Interagency News Release
Grand Teton National Park
Bridger-Teton National Forest
April 29, 2008
Teton interagency fire managers plan to conduct several prescribed fires this spring to treat more than 2,900 acres of wildland fuels. Projects are scheduled for locations in Kemmerer, Pinedale and Jackson Hole, and include: the Granite Creek area in Grand Teton National Park; the Lava Creek area east of Moran Junction; Hoback Ranches on the Bridger-Teton National Forest; and the Chicken Creek area on the south end of the Wind River mountains. In addition, the Kemmerer district will be burning piles in the Fontenelle Basin. If weather conditions are conducive, firefighters will burn these proposed units during the next few weeks of May.
“Prescribed fires in the spring create a mosaic of burned and unburned fuels, resulting in diverse wildlife habitat and vigorous plant regrowth,” said Interagency Fuels Specialist Mack McFarland. “However, prolonged winter weather conditions have pushed back our normal spring burning by as much as two weeks. These conditions have also created a short window of opportunity between snow off and green up when prescribed fires can be effectively used to treat target acres.”
North Zone Projects:
Lava Creek – This prescribed fire, which is primarily on the Bridger-Teton National Forest, includes two units totaling 182-acres in the Buffalo Valley defensible space fuels reduction project. The project area contains primarily sagebrush and grass fuels with intermixed aspen and conifer-encroached aspen stands. The prescribed fire will help break up the continuity of brush fields while maintaining or increasing the coverage of aspen stands to reduce the potential for high-intensity fires.
Granite Creek – This prescribed fire includes 92 acres of sagebrush and grass near Poker Flats at Grand Teton National Park’s southern boundary. Along with reintroducing fire to create a mosaic of burned and unburned areas to enhance habitat, this project will modify fuel loading to reduce fire behavior in the event of a wildfire in an area that borders private residences and lands, and includes park buildings and other facilities.
Both projects focus on creating defensible space around park and forest developed areas, and target accumulations of flammable fuels to minimize risk of future high-intensity wildland fires.
East Zone Projects:
Hoback Ranches Pile Burn – This prescribed fire on the Bridger-Teton National Forest includes 10 units and a total of 250 acres of piles near the community of Hoback Ranches. Burning of these piles is a follow up treatment to the Hoback Ranches wildland urban interface thinning that was completed in 2005 and 2006.
Chicken Creek – This project is a landscape burn in sagebrush, grass, and aspen fuel types. The purpose of the project is to increase habitat diversity and structure to improve the vegetative quality and quantity in deer and elk transition range in the Chicken Creek and Squaw Creek areas of the Pinedale Ranger District. The prescribed fire area includes 2,310 acres.
“Even though April has provided colder than normal temperatures, and delayed our spring burning, I am hopeful that we will still have a burn window to accomplish some fuels and wildlife related objectives,” said Bridger-Teton’s East Zone Fuels Asst. Fire Management Officer Mark Randall.
Fire managers will proceed with prescribed fire ignitions when favorable weather and fire behavior conditions are met. Smoke will be visible the day of the burn, and may persist for several days, especially in mountain valleys during early morning and evenings. Please use caution in the vicinity of the fires and be aware that minimal traffic restrictions may be implemented to allow for public and firefighter safety and fire equipment access.
For more information about prescribed fires, please call 307-739-3692 for park information or 307-739-5500 for forest information.
Caution Advised for Bears Actively Seeking Food
Interagency News Release
Grand Teton National Park
Wyoming Game and Fish
April 24, 2008
Local residents living in the greater Jackson Hole area are cautioned that bears—including grizzly bears—are actively seeking food and have recently visited residences where attractants such as bird feeders, composting bins, garbage, and pet foods have been stored outside during the winter months. Since bears are out of their winter dens, these attractants must be cleaned up immediately and stored out of reach of bears to prevent them from obtaining food rewards. Access to human food habituates bears, and habituated animals can lose their fear of humans—which in turn threatens the safety of both people and the bears themselves. Responsible residents of Jackson Hole should annually secure all food, garbage and other odorous items during early spring when hungry bears have emerged from hibernation.
As bears leave their winter dens, they search for any food source that will help restore fat reserves lost during hibernation. Winter-weakened animals and winter-killed wildlife carcasses generally provide immediate sources of protein. When these carcasses are not readily available to bears, they may search for other foods, including easily obtained human-foods. After snow banks recede, bears also dig up and eat burrowing rodents and spring wildflowers; however, with a significant snowpack remaining from the rigorous winter, access to these food sources may be limited.
As bears have once again become active, appropriate precautions for traveling in bear country must be taken. Do not approach a bear under any circumstances. This is particularly important for situations involving bears with cubs, and bears near a carcass or other food source. Be especially alert for the possibility of bears scavenging on a winter-killed animal carcass. If fresh bear sign or scavenger birds (ravens, magpies, and eagles) are present, leave the area and take an alternate route of travel to avoid a potential encounter with bears that may be feeding at that location.
When traveling in bear country, precautionary measures should be exercised, including carrying bear pepper spray and keeping it easily accessible for ready use. Please take the time to learn how to properly handle bear pepper spray and remember that having it with you is not a substitute for being alert. While enjoying the Jackson Hole backcountry, hikers should exercise good judgment and follow recommended safety precautions, such as making noise and traveling in a group.
