| All,
I've attached a few bits of info I found while I was getting up to speed on the area. It includes some general weather info, bear tips, park history/info, and some maps. -Carter **S.L. For your records, I was at Lost Maples S.N.A. Park Handout Map and Topos: ____________________________________________________________________________ _
attached.
Weather Info: ____________________________________________________________________________ __ Month Avg High°F Avg Low°F Avg Precip (in) Avg Snowfall (in) Avg Snow Depth (in) Jan 25.4 -1.9 2.83 32.9 32.0 Feb 31.8 0.7 2.38 24.0 39.0 Mar 38.5 7.8 2.14 20.1 40.0 Apr 47.6 19.5 1.90 8.3 23.0 May 58.2 29.3 2.01 2.3 2.0 Jun 67.9 35.7 1.64 0.4 0.0 Jul 77.6 39.9 1.13 0.1 0.0 Aug 75.9 38.1 1.26 0.0 0.0 Sep 66.6 31.0 1.50 1.1 0.0 Oct 54.1 23.5 1.54 4.1 0.0 Nov 37.3 13.2 2.38 19.3 5.0 Dec 27.4 2.5 2.62 30.1 19.0 Annual 50.7 20.0 23.34 142.8 13.0
Bear Awareness Excerpt from Park Website: ____________________________________________________________________________ ________ Avoid surprising animals at close range. Whistle, talk, sing, or otherwise make noise when hiking in areas where visibility is limited or bear sign present. Take no pets; they are prohibited in the backcountry. A dog's valor may turn into retreat bringing an infuriated bear to you. Be alert to sign (droppings, diggings, fresh tracks, etc.), sounds, or other indications of bears. Be particularly wary when hiking wildlife trails, salmon streams, or other areas where bears concentrate. Food and beverages should never be left unattended. Foodstuffs with strong odors such as fish, cheese, sausage, and fresh meats should be stored in a food cache, a bear resistant container, or suspended 10 feet above ground. Carry all refuse and garbage out! Buried refuse will attract bears. Keep packs and other personal gear on your person. It is easy to become separated from belongings left lying on the ground when a bear unexpectedly approaches. Bears will investigate, often destructively. Do not approach bears The minimum safe distance from any bear is 50 yards; from a sow with young it is 100 yards. These are MINIMUM distances, there are many times that greater distances are required! Regardless of precautions taken, you may come across a bear. Usually they will run away. A bear standing on hind legs may only be trying to sense you better, not preparing to attack. Even a charge is often a bluff, ending abruptly short of physical contact. If you see a bear at a distance, turn around or make a wide detour. Keep upwind if possible so the bear will get your scent and know you're there. Talk in an assured tone to communicate your presence. Treat animals as if cubs are nearby. Assume the bear will be defensive. Do not approach closer to scare a bear away as you may be considered a threat. Do not run. Running often elicits attacks from otherwise non-aggressive bears and they can travel over 35 miles per hour. Avoid actions that interfere with bear movement or foraging activities. Be satisfied with a distant photograph, or use a telephoto lens. Many fatalities and injuries have been related to photography. Do not corner an animal. Allow them plenty of space and an escape route. Bears are typically solitary animals. Much of their communication at feeding aggregations serves to maintain spacing and avoid conflict. Bears appear to have only a limited repertoire for this purpose. These behavior patterns are not highly ritualized, as in some species; therefore, their meaning is largely dependent on the context of the situation. Descriptions of some behavior and a general interpretation of meaning follow to help you understand what a bear may be trying to tell you. Remember, each bear is an individual and each encounter is unique. Postures Standing on hind legs - A bear standing bipedally is typically not expressing aggression. Bears generally stand on their hind legs to gain more information, both olfactory and visual. Stationary lateral body orientation - A bear may stand broadside to assert itself in some instances. In encounters with human, it has usually been interpreted as a demonstration of size. Stationary frontal orientation - If a bear is standing and facing you, it is certainly not being submissive. This is an aggressive position and may signal a charge. It is likely waiting for you to withdraw. Vocalizations Huffing - When a bear is tense, it may forcibly exhale a series of several sharp, rasping huffs. A mother may also huff in order to gain the attention of her young. Woof - A startled bear may emit a single sharp exhale that lakes the harsh quality of a huff. If her cubs woof, a mother will immediately become alert to the situation. Jaw-Popping - Females with young often emit a throaty popping sound, apparently to