When did JH begin Open Gate policy?

A friend and I are presenting before the school (I go to UVM) tonight so we can get some funding for a level 1 avalanche class. I wanted to know the year that Jackson Hole started their open gate policy. If I remember it was shortly after the Doug Coombs incident?

I just want to know for background info because I'm brining the open gate policy up as a side note. We do annual trips to Jackson Hole and this year kids were going beyond the gates without a clue of what could happen to them, nevermind the knowledge and gear. Figure the least we cna do is educate them and then let them go be dumb. Anyway, thanks in advance.

'99-'00 was the trial season of open gates at JHMR.