When Teton Backcountry Alliance Chair Gary Kofinas said goodbye to his friend David Page in Wilson on July 7, he had no reason to think it would be the last time they would see each other.
The two had planned to attend a meeting in Driggs, Idaho, about a proposal to expand Grand Targhee Ski Resort. But when it appeared attendance would be light, Kofinas decided at the last minute to stay home while Page continued over Teton Pass.
About 20 minutes later, Page's Subaru was one of multiple vehicles struck by an out-of-control dump truck on the east side of the pass. Page, of Mammoth Lakes, California, and Nicholas Besobrasow of Tetonia, Idaho, were killed.
For Kofinas, the tragedy underscored what many residents on both sides of the pass have known for years.
“What’s happening on Teton Pass is a pattern of repeated accidents and it needs significant attention,” he told Cowboy State Daily.
That conviction brought nearly 200 people to the Old Wilson Schoolhouse on Monday for a community meeting focused on one question: How can Teton Pass be made safer?
A Long-Standing Problem
The meeting was organized by Kofinas and six other residents — Ryan Freeman, Randy Roberts, Corey Milligan, Nate Carey, Ellen Fales and Jared Smith.
"Seven of us got together and said, 'Hey, let's make this happen,'" Kofinas said.
Freeman and his wife, Salene, were sideswiped by a runaway box truck on the pass in 2025. The accident totaled their vehicle and damaged three others. Roberts watched in 2024 as a runaway RV coming down the pass crashed into the Exxon station in downtown Wilson, narrowly missing the gas pumps.
The gathering gave commuters, residents, public officials and crash survivors an opportunity to share their experiences and begin discussing possible solutions.
The concerns and experiences are backed by decades of statistics.
Reaching up to 10%, Teton Pass, which carries traffic between Jackson and eastern Idaho, is one of the steepest highway grades in the continental United States, according to the Wyoming Highway Patrol. Traffic reaches roughly 10,000 vehicles per day in winter and about 15,000 daily during the summer tourism season.
According to the Wyoming Department of Transportation, crashes on Teton Pass have increased about 20% over the past five years.
Kofinas estimates that since the highway opened in 1969, roughly 34 people have lost their lives on the pass.
Two Wake-Up Calls
Eight days after the July 7 fatal crash, an RV that also appeared to suffer brake failure barreled down Teton Pass, weaving through traffic before reaching the bottom without crashing.
"That drove it home," Kofinas said. "People were already awake. It woke everyone up even more."
Among those attending Monday's meeting were two survivors of the July 7 crash, both of Wilson. Mike Fischer suffered 11 broken bones, and Belinda Gunn sustained six broken bones, according to Kofinas.
"There was good representation, good discussion," Kofinas said. "People spoke from the heart."
Searching For Solutions
During the meeting, some questioned whether heavy commercial trucks should continue using the pass. Others pointed to inexperienced drivers, particularly tourists steering rented recreational vehicles over the steep grade without understanding the risks.
Kofinas said many visitors arrive unfamiliar with mountain driving or proper brake use.
A few commercial truck drivers who attended the meeting, however, said they routinely cross the pass safely by using appropriate techniques and argued that properly trained drivers can navigate the highway without incident.
"It's not a simple solution," Kofinas said.
The debate isn't new.
Kofinas said he recently read a 1978 newspaper editorial warning that Teton Pass had not been designed for heavy vehicles.
"It could have been written yesterday," he said. "The road was intended for cars. And here we are."
Ideas raised during the meeting included asking the Wyoming Department of Transportation to establish a broader task force that would include state agencies, local governments and community members to evaluate potential improvements and identify the most effective long-term solutions.
Building Momentum
Representatives from WYDOT, the Wyoming Highway Patrol, county commissioners and county staff attended the meeting, along with residents on both sides of Teton Pass – Wyoming and Idaho.
Teton Pass is not technically within the county commissioners’ jurisdiction because it is a state highway governed by WYDOT.
Organizers ordered 40 pizzas for attendees, and after the meeting many lingered outside, continuing conversations about what comes next.
Kofinas said WYDOT representatives indicated the agency is paying attention to the community's concerns.
Cowboy State Daily reached out to WYDOT regional engineer Bob Hammond for comment but did not receive a response before publication.
While no specific action was taken at Monday’s meeting, attendees agree on one thing:
"The status quo is not acceptable," Kofinas said. "We just need to think positive, be forward-thinking."
Kate Meadows can be reached at kate@cowboystatedaily.com.
