Ultimate Towner 2017 and Beyond

Imagine a picture perfect Sunday in May. . .
in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. . .
with 500 of the most inspired and excited people you’ve ever met. . .
4 miles of mud, walls and wacky costumes. . .
participants digging deep, celebrating and supporting each other while overcoming more than 25 obstacles . . .

This was the Ultimate Towner 2017. AND IT WAS AWESOME!!!

The incredible weekend started off on Friday night with the humble beginnings of what we hope will eventually become one of the biggest weekends in Jackson, The Ultimate Packet Pick-Up event kicking off in full glory.

It wasn’t perfect. We weren’t able to sell any food or beer. Some people missed it or showed up late because the location was hard to find. But for those who attended, the impact was evident. Our inspiring guest speakers lined up with story after story bringing strategy after life changing strategy for overcoming the BIG obstacles we face in life.

From daily gratitude practice to simple grit and perseverance, each speaker offered a new perspective and approach that together, wove a beautiful tapestry of tactics and ways of being in the face of overwhelming obstacles. It was awesome. And next year, it will be even better. This will be THE kick off event to begin the Ultimate Towner 2018!

Saturday the 20th was the major build out of the course and this year, Marshall White took over as our full Operations Director.

“This years buildout was smooth and efficient thanks to all the help we had! It was really nice to have so many pro’s to work with.” Marshall said on Sunday, admiring the course his team so expertly orchestrated building. “Watching all the Towners on the Course is really gratifying for me. Knowing all this work adds up to so much fun and inspiration for everyone makes it all worthwhile.”

Inspiration is what it’s all about, but one of the most important aspects of the event is giving back to the Jackson Community. Every year Grand Dynamics, title sponsor of the Ultimate Towner, picks a local Jackson charity to be its beneficiary.

“Yes, a big part of the event is the celebration of overcoming our obstacles but equally as big is the give back.” says Tim Walter, Event Director for the Ultimate Towner. “The Towner has been a personal passion project of mine since the beginning and the ability to give back to the community and have a blast at the same time is really what the vision is all about.”  

This years beneficiary was Teton Adaptive Sports, a local Jackson 501c3 that helps people with “all abilities” (formerly disabilities) access the world of sports and activities in Jackson Hole. There were many adaptive athletes of all ages that participated this year and they definitely added extra element of inspiration to the day.

“Watching these kids in wheelchairs complete the course really put my own limitations in perspective.” said one participant of the adaptive teams. Teton Adaptive Sports showed up in a way that truly moved people, and honestly, it looked like they were having the most fun. You all ROCK!

There were over SEVENTY kids who completed the course!!! And even cooler than that, the overall winning team was in fact, a YOUTH team!!! There were children of all ages, the youngest being 4. Can you imagine what an eight foot wall looks like to four year old who’s barely three feet tall??? It must be MASSIVE! And they got to the top of the Love Life Wall with smiles from ear to ear. Every year we get more and more parents and kids participating and for many, it has become a tradition. “We do this every year with our new Step-Dad and it’s really bonding,” said one youngster. “It’s kind of like a family tradition now!”

The Towner has also become a tradition for many local businesses including restaurants and hotels like the Blue Collar Group, the Four Seasons and the Amangani. The Fine Dining group made a new appearance with a strong showing from the Rendezvous Bistro team. The Village Gardener supported the event with obstacle storage and delivery were over twenty Towners strong on the course!  Our non profits always rally energetic teams with the Habitat for Humanity team again leading the way this year!  

These local businesses along with many others make this event happen with their generous support and donations but also use this as a team building program for their company! One of the greatest benefits to being a sponsor are the free entries to the event, it’s a great way to: 1) Support an amazing community event  2) Benefit a local charity and 3) Engage, excite and challenge employees to do something FUN and BOND together! Every year we see more and more businesses using the Ultimate Towner as a vehicle for building team cohesiveness and camaraderie and we invite you to challenge your employees next year by becoming a sponsor or simply sign them up and surprize them!  

And of course, a BIG thank you to ALL our great 2017 sponsors!!! 

The Towner is now in its seventh year and the Grand Dynamics Team has learned so much over the past six events. One thing we changed for 2018 is setting the date EARLY so we can promote much sooner. The 2018 Towner weekend will take place May 18-20, 2018!   The Towner has all the ingredients to become a premier destination event and we’re hoping  2018 will be a benchmark year for out of town participants. Marketing in the surrounding states has already begun and if the Ultimate Towner Team has it’s way, 2018 will be our biggest event by far.

What else could an obstacle course enthusiast ask for, costumes, challenges, the deepest mud in the West and a view of the Tetons to boot (Motivation Mountain has the best view on the course)! Whether you’re participant, spectator or volunteer, the Ultimate Towner is about as much fun you can have on a Sunday in May.

So tell all your friends to sign up early and join us next year for the weekend May 18-20 and the main event on Sunday, May 20th, 2018 in Jackson Hole for the most inspiring event of the Spring!

Learn more at UltimateTowner.com