Local residents and park visitors are requested to report any sightings of bears—or signs of their activities—near developed areas. Reports should be made as soon as possible to the nearest park visitor center, ranger station, or the Wyoming Game and Fish Department office. This timely information will assist wildlife officials in keeping the public informed about recent bear activity, and in keeping bears away from unnatural food sources.
Grand Teton National Park
Wyoming Game and Fish
April 24, 2008
Local residents living in the greater Jackson Hole area are cautioned that bears—including grizzly bears—are actively seeking food and have recently visited residences where attractants such as bird feeders, composting bins, garbage, and pet foods have been stored outside during the winter months. Since bears are out of their winter dens, these attractants must be cleaned up immediately and stored out of reach of bears to prevent them from obtaining food rewards. Access to human food habituates bears, and habituated animals can lose their fear of humans—which in turn threatens the safety of both people and the bears themselves. Responsible residents of Jackson Hole should annually secure all food, garbage and other odorous items during early spring when hungry bears have emerged from hibernation.
As bears leave their winter dens, they search for any food source that will help restore fat reserves lost during hibernation. Winter-weakened animals and winter-killed wildlife carcasses generally provide immediate sources of protein. When these carcasses are not readily available to bears, they may search for other foods, including easily obtained human-foods. After snow banks recede, bears also dig up and eat burrowing rodents and spring wildflowers; however, with a significant snowpack remaining from the rigorous winter, access to these food sources may be limited.
As bears have once again become active, appropriate precautions for traveling in bear country must be taken. Do not approach a bear under any circumstances. This is particularly important for situations involving bears with cubs, and bears near a carcass or other food source. Be especially alert for the possibility of bears scavenging on a winter-killed animal carcass. If fresh bear sign or scavenger birds (ravens, magpies, and eagles) are present, leave the area and take an alternate route of travel to avoid a potential encounter with bears that may be feeding at that location.
When traveling in bear country, precautionary measures should be exercised, including carrying bear pepper spray and keeping it easily accessible for ready use. Please take the time to learn how to properly handle bear pepper spray and remember that having it with you is not a substitute for being alert. While enjoying the Jackson Hole backcountry, hikers should exercise good judgment and follow recommended safety precautions, such as making noise and traveling in a group.
Local residents and park visitors are requested to report any sightings of bears—or signs of their activities—near developed areas. Reports should be made as soon as possible to the nearest park visitor center, ranger station, or the Wyoming Game and Fish Department office. This timely information will assist wildlife officials in keeping the public informed about recent bear activity, and in keeping bears away from unnatural food sources.
Facilities and Services Opening Dates for Grand Teton National Park
April 24, 2008
08-14
Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott announced today the official opening dates for facilities and services in Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway for the 2008 season.
Roads
The following roads will open to motorized vehicles Thursday, May 1:
Teton Park Road
Moose-Wilson Road
The Antelope Flats Road reopened to vehicle traffic in mid April. The Grassy Lake Road, in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, is scheduled to open June 1. Please drive cautiously and be aware that wildlife are migrating throughout the park and crossing park roads, especially during dawn and dusk. In addition, springtime repair work may be underway on any park roads. The Moose-Wilson Road is currently scheduled to be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, May 9 so that dust abatement work can be performed on the unpaved portion of the roadway. For current road information contact the park at 307.739.3614.
Entrance Stations
The Moose, Moran and Granite Canyon entrance stations are open. Fee options include:
$12 7-day permit for foot/bicycle entry into Grand Teton & Yellowstone national parks
$20 7-day permit for motorcycle entry into Grand Teton & Yellowstone national parks
$25 7-day permit for vehicle entry into Grand Teton & Yellowstone national parks
$50 Grand Teton/Yellowstone Annual Pass valid for one-year entry into both parks
$80 Interagency Annual Pass valid for one year entry to all fee areas on federal lands
Personal checks may not be used for payment at park entrance stations, and personal identification is required for entering the park with any pass that requires a signature. A photo machine is in operation at the Moose Entrance Station for processing photos—free of charge—to be placed onto the Annual Pass for Grand Teton and Yellowstone. This "photo pass" eliminates the need for other personal identification whenever entering the park using this particular pass. Entrance station staff will take photos upon request.
Bicyclists are reminded that they must stop and show an entry pass before proceeding through the gates, just as vehicles are required to do.
Visitor Centers
The Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center is open daily, year-round. Other visitor information centers will open on the following dates:
Colter Bay Visitor Center
May 10
Jenny Lake Visitor Center
May 10
Jenny Lake Ranger Station
May 17
Flagg Ranch Information Station
June 2
Laurance S. Rockefeller Interpretive Center
June 22
Ranger-led activities begin Monday, June 2. An activity schedule can be found in the park's newspaper, Teewinot, or online at www.nps.gov/grte.
