Public Scoping Initiated for Historic Properties Management Plan

The Snake River Land Co. building, located near Moran Junction,
was used during filming of Spencer's Mountain in the early 1960s. 

January 31, 2011

11-04

Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott invites the public to attend a meeting regarding the development of a comprehensive plan for management of Grand Teton National Park’s historic properties. The meeting will take place Tuesday, February 8, from 5–7 p.m. at the American Legion Post 43, 182 North Cache Street in Jackson, Wyoming. A short presentation on the historic properties will be followed by conversations with park staff to further inform participants about the scope of the plan and its objectives.

The Historic Properties Management Plan will provide general guidance for the administration of historic properties, and establish site-specific treatment for some locations. The plan will not re-evaluate historic properties currently used for visitor services, or for work space and housing by the park or its partners. Instead, analysis will focus on 14 historic properties that are currently without an identified use. Some of the properties may be listed as “in poor condition;” some may also be identified as having a high interest for the park, its partners, or the public. The properties include: 4 Lazy F Dude Ranch, Aspen Ridge Ranch residence and barn, Bar BC Dude Ranch, Geraldine Lucas Homestead/Fabian Place, Hunter Hereford Ranch, Leeks Lodge chimney, Luther Taylor historic district, Manges Cabin, McCollister residential complex, Moose entrance kiosk (historic building immediately east of the current entrance kiosks), Sky Ranch, Snake River Land Co. building, Wolff Ranch, and the upper Granite Canyon patrol cabin.

The plan will determine how each of these 14 properties should be managed and outline appropriate treatment: which could range from restoration or stabilization to removal of individual structures.

An increased emphasis on interpretation may be considered for some properties, including those already being used and maintained. The plan would guide the appropriate levels and means of interpretation related to the properties’ history, location, condition and use.

The plan will be adaptive, incorporating periodic evaluation of historic properties and their condition, as well as review of goals for park operations and visitor services.

For futher information about the Historic Properties Management Plan for Grand Teton National Park, please visit the park's planning website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/. Public comments on the plan will be accepted until March 11, 2011.

Special Activities on MLK Fee-Free Weekend

Big Dipper over Tetons during Full Moon

photo by Bob Hoyle, NPS

January 10, 2011
11-03

Grand Teton National Park—along with the 394 units of the national park system—will waive entrance fees during the upcoming Martin Luther King holiday weekend (January 15-17) as part of a nationwide initiative to encourage people to visit and experience the many wonders of national parks across America. To highlight the first entry-free weekend of 2011, Grand Teton ranger naturalists invite visitors and local residents to attend an Evening of Astronomy program at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose, and join an early evening snowshoe excursion on the Teton Park Road. Both activities will take place on Saturday, January 15.  

The Evening of Astronomy program begins Saturday afternoon at
5 p.m. in the Discovery Center’s auditorium with a 45-minute interactive presentation titled: Rangers of the Lost Dark. Ranger naturalists will introduce visitors to the incredible dark skies of Grand Teton National Park and provide tips on viewing the night sky during winter. No reservations are required for this program.

The Evening of Astronomy will continue with a twilight ranger-led snowshoe walk beginning at 6:15 p.m. from the Taggart Lake trailhead, located four miles north of the Discovery Center. The snowshoe walk will offer a chance to explore Grand Teton’s magical winter landscape by twilight and learn about the unique characteristics that make this season so remarkable. For centuries, people have used snowshoes as a means of winter travel, and ranger-led snowshoe excursions are designed to introduce beginning and casual snowshoe walkers to the experience of a winter trek in the company of others. The snowshoe walk will traverse a level, three-mile roundtrip distance along the snow-covered Teton Park Road. The two-hour long activity does not require previous snowshoeing experience, and snowshoes are provided for anyone without their own. Reservations are required for this outdoor activity; please call 307.739.3399 to reserve a spot.

Those attending the twilight snowshoe walk should wear warm layered clothing, sturdy insulated boots, and a face scarf or ski mask, plus bring along an energy snack and water or hot beverage in a thermos. Headlamps and flashlights are required as essential safety equipment for any outdoor trek.

For a complete list of wintertime ranger-led activities and programs, please refer to the park’s newspaper, Teewinot, online at www.nps.gov/grte, or call the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center at 307.739.3399.

Rangers Rescue Stranded Snowboarder & Snowshoers from Backcountry on Same-Day

January 9, 2011
11-02
Grand Teton National Park rangers and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort ski patrollers conducted a search and rescue operation for a stranded snowboarder in the backcountry of Granite Canyon during the early evening hours of Friday, January 7. Steven Sprague, age 20, from Rapid City, South Dakota, took a wrong turn and inadvertently entered Grand Teton’s backcountry after exiting an out-of-bounds gate at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort at approximately 4:20 p.m. 

Sprague and his two snowboarding partners intended to traverse into Cody Bowl on Friday afternoon. They exited the out-of-bounds gate at the top of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and entered Granite Canyon, instead of turning south where they had planned to snowboard. Sprague’s partners, realizing that they were off course, attempted to alert Sprague by shouting at him to stop; however, Sprague was unable to hear his companions cries because he was wearing earphones for an iPod. Shortly after, Sprague’s companions alerted patrol staff from Jackson Hole Mountain Resort of the situation, and a search and rescue operation was initiated.

Park rangers used snowmobiles from Death Canyon trailhead on Moose-Wilson Road, and then mounted skis to access Granite Canyon. Meanwhile, patrol staff from Jackson Hole Mountain Resort skied into Granite Canyon from the summit of Rendezvous Mountain. Patrol staff were first to reach the stranded snowboarder at approximately 6:20 p.m. as rangers continued their ascent into the canyon. Sprague was in good physical condition, but was not prepared to spend the night in the backcountry as he did not have extra clothing, food, basic emergency gear or shelter. At approximately 10:30 p.m., park rangers transported Sprague and the ski patrollers by snowmobile to the Granite Canyon trailhead, where the group was then transported by waiting resort personnel to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.  