beckon their cubs when danger is sensed. A mother vocalizing in this manner should be considered nervous and extremely stressed. Bears other than sows also jaw-pop. Growl, snarl, roar - Clear indication of intolerance. Other Indicators Yawning - Indicates tension. This behavior may results from the close proximity of another bear or human presence. Excessive Salivation - A clear sign of tension, salivation may appear as white foam around the bear's mouth. Charge - The vast majority of charges are ones in which the bear stops before making contact. The intensity of the charge or associated vocalizations may vary, but it is distinct in that it is an aggressive or defensive act clearly directed at another bear or human. Bears may charge immediately, as a sow fearing for her cubs, or may emit stressed or erratic behavior before charging. There is no guaranteed lifesaving method of reacting to an aggressive bear. Some behavior patterns have proven more successful in close encounters than others. Take a calm assured posture. A firm voice and gradual departure are better than a retreat in panic. Include the nature of your surroundings in your reaction. As a last resort, lie face down, protect your neck with your hands and arms, and don't move. This requires considerable courage, but resistance would be futile. Numerous incidents exist where a bear has sniffed and departed without serious injury. General Info & History ____________________________________________________________________________ ___________________ Grand Teton National Park Information The original Grand Teton National Park was established by Congress on February 29, 1929. (45 Stat., 1314). Grand Teton National Park was established to protect the area's spectacular scenic values, as characterized by the geologic features of the Teton Range and Jackson Hole, and the native plant and animal life. The park encompasses approximately 310,000 acres of wilderness and some of the most beautiful mountain scenery in the western United States. The park was enlarged to its present size by Congress on September 14, 1950, (Public Law 81-787, 64 Stat. 849) to include a portion of the lands within Jackson Hole National Monument. The national monument had been established by Presidential Proclamation (No. 2578, 57 Stat. 731) on March 15, 1943. Early pioneers and environmentalists wanted to expand Yellowstone to include some the beautiful primitive areas surrounding its borders. Most of these ideas were defeated as extensions of Yellowstone. But the area south of Yellowstone, today known as Grand Teton National Park was established as a part of the original idea to expand Yellowstone. Also, thanks to John D. Rockefeller, the lands between Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks was purchased and given to us to help preserve this vast western wilderness.
Public Law 92-404 established the Parkway on August 25, 1972, ". . . for the purpose of commemorating the many significant contributions to the cause of conservation in the United States, which have been made by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and to provide both a symbolic and desirable physical connection between the world's first national park, Yellowstone, and the Grand Teton National Park." John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway legislation established an 82 mile parkway between West Thumb in Yellowstone National Park and the south entrance of Grand Teton National Park. This area included approximately 24,000 acres of land. There is approximately 100 miles of paved roads in the park. There is nearly 200 miles of trails for hikers to enjoy in Grand Teton National Park. A Walk Through Time The Earliest Visitors Archeological studies established human occupation of Jackson Hole for at least 11,000 years. Knowledge of early people is extremely limited. Data suggests that they used the area from spring to fall, based on seasonal availability of resources. Prehistoric people crossed the passes into Jackson Hole en route to seasonal hunting grounds in the region. In historic times, Indian tribes such as the Shoshoni, Gros Ventre, Flathead and Blackfeet knew the Teton country. Days of Mountain Men The splendor of the Teton Mountains first dazzled fur traders. Although evidence is inconclusive, John Colter probably explored the area in 1808. By the 1820's, mountain men followed wildlife and Indian trails through Jackson Hole and trapped beaver in the icy waters of the valley. The term "hole" was coined by fur trappers of the 1820s to describe a high altitude plateau ringed by mountains. Thus, Jackson Hole is the entire valley, 8 to 15 miles wide and 40 miles long. The valley was named for David E. Jackson, a trapper who reputedly spent the winter of 1829 along