Campgrounds
The following campgrounds will open:
Gros Ventre
May 9
Signal Mountain
May 9
Jenny Lake
May 12
Colter Bay
May 23
Colter Bay RV & Trailer Park
May 23
Flagg Ranch RV Park
May 23
Lizard Creek
June 6
Fees for an individual campsite are $18 per night, and hiker/bicyclist camping fees are $7.00 per site, at any of the following concession-operated campgrounds within Grand Teton National Park: Colter Bay, Gros Ventre, Jenny Lake, Lizard Creek, and Signal Mountain. These campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
Group sites at Colter Bay and Gros Ventre campgrounds are available by reservation at a cost of $5.00 per person, per night. Reservations may be made by calling either 307.543.3100 or 800.628.9988.
Reservations can also be made for camping at either Colter Bay or Flagg Ranch RV Parks; additional fees are charged for RV campgrounds with hook-ups.
Camping is also available outside the park in nearby forest areas and at other public and private facilities.
Backcountry campsite reservations may be made until May 15 with a $25 non-refundable fee. Reservations can be made online at www.nps.gov/grte/, by fax at 307.739.3438, or by mail to Grand Teton National Park, Backcountry Permits, P.O. Box 170, Moose, WY 83012. After May 15, all backcountry site permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis.
Lodging
The following concessioner-operated facilities will open:
Signal Mountain Lodge
May 9
Flagg Ranch Resort
May 12
Jackson Lake Lodge
May 19
Colter Bay Cabins
May 23
Jenny Lake Lodge
May 30
For additional information about activities and services within Grand Teton National Park or the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, please visit the park's Web site www.nps.gov/grte, stop by any visitor center and ranger station, or call 307.739.3300.
08-14
Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott announced today the official opening dates for facilities and services in Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway for the 2008 season.
Roads
The following roads will open to motorized vehicles Thursday, May 1:
Teton Park Road
Moose-Wilson Road
The Antelope Flats Road reopened to vehicle traffic in mid April. The Grassy Lake Road, in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, is scheduled to open June 1. Please drive cautiously and be aware that wildlife are migrating throughout the park and crossing park roads, especially during dawn and dusk. In addition, springtime repair work may be underway on any park roads. The Moose-Wilson Road is currently scheduled to be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, May 9 so that dust abatement work can be performed on the unpaved portion of the roadway. For current road information contact the park at 307.739.3614.
Entrance Stations
The Moose, Moran and Granite Canyon entrance stations are open. Fee options include:
$12 7-day permit for foot/bicycle entry into Grand Teton & Yellowstone national parks
$20 7-day permit for motorcycle entry into Grand Teton & Yellowstone national parks
$25 7-day permit for vehicle entry into Grand Teton & Yellowstone national parks
$50 Grand Teton/Yellowstone Annual Pass valid for one-year entry into both parks
$80 Interagency Annual Pass valid for one year entry to all fee areas on federal lands
Personal checks may not be used for payment at park entrance stations, and personal identification is required for entering the park with any pass that requires a signature. A photo machine is in operation at the Moose Entrance Station for processing photos—free of charge—to be placed onto the Annual Pass for Grand Teton and Yellowstone. This "photo pass" eliminates the need for other personal identification whenever entering the park using this particular pass. Entrance station staff will take photos upon request.
Bicyclists are reminded that they must stop and show an entry pass before proceeding through the gates, just as vehicles are required to do.
Visitor Centers
The Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center is open daily, year-round. Other visitor information centers will open on the following dates:
Colter Bay Visitor Center
May 10
Jenny Lake Visitor Center
May 10
Jenny Lake Ranger Station
May 17
Flagg Ranch Information Station
June 2
Laurance S. Rockefeller Interpretive Center
June 22
Ranger-led activities begin Monday, June 2. An activity schedule can be found in the park's newspaper, Teewinot, or online at www.nps.gov/grte.
Campgrounds
The following campgrounds will open:
Gros Ventre
May 9
Signal Mountain
May 9
Jenny Lake
May 12
Colter Bay
May 23
Colter Bay RV & Trailer Park
May 23
Flagg Ranch RV Park
May 23
Lizard Creek
June 6
Fees for an individual campsite are $18 per night, and hiker/bicyclist camping fees are $7.00 per site, at any of the following concession-operated campgrounds within Grand Teton National Park: Colter Bay, Gros Ventre, Jenny Lake, Lizard Creek, and Signal Mountain. These campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
Group sites at Colter Bay and Gros Ventre campgrounds are available by reservation at a cost of $5.00 per person, per night. Reservations may be made by calling either 307.543.3100 or 800.628.9988.
Reservations can also be made for camping at either Colter Bay or Flagg Ranch RV Parks; additional fees are charged for RV campgrounds with hook-ups.
Camping is also available outside the park in nearby forest areas and at other public and private facilities.
Backcountry campsite reservations may be made until May 15 with a $25 non-refundable fee. Reservations can be made online at www.nps.gov/grte/, by fax at 307.739.3438, or by mail to Grand Teton National Park, Backcountry Permits, P.O. Box 170, Moose, WY 83012. After May 15, all backcountry site permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis.
