Bill Briggs is a renowned figure in the world of skiing, currently serving as the director of the Great American Ski School at Snow King Mountain in Jackson, Wyoming. Born in Maine, Briggs holds a remarkable distinction as the first person to ski the Grand Teton on June 15, 1971, earning him the title of the father of extreme skiing in North America.
This groundbreaking achievement required Briggs to undertake a daring free-hanging rappel down a 165-foot cliff face, completing the feat with his skis on. In addition to his pioneering descent of the Grand Teton, Briggs has also made first descents of other mountains in the Teton Range, including Middle Teton, South Teton, Mount Moran, and Mount Owen.
For his contributions to the sport, Briggs received the 2003 Utah Ski Archives Historical Achievement Award. Furthermore, he was inducted into the U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 2008, with his citation acknowledging him as the father of big mountain skiing in the United States.
According to his citation, Briggs' imagination and determination enabled him to envision and execute ski descents in places where no one else had ventured before. His first ski descent of the Grand Teton is widely regarded as the single most significant moment in American big mountain skiing.
In addition to his skiing accomplishments, Briggs is also a talented musician. He is a founding member of the Stagecoach Band, which has been playing country and bluegrass music every Sunday since 1969 at the Stagecoach Bar in Wilson, Wyoming. Briggs also founded and presides over the Hootenanny, an open mic music event held every Monday in Moose, Wyoming.
As a multi-instrumentalist, Briggs plays banjo, auto-harp, and six and twelve-string guitars. He is particularly skilled at singing traditional and contemporary folk songs, specializing in mountain yodels.