the shore of Jackson Lake. After the decline of the fur trade in the late 1830s, America forgot Jackson Hole until the military and civilian surveys of the 1860s and 1870s. Members of the Hayden Survey named many of the area's features. Settlers at the Turn of the Century Because of its geographic location, Jackson Hole remained unsettled until late in the 19th century. The first permanent homesteaders, John Holland and John Carnes, settled north of the present town of Jackson. By 1890 Jackson Hole had a population of 64 people. The soils and climate made ranching and farming risky. Mountain-valley ranching was the chief occupation; settlers grazed cattle on the public domain in the mountains while cultivating hay in the valley to provide winter feed. While a few prospered, most lived at a near-subsistence level. As settlement progressed, small communities emerged to provide goods and services. By 1910 Jackson, Wilson, Kelly and Moran had become the dominant villages in Jackson Hole. Elk, Marysvale, Grovont, Zenith and Menor's Ferry had post offices. Incorporated in 1914, Jackson became the seat of Teton County and the commercial center of the valley. The region acquired a national reputation for its splendid hunting and fishing in the 1880s and 1890s. Many settlers supplemented their incomes by serving as guides and packers for wealthy hunters. A few, such as Ben Sheffield, made it a full-time occupation. He acquired a ranch at the outlet of Jackson Lake in 1902 to use as a base for outfitting his expeditions. The ranch became the town of Moran. Others recognized that dudes winter better than cows and began operating dude ranches. The JY and the Bar BC were established in 1908 and 1912, respectively. By the 1920s, dude ranching made significant contributions t the valley's economy. At this time some local residents realized that scenery and wildlife (especially elk) were valuable resources to be conserved rather than exploited. The Jackson Hole Story Continues Much of recorded history of Jackson Hole involves the story of Grand Teton National Park. The emergence of the conservation movement in the United States prevented the transfer of public lands to private ownership in the Tetons. Through the Forest Service Act of 1891, President Grover Cleveland established the Teton Forest Reserve in 1897. Teton National Forest was created in 1908. These reserves included much of the land of Jackson Hole. Congress established Grand Teton National Park in 1929. The 96,000 acre Park included the main portion of the Teton Range and most of the glacial lakes at the base of the mountains. After touring the area in 1926, John D. Rockefeller, Junior, decided to buy private lands in Jackson Hole for Park use. Rockefeller's agents formed the Snake River Land Company that purchased over 35,000 acres during the next 20 years. Political controversy defeated attempts to add the valley to the Park in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1943 President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued a proclamation establishing Jackson Hole National Monument by authority of the Antiquities Act of 1906. The 210,000 acre monument included most federal land in Jackson Hole. In 1949 the Rockefellers donated nearly 33,000 acres to the federal government and in 1950, Congress passed legislation merging the Park and National Monument. Today tourism is the cornerstone of the local economy. Visitors come to enjoy breathtaking scenery, wildlife and other natural features on Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway and Yellowstone.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Along the Snake The Snake River originates in the wilderness near the south boundary of Yellowstone and meanders into Jackson Lake. The Snake River flows out of the lake through Jackson Lake dam, then runs eastward past Oxbow Bend. The slow moving water of Oxbow Bend, a cut-off meander of the Snake River, provides rich habitat for a diverse array of wildlife including herons, waterfowl, pelicans, muskrats, beavers, river otters and moose. At Moran Junction the river turns abruptly southwest and flows down the broadened bed of the ancestral Snake, which diagonally bisects Jackson Hole. Today's river erodes with a fraction of its original force. From Jackson Lake the Snake winds in braided channels for 27 miles with the park. Slower moving water in side channels ensures essential habitat for numerous aquatic animals and plants. Beavers, river otters and trout swim by moose feeding on aquatic plants. Native Snake River cutthroat trout depend on the park's natural aquatic system for survival. Trout consume aquatic insects and small fish. Bald eagles, osprey and otters in turn feed on the trout. Along the river, willows thrive