Lodging
The following concessioner-operated facilities will open:
Signal Mountain Lodge
May 9
Flagg Ranch Resort
May 12
Jackson Lake Lodge
May 19
Colter Bay Cabins
May 23
Jenny Lake Lodge
May 30
For additional information about activities and services within Grand Teton National Park or the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, please visit the park's Web site www.nps.gov/grte, stop by any visitor center and ranger station, or call 307.739.3300.
Grand Teton National Park Purchases Green Power from Lower Valley Energy
April 21, 2008
08-13
In recognition of Earth Day 2008, Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott announced today that Grand Teton National Park will purchase 100% green power through Lower Valley Energy’s Green Power Program. The decision to purchase green energy to provide electricity for all of the park’s visitor and operational facilities was made for multiple reasons: to reduce Grand Teton National Park’s carbon footprint, to support the development and growth of renewable energy technologies, and to protect the environment. The renewable energy resources used to produce green power—such as wind, solar and water—are clean sources of energy that minimize negative environmental impacts in comparison to conventional energy technologies produced by burning fossil fuels—such as coal, oil and natural gas.
By purchasing 100% green power, Grand Teton National Park joins other local and regional organizations, businesses and individuals who support greater reliance on renewable resources. Renewable energy technologies can also encourage local economic development, provide a potential source of domestic jobs, and promote better national energy security.
“The National Park Service’s commitment toward conservation and preservation of our natural resources has always been paramount,” stated Superintendent Scott. “Therefore, the decision to redirect Grand Teton’s energy use toward appropriate renewable sources through Lower Valley Energy’s Green Power Program is in keeping with both the NPS philosophy and mission. We appreciate the opportunity to select power from these alternative energy sources, and we commend Lower Valley Energy for their efforts in making this possible.”
08-13
In recognition of Earth Day 2008, Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott announced today that Grand Teton National Park will purchase 100% green power through Lower Valley Energy’s Green Power Program. The decision to purchase green energy to provide electricity for all of the park’s visitor and operational facilities was made for multiple reasons: to reduce Grand Teton National Park’s carbon footprint, to support the development and growth of renewable energy technologies, and to protect the environment. The renewable energy resources used to produce green power—such as wind, solar and water—are clean sources of energy that minimize negative environmental impacts in comparison to conventional energy technologies produced by burning fossil fuels—such as coal, oil and natural gas.
By purchasing 100% green power, Grand Teton National Park joins other local and regional organizations, businesses and individuals who support greater reliance on renewable resources. Renewable energy technologies can also encourage local economic development, provide a potential source of domestic jobs, and promote better national energy security.
“The National Park Service’s commitment toward conservation and preservation of our natural resources has always been paramount,” stated Superintendent Scott. “Therefore, the decision to redirect Grand Teton’s energy use toward appropriate renewable sources through Lower Valley Energy’s Green Power Program is in keeping with both the NPS philosophy and mission. We appreciate the opportunity to select power from these alternative energy sources, and we commend Lower Valley Energy for their efforts in making this possible.”
Essential Precautions for Safety of Visitors and Bears in Grand Teton National Park
April 15, 2008
08-12
Bears have recently emerged from hibernation in and around Grand Teton National Park, and once again, park visitors and local residents have the unique opportunity to witness the natural activities of grizzly bears and black bears throughout the park. Home ranges for some bears include roadside areas of Grand Teton, bringing them in close proximity to people. Consequently, safety precautions must be exercised to secure the continued health and welfare of bears throughout the park, and to ensure the safety of visitors. During the next few months, a cadre of park employees will be monitoring and managing roadside wildlife watching in an effort to make sure that people maintain a safe distance not only from bears, but also from other animals such as bison, moose, and elk.
Among the grizzly bears that make their home in Grand Teton is a family that includes bear #399, a twelve-year-old female, and her three two-year-old cubs. This foursome became a highly-visible attraction along park roadsides and developed areas during the 2006 and 2007 seasons with hundreds of admirers regularly stopping to photograph and observe them at close range. Over her lifetime, #399 has become comfortable using habitat in close proximity to roads and other developments, and is now habituated to humans. Nonetheless, she and her cubs remain wild, naturally foraging bears that are potentially dangerous. Because grizzlies usually wean their young after two full years, grizzly #399’s cubs are expected to be on their own and fending for themselves sometime this spring or summer. They may continue to roam near people and park roads in the absence of their mother, making them more vulnerable to humans and their activities. One or more may also venture outside the park in search of new home ranges.
Park biologists and Wyoming Game and Fish biologists (who have responsibility for bears outside the park) want to ensure that the cubs remain wild and reliant upon natural food sources only. The fate of these and other bears could easily be influenced by careless park visitors or local residents who approach the bears too closely, or store food and other bear attractants (such as bird feeders) inappropriately. Inside the park, food storage regulations are in force and must be complied with at all times. Visitors are also required to keep a safe distance from bears at all times; the recommended distance to maintain from any bear (black or grizzly) is 100 yards—the length of a football field.
Wildlife managers want to avoid the need for management action on these and other bears and are requesting the public’s help to ensure that they do not come into contact with artificial food sources. When bears become conditioned to human foods or threaten human safety, relocating them to remote areas or in extreme situations removing them from the population sometimes becomes necessary.
