Grand Teton National Park Foundation

Wildlife Whereabouts

2014-05-30T15:28:00.000-06:00

The snow is gone, but the bears are still here!


Photo by Ryan Sheets, sheetsstudios.com

Bison, moose and elk calving seasons are at their peaks. Nearly all bison and elk will have moved off of the National Elk Refuge soon. They will follow snow melt and vegetation to more northern parts of the valley.
Wolf pups are making their first exploratory appearances from their dens.
Female black and grizzly bears with cubs are now out and about but are making only small movements so that their cubs can keep up.
Neotropical migrating birds (western tanagers, hummingbirds, warblers, and others) have returned and are beginning nesting activities.
Cutthroat trout are initiating spawning as water levels rise with spring runoff.
Bald eagle eggs are hatching and young nestlings are being closely guarded by their brooding parents.
High rivers and streams resulting from last winter's abundant snow pack represent a significant hazard to baby bears, elk, moose, and bison.

Living with Wildlife: VIDEO

2014-05-30T15:26:00.003-06:00

One of the most unique aspects of living in Jackson Hole is interacting with the abundant wildlife that also call this valley home. Residents and visitors alike are privileged to share their experiences here with 17 different species of carnivores, 6 species of hoofed mammals and dozens of other rodents, amphibians and birds. As we transition into summer, it is important that we take a moment to learn and reflect on how to safely and responsibly interact with our local wildlife. Grand Teton National Park released this video to help educate and inspire people to respect the wildlife of Jackson Hole.

Time to Celebrate! National Trails Day

2014-05-30T15:25:00.001-06:00

This year we are celebrating National Trails Day with a trail rehab project in the park! This nationwide holiday occurs every year on the first Saturday of June. The day is devoted to celebrating and promoting the extensive trail systems throughout the country. Trails allow us access to the natural world for recreation, education, solitude and inspiration. They also give us an opportunity to support both good physical and mental health by giving us heart pumping exercise, relieving our stresses and awakening our senses.

On Saturday June 7^th, Grand Teton will celebrate National Trails Day by leading a group of volunteers in a trail maintenance project in Grand Teton National Park. Help maintain and upkeep GTNP’s 242 miles of exceptional trails for use well into the future. This is a great way for community members and Foundation friends to show their passion for the park with hands-on support!

If you are interested in registering as a volunteer, see the details below and click the link to sign up. We look forward to spending a day in the park, digging up some trail dust, and celebrating this amazing resource with you!

You must register to participate as a volunteer. Email laura@gtnpf.org to sign up.

Date: June 7, National Trails Day

Time: 12 to 5 PM

Meet up location: Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center Parking Lot

Work location: The Valley Trail, near Bradley and Taggart Lakes

What will the work be: Physical! Depends on weather and snowmelt...could be weeding, could be clearing, but plan on bending and moving

Wear: Closed toed shoes, long pants

Bring: Snacks, water, bear spray if you own it and know how to use it

#GrandTetonTrailsDay

http://www.americanhiking.org/events/grand-teton-trails-day/

In the Spotlight: Collette and Collette Cares

2014-05-30T15:16:00.001-06:00

Collette, the country’s oldest travel tour operator, offers guided adventures on all seven continents. Collette Cares, the company’s philanthropic arm, is dedicated to supporting youth programs worldwide and is a fantastic new supporter of GTNPF’s Youth Engagement Initiative. Brian White, from the company’s businesses development team, shares more about Collette’s dedication to improving youth experiences in Grand Teton and beyond:

Collette has guided travelers for almost 100 years. Tell us a bit about the history of Collette and Collette Cares.

Established in 1918, Collette is a family-run travel organization that offers land adventures, river cruises, rail journeys, and national park tours worldwide. Collette Cares began in 1997 to support local Rhode Island youth initiatives. The global foundation launched in 2007 to establish and manage youth projects in Australia, China, Cambodia, Fiji, Costa Rica, Ireland, Canada, Kenya, Mexico, Egypt, Peru, South Africa, and the US.

Your foundation connects employees, vendors, and travelers with partner communities and children around the globe. What types of projects do you currently have underway?

Our mission is to enrich the lives of children worldwide. Currently we support schools, clean water programs, orphanages, and even a youth-run bakery. We incorporate access to and understanding of projects to our guests traveling in the area, and some guests have even returned from Collette trips and organized their home communities to support the foundation sites they visited on tours.

Collette Cares is an employee-run initiative. How does your staff participate in the many national and international projects?

Nearly every Collette employee contributes to our projects. We participate in volunteer events, fund drives, and individual service tutors and sponsors for young people. Each project has a task force to identify and manage programs, collaborate with foreign organizations, and allocate funding. Collette’s employees are also able to personally visit sites they are working with to monitor effectiveness.

What prompted Collette Cares to begin supporting Grand Teton National Park Foundation?

We were looking to expand our support by sponsoring more sites and projects and were particularly looking for a program connected with the national parks. While we contacted several organizations, nothing matched our mission as closely as the youth initiatives funded by Grand Teton National Park Foundation. The Foundation is doing tremendous work for youth both locally and nationally and we are excited to expose our guests to this great program during tours in Grand Teton National Park.