As rescuers worked to locate the stranded snowboarder, Teton Interagency Dispatch Center received a call at approximately
5:50 p.m. from two visitors who had become disoriented while snowshoeing the Taggart/Bradley Lakes trail in Grand Teton National Park. Ross Trooien, age 26, from White Bear Lake, Minnesota and Gordon Mammel, age 25, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, became lost in the fading daylight and were unprepared to return to the trailhead in the dark. Park personnel were able to identify their location based on the men’s description and provide directions by cell phone, guiding Trooien and Mammel to the nearby AAC Climbers’ Ranch to await assistance. Park personnel arrived on scene at 6:50 p.m., and both men were safely escorted out of the backcountry, reaching the trailhead at 7:30 p.m.

Backcountry users are cautioned to be prepared with the knowledge, skills, and emergency equipment necessary to safely recreate in the park’s backcountry areas before attempting a winter excursion. Park rangers advise anyone recreating in the park during winter to bring along extra clothing, high energy snacks and water as emergency gear in the event that they are required to spend more time than anticipated in the backcountry. Rangers also advise people to consider their physical limitations and time restrictions when choosing s destination, and to bring a map of the area and know how to use it before setting out.


Park rangers also remind backcountry users to pay special attention to avalanche and weather conditions before entering remote areas outside of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort boundaries.

Grand Teton Recruits for 2011 YCP

2010 YCP crew hams for the camera
on trail to Surprise & Amphitheater lakes

January 4, 2011
11-01

Grand Teton National Park is recruiting participants for the 2011 Youth Conservation Program (YCP); the park plans to enroll 15-25 short-term positions. Thanks to generous donations made by donors through the Grand Teton National Park Foundation, this marks the sixth year that the park has offered this youth employment opportunity. Applications must be postmarked by March 21, 2011.

The YCP is a summer employment program for high school students, ages 16 to 19. YCP enrollees
develop an understanding of National Park Service (NPS) conservation ethics as they assist with critically-needed maintenance and rehabilitation on park trails and pathways. Participants work alongside NPS crew leaders and become familiar with NPS stewardship goals, while learning essential trail maintenance skills. YCP participants will work 30-50% of their time with several of the other park divisions (i.e. Science and Resource Management, Interagency Fire, Interpretation, and Visitor and Resource Protection). Students will also meet experts in all aspects of public lands conservation.

During the course of their day, YCP participants may answer basic visitor questions and serve as park ambassadors as they complete project work on some of the most visible, and most impacted, park trails. Most of the work will be focused on projects dealing with rehabilitation of trails and backcountry areas through activities such as brushing, hazard tree removal, and construction of water bars and drainage swales. In addition to the project work, environmental education programs and several recreational opportunities are also offered.

The 2011 YCP program will run for ten weeks, from June 20 through August 25. Previously planned commitments such as vacations, sports camps, etc., may be accommodated when possible. Participants must be at least 16 years of age by June 20, and live locally as housing is not provided. Applicants must also be United States citizens and students in good standing. Other qualifications include good team skills, a willingness to learn about Grand Teton National Park and its trail system, and the ability to work at a physically demanding job which may involve lifting 30-40 pounds. Wages for participants in the YCP program are set at $11.08 per hour.

As an extension of their mission to support new and innovative projects that add value to the park, the Grand Teton National Park Foundation provides funding for salaries, work boots, work pants, tee-shirts, and free transportation to and from Jackson for YCP participants. For more information about YCP and how to contribute to future YCP activities, or other Foundation programs, call Leslie Mattson at 307.732.0629, or email leslie@gtnpf.org.

To obtain an application or get further information about the 2011 YCP, please call Brian Bergsma in Grand Teton National Park at 307.739.3364, or write to YCP Program, GTNP, Drawer 170, Moose, WY 83012.  Applications are also available online at http://www.nps.gov/grte/supportyourpark/ycp.htm.

ROD Signed for Jackson Hole Airport Agreement

Jackson Hole Airport is located within Grand Teton NP

December 28, 2010

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Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott announced today that a Record of Decision (ROD) for the Jackson Hole Airport Agreement Extension has been signed by National Park Service Intermountain Regional Director John Wessels. The ROD authorizes a 20-year extension to the term of the existing 1983 agreement between the Jackson Hole Airport Board and the United States Department of the Interior (DOI).

Under this ROD, the current airport agreement will be extended through the addition of two 10-year options, allowing the Jackson Hole Airport Board to meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding requirements and maintain certification for passenger air service in northwestern Wyoming in the future. The ROD also amends the existing 1983 agreement to strengthen the requirements of the Airport Board to work cooperatively with the National Park Service (NPS) on efforts to further mitigate and reduce effects of the airport on park resources.

The Jackson Hole Airport is located on 533 acres of federal land within Grand Teton National Park and currently operates under an NPS administered agreement that authorizes its operation through April 27, 2033. Under FAA regulations, an airport must either own its land or have more than 20 years remaining on its lease or agreement in order to remain eligible for grants from the FAA. Without an extension of the 1983 agreement’s term, the airport would lose its eligibility for Airport Improvement Program funding in April of 2013—20 years before the agreement expires. Grants from the FAA may cover up to 95 percent of eligible costs for airfield capital improvement or repair projects that enhance airport safety, capacity, and security, or for projects that address environmental concerns. Over the past decade, this FAA program has funded almost $28 million in projects at the Jackson Hole Airport. Similar funding will be needed to enable the airport to maintain its necessary certification and provide continued commercial air service.

