Continuation of Yellowstone & Grand Tetons

with Timberline (www.timbertours.com) & The World Outdoors (www.theworldoutdoors.com)

August 2005

pictures of Yellowstone/Grand Tetons

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Grand Teton National Park

The word "Tetons" is a French word meaning "breasts." In 1870 President Grant declared neighboring Yellowstone the world's first national park drawing attention to the area, and the Homestead Act of 1862 encouraged ranchers and farmers to homestead, despite poor farming and grazing soil.

The Tetons first received government protection in 1897 when Congress created the Teton Forest Reserve out of land not included in Yellowstone. In 1929, the central peaks of the Teton Range and half a dozen lakes at their base, officially became Grand Teton National Park. The newly created park was only a third of its present-day size. Rockefeller bought 35,000 acres of farm and ranch land at a cost of $1.4 million with the intention of donating it to the government for an expanded park, but congressional and local opposition kept the government from accepting the gift for 15 years. Finally, Rockefeller threatened to sell his holdings on the open market, and President Franklin Roosevelt used presidential proclamation to create the Jackson Hole National Monument, a 221,000-acre tract of valley lands around the Snake River. Congress responded by trying to abolish the monument and then withholding maintenance money, but by 1950 a compromise was finally reached. The original 1929 park was united with the 1943 Jackson Hole National Monument, establishing a "new" Grand Teton National Park with its present-day boundaries. Today, most people would agree that the park is a valuable asset to both Jackson Hole and the nation as a whole. Tourism has surpassed cattle ranching to become the economic foundation of the region.

The best way to truly appreciate the park is on foot. There are many beautiful and easy hikes in the park, but the Cascade Canyon Trail is the showcase trail of the park. Take the shuttle boat across Jenny Lake ($7 round-trip) to trim two miles off the start of the hike and another two miles off the end provided you can get back in time to catch the final boat at 6 pm. 

Cascade Canyon & Lake Solitude Trail

Hidden Falls - 150 ft. elevation change; popular trail climbs to view of 200-foot cascade.

We caught the 8 am boat across Jenny Lake and were told we had to turn around at 12:30 whether we had make it to Lake Solitude or not because the last boat returned at 6 pm. The trail was good and I was rested as I had not hiked the day before because it rained all day. I made it to the lake by 11:30 and make it back to the boat at Jenny Lake by 5 o'clock.

It was foggy when we started, but it cleared up, and the views were fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Hidden Falls

our first view of the mountains through the fog

even in the fog & the mist the mountains were tremendous & it cleared by mid-morning

this doe & her fawn were waiting along the side of the road for us to cross a bridge so they could cross  so I turned around and went back across the bridge and she hurried across right behind me then ran up the bank on the other side

one of the cascades that give the canyon its name

Rivers cut V-shaped valleys; glaciers gouge out U-shaped valleys. And as you can see this is a U-shaped valley

another cascade

another valley view

2 views of Lake Solitude

this marmot was very curious

more great canyon & mountain views

Indian Paintbrush & Monk's Hood

(Monk's Hood is a flower shaped like a hood, thus the name.) 

Jenny Lake as seen from Inspiration Point

Taggart & Bradley Lakes

Taggart Lake - Beautiful lakeshore and soaring mountains are joined by a distinctive and fascinating path through the regrowth of a major forest fire that occurred in 1985. The 3.2-mile round trip path begins 2.5 miles NW of Moose Village on the Teton Park Road and climbs 277 feet over a glacial moraine. Most of the route passes through the 1,000-acre remains of the 1985 Beaver Creek fire, which conveniently removed much of the tree cover for a classic view of the three Tetons.

Bradley Lake - Continue on from Taggart for a total hike of 5.5 miles, and an additional 397 ft. elevation change. Again, the trail climbs up through an area burned in 1985, then down a glacial moraine to the lake.

As we returned we could see views of Taggart from the trail.