Thank you, Collette Cares and Collette, for connecting diverse young people to Grand Teton National Park and for your work that is improving the lives of youth around the world.

Early Summer Hikes and Wildflowers

2014-05-30T15:15:00.000-06:00

After a long winter in the Tetons, it’s time to dust off the old boots and venture into Grand Teton for some early season hiking. With the fabulous weather in past weeks, several of the low elevation trails in the park are now free of snow and offer views of the mountains and of the first wildflowers of the season.

Kick off your summer with some classic GTNP hikes as you build your hiking legs for more strenuous hikes later in the summer. Two great options for hiking this month are Taggart Lake and Phelps Lake Overlook.

Taggart Lake is 4 miles round trip. The trail follows a mountain stream and loops up and over a glacial moraine that helps form the lake. Along the trail you will see evidence of the Beaver Creek fire of 1985 and the Lodgepole Pine that have flourished since the burn. To access the trail, park at the Taggart Lake trailhead just north of Moose park entrance.

Phelps Lake Overlook is 1.8 miles round trip and offers scenic vistas of the lake and Death Canyon. The trail steadily climbs to the overlook along a massive lateral moraine filled with aspen stands and conifer forests. Along the way the trail crosses a few small creeks and meadows that offer opportunity for great wildlife and bird watching. To get to the trail use the Death Canyon/White Grass Meadow road. A car with four-wheel drive can be helpful when accessing the trailhead.

Both of these trails are fantastic spots to view your first wildflowers of the season. These early bloomers are common not only in the park but also throughout the valley. Keep your eyes peeled as some of them are small and easy to miss!

Ballhead Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum capitatum): Commonly found in moist mountain slopes and woodlands, bluish to white in color.

Round-leaved Violet (Viola rotundifolia): Five petaled, small yellow blossom found in moist forests.

Sticky Geranium (Geranium viscosissimum): Pink lavender to purplish flowers, found in grassy lowlands to highland meadows.

April on the Snake River? Bring Your Rod and Reel

2014-04-30T13:52:00.002-06:00

The ski racks haven’t quite disappeared from the tops of Teton County cars yet, but as winter activities wind down and we all begin to gear up for summer adventures in the mountains, there’s no shortage of waders and drift boats around town (and in the park!). We asked a local fly fisherman to tell us a bit about why these spring months are such a great time to be out on the water. Here’s the scoop:

The water is “gin clear” this time of year – need we say more?
Fish are still pooled up in “winter water” versus the high water of summertime when fish are more widely dispersed along the shores
Temperatures and other indicators of seasonal change are causing fish to start to “looking up” to hatching bugs
Lots of would-be fishermen are still enjoying the ski slopes (or haven’t yet arrived for the summer), so fishing pressure is minimal
Daily temperature changes allow for a variety of set ups and techniques, including nymphs, streamers and dry flies; there’s also a great variety of bug activity: stoneflies, mayflies, midges and more
Fish are hungry coming out of the winter months and are eager to feed, especially on warmer days; they also haven’t seen artificial flies all winter
The river is low so it’s easy to cover “good water” on foot – a great time for wade fishermen

Fishing in Grand Teton National Park is regulated according to Wyoming state laws. A license is required. For more information visit the Wyoming Game and Fish website at gf.state.wy.us. You may also download the park’s fishing brochure here.

David Vela, Grand Teton's New Superintendent

2014-04-30T13:43:00.002-06:00

Photo by Ryan Sheets

David Vela, former associate director for workforce, relevancy and inclusion at the National Park Service's Washington headquarters, is Grand Teton’s newly appointed superintendent and the 21st in park history. Vela succeeds Mary Gibson Scott, who retired in late 2013 after nearly ten years on the job.

A Texas native, Vela credits a childhood trip to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks with setting him on his career path. He began his NPS career in 1981 as a cooperative education student at San Antonio Missions National Historic Park in Texas, where he later became a ranger. He has held numerous positions in the NPS, including supervisory park ranger at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park in Texas, superintendent of Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site in Texas and Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in Texas, and director of the NPS’s southeast region. Prior to accepting his role as Grand Teton’s superintendent, he oversaw NPS programs including human resources, learning and development, equal opportunity, youth, and the Office of Relevancy, Diversity and Inclusion.

Vela will oversee the park’s 310,000 acres, including 51 miles of wild and scenic rivers, management of Grand Teton's diverse wildlife, and assortment of cultural resources and historic artifacts. On behalf of the Foundation, we welcome you, David!

Mormon Row: Grand Teton's Cultural Gem

2014-04-30T13:35:00.000-06:00

Even if you’ve never been to Grand Teton, chances are you’d recognize the T.A. Moulton barn. Rumored to be the most-photographed barn in America, it is part of Grand Teton’s Mormon Row Historic District, one of the country’s best representations of an early 1900s western farming community and part of the National Register of Historic Places.