A temporary wildlife closure will be implemented from May 15 through July 15 in the Willow Flats area below Jackson Lake Lodge, in order to prevent human-bear encounters in an area where elk calving annually occurs, and bears actively pursue this abundant food source. Signs will be posted to alert visitors of the closure area and inform them of associated safety concerns.
To keep all grizzly bears and black bears wild and free, people must practice good “bear aware” etiquette and be responsible while recreating in Grand Teton National Park. For further information about being “bear aware,” please consult the park’s newspaper, Teewinot, visit the park’s Web site at www.nps.gov/grte, or stop by any park visitor center.
—NPS—
08-12
Bears have recently emerged from hibernation in and around Grand Teton National Park, and once again, park visitors and local residents have the unique opportunity to witness the natural activities of grizzly bears and black bears throughout the park. Home ranges for some bears include roadside areas of Grand Teton, bringing them in close proximity to people. Consequently, safety precautions must be exercised to secure the continued health and welfare of bears throughout the park, and to ensure the safety of visitors. During the next few months, a cadre of park employees will be monitoring and managing roadside wildlife watching in an effort to make sure that people maintain a safe distance not only from bears, but also from other animals such as bison, moose, and elk.
Among the grizzly bears that make their home in Grand Teton is a family that includes bear #399, a twelve-year-old female, and her three two-year-old cubs. This foursome became a highly-visible attraction along park roadsides and developed areas during the 2006 and 2007 seasons with hundreds of admirers regularly stopping to photograph and observe them at close range. Over her lifetime, #399 has become comfortable using habitat in close proximity to roads and other developments, and is now habituated to humans. Nonetheless, she and her cubs remain wild, naturally foraging bears that are potentially dangerous. Because grizzlies usually wean their young after two full years, grizzly #399’s cubs are expected to be on their own and fending for themselves sometime this spring or summer. They may continue to roam near people and park roads in the absence of their mother, making them more vulnerable to humans and their activities. One or more may also venture outside the park in search of new home ranges.
Park biologists and Wyoming Game and Fish biologists (who have responsibility for bears outside the park) want to ensure that the cubs remain wild and reliant upon natural food sources only. The fate of these and other bears could easily be influenced by careless park visitors or local residents who approach the bears too closely, or store food and other bear attractants (such as bird feeders) inappropriately. Inside the park, food storage regulations are in force and must be complied with at all times. Visitors are also required to keep a safe distance from bears at all times; the recommended distance to maintain from any bear (black or grizzly) is 100 yards—the length of a football field.
Wildlife managers want to avoid the need for management action on these and other bears and are requesting the public’s help to ensure that they do not come into contact with artificial food sources. When bears become conditioned to human foods or threaten human safety, relocating them to remote areas or in extreme situations removing them from the population sometimes becomes necessary.
A temporary wildlife closure will be implemented from May 15 through July 15 in the Willow Flats area below Jackson Lake Lodge, in order to prevent human-bear encounters in an area where elk calving annually occurs, and bears actively pursue this abundant food source. Signs will be posted to alert visitors of the closure area and inform them of associated safety concerns.
To keep all grizzly bears and black bears wild and free, people must practice good “bear aware” etiquette and be responsible while recreating in Grand Teton National Park. For further information about being “bear aware,” please consult the park’s newspaper, Teewinot, visit the park’s Web site at www.nps.gov/grte, or stop by any park visitor center.
—NPS—
Bears Emerge From Hibernation in Grand Teton National Park
April 15, 2008
08-11
Bears are emerging from their winter dens; consequently, local residents and park visitors need to be alert for the presence of bears within Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. As bears once again become active, appropriate precautions for traveling in bear country must be taken. Recently, bears were observed near Moran, Jackson Lake Lodge, and the Oxbow Bend. Tracks were seen along the Teton Park Road.
When bears leave their winter dens, they search for any food source that will help restore fat reserves lost during hibernation. Winter-weakened animals and winter-killed wildlife carcasses provide immediate sources of protein and are vigorously defended by hungry bears. As snow banks recede, bears also dig up and eat burrowing rodents and spring wildflowers. Historically, adult male bears emerge from hibernation by mid to late March. Female bears, accompanied by their cubs, emerge later in the spring and are especially protective of their young. Any bear will defend a food source against perceived threats.
Do not approach a bear under any circumstances. This is particularly important for situations involving bears with cubs, or bears near a carcass or other food source.
When traveling in bear country, precautionary measures include carrying bear pepper spray and keeping it easily accessible for ready use. Please take the time to learn how to properly handle bear pepper spray and remember that having it with you is not a substitute for being alert. While enjoying the park’s backcountry, hikers should exercise good judgment and follow recommended safety precautions, such as making noise and traveling in a group.
Visitors should report any bear sightings or signs of their activity to the nearest visitor center or ranger station as soon as possible. This timely information will assist park staff in keeping visitors informed about recent bear activity, and in keeping bears away from unnatural food sources. Access to human food habituates bears. Habituated animals can lose their fear of humans, which threatens the safety of both park visitors and the bears themselves. Park visitors are reminded to keep food, garbage and other odorous items unavailable to bears by either storing attractants inside vehicles or disposing of garbage in a bear-resistant trash can or dumpster.