Grand Teton at the beginning of the trail

Grand Teton & Owen & Taggart Lake

Middle Teton & Taggart Lake

Bradley Lake

Bradley Lake

Snow King ski runs & elk refuge from road outside of Jackson

Antler arches have been gates to the Jackson Town Square since 1960. The antlers are from elk that winter on the National Elk Refuge. About 7,500 elk spend each winter on the refuge. The bulls shed their antlers each spring. Antlers are picked up by local Boy Scouts and sold by public auction in this square each May. All four arches were built by the Jackson Hole Rotary Club. 

every night in the summer Jackson puts on a short drama called the Jackson Shootout on the street in front of the town square

the U-shaped valleys between Middle Teton, Grand Teton, and Owen are very apparent

Mt. Moran - the small sandstone cap, black dike, and falling ice glacier explained below can be seen in this photo

explanation of the Sandstone Cap

The ancient Snake River, engorged with snow and glacial meltwaters, cut a wide, twisting channel through the valley. Prominent terraces on either side of the present Snake River channel mark the ancient river's course.

Today's Snake River begins in the Teton Wilderness near Yellowstone National Park. It flows south into Jackson Lake, diagonally down Jackson Hole, turns west into Idaho, and eventually joins the Columbia River which flows into the Pacific Ocean. 

Steep 200-foot wide banks mark the width & depth of the ancient river bed.

the Snake River

a moose & her calf

West Thumb

About 150,000 years ago a volcanic explosion formed the small caldera now known as the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake. Underwater hot springs and geysers keep some areas of West Thumb free of ice in winter.

West Thumb Maps

heat loving bacteria produce the colors

Bluebell Pools

Yellowstone Lake

In winter, holes in the thick ice indicate hot spots in the lake bed where thermal features bubble up. Otters often fish in those melt holes (this picture & explanation was on a sign by the lake).

An Exploded Bay

West Thumb's shoreline has suspiciously crater-like contours. Its underwater profile is dramatically deeper than the rest of Yellowstone Lake. Only a massive explosion could have formed West Thumb.

Though the blowout occurred 125,000 years ago, West Thumb is still thermally active. Hot springs, mudpots, and geysers steam and percolate along the shore, and temperature gauges record high heat flow in lake bottom sediments. 

The bay is a crater within a crater--a volcanic eruption and violent collapse within the larger, earlier Yellowstone caldera.

lakeshore geyser

and a geyser in the lake

Yellowstone Lake with Black Pool in front of it

Black Pool used to look black. Lower water temperature allowed thick mats of dark green and brown thermophiles (heat-loving micro-organisms) to grow in the pool, causing it to appear black. But the water temperature rose during the summer of 1991, killing these organisms and black Pool also erupted that summer and several times the following winter. Like Abyss, Black Pool is now a quiet and beautiful pool.

This popular 800 foot ascent 3.5 mile loop trail is near the Yellowstone Lake Hotel. After passing through 1 mile of unburned lodgepole pines, the trail reaches a junction. Both trails lead to the panoramic overlook (8600 feet) of Yellowstone Lake and Stevenson Island, Pelican Valley and the Absaroka Range. The wooden benches in a clearing at the top are a favorite picnic spot

Yellowstone Lake with Stevenson Island. The Absaroka Range can be seen in the background and the Yellowstone Hotel in the lower left.

Yellowstone Lake Hotel

Absaroka Range--Avalanche Peak is the one with the flat top in the middle

Avalanche Peak

deer

Yellowstone Lake Hotel

First an historic view then a current view. 

Yellowstone Lake Hotel is Yellowstone's oldest surviving and still in use hotel. Built on a site long known as a meeting place for Indians, trappers, and mountain men, the Lake Yellowstone Hotel was ready to serve guests in 1891. At that time, it was not particularly distinctive, resembling any other railroad hotel financed by the Northern Pacific Railroad. This plain, boxed-shaped building, was transformed into a beautiful colonial-style luxury hotel during the first of a series of renovations started in 1903.