In 2005, the NPS initiated a process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to address a request by the Jackson Hole Airport Board to extend the term of their use agreement. Environmental impacts associated with the alternatives defined in the Jackson Hole Airport Extension/ Final Environmental Impact Statement were thoroughly analyzed in accordance with the requirements of  NEPA, the NPS Management Policies 2006, and the NPS Director’s Order #12: Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis and Decision Making. All public comments were taken into consideration before the record of decision was prepared and signed.

“Through an extensive review and careful application of the NEPA process, we have determined that extending the current Jackson Hole Airport agreement serves the visiting public, ensures continued commercial air service to Jackson, Wyoming, and appropriately maintains the vital NPS mission to protect valuable park resources,” said Intermountain Director John Wessels.

“While this decision ensures that airport operations continue into the future, it significantly strengthens the commitment by the NPS and Airport Board to mutually work together to mitigate impacts to park resources to the greatest extent possible,” said Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott.

The ROD, which documents the decision and rationale, along with the Jackson Hole Airport/FEIS, is available online at the PEPC website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. The document is also available on the park’s website at http://www.nps.gov/grte/parkmgmt/planning.htm.

Winter Activities to Begin in Grand Teton

Grand Teton National Park becomes a mecca
for winter recreation & scenic splendor

December 10, 2010

10-100

Activities for the 2010/11 winter season begin on Wednesday, December 15 in Grand Teton National Park. The Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center (12 miles north of Jackson, Wyoming) is open year-round and winter hours run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The Discovery Center will be closed on December 25, to observe the Christmas holiday.   

A Single Day Pass is available to winter visitors at the Moose, Moran and Granite Canyon entrance stations. This winter-season permit allows a one-day entry into Grand Teton at a cost of $5 per vehicle. The single day pass is valid only in Grand Teton and cannot be used for entry into Yellowstone. Winter visitors may choose to purchase one of the following other options for entry:

$25 Seven-day Pass valid for single vehicle entry into Grand Teton and Yellowstone

$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 federal land management fee areas

Ranger-led snowshoe hikes begin Sunday, December 26 at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center. This 2-hour activity is offered every day at 1:30 p.m., and previous experience is not necessary. Snowshoes are provided for a requested donation of $5 for adults and $2 for children, 8 years or older. Reservations are required and can be made at 307.739.3399.

Backcountry users and mountaineers planning to stay overnight in the backcountry must get a non-fee permit before their trip at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center. Permits are not required for day users. To obtain weather forecasts and avalanche hazard information, stop at the Discovery Center, visit the backcountry website http://www.jhavalanche.org/ , or call the avalanche hotline at 307.733.2664.

Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are popular winter activities in the park. Most trails are skier tracked, but not groomed. The Teton Park Road (TPR) is a designated winter trail, open to non-motorized use in winter. The TPR gets intermittently groomed for cross-country touring and skate skiing from the Taggart Lake parking area to Signal Mountain. Grooming operations operations began Thursday, December 9, 2010. Severe winter storms or park emergencies may preempt the trail grooming schedule on occasion. Important reminder: Snowshoers should walk adjacent to the groomed ski trail, as snowshoes ruin the grooved track set for skiers’ use.  

Skiers and snowshoers are not restricted to established trails; however, for protection of wildlife, they are required to observe closure areas from December 15 to April 1. To obtain trail maps, closure locations, or winter information, go to the park’s website at http://www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/maps.htm or visit the Discovery Center in Moose, Wyoming. Winter wildlife closure areas include:

Snake River floodplain from Moran to Menor's Ferry 

Buffalo Fork River floodplain within the park

Kelly Hill and Uhl Hill 

Static Peak and Prospectors Mountain

Mount Hunt areas (refer to park's X-C ski brochure)

Leashed pets are allowed on the park's plowed roads and turnouts, the unplowed Moose-Wilson Road, and the Grassy Lake Road. Pets are not allowed in the backcountry, which includes all other park areas beyond the plowed roadways. 

The unplowed TPR is open to visitors who wish to walk, snowshoe or ski with their leashed pet. Dogs are restricted to the TPR winter trail, and must be restrained at all times on a leash no longer than 6-feet in length. Dogs must also be leashed while in the parking areas at Taggart Lake or Signal Mountain. Please keep dogs off the groomed ski tracks as a courtesy to other trail users.

Mutt Mitt stations are in place at the TPR trailheads to dispense plastic bags for pet waste; trash receptacles are also available for disposal of used bags. Pet owners are required to clean up their pet's waste and properly dispose of the bags in the receptacles provided. Some pet owners have left used bags along the side of the road, and when these bags become buried in snow, they cause problems for rotary snow plows during the spring road opening.

Please note that allowing pets on the TPR is a provisional program that may be discontinued at any time. If pet owners do not comply with the rules and regulations—especially with regard to pet waste disposal and leash rules—it is possible that pets will be prohibited from the TPR in the future.

Dog sleds are not allowed on the Teton Park Road or on Grassy Lake Road in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway (JDR Parkway).

Snowmobilers may use the frozen surface of Jackson Lake for the purposes of ice fishing only. A Wyoming State fishing license and appropriate fishing gear must be in possession.

On Jackson Lake, snowmobiles must meet National Park Service air and sound emissions requirements for Best Available Technology (BAT). Before operating a snowmobile in Grand Teton, review the regulations and approved BAT machines online at http://www.nps.gov/yell/parkmgmt/current_batlist.htm, or stop by the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose, Wyoming.

Snowmobiles may also use the Grassy Lake Road in the JDR Parkway for recreation. The BAT machine requirement does not apply to snowmobile use on the Grassy Lake Road between Flagg Ranch Resort and the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.

