It shouldn’t count as a day on the hill until somebody’s heckled you from a lift. Perhaps they sensed your hesitation and knew the familiar chirp of “SEND IT!” would be the proper nudge into that tree line. Or maybe you thought nobody witnessed that wipeout, only to hear the yard-sale cheers raining down from above.
Heckling is all meant in good fun. It’s encouragement. It’s reminding us we can’t take ourselves too seriously. It’s a cheering section of friends passing by when you thought nobody was watching. Or even better, it’s an audience to play to when you know plenty of people are watching.
“Don’t forget who you’re doing this for: the lift line.”
Hecklers are proof that while some aspects of skiing and snowboarding can be enjoyed in solitude, the entire experience is really best shared with others — even complete strangers. The Jackson Hole community knows all about this because the heckling culture is alive and strong in Wyoming.
Watch more ‘Stoke the Fire’ here.
