United States. National Park Service

“ On the edges and outskirts of the park, we still have the cloud of what Robert Righter describes in his history of the park as “the threats of subdivision and mammonism.” Righter bemoans the damper such activities can put on the human spirit otherwise inspired by the mountain range. “It seems important,” he says, “that future generations know that the Park commemorates not only the grandeur of nature but also the spirit of men acting for a noble cause; it is a park not of chance but of man’s design.” ”

“ Bird watchers are content here just to see the rare trumpeter swan—on the Elk Refuge, or at Christian and Hedrick Ponds. Other large birds include bald eagles, ospreys, sandhill cranes, Canada geese, and great blue herons. The water ouzel (dipper) walks underwater in fast current, a marvel to behold. Bold and brassy are the crafty magpies, who won’t hesitate to let you know if you annoy them. More than 100 species of birds have been identified in the park.
Four major natural communities provide a way of understanding the park’s wildlife patterns. ”

“ This is the Teton Range, but it is not the whole picture. The glaciers that during the Ice Age came through the whole valley left lakes as a row of jewels at the feet of the peaks: Phelps, Taggart, Bradley, Jenny, Leigh, and then finally Jackson lakes, through which the Snake River travels for some 17 miles southward. From the lakes the flat glacial floor extends to meet the river in mid-valley and beyond to all the other beautiful, though not quite so spectacular, mountains and hills that form the north, east, and south walls of the valley known as Jackson Hole. ”

“ The valley trails that run along the base of the Teton Range and take you to the large lakes in front of the mountains are also shorter and less arduous than the mountain trails. The valley trails will pique your interest and help you decide if you wish to hike further into the mountains. You can take a half-day to all-day hike into the canyons between Teton peaks. The walking will be more difficult, requiring some up- and downhill effort, but the rewards—mountain views, wildflowers, and wildlife—are worth it. You can take multiple-day trips over highcountry passes and into the alpine zone. ”

“ The Snake River cutthroat trout indeed delights the angler, but more important is its role in the wildlife community. The cutthroat consumes aquatic insects, invertebrates, and small fish, helping to keep these populations in check naturally. This trout is also consumed, providing food for bears, eagles, ospreys, and otters. If the fish population declines, so will the animals that depend on it for food. As fishing pressure continues to grow, park managers may have to protect this natural population of Snake River cutthroat to maintain the national park’s wildlife community. ”

“ Most of us simply refuse to imagine more than a few thousand years: we find anything greater too inhibiting. The Ice Age ended its major glacial action about 10,000 years ago, the beginning of the Holocene or the Recent, as early man wandered the glacial ice margins. But seven-eighths of Earth history are tied up in the Precambrian Period, the period of formation of the Teton Range’s 3.5-billion-year-old rocks. By contrast, just east of Jackson Hole—Thermopolis on your Wyoming highway map—there is now forming the youngest rock in the United States, travertine. ”

“ With only a brief itinerary in the park you might leave Jackson Hole with a memory of the high peaks and just one lake, much the impression that postcards give. But there are dozens of lakes. Most must be sought off the highway behind fringes of trees or up a short reach of trail. Some nestle in the alpine heights. A checklist of park lakes based on how they were formed includes surprising variety. A few are oxbow lakes, cut off meanders of the Snake River. Two are real oldtimers, Emma Matilda and Two Ocean Lakes, formed about 30,000 years ago as the glaciers melted back. ”

“ The settlers worked hard all summer and battled cold and deep snow in winter, feeding their stock by horse-drawn sleigh or on snowshoes. Much could be written about their survival techniques, but what interests us here in connection with the national park is that the life they led nurtured a bold and independent spirit. ”

“ The puzzling yet invigorating diversity among people is part of the long evolution of the human spirit. Jackson Hole was and still is a fascinating microcosm reflecting these diversities, and they all played roles in the long controversy that colors the history of this great national park. ”

“ The Tetons offer the adventurous some of North America’s most superb mountain climbing. The rock is very hard and mostly free of slides. Cracks and ledges abound for hand and foot holds. The mountains, rising sharply from the valley floor, are unusually accessible. No expedition is required just to reach the peak. All Teton peaks and spires have already been climbed. Many have been climbed by several routes. Together they offer an exceptional range of climbing difficulty, from a stiff uphill walk with little hand and foot work to technical climbs that challenge most experienced alpinists. ”

“ The alpine insect explosion is brief, but ants, ladybugs and other beetles, and diminutive grasshoppers inhabit the alpine world. They make fast food for alpine-nesting birds, such as pipits, horned larks, white-crowned sparrows, and rosy finches that are desperately trying to nourish their hungry broods between the two edges of winter.
Specialized and severe, the alpine world is sparsely populated. Here eagles and weasels hunt for bird nestlings, marmots, pikas, pocket gophers, deer mice, and voles. The heartbeat of the extremely fragile tundra is slow by necessity. ”

“ The water communities include lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. The sage and grassland community is the most extensive and most often overlooked. The forest community appears randomly distributed, but soil moisture properties, the direction it faces, elevation, and weather patterns influence where trees grow. Blue spruce and cottonwood thrive along valley streams. Aspen, Douglas-fir, and lodgepole pine inhabit the valley and lower slopes. Sub-alpine fir, Engelmann spruce, and limber pine stand on mountainsides and in canyons. The edges where communities meet are richest in wildlife. ”

“ Jackson, a natural lake, was dammed before the park was established to store more water and control the Snake River for irrigation in Idaho. The Teton country’s lake and pond environment has benefited moose and ducks the most, but nearly all park denizens—vacationing Homo sapiens included—appreciate this aquatic resource. One species, the beaver, extends its appreciation by creating more ponds. Once nearly exterminated during the trapper’s era, beaver are now abundant here. ”