For further information about winter activities in Grand Teton National Park or the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, visit the park’s website at http://www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/winter.htm.

Colter Bay Visitor Services Plan/ EA Launched

Colter Bay Visitor Center was built in 1956
& the Indian Arts Museum opened in 1972

December 6, 2010
10-99

Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott announced today that the National Park Service (NPS) has initiated a comprehensive review of the visitor services provided at Colter Bay in Grand Teton National Park. The NPS intends to prepare an environmental assessment and develop a management plan for the long-term operation of the Colter Bay Visitor Center and other park-provided visitor services in the Colter Bay area. A principal objective of the review will be to determine the appropriate management of the David T. Vernon Collection of American Indian Art—one of Grand Teton National Park’s significant and irreplaceable cultural resources currently housed at the visitor center. Public scoping has begun, and interested persons are invited to provide ideas, concerns, and comments on this broad planning initiative.

The Colter Bay Visitor Center is located on the eastern shore of Jackson Lake, approximately 28 miles north of Moose, Wyoming, and 18 miles south of the park’s shared boundary with Yellowstone National Park. The original visitor center was built in 1956 and the Indian Arts Museum addition—built to house the David T. Vernon Collection of American Indian Art—opened to the public in 1972. The Colter Bay area is a popular destination for overnight and day users to Grand Teton, as well as for visitors traveling to or from Yellowstone. The area seasonally offers a complete range of services, facilities, and opportunities to experience the park’s spectacular scenery, wildlife, educational programs, and recreational activities.

Due to its age and deficient condition, the old visitor center building does not meet museum standards for the preservation, display, and interpretation of the David T. Vernon Collec­tion of American Indian Art. In addition, the building does not meet life safety and accessibility standards, and it is inadequate for basic administration, inter­pretation, or visitor service needs. Furthermore, the build­ing requires costly repairs and is no longer financially or environmentally sustainable.

Visitor facilities at Colter Bay are open for the summer season (May to September) and heated restroom facilities are open for winter visitors. This plan will not consider ex­panding NPS services during the winter season. The plan will address only NPS visitor services, facilities, and related infra­structure at Colter Bay; it will not address conces­sioner facilities at Colter Bay Village, which include an RV park, campground, general store and gift shop, restau­rants, guest cabins (log cabins and tent cabins), marina, stables, fuel station and convenience store, laundry and shower facility, and concession employee housing area.

The comprehensive review and plan will consider various options for how visitor services will be managed and how operational needs will be met in the Colter Bay area in the years to come. The scoping newsletter is available for review online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/grte. A copy of the newsletter can be downloaded through this website, and comments can be provided electronically online. The website will also provide regular updates on the project, including additional public involvement opportunities. To be most useful in this early planning stage, please submit comments on or before December 31, 2010.

Partnership Project Provides 1945 Aerial Images of Jackson Hole

Aerial maps show changes from 1945 to 2009
on one selected area of Jackson Hole

December 2, 2010
10-98

Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott is pleased to announce that aerial images of 1945 Jackson Hole that were stored in the park’s archives are now available for public access thanks to a partnership project between Teton Conservation District and Grand Teton National Park, along with assistance from the National Park Service Western Archaeological Conservation Center (WACC) in Tucson, Arizona and Greenwood Mapping, Inc. of Wilson, Wyoming. The project was funded through contributions by Teton Conservation District, Grand Teton National Park, Region 4 of the U.S. Forest Service, the National Elk Refuge, Teton County, Wyoming, and the Grand Teton Association—a cooperating association that supports both Grand Teton National Park and the Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Robb Sgroi, conservation programs coordinator for the Teton Conservation District, and Kathy Mellander, geographic information systems (GIS) specialist at Grand Teton, collaborated with staff from WACC and Greenwood Mapping, Inc. to assemble numerous aerial photographs taken during 1945 and transfer them to a suitable format for better public access. Teton Conservation District also contracted with Aero-Graphics, Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah to “geographically reference and mosaic” the original 1200 aerial prints into a single, seamless aerial map. This image can now be seen through an Internet link or from a DVD.

The composite aerial map is available at http://maps.tetonconservation.org, where users can direct a web viewer to select a section of the image and perform simple functions such as zooming and panning to study different perspectives. Browsers should note that blank sections of the map will be filled with aerials from the same time period as they become available. Accessible to private sector and government agencies, as well as to the general public, the digitized 1945 aerial map may also serve as an important land use planning reference to identify and note land use changes between the 1940s and recent years.

The composite image is also stored on DVDs in .tif or .sid formats for users who have graphics or GIS software. DVDs can be obtained by contacting Teton Conservation District at 307.733.2110.

“We believe that the newly formatted image will provide an interesting window into Jackson Hole’s cultural past and allow viewers to see the old ranches and other landmarks that defined this landscape during the 1940s,” said Superintendent Scott. “We’re grateful for the financial support by the Grand Teton Association and the other major contributors who helped make this piece of history more accessible to the public, and we appreciate the cooperation from Robb Sgroi and other staff at Teton Conservation District on this a unique and illuminating project.”

Open House for Snake River Headwaters Comprehensive Management Planning

Ansel Adams' photo Tetons and the Snake River (1942)

November 22, 2010
10-97

Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott announced today that Grand Teton National Park, Bridger-Teton National Forest, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will co-host an open house on Tuesday evening, November 30 from 5–7 p.m. at Snow King Resort to gather public input regarding concurrent planning initiatives by the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service for managing the newly designated Wild and Scenic Snake River Headwaters. The open house will include a presentation about the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and a discussion about planning efforts being launched by the federal agencies as a result of the recent designation. The National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service will develop separate, but concurrent, management plans for river segments located with their respective administrative boundaries.