The architect of the Old Faithful Inn, Robert Reamer, masterminded the renovation of the Hotel, designing the ionic columns, extending the roof in 3 places, and adding 15 false balconies, which prompted it to be known for several years as the "Lake Colonial Hotel." A number of further changes by 1929, including the addition of the dining room, porte-cochere (portico), and sunroom as well as the refurbishing of the interior created the landmark we see today.

By the 1970s, the Hotel had fallen into serious disrepair. In 1981, the National Park Service and the park concessioner, TW Recreational Services, embarked upon a ten-year project to restore the Lake Hotel in appearance to its days of glory in the 1920s. The work was finished for the celebration of the hotel's centennial in 1991. The Hotel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places that year.

coke machines appropriately decorated inside the hotel

Yellowstone Lake as seen from in front of the hotel

Avalanche Peak Trail - Distance: 2 miles one way with an elevation change of 2,100 feet. This unrelenting ascent (and descent) is not recommended for those with weak knees. No matter what the season, pack your hiking poles and a jacket for protection against gusty winds and afternoon thundershowers. The trail climbs steeply through unburned spruce and fir forest along a small unnamed stream. Thirty minutes from the road the trail crosses the stream and traverses west across an old avalanche chute, then east again into mature whitebark pine forest. Signs mark revegetation areas where an abandoned trail used to climb straight up the avalanche chutes. A little over a mile from the road the trail levels out and emerges at the base of a huge amphitheater-like bowl. The main trail to the left climbs along open talus slopes to arrive at the mountain's south ridge. Pause before the final, windy ascent to enjoy the views south across the Absaroka Range and Lake Yellowstone. The true summit (10,566 ft) with panoramic views extending north to the Beartooths and south to the Tetons lies to the NE along the narrow ridge beyond a series of talus wind shelters.

views of the trail and from the trail

Ron, Janet, & Ann descending the main talus slope

we came across a herd of buffalo crossing the road & creating a buffalo jam 3 times & the first time we got out and took pictures

5 prongs denote a royal, 6 an imperial, and 7 a monarch

Beaver Ponds Trail - This 5-mile loop ascends 350 feet through the fir and spruce forests along Clematis Creek and in 2.5 miles passes two beaver ponds amid meadows where beavers and moose emerge in the mornings and evenings. There are fine views of Sepulcher Mountain in the background and a ridge with views of Mammoth.

one of the beaver dams

Alluvial Fan Systems develop where abrupt gradient changes results in deposition of sediment loads of streams. Most alluvial fans develop in mountainous areas where abrupt gradient changes are seen. The most dramatic gradient changes are where faulting has occurred.

Snow Pass Trail - 4.2 miles, 700 feet elevation gain/loss

The Snow Pass Trail leaves the west side of the Mammoth-Norris road. The trail ascends 700 feet in 1.5 miles through a series of steep grades along an old wagon road to Snow Pass. Good views of the surrounding country are frequent. From Snow Pass the trail continues .5 miles over rolling terrain to a trail junction at which the trail turns left (south) and follows Glen Creek over fairly level terrain for 2.2 miles, returning to the road just south of Rustic Falls.

Gallatin Mountains

elk bones that we found on the trail

6 point (imperial) elk antlers & skull

Bunsen Peak (I hiked up this peak earlier with Timberline

Rustic Falls on the left side of the road & our van is parked on the right side (the trail to Bunsen is to the left and Snow Pass to the right)

the end of the trail - the rest of our group is ahead of me & Bunsen Peak is straight ahead

2 different cow elks that we saw beside the road

Other transformations occur here in slow motion. As you walk the 1/4-mile loop, notice how the shifting runoff pattern kills forests, creating "bobbysox" trunks saturated with silica.

blue pool

shell spring

jewel geyser

sapphire pool

beautiful colors caused by bacteria

view of Old Faithful & lodge from the trail leading to Biscuit Basin

our last World Outdoors lunch

a 7-point (monarch) bull elk

Jenny Lake

for pictures of other vacations return to the Vacation Photos page