For further information on how to behave when hiking, camping or picnicking in bear country, read the park’s newspaper, Teewinot, online at www.nps.gov/grte .
—NPS—
www.nps.gov/grte
08-11
Bears are emerging from their winter dens; consequently, local residents and park visitors need to be alert for the presence of bears within Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. As bears once again become active, appropriate precautions for traveling in bear country must be taken. Recently, bears were observed near Moran, Jackson Lake Lodge, and the Oxbow Bend. Tracks were seen along the Teton Park Road.
When bears leave their winter dens, they search for any food source that will help restore fat reserves lost during hibernation. Winter-weakened animals and winter-killed wildlife carcasses provide immediate sources of protein and are vigorously defended by hungry bears. As snow banks recede, bears also dig up and eat burrowing rodents and spring wildflowers. Historically, adult male bears emerge from hibernation by mid to late March. Female bears, accompanied by their cubs, emerge later in the spring and are especially protective of their young. Any bear will defend a food source against perceived threats.
Do not approach a bear under any circumstances. This is particularly important for situations involving bears with cubs, or bears near a carcass or other food source.
When traveling in bear country, precautionary measures include carrying bear pepper spray and keeping it easily accessible for ready use. Please take the time to learn how to properly handle bear pepper spray and remember that having it with you is not a substitute for being alert. While enjoying the park’s backcountry, hikers should exercise good judgment and follow recommended safety precautions, such as making noise and traveling in a group.
Visitors should report any bear sightings or signs of their activity to the nearest visitor center or ranger station as soon as possible. This timely information will assist park staff in keeping visitors informed about recent bear activity, and in keeping bears away from unnatural food sources. Access to human food habituates bears. Habituated animals can lose their fear of humans, which threatens the safety of both park visitors and the bears themselves. Park visitors are reminded to keep food, garbage and other odorous items unavailable to bears by either storing attractants inside vehicles or disposing of garbage in a bear-resistant trash can or dumpster.
For further information on how to behave when hiking, camping or picnicking in bear country, read the park’s newspaper, Teewinot, online at www.nps.gov/grte .
—NPS—
www.nps.gov/grte
Ranger-led Activities Scheduled for April
April 4, 2008
09-10
Grand Teton National Park will highlight the return of spring—and observe National Park Week and Junior Ranger Day—by offering various ranger-led activities during the month of April.
A rite of spring annually celebrated in Grand Teton involves viewing sage grouse as they display and perform their yearly mating dance. Park rangers will lead early-morning tours to observe strutting sage grouse on a traditional lek (mating arena) located just off the Antelope Flats Road near Mormon Row. These ranger-led excursions offer a unique opportunity to view a spring-time ritual, as sage grouse congregate to perform animated displays. Rangers will also provide information about the natural history of sage grouse and conservation efforts underway to protect grouse populations throughout the West.
Strutting Grouse Tours begin from the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose, Wyoming, and visitors can join these excursions on several consecutive April weekends. Tours start at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Depending upon snow conditions, the first one is tentatively scheduled for April 12-13. Other tours will be held on April 19-20, and April 26-27. Reservations are required. Please call the Discovery Center at 739.3399 to make a reservation and confirm that a tour will be held on a particular day. The Discovery Center will also provide information about what to wear and bring along on these ranger-led trips.
National Park Week will be observed across the country during the week of April 19–27. The week-long celebration offers diverse opportunities for U.S. citizens and international visitors to explore and learn about America’s exceptional natural, cultural, and recreational heritage. National Park Week also salutes the many individuals, groups and associations that help to make the National Park System one of this Nation’s greatest assets. Additional information about National Park Week is available on the National Park Service Web site at http://www.nps.gov/.
Junior Ranger Day will be celebrated on April 26, 2008. To encourage young people to learn more about national parks across America and make a personal connection to their national heritage, Grand Teton park rangers will conduct special activities at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center. Participants will embark on a journey of discovery to learn about animals, wildlife habitat, and other park features. At the conclusion of the activities, the children will earn their Junior Ranger designation and receive a Junior Ranger patch.
The Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center provides educational opportunities in an engaging and relaxing atmosphere. Parents looking for family activities to enjoy while their kids are on spring-break from school may consider a visit to the Discovery Center located in Moose, Wyoming. The Discovery Center, open daily between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., offers the chance to learn about the history, people, landscape, and wildlife that make Grand Teton a unique national park. Visitors can also experience the sights and sounds of the park in all seasons through the unique video river exhibit. In addition, a 24-minute high definition documentary film about the park is regularly shown throughout the day in the Director’s Room.
For further information about the grouse watching tours, National Park Week, Junior Ranger Day, or the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, please call 739.3399.
09-10
Grand Teton National Park will highlight the return of spring—and observe National Park Week and Junior Ranger Day—by offering various ranger-led activities during the month of April.
A rite of spring annually celebrated in Grand Teton involves viewing sage grouse as they display and perform their yearly mating dance. Park rangers will lead early-morning tours to observe strutting sage grouse on a traditional lek (mating arena) located just off the Antelope Flats Road near Mormon Row. These ranger-led excursions offer a unique opportunity to view a spring-time ritual, as sage grouse congregate to perform animated displays. Rangers will also provide information about the natural history of sage grouse and conservation efforts underway to protect grouse populations throughout the West.