“ Fishing is regulated in keeping with the park’s overall management objective of maintaining natural systems and scenic values. Most park waters are open in season, subject to Wyoming laws and National Park Service regulations. These regulations are intended to maintain quality waters, protect natural fish populations, and protect the food sources of bald eagles, ospreys, otters, great blue herons, and other native fish-eating wildlife. A Wyoming fishing license is required and may be purchased in the park at the Colter Bay or Moose Tackle Shops, at Signal Mountain, and at Leek’s Marina. ”

“ Just one good storm can turn Jackson Hole into a winter wonderland covered with up to 6 feet of snow in some years. In or near the park you can then crosscountry ski, ice fish, snowshoe, mountaineer, ice skate, snow-mobile, and observe wildlife and scenery. Minor park roads are not plowed in winter. The Teton Park Road (see map) is closed from Cottonwood Creek bridge to Signal Mountain Lodge. There is no direct car access between Moose and Teton Village. Yellowstone National Park roads are not plowed in winter. ”

“ The summer alpine tundra provides insects, seeds, leaf crops, lichens, and fungi as wildlife food. For this short season animals are well supplied and may become conspicuous. Birds, with their advantage of flight, can cover vast areas quickly in the search for food. They can also readily change ecozones. A bird flying from alpine tundra down to a forested slope makes a journey between ecozones equivalent to migrating from above the Arctic Circle to northern Maine. Hawks and eagles, in a regular search for pikas or mice, can cover all of the Teton high peaks in 2 hours or less. ”

“ Deer and elk wander out of the forest to browse the aspen, which can produce more than 2.5 tons dry weight of vegetation per acre. Ironically, aspen have suffered somewhat in the park for lack of forest fires. It turns out that fire suppression suppresses aspens, which recover burned areas quickly. In respect of natural processes, the park now practices wildfire management instead of complete suppression, except where human life and private property might be threatened.
The alpine world (see pages 36-37) stands as magic for some. ”

“ Please read the Bear Warning under Backcountry Basics.
Driving Tips.
Drive carefully and defensively, especially at dawn, dusk, and at night. Every season large animals are killed and vehicles are mangled. Slow down, and ask passengers to help spot animals in the road. When stopping to view wildlife, stop in turnouts, be careful to stop your vehicle in the safest position possible, with all doors shut. Consider traffic flow problems and their potential hazard. Be a responsible driver. Keep motor vehicles off bikeways. Report all accidents to a park ranger. ”

“ The alpine world is a summer surprise because it offers flowering displays 26 long after the valley show concludes for the season. Bloom time is delayed by ascending altitude: the rule of thumb is about 12 days delay per 1,000 feet. If you miss the yellow buttercups at lower elevations, climb higher and you may overtake their montane flowering in full bloom. Such are the rigors of alpine tundra life that here the flowers largely depend on wind for pollination, or on flies, rather than on bees. Bees cannot withstand the cold temperatures so common at these heights. ”

“ The river is floated in the park from 1,000 feet below Jackson Lake Dam to Moose, a distance of about 25 miles. Do not attempt the river on your own below Pacific Creek (see map) unless you are familiar with 87 your craft—kayaks, inflatables, and canoes are best—and experienced on rivers of similar difficulty and similar hazards. People too often underestimate the power of the Snake. Write the park address for information about hazards, regulations, equipment, and travel times in floating the Snake River in the park. Motorized craft are not permitted on the Snake River. ”

“ Shatter lines visible in many of the naked rock peaks show that the uplift was no smooth ride. The Tetons are very young mountains composed of very old rock. The range was thrust up about 9 million years ago. Young? Yes, when compared to the main Rocky Mountains, which rose 60 million years ago, and the Great Smoky Mountains, which have been above water more than 200 million years. The Teton Range’s crystalline rock is comparable to the 3-billion-year-old Allegheny Mountains core. This hard, stable rock, more than 300 times older than the mountains it forms, is a boon to climbers. ”

“ Register at the Jenny Lake Ranger Station in summer or park headquarters in winter before starting any off-trail hike or climb. Boat permits are required for the use of any watercraft on park waters. Fishing requires a Wyoming license, and please check park regulations at a visitor center. Obtain an oversnow vehicle permit at Moose Visitor Center and check the regulations before operating a snow-mobile or snowplane in the park. Bicycles are not allowed on trails or in the backcountry. Pets must be leashed and under physical restraint at all times. ”

“ Our problem now is not the amount of lands that are under State, private, or Federal jurisdiction, but whether or not we can keep our souls receptive to the message of peace these unspoiled lands offer us. ”

“ Keep stock out of camping areas. Use hitch racks where provided. Do not tie stock to live trees. To prevent pollution, do not wash dishes or laundry in, and do not bathe in, lakes and streams.
Closed Areas.
When you pick up your permit, check on areas that may be closed to backcountry use. No overnight camping is permitted at Lake Solitude, Bradley Lake, Taggart Lake, Laurel Lake, Amphitheater Lake, below the Forks of Cascade Canyon to Jenny Lake, and the lower valley area east of the Valley Trail and the east shore of Jackson Lake. No overnight camping is permitted along the Snake River. ”

“ Above the tree limit and around snowfields and glaciers lies the alpine tundra. This fragile ecosystem challenges plant and animal survival with temperature extremes, high winds, a short growing season, frequent drought, and poor soil. Basic plant survival adaptations include dwarfism, oversize root systems, matting growth, succulent leaves or stems, and warmth-producing red pigments. Some high mountain plants are almost brown, not green, but perfectly alive. Dwarfism and matting keep plants snugged low to the ground where conditions are less severe than just a few centimeters higher. ”