On March 30, 2009, President Obama signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act that amended the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to add approximately 388 miles of the Snake River and its tributary rivers and streams to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The National Park Service administers 121 miles of designated river segments, while remaining areas lie within the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Passage of this landmark legislation reflects the leadership and collaborative approach of the late Senator Craig Thomas who worked for five years with groups of outfitters, conservationists, business owners, sportsmen and other river users to protect the Snake River’s headwaters. This historic river protection legislation was renamed and passed as the Craig Thomas Snake Headwaters Legacy Act of 2009 in his honor.

As required by the Craig Thomas Snake Headwaters Legacy Act, the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service planning efforts will:

·    Document the Snake River Headwaters’ boundaries and river segment classifications (wild, scenic or recreational).

·    Provide for protection of the free-flowing condition of the Snake River Headwaters in keeping with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

·    Describe the “outstandingly remarkable values” which provide the unique, rare or exemplary characteristics that make the Snake River Headwaters eligible for inclusion in the system.

·    Establish a management program that protects the outstandingly remarkable values, free flowing condition, and water quality of the river system.

·    Address user capacity and establish the kinds and amounts of appropriate visitor use.

The designation of the Snake River Headwaters is atypical because it encompasses an entire watershed involving 13 rivers and 25 separate river segments, totaling 388 river miles. This watershed spans areas managed by the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and a portion of state and private lands. Due to the sheer size of this designation, a collaborative planning effort is vital. Members of the public are highly encouraged to join in this first step towards development of the two comprehensive river management plans.

A public meeting is also scheduled in Bozeman, Montana, on December 2, 2010 from 5–7 p.m. in the Public Library at 626 E. Main Street. This session will focus on planning efforts for river segments located within Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks.


For additional information about the Snake River Headwaters planning, please visit online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/snakeriver.

Male Black Bear Euthanized in Grand Teton NP

Black bear forages on naturally occuring berries
along Moose-Wilson Road

November 1, 2010

10-96

Grand Teton National Park officials euthanized a male black bear on Friday, October 29, out of concern for public safety. The bear gained entry into the main lodge building at Triangle X Ranch on Tuesday evening, October 26, and tracks indicated that it also visited and “nosed around” several other cabins on the property.  It returned to the ranch attempting to get inside the main lodge on Wednesday evening as well as Thursday night, when it was captured in a culvert trap. The bear damaged a portion of the lodge roof in its attempts to gain entry into the building, received food rewards, and appeared to have little concern for the presence of humans and their activities at the ranch. This human-food conditioned and habituated behavior forced park officials to make the difficult decision to remove the bear from the population in order to reduce future threats to people and their safety.

The eight to ten-year-old black bear weighed 177 pounds, but was slightly underweight. The bear’s history and previous habits are unknown; it did not have ear tags or other identification that would mark it as a previously captured bear. However, a bear with a similar description got into a dumpster at Dornan’s earlier this year. Park officials are following up with Triangle X Ranch representatives to determine why the bear received food rewards and to mitigate any identified problems.

After transporting the captured bear to park headquarters to gather information on its physical condition (weight, tooth wear, blood samples, etc.), park biologist discovered that both the trap and the bear were inexplicably coated with bear spray. Park rangers subsequently questioned ranch managers about this situation and learned that one of the ranch employees disobeyed an agreement to not approach the trap, and also discharged a canister of bear spray at the animal early Thursday morning while it was confined in the trap. An investigation into this incident is ongoing; however, the individual ranch employee was issued a mandatory court appearance for cruelty to animals and will appear before the federal magistrate on these charges.

This is the only bear euthanized in Grand Teton National Park this year. In fact, park rangers and biologists did not capture or taken any management actions on bears—black or grizzly—during the past year. The availability and relative abundance of naturally occurring berries may have helped to keep bears in undeveloped portions of the park and away from developed areas and human food sources.

Once a bear acquires human food, it often loses its fear of people and may become dangerous. Park officials strongly remind local residents and visitors that proper storage of food items and disposal of garbage is extremely important. Thoughtless actions of people can literally lead to a life or death situation for bears that easily become corrupted by the availability of human food and garbage. Human carelessness doesn’t just endanger people; it can also result in a bear’s death.

Bears roam near park developments and throughout the backcountry. Consequently, for the health and safety of bears and people, park visitors and local residents must adhere to food storage rules. Detailed information about how to behave in bear country is available at park visitor centers or online at www.nps.gov/grte. With information and proper actions, people can help keep a bear from becoming human-food conditioned and possibly save its life.

Reminder of Seasonal Road Closures & Hours

October 26, 2010
10-95
Jackson residents and park visitors are reminded that two roads within Grand Teton National Park will close to vehicle traffic for the winter season beginning Sunday evening, October 31, 2010. Vehicle closures include the length of the Teton Park Road between Taggart Lake parking area and the Signal Mountain Lodge parking lot, as well as the Moose-Wilson Road between Granite Canyon and Death Canyon trailheads.

In addition to the annual road closures, the Moose, Moran and Granite Canyon entrance stations will temporarily close for the month of November and early December; they are scheduled to reopen on December 15 for the winter season. The Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose, Wyoming is open year-round; however, hours of operation for the winter season will be adjusted to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Annually, the Teton Park Road is not plowed after the first of November. During the time that the Teton Park Road remains free of snow, visitors are welcome to use the roadway for non-motorized recreation such as walking, bicycling, and in-line skating. Once the snow begins to accumulate on the roadbed, winter season activities such as cross-country skiing, skate skiing and snow-shoeing become possible.

