As the Rich Ride In, Many Are Priced Out of Homes on the Range

"If some wealthy person wants to show off, there is now only one way to do it in Teton County -- square footage that is outrageously high-end," said Ankeny, who, with his brother, worked on Ford's compound.

Besides spending buckets of money on their houses, the rich have been extraordinarily willing in recent years to give money away.

"It is craziness -- every year there is just more and more and more," said Clare Payne Simmons, who until last year was president of the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, which has raised nearly $39 million for local charities since 1997.

Teton County has become one of the most philanthropic places in the country, as measured by tax-deductible donations per household, IRS figures show. Households here gave away about $9,000 a year in 2002, nearly nine times the national average.

"What happened was that there were a number of influential individuals who created a social norm that mandated philanthropy," Simmons said. "Social engagements were all centered around giving."

Charitable giving, however, has not altered what many local residents agree is the fundamental social problem of Jackson Hole: unaffordable housing for the un-rich.

"The future is locked in -- it can only get richer," said Brian Grubb, planning director for Jackson.

Federal, state and local governments own 97 percent of Teton County. Large tracts of undeveloped private land have been locked up by land trusts in conservation easements. Much of the money for these trusts came from wealthy homeowners.

There are only about 2,500 lots available for construction in rural Teton County, Grubb said, adding that houses are likely to be built on large tracts and would cost several million dollars for the land and structure.

Grubb, who makes $75,000 a year, lives in a subsidized apartment owned by the town. He said he cannot afford a single-family house anywhere in Jackson Hole and is looking to buy in the town of Alpine, about 45 minutes away.

"Many of the wealthier residents are content to have workers commute in," he said.