06/06/2026
John E. Simms
April 26, 1937 – June 3, 2026
John Simms was one of those rare Jackson Hole characters who helps explain the place.
He arrived here when Jackson was not polished, convenient, or fashionable. You did not come because it was easy. You came because the place spoke to you.
The rivers to fish.
The untouched lines to ski.
The freedom to build, risk, create, and live close to the edge of the wild.
For people like John, eeking out a livelihood was part of the bargain. The hardships were accepted in exchange for the privilege of being here and living from the bounty this valley offered.
But John did more than enjoy Jackson Hole. He added to it.
As a ski patroller, avalanche expert, river guide, entrepreneur, inventor, and artist, he lived at the intersection of mountain freedom and creative problem-solving. His work with Life-Link helped shape backcountry ski safety. His founding of Simms Fishing Products helped change modern fly-fishing gear. His sculpture carried the same independent spirit into art.
John once gave me one of his bison pieces. It is a one-of-one, finished in waxed metal, and it lives on our mantel.
Built from circular forms, it feels fitting. Circles suggest motion, continuity, and the way a life’s work keeps expanding beyond the person who created it. In John’s hands, heavy metal became something organic, strong, and alive.
That bison now reminds me of him every day: his originality, his independence, and his lasting contribution to Jackson Hole.
John was an OG in this valley, in the truest sense of the word.
He did not just live here. He helped define it.
Read the full article at the link in my profile.