Strutting Grouse Tours begin from the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose, Wyoming, and visitors can join these excursions on several consecutive April weekends. Tours start at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Depending upon snow conditions, the first one is tentatively scheduled for April 12-13. Other tours will be held on April 19-20, and April 26-27. Reservations are required. Please call the Discovery Center at 739.3399 to make a reservation and confirm that a tour will be held on a particular day. The Discovery Center will also provide information about what to wear and bring along on these ranger-led trips.
National Park Week will be observed across the country during the week of April 19–27. The week-long celebration offers diverse opportunities for U.S. citizens and international visitors to explore and learn about America’s exceptional natural, cultural, and recreational heritage. National Park Week also salutes the many individuals, groups and associations that help to make the National Park System one of this Nation’s greatest assets. Additional information about National Park Week is available on the National Park Service Web site at http://www.nps.gov/.
Junior Ranger Day will be celebrated on April 26, 2008. To encourage young people to learn more about national parks across America and make a personal connection to their national heritage, Grand Teton park rangers will conduct special activities at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center. Participants will embark on a journey of discovery to learn about animals, wildlife habitat, and other park features. At the conclusion of the activities, the children will earn their Junior Ranger designation and receive a Junior Ranger patch.
The Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center provides educational opportunities in an engaging and relaxing atmosphere. Parents looking for family activities to enjoy while their kids are on spring-break from school may consider a visit to the Discovery Center located in Moose, Wyoming. The Discovery Center, open daily between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., offers the chance to learn about the history, people, landscape, and wildlife that make Grand Teton a unique national park. Visitors can also experience the sights and sounds of the park in all seasons through the unique video river exhibit. In addition, a 24-minute high definition documentary film about the park is regularly shown throughout the day in the Director’s Room.
For further information about the grouse watching tours, National Park Week, Junior Ranger Day, or the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, please call 739.3399.
Teton Park Road Opens for Spring Activities
April 1, 2008
08-09
The Teton Park Road in Grand Teton National Park has been plowed and may be used for non-motorized activities such as hiking, biking, and inline skating from Taggart Lake parking area to Signal Mountain. While the road is mainly clear of snow from Taggart Lake to Jenny Lake, areas north of South Jenny Lake junction have received additional snow from recent storms, and snow removal by rotary equipment and plows is currently underway to clear newly-formed drifts. For safety reasons, visitors should exercise caution whenever approaching snow removal equipment on the Teton Park Road. Visitors should also be alert for park vehicles that may occasionally travel the road for administrative purposes.
The Moose-Wilson Road has also been plowed and opened for non-motorized use.
Leashed dogs are permitted on the Teton Park, Antelope Flats, and Moose-Wilson roads, as well as other park roadways. Dogs are restricted to roads and turnouts—they are not permitted to travel beyond fifty feet from roadbeds or into the park’s backcountry. Owners failing to keep pets on a leash (six foot maximum length) may cause the future prohibition of dogs on park roads.
Mutt Mitt stations are in place at the Taggart Lake parking area and pet owners are required to use waste disposal bags to pick up after their dogs.
As a reminder, entrance stations are operating and collecting fees. Fee options are as follows:
$12 for a 7-day permit for foot/bicycle entry into Grand Teton & Yellowstone national parks
$20 for a 7-day permit for motorcycle entry into Grand Teton & Yellowstone national parks
$25 for a 7-day permit for vehicle entry into Grand Teton & Yellowstone national parks
$50 for a Grand Teton/Yellowstone Annual Pass valid for one-year entry into both parks
$80 for an Interagency Annual Pass valid for one year entry to all fee areas on federal lands
When entering the park using a pass, please be sure to bring personal identification.
Bicyclists are required to stop and show an entry pass before proceeding through the gates, just as motorized vehicles are required to do.
The annual springtime opening of the Teton Park Road is a much anticipated event because it provides a unique and excellent opportunity to access the roadway before regular vehicle traffic begins for the summer. Both the Teton Park and Moose-Wilson roads will open to vehicle traffic for the full summer season on Thursday, May 1, 2008.
08-09
The Teton Park Road in Grand Teton National Park has been plowed and may be used for non-motorized activities such as hiking, biking, and inline skating from Taggart Lake parking area to Signal Mountain. While the road is mainly clear of snow from Taggart Lake to Jenny Lake, areas north of South Jenny Lake junction have received additional snow from recent storms, and snow removal by rotary equipment and plows is currently underway to clear newly-formed drifts. For safety reasons, visitors should exercise caution whenever approaching snow removal equipment on the Teton Park Road. Visitors should also be alert for park vehicles that may occasionally travel the road for administrative purposes.
The Moose-Wilson Road has also been plowed and opened for non-motorized use.
Leashed dogs are permitted on the Teton Park, Antelope Flats, and Moose-Wilson roads, as well as other park roadways. Dogs are restricted to roads and turnouts—they are not permitted to travel beyond fifty feet from roadbeds or into the park’s backcountry. Owners failing to keep pets on a leash (six foot maximum length) may cause the future prohibition of dogs on park roads.
