Across his six decades in Jackson, John Simms will be remembered for his inventions in avalanche safety gear and fishing accessories. He died of cancer June 2 at the age of 89. Which one comes to mind first, depends on the pocket of Jackson you ask.
Skiers will remember Simms as one of the two S’s to make the first ski descent of S&S couloir at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. The other is Charlie Sands. The steep rockwall run off the resort’s summit makes for some of the most challenging in-bounds terrain in the country, requiring precision and quick feet.
Avalanche professionals will remember Simms for his pioneering safety gear, like the collapsible ski pole-probe and shovel under his first company, Life-Link International.
Later in life, Simms turned to sculpture. The large, red metal bison he crafted welcomes visitors to Teton Village.
But he’s best known for starting the world-renowned angler brand, Simms Fishing Products. His invention of neoprene waders brought more anglers to the water and Simms to fishing world fame.
As his entrepreneurial life quieted down, his homelife got noisier with swan songs. Simms, and his wife Barbara, spoke with KHOL in August 2024 about turning their backyard pond into a refuge for wintering swans to help Wyoming Wetlands Society’s restoration efforts.
The Simms spent the last 15 winters rounding up swans on cross-country skis around their home south of Jackson.
We revisit a conversation with the Simms in August 2024. It has been edited for length and clarity. – Ed.
John Simms: I was a professional ski patrolman in Colorado and then moved up to Jackson when the ski area opened up here. I subsequently became a forest service snow ranger in charge of avalanche control and forecasting.
In the interim, I started a company based on fly fishing. Simms Fishing Products [has] really blossomed. That’s pretty much worldwide now. I’ve been very grateful for that.
Jenna McMurtry: I’m assuming your jacket is from your fly-fishing company?
JS: Yes. Well, it was based initially on avalanche forecast and avalanche control. I was a professional avalanche person.
Barbara Simms: But the fishing accessories that you invented [were] the foundation for what eventually became Simms Fishing Products.
JS: When I was a kid, I’d say to my father, ‘Dad, why don’t they do this?’ And he said, ‘Well, son, you do it.’
And so I developed a lot of tools and techniques for avalanche forecasting and avalanche control. [I] developed ski poles that would convert to avalanche probes and a backpackable shovel that could fit in a fanny pack.
I realized if you were out skiing with your wife and she was caught in an avalanche – maybe her foot is sticking out of the snow or something, and all you can do is dig with your hands – it’s the frustration of not being able to save her life. So you could probe to find a buried body.
It developed into a significant company for avalanche forecasting and avalanche rescue tools and equipment [Life-Link International before it transitioned into Simms Fishing Products].
And it’s now worldwide.
BS: With the Simms Fishing Products, there were a number of things that you invented, developed. You were the first to use neoprene [and] figured out the taping. John’s had some significant evolutions in his careers.