Pets are permitted on park roadways; however, pet owners are reminded that dogs must be leashed and under physical restraint at all times. Dog owners are required to clean-up their pet’s waste, and mutt mitt stations are provided for that purpose during the off season months.

In addition to road closures in Grand Teton National Park, the Grassy Lake Road within the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway will close for the winter season with the first major snowstorm.

Grand Teton Begins Fall Pile Burning Operations

October 25, 2010
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With the recent snowfall and seasonal moisture, Teton Interagency fire personnel initiated pile burning operations at certain locations in Grand Teton National Park. Pile burning activities began today near the 4 Lazy F Ranch. Other primary target areas include Flagg Ranch, Shadow Mountain, Signal Mountain campground, Death Canyon Road, and the Murie Ranch in Moose, Wyoming.

The slash piles are located in and around developed areas where fire crews previously completed fuels reduction projects that involved the thinning and removal of lower limbs from trees and the removal of dead wood and brush from the forest floor.

The fuels reduction projects were designed to increase firefighter and public safety, reduce the risk of losing structures to a wildfire, and increase open spaces to help moderate fire behavior during a wildfire. Firefighters place the forest debris in tepee-shaped piles and let them cure for a year before burning them.

Smoke will be evident from these scheduled pile burns during the day of the operation. Please check http://www.tetonfires.com/ for updates on the pile burning activities in the coming days and weeks.

Kayakers Rescued on Snake River by Moonlight

Reduced flow of the Snake River requires longer float time

October 24, 2010
10-93

Grand Teton National Park rangers rescued two local kayakers from the Snake River during an operation that took place by moonlight on Thursday night, October 21. Jackson resident Dave Muskat and Ann Marie Letko of Moose, Wyoming, became stranded, about 7 p.m.—a half hour after sunset—on an island between two channels of the river near the historic Bar BC Ranch after Letko struck a snag, flipped her kayak and lost it to the current. Rangers located the uninjured boaters at approximately 9 p.m. and subsequently launched a raft to reach the two and ferry them safely to the western bank of the river, about three miles upstream from the Moose Landing.

Rangers initiated a search and rescue operation at 7:15 p.m. after a call for help was received by the Teton Interagency Dispatch Center. Muskat was unsure of their exact location on the river. That uncertainty—coupled with the late hour—caused rangers to use the headlights from their patrol vehicles in an effort to pinpoint the kayakers’ position on the river. In their search for the boaters, two rangers traveled by foot along the river bank south from Schwabacher’s Landing, while two other rangers hiked from Glacier View turnout on Highway 26/89/191 to reach the river and begin  searching upstream toward Schwabacher’s Landing. In addition, four rangers drove along the River Road—a gravel road on the west side of the Snake River—to determine the site of the stranded boaters. After searching for well over an hour, rangers eventually found the kayakers near the historic Bar BC Ranch and launched a raft to rescue them from the island in the stream where they were stranded. The rescue operation concluded about 9:35 p.m. after Muskat and Letko were driven by patrol vehicle from the Bar BC area to the Moose Landing.

The current flow on the Snake River between Deadman’s Bar and Moose Landing is running about 635 cubic feet per second, which means that a river trip requires a significantly longer period of time to complete than during the higher flows of summer and early fall. Boaters should make every attempt to complete their river trip before darkness falls, since natural obstacles such as snags and logjams are difficult to see after sunset— even with the diffused light of a full moon.

Stranded Climber Rescued from Teewinot

Aerial view of Teewinot Mountain

October 21, 2010
10-92

Grand Teton National Park rangers rescued a stranded climber from the east face of Teewinot Mountain on Wednesday evening, October 20 with the assistance of a Teton Interagency contract helicopter. Eric Steinmann, age 26, of Wilson, Wyoming called a friend via cell phone to report that he was in a location on the mountain from which he could not continue climbing without risk of falling. The friend then contacted Teton Interagency Dispatch Center at 3:55 p.m. to report Steinmann’s predicament, and rangers launched a rescue mission to reach Steinmann and bring him to safety. Due to the late hour of the day, rangers ultimately used a helicopter-assisted evacuation.

During a reconnaissance flight at 4:50 p.m., Steinmann was located on a steep pinnacle, high on the east face of Teewinot. With little remaining daylight and predicted cold overnight temperatures, a decision was made to insert one ranger via the short-haul technique and place Steinmann in an aerial evacuation suit for a short-haul extraction from the peak. The ranger reached the stranded Steinmann at 5:55 p.m. and prepared him for a flight to the Lupine Meadows rescue cache. The rescue concluded at 6:20 p.m.—just 40 minutes before “pumpkin hour,” the designated time beyond which the ship cannot fly according to FAA regulations.

Steinmann told rangers that he intended to climb the 4th class route up the east face of Teewinot Mountain. Being somewhat new to mountaineering, Steinmann had climbed multiple peaks in the park this summer with various partners; however, this was his first solo climb in the Teton Range. When Steinmann realized that he could no longer continue to climb without great risk of falling, he made the prudent decision to call for help.  

Although mountain rescue operations have become relatively routine for Grand Teton National Park rangers, these operations demand a high level of preparation, technical skill and expertise—as well as focused safety deliberations—before a mission is executed. Many variables can delay or impede a rescue operation and climbers should never take for granted that a rescue is possible. Consequently, climbers should be prepared to initiate a self rescue as a first option.

Park rangers remind climbers to become familiar with the intended route and carry a route description along during their climb. Also, mountaineers should never climb into a position from which they cannot safely retreat: in other words, get “cliffed out.” Furthermore, rangers recommend that climbers go with a partner or partners as an added measure of safety.

