The Secret Lives of Flat Creek Employees
Most of our employees are seasonal workers. They work long shifts, early morning and late at night, to keep the motel one of your favorites in Jackson Hole. Some come from across the country to spend their summer in a small town in Wyoming. Why, you might ask? Well, you probably aren’t asking that question because you already know the answer: rugged mountains, iconic parks, and one of the world’s most famous resort towns.
What do Flat Creek employees do when they aren’t working? We asked a few former employees about their experiences and adventures spending their summer in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. What follows is the secret lives of Flat Creek employees, part 1.
What about Jackson do you wish you had known earlier?
Hudson: "I wish I had known how deeply rooted the community was in Jackson. As time went on I realized everybody there had a very unique story that had led them to live in one of the most beautiful and active places in the whole world."
Quinn: "I wish I had known how fun the Teton Pass was. My second summer we spent 90% of our free time riding bikes on the pass."
Kaleb: "That the whole town drives Subarus."
Did you make any unlikely friendships while living in Jackson?
Savannah: "My best friend in Jackson was a 65-year-old cowboy named Steve who was around every day."
Quinn: "Working at the gas station, you meet lots of people who commute to Jackson every day, and even though you don’t always know their names and only ever see them at the register, you grow to care about them as friends."
Kaleb: "Every summer I made new lasting friends. Those people I feel I made a special connection with."
What was the most fun thing you did while living in Jackson?
Hudson: "The Funnest things I did were raft the Snake River, hike in Grand Teton National Park, swim in every lake I could find, and catch every sunset I could over the most beautiful mountain range."
Kaleb: "I loved going on a run in the morning, getting a D.O.G. burrito, then going rafting in the evening."
Quinn: "Hitchhiking with random strangers who sometimes didn’t speak English up the Teton Pass and riding bikes down."
Savannah: "It’s impossible to come up with just one thing as ‘the most fun thing’, but I always enjoyed rafting down the Snake River. It was always an extreme adventure."
Responses were very lightly edited for clarity.
Growing up, Dillon could see the Grand Teton from his house on a clear day. His family took him to nearby national parks so often that he took the parks for granted. It took the rigors of life to teach him how good he had it, and he now spends as much time in the mountains as possible.
Photo by Isaac Martin on Unsplash
