WLM Summer/Fall 2016 | Page 19

WLM | places held at someone’s hangar in the evening. Christmastime turns the area into a winter wonderland, and the residents love spending their holiday in Alpine. Dr. Funk says he has never seen such amazing firework displays up close and personal as they have on New Year’s Eve! There have been tens of millions of dollars invested in projects creating dozens of long-term jobs in Alpine, with local businesses supplying materials needed for the projects, and landscapers involved in the airpark. Scot Cook, owner of Landings Aviation, provides a fuel service business which employs quite a few people. There are now more opportunities for locals to work closer to home rather than make the daily commute to Jackson. However, if you happen to be one of Alpine’s 828 residents who work in Jackson and make the daily commute winding along the beautiful Snake River, it is a journey that is breathtakingly beautiful every day of the year. Dr. Funk states that they “…have contributed over twenty thousand dollars to the fire department and EMS…and over $25 million of infrastructure and building construction to the airport thus far—and we are not even 30% built out as yet.” Plans for condos, affordable housing, replacement of old structures and other activities have encouraged other individuals to formulate plans for future endeavors in the area. Besides the fact that you can fly into your hangar ten steps away from your kitchen, some of the benefits of living in the Alpine Airpark are the sports activities; Dr. Funk says they are literally out your front door. Due to the long, cold winters and huge amounts of snow, it becomes the perfect winter playground. Snowshoeing, ice fishing, downhill and cross-country skiing are readily available. There are 150 miles of groomed trails for snowmobiling — and don’t forget hunting! When the snow is gone there is a plethora of summer sports, including fly fishing, horseback riding, hiking, dirt biking, kayaking, river rafting, photography, canoeing, boating, jet-skiing and water- skiing. If you enjoy golfing, the Snake River Sporting Club with its world class Weiskopf golf course is about halfway between Alpine and Jackson. Each summer or fall, Steven Funk and the airpark hosts a fly-in where pilots come from all over the country in different kinds of airplanes. As well as the many activities in the airpark, fly-in guests also enjoy the charming shops in Alpine and nearby Jackson. This year, if all goes as planned, the fly-in will be in September featuring a very special surprise guest. Visit flyinalpine.com or refugeairranch.com for more information. From Walt Pein and Jim Jorden to the present day entrepreneurs, Alpine, Wyoming is soaring above all expectations. W L M Jake Care Owner / Technician Wyoming Minute Man Supply, LLC www.bosv.com Afton – Thayne – Alpine 307.885.0000 www.wyolifestyle.com 17