Rangers also stress that backcountry users should carry extra clothing, food and water in the event of an unexpected night out in the Tetons. Ultimately, the responsibility for a mountaineer’s safety rests with himself/herself and their climbing partners, plus their experience and preparation.

Bear-resistant Food Storage Boxes Installed

Bear-resistant food storage boxes get installed
at Grand Teton campgrounds

October 21, 2010
10-91 

Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott announced today that
52 new bear-resistant food storage boxes were recently installed in Grand Teton National Park, thanks in part to financial support from the Grand Teton National Park Foundation (GTNPF) and concessioner franchise fees. Durable bear-resistant food boxes provide an important and convenient method for visitors to properly store human foods away from the reach of bears, and the acquisition of these sturdy boxes has been a high priority of the park’s bear management program for several years. To date, a total of 208 boxes have been purchased and placed at campgrounds and picnic areas located throughout the park. The latest boxes were installed at Flagg Ranch, Lizard Creek, Colter Bay and Signal Mountain campgrounds.

In an effort to help reduce human-bear conflicts, the GTNPF began a target campaign in 2008 to secure money for the purchase of food storage boxes; the Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting Grand Teton National Park by raising funds for special programs and projects. In addition, the Grand Teton Lodge Company, an authorized park concessioner, supplied further funding in 2008 through a campground improvement program required under their concessions contract. Other funding was supplied by the National Park Service through concessioner franchise fees.

More than 3.5 million visitors come to Grand Teton each year—most during the summer months—and thousands of them picnic or stay overnight at one of the park’s 1,230 campsites. Rangers document almost daily violations of food storage regulations by careless or uninformed visitors during the course of the tourist season. Although overall compliance with food storage regulations is high, it only takes one incident of a bear obtaining food for it to get “human food-conditioned” and become a potential nuisance bear. For public safety reasons, it often becomes necessary to euthanize food-conditioned bears.

Proper food storage is vital to prevent bears from becoming human food-conditioned as they search for available food sources throughout the park; however, nearly 75% of the park’s front country campsites lack these important food storage containers. The park has identified approximately 800 front country sites that are suitable for the placement of bear-resistant food storage boxes. By being widely available for visitors to use, these boxes can prevent bears from becoming food-conditioned and better ensure that they remain wild, naturally foraging animals.

Bear-resistant food storage boxes cost approximately $1,100 each. The GTNPF donors have generously provided funding for 94 boxes since their bear box campaign began in 2008. The generosity of individual GTNPF donors is often acknowledged though the placement of recognition plaques on a particular box. For further information about the bear box campaign, contact Leslie Mattson at 307.732.0629, or email leslie@gtnpf.org.

Injured Hiker Rescued from Amphitheater Lake

October 11, 2010
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Grand Teton National Park rangers rescued an injured hiker from the Amphitheater Lake area on Saturday afternoon, October 10, using the Teton Interagency contract helicopter. Ashley Hymel, age 23, from Moose, Wyoming was hiking with a party of two hikers on a section of trail with a sloping ledge when she fell about 20 feet and landed on her back.

Hymel was hiking on an unmaintained trail near the base of Disappointment Peak from Amphitheater Lake to an overlook of the Teton Glacier when the incident occurred just around 4 p.m. A hiker in a nearby separate party witnessed the entire event and was able to call for help on a cell phone after running down the trail for cell reception. One member of Hymel’s party was able to safely scramble down and assist her until rescuers arrived.

Teton Interagency Dispatch Center received the report at 4:06 p.m. and immediately initiated a short-haul rescue response. Two rangers were flown to a helicopter landing zone near Amphitheater Lake and they hiked a short distance to the accident site. Rangers provided Hymel with emergency medical care, and then placed her into a rescue litter for an aerial evacuation. Just after 6 p.m., Hymel and an attending ranger were flown via short-haul to Lupine Meadows where a park ambulance was waiting to transport her to St. John’s Medical Center in Jackson.

Short-haul, a technique to insert rescue personnel into or extract injured persons from a remote accident site where safe helicopter landings are not possible, involves the use of a rescue rope attached to a helicopter's center of gravity. It allows rescuers to expeditiously remove a seriously injured person from an inaccessible location.

Death Canyon Trailhead Road to Reopen Thursday Morning

September 29, 2010
10-89
The Death Canyon trailhead road and connector trail from the trailhead parking area to the Valley Trail will reopen at dawn on Thursday, Sept. 30. Fire managers on the Phelps Moraine Prescribed Fire request that people avoid the burned area adjacent to the trailhead due to safety concerns.

The two-acre test burn area still has some fire and heat in the duff and logs, as well as some charred snags and standing dead trees that may be unstable and ready to topple. The test fire area also has other hazards—such as burned out stump holes, loose rocks and logs—that make walking hazardous.

Fire managers decided to postpone burning the 84-acre unit after fire behavior during the test fire exceeded ecological objectives. The fire burned actively through the two acres in the test site, primarily due to unseasonably warm and dry weather. An engine crew will be monitoring the area for the next few days.

For more information on the Phelps Moraine Prescribed Fire or other wildland fires in the area, please log on to http://www.tetonfires.com/.

Phelps Moraine Prescribed Fire Postponed

September 27, 2010

Fire managers on the Phelps Moraine Prescribed Fire decided to postpone burning the 84-acre unit after fire behavior during a test fire exceeded ecological objectives. The fire burned actively through the 5-acre test site, primarily due to unseasonably warm, dry weather. The 45 firefighters assigned to the prescribed fire are remaining in place to keep the test fire within the established perimeter.

The prescribed fire project objectives are to reduce the amount of dead and down trees on the forest floor and to increase spacing between trees, which will reduce the chance of a future wildfire spreading toward developed areas.