among tall cottonwood, spruce and occasional aspen trees. Moose browse on shrubs and trees that line the river's banks. Beavers eat the inner bark of willows, aspens and cottonwoods and weave branches into lodges and dams along side channels. In the summer the river bottom teems with diving, wading and woodland birds, while elk graze in wet meadows. During darkness owls and other predators hunt in this riparian ecosystem. Born of wilderness snowpack, the Snake River swells with meltwater. Trappers and settlers called it the Mad River, as it was more than a challenge to cross during the spring. Today's challenge is to protect this powerful life supporting river as it flows through the park and as it winds westward to the Pacific Ocean. Moose browse on willows along rivers and streams. When bulls raise their heads while feeding on underwater aquatic plants in ponds water pours off their palm shaped antlers. Killdeer feed in wet areas. They nest on gravel where camouflage conceals their eggs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- History People entered Jackson Hole as estimated 12,000 years ago. Archeological evidence indicates that small groups hunted and gathered plants in the valley from 5,000 to 500 years before the present. During historic times no one tribe claimed ownership to Jackson Hole. but Blackfeet, Crow, Gros Ventre, Shoshone and other Native Americans living in surrounding lands used this neutral valley during warm months. Severe winters prevent year round habitation. John Colter allegedly was the first white man in the valley, entering in the winter of 1807 - 1808. Mountain men followed and trapped valley beaver. Brigades of trappers traversed this crossroads of the western fur trade until the era ended about 1840. Valley settlement began in 1884. After 1900, some settlers realized that "dudes winter better than cows" and started dude ranches. In 1929, much of the Teton Range received protection through the establishment of the park. After years of debate, Congress added the Jackson Hole portion in 1950. Prehistoric people came to feed the body. Today's visitors nourish the spirit. Management of the park honors the mandate to protect, for the enjoyment of future generations, the natural systems that produce the scenery and wildlife.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- The Rising Range Rocky Mountain scenery offers dramatic vistas but few more impressive than the Teton skyline. As the Teton Range rose through sporadic earthquakes producing jolts, the valley called Jackson Hole subsided. Because of the way the mountains formed, no foothills hide jagged peaks and broad canyons. At the base of the range, large lakes mirror the mountains on calm summer days, doubling their prominence. During the immense span of time before the mountains' rise, vast seas repeatedly advanced and retreated, leaving behind a thick, nearly flat blanket of sedimentary rock layers. Between 60 and 70 million years ago, ancestral mountains rose here as a broad, northwest trending arch, and the last seas retreated eastward. Jackson Hole east of the arch became the site of enormous sheets of gravel interspersed with thick volcanic ash, lava and fresh water lake sediments. Enormous tensional faults fractured these formations, and 9 million years ago today's Teton Range started rising. Broken sedimentary layers of ancient sandstone, shale, dolomite and limestone still cap each end and the west side of the range. The sandstone remnant atop Mount Moran, over 6,000 feet above the valley, once connected to the same sandstone layer that now lies an estimated 24,000 feet below the valley floor block resulting from faulting process that created these mountains. In addition to this great displacement along the Teton fault, the central peaks were thrust even higher, along fault zones within the range. Wind, water, ice and glaciers long ago stripped sedimentary layers off the central peaks, uncovering basement rock nearly as old as the Earth itself. Resistant granite, sculpted into the Grand Teton and adjacent peaks, towers as the central range's exposed core. Cascading water initially cut steep, v-shaped gorges throughout the rising range. Changes in the Earth's climate caused long periods when snowfall exceeded melting, precipitating glaciers in sizes beyond imagination. Glaciers advanced and in warmer times receded in mountain gorges, and cut across the floor of Jackson Hole. Southward flowing ice more than 3,000 feet thick filled the valley, overriding buttes and surrounding mountains. Only the high Teton peaks protruded through engulfing ice. Mountain glaciers, particularly during the last Ice Age, widened steep gorges into broad, u-shaped canyons. Over a comparatively short span of time, mountain