JACKSON — Walter Duquette has a problem. He keeps breaking his skis.

So on Saturday, he rose before the sun with a group of friends and assembled in the darkness outside the Heritage Arena to get first dibs on the 4,300 pieces of ski and snowboard gear up for sale at the annual Jackson Hole Ski and Snowboard Club's massive ski swap.

“Walter is a very intense skier,” said Julian Web, one of Duquette’s friends seated in camping chairs and envisioning the potential bargains to be had inside.

"Last year, I bought a pair of skis here and I went out the first day skiing, and I cracked the base along the whole wooden thing cracked,” said Duquette, who attends the University of Wyoming and drove from Laramie to get in on the good deals.

Duquette has broken three pairs of skis so far, though he

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