“The test fire showed that at the upper end of the prescription—which is the predetermined weather and fuel conditions—the prescribed fire would consume more than our desired objectives,” said Burn Boss Deb Flowers. “We stopped igniting and will re-evaluate burning this unit when we have a cooler, damper weather window.”

Death Canyon Road and the Death Canyon Trail from the trailhead parking area to the Valley Trail junction will remain closed at least through Wednesday September 29. Please check www.tetonfires.com under prescribed fire for updates.

The Phelps Moraine Prescribed Fire, combined with the mechanical treatment completed in 2008, is designed to increase the buffer between a wildfire and developed areas. The primary fire management goal for Grand Teton National Park is to allow the natural process of fire to persist within the park while protecting lives and property. The intent of the Phelps Moraine prescribed fire project is to reduce burnable live and dead vegetation to give higher confidence and more flexibility for managers in response to naturally ignited fires.

Phelps Moraine Prescribed Fire Scheduled

Interagency firefighters completed fuels reduction work in 2008 

 along the Death Canyon Road and the Phelps Lake moraine area

September 23, 2010
10-88
Teton Interagency fire personnel plan to implement an 84-acre prescribed fire in Grand Teton National Park near Phelps Lake moraine—in an area west of the Death Canyon Road and south of the White Grass Ranger Station—on Monday, September 27. The Phelps Moraine prescribed fire is planned to supplement a mechanical treatment project completed in 2008. Some temporary road and trail closures will be in place during the prescribed fire, including the Death Canyon Road and the Death Canyon Trail from the trailhead parking area to the Valley Trail junction. Please check for closures and updates at http://www.tetonfires.com/.

Teton Interagency fire managers plan extensively for prescribed fires, and make sure conditions remain within predetermined parameters throughout the burning process. Prescribed fires are implemented only when the target fuels and weather conditions are within prescription. In addition, several firefighters, as well as engines and helicopters, are typically assigned to conduct a prescribed fire and keep it within a project area. The Phelps Moraine project lies in a shaded and damp area that needed to dry out before a prescribed fire could be effective, which led to a late September operation.

Grand Teton National Park’s primary fire management goal is to allow the natural process of fire to persist within the park while protecting lives and property. The purpose of the Phelps Moraine prescribed fire project is to reduce burnable live and dead vegetation and provide more flexibility for fire managers in responding to naturally ignited fires in the area. Since 1960, eight wildfires have started in the Phelps Moraine area, however, none grew larger than a tenth acre. Fire managers chose to aggressively suppress those wildfires because of the potential threat for spread toward developed areas, including private residences. Those suppression efforts have allowed for a change in the fuel conditions over time.

The combined benefit of the prescribed fire and the previous mechanical treatment will allow for an increase buffer between a wildfire and developed areas, providing agency administrators with opportunities to allow fire to naturally affect the ecosystem in the future.

The Death Canyon Road will close Sunday evening, September 26, at 5 p.m. The road closure will be re-evaluated on Wednesday afternoon, and the road may reopen on Thursday or Friday. For updates on the road opening, please call Traci Weaver, Teton Interagency fire information officer, at 307.739.3692.

Final EIS Released for JH Airport Agreement

September 23, 2010
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Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott announced today that the Jackson Hole Airport Agreement Extension/Final Environmental Impact Statement (Airport/FEIS) is available on the National Park Service (NPS) Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website. The Airport/FEIS addresses continued air transportation services at the Jackson Hole Airport through an extension of the term of the 1983 agreement with the United States Department of the Interior (DOI).

The Airport/FEIS takes into account public and agency comments received on the draft environmental impact statement issued in April 2009, and incorporates additional analyses and information collected since that time. The Airport/FEIS considers two alternatives regarding the 1983 agreement: a no action alternative and an NPS preferred alternative.

Under the no action alternative, the 1983 agreement would remain unchanged and would expire on April 27, 2033. Beginning in 2013, however, the amount of time remaining on the agreement would no longer satisfy Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements for funding. Without FAA funding, the Jackson Hole Airport Board would likely be unable to maintain certification for scheduled passenger service for more than a few years. Under the NPS preferred alternative, the authorized term of 1983 agreement would be extended by 20 years through the addition of two 10-year options, thereby allowing the Airport Board to meet FAA funding requirements. The agreement would also be amended to strengthen the requirements of the Airport Board and the NPS to further mitigate and reduce the effects of the airport on park resources.

The NPS intends to issue a Record of Decision at least 30 days after the date of publication of a Notice of Availability by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the Federal Register.

In 2005, the NPS initiated a process under the National Environmental Policy Act to address the Jackson Hole Airport Board’s request to extend the term of their agreement. The airport is located on 533 acres of federal land within Grand Teton National Park and operates under the terms of a 1983 agreement between the Airport Board and the DOI. The NPS administers the agreement, which currently authorizes the operation of the airport until April 27, 2033. Under FAA regulations, an airport must own its land or have more than 20 years remaining on its lease or agreement in order to remain eligible for grants from the FAA. Without an extension of the agreement’s term, the airport would lose its eligibility for Airport Improvement Program funding in April of 2013—20 years before the current agreement expires.

Grants from the FAA cover 95 percent of the eligible costs for airfield capital improvement or repair projects that enhance airport safety, capacity, or security, and for projects that address environmental concerns. Over the past decade, this program has funded almost $28 million in projects at the Jackson Hole Airport. Similar funding will be needed in the future to enable the airport to maintain the certification that enables it to provide scheduled commercial passenger service.

A copy of the Airport/FEIS is available online at the PEPC website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/. Navigate to Grand Teton National Park; select the link for airport agreement and then select the link for document list. The document is also available on the park’s website at http://www.nps.gov/grte/parkmgmt/planning.htm.