glaciers of the last major glacial period shaped the Teton skyline more than any other erosional force. At upper elevations, where the most snow accumulated, the heads of the glaciers scooped out depressions, and frost wedging augmented their quarrying action. Sheer cirque walls, rugged ridges, and jagged peaks reflect the slow, dynamic carving by these great masses of moving ice. Rocks of all sizes, falling onto and plucked by these moving glaciers, increased their grinding powers. The flanks of the range displayed scoured canyons that dive toward the valley. Upon leaving confining canyons, the larger glaciers spread onto the valley floor, while melting at a speed equal to their flow. An immense volume of unsorted rock, transported and dumped by these glaciers in a conveyor belt action, formed natural dams. These now encompass lakes called Leigh. Jenny, Taggart, Bradley and Phelps. Similarly a lobe of the extensive Yellowstone snowcap extended southward as a broad glacier that deposited rock as morainal ridges, damming meltwaters to create Jackson Lake. South of Jackson Lake, torrential meltwaters spread cobbles and gravels to form broad terraces. Additions of loess (wind deposited silt) helped to form fair soils, but rainfall percolates rapidly through the underlying rocks. Sagebrush identifies these areas. Where glaciers transported and deposited unsorted rock as moraines, loams and silts below the soil help to retain water essential to stands of lodgepole pines and sub-alpine firs. High on alpine slopes, trees and flowers struggle in fragile soil, where harsh weather limits growth. At all elevations, geology and available water determine vegetation, which in turn controls the variety, abundance and distribution of wildlife. At upper elevations a dozen smaller glaciers slowly flow from the cirques cut by the Ice Age giants. School-room Glacier, so named for its easily observable classic characteristics, represents but one page of the living textbook that includes the accessible rock of the Teton Range, Jackson Hole and adjoining features. This rock offers the most complete geologic record in North America. Future events will include infrequent earthquakes that signal movement along the fault zone as the Teton Range continues to rise and Jackson Hole drops down. Wind, water and ice will sculpt ancient rock into a different, but no less impressive skyline.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Trails Self guided trails provide insight into the story behind the scenery. Booklet available at each trailhead describe prominent features bordering the two mile Colter Bay Nature Trail and the three mile Taggart Lake Trail and discuss history along the .5 mile Menor's Ferry and the .5 mile Cunningham Cabin Trail. Trailhead locations are shown of the park map. The Cascade Canyon Trail begins at the south end of Jenny Lake, and the booklet explains natural features up to Lake Solitude, nine miles from the trailhead. Trails traverse the valley and mountains for more than 200 miles. They provide access to backcountry lakes, streams, canyons and camping zones. Trail difficulty levels range from east to very strenuous, and lengths vary from a few minutes to several days. Visitors who take the time to hike mountain trails discover the magnitude and hidden qualities of the peaks and canyons. The Teton Crest Trail runs from the south boundary of the park to Paintbrush Canyon. It offers extensive views of the range and distant land. Visitors unaccustomed to high elevations may descend to the Crest Trail from the top of the tram at Teton Village. Rewarding trails in Granite, Death and Cascade Canyons connect the Crest Trail to the Valley Trail. See the Hiking Page for detailed trail and hiking information.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Visiting the Park Visitors centers at Moose and Colter Bay provide assistance and information, offer audiovisual programs and exhibits, and issue permits daily from mid-May through September. Moose Visitor Center is open daily the rest of the year on a reduced schedule. Park headquarters adjoins Moose Visitor Center. Colter Bay Visitor Center exhibits an extensive collection in its Indian Arts Museum and offers audiovisual programs. Publication for sale at each visitor center by the Grand Teton Natural History Association include the official national park handbook. See the Calendar Page for more information. "Teewinot," the free park newspaper, offers current information on a host of subjects, including natural history, camping and self-guiding trails. Teewinot also contains a comprehensive list of concession services, lodging, restaurants, stores, service stations and mountaineering and float trip services. Ranger led activities offer increased