Returning Home

Stio Ambassador, Sam Schwartz on Life in Jackson After Years Away

By Stio

February 5^th, 2018

Words by Sam Schwartz, Photography by Danny Holland, Sage Jackson & Carson Meyer

Jackson, Wyoming has been my home for 20 of the 22 years I’ve been alive. After three and half years of being stretched between being a full time student and a professional skier, I am returning home.

This iconic vacation destination is not just home because I’ve spent most of my life here, it's home because it allows me to happily spend my life. From world class skiing at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Grand Teton National Park, and Teton Pass to the vibrant community of passionate people, this town is special.

For the past the past three and half years, I've lived in Bozeman, MT, working on my undergraduate degree in Business-Accounting at Montana State. Overloading on classes during the summer and fall semester allowed me to take time off in the winter to continue my skiing career. The idea of a professional skier sacrificing time to gain a degree in the field of accounting raises eyebrows, but my choice to have a life on both sides of the spectrum has given me balance and a positive perspective on the world.

The allure of the mountains in Teton County attract talented people, but the balance of the community makes the town of Jackson different. Professionals of all kind work hard to live a lifestyle between basking in the many outdoor activities offered and making a living. Returning home means immersing myself with those that share the goal of happiness and value hard work.

You can find me throughout the next year in Jackson Hole working with local restaurants, gyms, Stio, and scheming rental house plans - all the while taking powder turns in the winter and running trails in the summer. To me, returning home is all about incorporating the outside and the inside together; spending every day doing the things that make me happy. Luckily, there’s no shortage of opportunities here.