Named “Grovont” by the U.S. Post Office, the area was more commonly known as Mormon Row due to the predominant religion of its residents. In 1896, a group of Mormons escaping drought in Utah settled on the rich soils east of Blacktail Butte along Ditch Creek. With only 60 frost-free days, the community relied heavily on shared labor and tools, along with quick-growing crops such as oats. They worked hard to clear the area of sagebrush and established intricate irrigation systems involving a network of levees and dikes, some of which continue to transport water to the area today. Long winters and drought caused many Mormon Row residents to sell their properties to the Snake River Land Company in the 1930s, which soon became part of Grand Teton National Park. Although over 100 residents lived in the Mormon Row community in the 1920s, only six homesteads remain visible today. They are some of the most visited sites in Jackson Hole.

Despite various maintenance efforts over the years, today the structures at Mormon Row are in poor condition. As they deteriorate, the area grows increasingly unsafe for visitors. The Foundation is currently raising funds to enable work this summer to improve structural longevity and visitor safety at Mormon Row. Thanks to the generous support of Foundation donors, including the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, $10,000 has been raised for this effort to date. An additional $5,000 is needed to complete the park’s goals for the area this year. If you would like to contribute to the success of this project and help us preserve this iconic area, please make a donation here or contact Leslie Mattson at GTNPF.

Be Bear Aware on Your Next Adventure

2014-04-30T13:24:00.002-06:00

Photo by Sean Beckett

Bears are out of hibernation and active in Grand Teton. At this time of year, they are showing up in increasing numbers and are looking for the winter-killed carcasses, leftover berries, and pine seeds on which they feed during the spring months. All park visitors need to be alert for the presence of bears in any area of the park. Follow these essential precautions to stay safe in bear country:

1. Make Noise. Surprised bears feel more threatened. Make your presence known on the trail by talking, clapping, or making other noises. Bears usually move out of the way when they hear people approaching.
2. Travel in Groups. Hike in groups of three or more when in the park. Larger groups make more noise and appear more formidable to bears. Avoid hiking when bears are most active -- in the early morning, evening, or at night.
3. Carry Bear Spray. Bear spray is extremely effective in deterring attacks. Read the manufacturer’s instructions and learn how to use it properly. Keep spray immediately available on your belt or pack’s waist strap.
4. Keep your Distance. Maintain a 100-yard or more distance from bears at all times.
5. Store your Food. Allowing bears to access to human food results in aggressive behavior. The bear quickly becomes a threat to human safety and must be relocated or killed. Never leave food unattended and keep your personal items with you. Store food and anything with an odor in vehicles or bear boxes, and dispose of garbage in in bear-resistant trash cans or dumpsters.

What if a bear attacks?
Bear attacks are extremely rare in Grand Teton. If a bear approaches or charges you, DO NOT RUN. Surprised or defensive bears typically false charge then stop abruptly. Hold your ground until the bear stops then slowly back away.

Please report any bear sightings or signs to the nearest visitor center or ranger station. Happy adventuring!

In the Spotlight: Signal Mountain Lodge

2014-04-30T13:20:00.000-06:00

Signal Mountain Lodge (SML) sits on the stunning shores of Jackson Lake. A corporate partner of Grand Teton National Park Foundation since 1998 and a frontrunner among environmentally responsible resorts, SML has a longstanding commitment to protecting Grand Teton and encouraging guests and staff alike to enjoy the park’s many wonders. SML’s general manager, Jason Ryan, shares with us the lodge’s history of stewardship and some of Grand Teton’s best kept secrets.

The lodge predates Grand Teton. Tell us about the lodge’s history and culture of outdoor recreation. SML was founded in the 1920s to provide accommodations for wealthy outdoorsmen. In the early 1930s, manager Charles Wort, determined to make the lodge a first-class fishing resort, established a camp and boat dock on Jackson Lake and became the park’s first boat concessioner. When construction of the Wort Hotel in Jackson took off in 1940, Wort sold the property to the Harris family, who constructed the modern hotel. Today, our team shares a love for outdoor recreation, adventure, and Grand Teton. One of our staff's greatest rewards is sharing their explorations and inspiring our guests through interpretive services, trip planning, and conversations in Deadman's Bar.

In 2002, SML became the first national park concessioner recognized as a Green Seal Certified Hotel and Lodging Property. What steps does the lodge take to support the legacy of stewardship and philanthropy in Grand Teton? We are a committed leader in land stewardship and feel it’s our responsibility to help preserve the park for the enjoyment of future generations. Some of our stewardship partnerships include the Green Restaurant Association 3-star rating, ISO 14001 certification, EPA's Green Power Partnership, and the local RRR Business Leaders program. By supporting the Foundation’s Visitor Donation Program, the lodge and our guests contribute to park preservation efforts to help protect park facilities. These partnerships ensure we meet our mission of protecting this beautiful park.

What is the best kept secret you’ve discovered in the park that you’d like to share with readers? For me, winter is the park’s best kept secret. The snow allows for many unique touring and wildlife viewing opportunities. During the summer season, the Signal Mountain Summit trail connected to the resort is a favorite. You can complete the 6-mile loop without seeing another visitor.

Thank you, Signal Mountain Lodge, for all you do to protect Grand Teton, inspire its visitors, and set an example for other businesses working in or around our country's national parks.