understanding and appreciation of park resources. The Teewinot lists a variety of talks, walks, hikes, demonstrations and other programs conducted from mid-June through September. Slide illustrated campfire programs cover a wide range of topics at Colter Bay, Gros Ventre and Signal Mountain Amphitheaters. See the Calendar Page for more information. Wayside exhibits at many turnouts along the main park roads identify major peaks and explain natural features. Turnouts also insure safe parking for viewing and photographing the mountain scenery. Located in the park, Teton Science School offers a wide variety of in depth courses year round. This non profit school employs highly qualified instructors to teach a spectrum of topics related to the Teton Range and Jackson Hole. Courses for all ages in natural history and ecology stress field study supplemented by informal lectures. Summer seminars last three to five days and usually cover geology, plants, animals, birds and photography.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Wildflowers In an amazing variety and profusion bloom through the warm months. Sagebrush buttercups follow receding snowpacks. Springbeauties, yellowbells and steershead blossom closely behind, growing close to the ground for protection from late snowstorms or frost. Brilliant colors covers the valley floor during late June, the peak of the wildflower season. Meadows of scarlet gilia, balsamroot, lupine, larkspur and wild buckwheat bloom in multiple combinations or red, yellow, blue, purple and white. Following the valley display, many of the same wildflowers flourish in meadows along canyon trails. Visitors to the alpine zone discover brilliant cushions of color that hug the ground, including the official flower of the park, the alpine forget-me-not.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Wildlife The geologic forces and natural systems that interact to produce inspiring scenery also nurture a remarkable diversity of animals. Despite a short growing season, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem supports the largest elk herd remaining in the world. Nearly 3,000 summer in Grand Teton. A small heard of buffalo also summers in the park and winters on the National Elk Refuge. moose meander beside canyon streams during warm weather but seek protection from frigid winds in valley bottomlands. Seldom seen black bears, and an occasional grizzly, forage in canyons and woodlands to store body fat for winter sleep. Bald eagles and ospreys fish and nest along the Snake River. Several eagles endure the cold months. Each spring great blue herons return to their rookeries. Trumpeter swans, the largest North American waterfowl, build sizable pond level nests; when ice prevails they depend on warm springs in the region. Beavers dam streams to create ponds that benefit Canada geese, mallards, cinnamon teal and a multitude of summer and migratory waterfowl. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which includes the Teton Range and Jackson Hole, remains as the largest essentially intact natural area in the contiguous United States. Evergreen forests and wild rivers abound. Elk, buffalo, bears, eagles and swans that once thrived nationwide now survive in this island of hope. They symbolize the remaining wilderness. Their survival and the ecosystem that supports them will mean much to future generations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Winter Winter dominates the Teton country for more than half the year. Deep snows cover the backside of the range. Prevailing winds from the southwest often howl past high peaks. Storm clouds may hide the mountains for days, but, after they pass, cold, clear air permits unsurpassed views. Lower temperatures and avalanche potential make mountain travel risky for those without proper knowledge, skills and equipment. Crosscountry skis and snowshoes permit safe travel to exceptionally quiet, often windless valley vistas. In central Jackson Hole an average of four feet of snow covers sagebrush and fallen trees. Nightly temperatures often fall below -25° F during December and January, but low humidity and warming sun greatly lessen the effects of the cold. Moose, coyotes and snowshoe hares make tracks in freshly fallen snow. Seeing them enriches any ski trip. Moose Visitor Center distributes the map of the park ski trails, along with information on weather, avalanche and road conditions. Plows clear the main park road, but the roads at the foot of the range, and in Yellowstone, remain closed by snowpack until spring. But Yellowstone is open for winter activities. Moose rangers provide snowshoes for twice weekly hikes to help visitors appreciate with in the park.
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