Mutt Mitt stations are in place at the Taggart Lake parking area and pet owners are required to use waste disposal bags to pick up after their dogs.
As a reminder, entrance stations are operating and collecting fees. Fee options are as follows:
$12 for a 7-day permit for foot/bicycle entry into Grand Teton & Yellowstone national parks
$20 for a 7-day permit for motorcycle entry into Grand Teton & Yellowstone national parks
$25 for a 7-day permit for vehicle entry into Grand Teton & Yellowstone national parks
$50 for a Grand Teton/Yellowstone Annual Pass valid for one-year entry into both parks
$80 for an Interagency Annual Pass valid for one year entry to all fee areas on federal lands
When entering the park using a pass, please be sure to bring personal identification.
Bicyclists are required to stop and show an entry pass before proceeding through the gates, just as motorized vehicles are required to do.
The annual springtime opening of the Teton Park Road is a much anticipated event because it provides a unique and excellent opportunity to access the roadway before regular vehicle traffic begins for the summer. Both the Teton Park and Moose-Wilson roads will open to vehicle traffic for the full summer season on Thursday, May 1, 2008.
Temporary Widlife Closure for Sage Grouse
April 1, 2008
08-08
Grand Teton National Park has implemented a temporary public closure to protect breeding sage grouse at the Moulton Ranch lek (a seasonal mating arena) off the Antelope Flats Road. From March 31 to May 15, 2008, a quarter-mile radius around the lek site will be posted as closed to all public entry to reduce human disturbance on grouse hens and males who traditionally use the area during their annual mating time. Observance of this temporary, seasonal wildlife closure will reduce unnecessary stress on the grouse. Violations of the closure may result in a citation.
To minimize disturbance to sage grouse while allowing for bird watching, a viewing area has been established at the southwest side of the wildlife closure. Visitors may reach this viewing area by parking at a small pullout near the Moulton cabins and walking along a gated, dirt road that heads north from the junction with Antelope Flats Road; the viewing area is located just east of this road. Visitors must observe the wildlife closure signs, stay within the viewing area, and not approach grouse at any time.
Sage grouse are highly sensitive to human disturbance such as car doors slamming, loud noises, radios, human voices, and people approaching too closely. These disturbances can cause birds to flush, and continual disturbances can result in birds permanently abandoning or re-locating lek sites. To reduce impacts on sage grouse, visitors should arrive at the viewing area well before sunrise and not leave until after the birds have completed their morning display. Visitors should remain as quiet as possible and refrain from talking until away from the viewing area.
Grand Teton National Park rangers will lead early-morning trips to observe the strutting sage grouse as they perform their springtime mating dance on this traditional lek. Strutting grouse tours are scheduled for Saturdays and Sundays during the weekends of April 12-13, April 19-20, and April 26-27. Trips begin at 5:30 a.m. from the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, and reservations are required. Call the Discovery Center at 739.3399 to make reservations and obtain information about what to wear and bring along on these ranger-led excursions.
Sage grouse populations appear to be in decline throughout much of the West. The April weekend ranger-led tours offer local residents and park visitors a unique opportunity to see grouse as they perform their intriguing, seasonal mating dance.
08-08
Grand Teton National Park has implemented a temporary public closure to protect breeding sage grouse at the Moulton Ranch lek (a seasonal mating arena) off the Antelope Flats Road. From March 31 to May 15, 2008, a quarter-mile radius around the lek site will be posted as closed to all public entry to reduce human disturbance on grouse hens and males who traditionally use the area during their annual mating time. Observance of this temporary, seasonal wildlife closure will reduce unnecessary stress on the grouse. Violations of the closure may result in a citation.
To minimize disturbance to sage grouse while allowing for bird watching, a viewing area has been established at the southwest side of the wildlife closure. Visitors may reach this viewing area by parking at a small pullout near the Moulton cabins and walking along a gated, dirt road that heads north from the junction with Antelope Flats Road; the viewing area is located just east of this road. Visitors must observe the wildlife closure signs, stay within the viewing area, and not approach grouse at any time.
Sage grouse are highly sensitive to human disturbance such as car doors slamming, loud noises, radios, human voices, and people approaching too closely. These disturbances can cause birds to flush, and continual disturbances can result in birds permanently abandoning or re-locating lek sites. To reduce impacts on sage grouse, visitors should arrive at the viewing area well before sunrise and not leave until after the birds have completed their morning display. Visitors should remain as quiet as possible and refrain from talking until away from the viewing area.
Grand Teton National Park rangers will lead early-morning trips to observe the strutting sage grouse as they perform their springtime mating dance on this traditional lek. Strutting grouse tours are scheduled for Saturdays and Sundays during the weekends of April 12-13, April 19-20, and April 26-27. Trips begin at 5:30 a.m. from the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, and reservations are required. Call the Discovery Center at 739.3399 to make reservations and obtain information about what to wear and bring along on these ranger-led excursions.
Sage grouse populations appear to be in decline throughout much of the West. The April weekend ranger-led tours offer local residents and park visitors a unique opportunity to see grouse as they perform their intriguing, seasonal mating dance.
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