Those who want to drink beer while discussing Teton Pass parking and backcountry etiquette should free up their schedules Friday afternoon.

Cloudveil and Friends of Pathways will host a public gathering from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Cloudveil Flagship Store in town at 120 W. Pearl Ave.

Speakers include Friends of Pathways’ Tim Young, a representative from the U.S. Forest Service, which manages the favorite winter area, and Pass Ambassador Jay Pistano.

Audience members will write their top concerns on index cards to direct the discussion.

“A big part of the reason we’re having this event is that things have gotten kind of crazy up there,” said Pistano, who skis The Pass daily trying to educate backcountry users on issues ranging from picking up dog doo to safe skiing practices. “I know for a fact that some people have quit skiing on top of the pass. They don’t want to deal with the parking issue nor with the increasingly ‘aggro’ attitude.”

Aggro attitudes and negative encounters have spurred heated discussion around town and in cyberspace. Several “situations” have arisen when faster hikers want to pass slower hikers.

“The whole idea of people not stepping out of the way is weird,” Pistano said. “I’m not sure why they’re offended by the necessity to step out. Let that person behind you go. It’s not really a race.”

Pistano recalled one instance where a large group intentionally wouldn’t let him pass and the snow was too deep on either side of the boot pack to walk around them. He dug a snow pit to pass some time before resuming his pace several hundred yards behind the group.

“This event is just to give people a chance to voice their concerns and discuss possible solutions,” Pistano said. “I bet we’ll be talking about either expanding the parking lot or implementing a shuttle service.”

This marks Pistano’s second season as pass ambassador, yet some backcountry users don’t really know what he does. He’ll try to clear this up as well.

“Some people think I’m actually up there to pick up dog crap,” he said, laughing. “I’m not a backcountry guide, I’m not a parking lot attendant. I’m an educator.”

Bonus: 10% percent of all sales at the Cloudveil Store FRIDAY - SUNDAY will be donated to the Friends of Pathways Winter Ambassador Program.

Saturday: Look for the Cloudveil banner and Friends of Pathways tent at the top of the Pass (south side in front of the kiosk) from 10 a.m. - Noon. Grab a free snack and a drink, and put your comments in the suggestion box and sign the Thank You card for WYDOT.