and 55 minutes.

From the southeast, drive through Pinedale and Hoback Canyon.

Putting it into perspective, let’s talk about folks coming in from the west. In the past, if you came through Victor, Idaho, your trip to Jackson, Wyoming, would run 24 miles and take about 40 minutes. Now, taking a route from Swan Valley to Alpine, then up the Snake River Canyon, your trip will clock 85 miles on the odometer. Your watch will clock about an hour and 45 minutes. But remember, we’re “recreational vehicle” folks. What’s a little time when recreating?

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