Inside America’s National Parks: Grand Teton National Park

a place of exhilarating beauty where skyscraping peaks meet gem-colored lakes in the next hour we'll head up with high altitude thrill seekers meet up with a celebrated search and rescue team hang our stetsons at a working dude ranch and explore a yellowstone connection where summer's lush and winter is magical we'll travel high and low for an insider's view of one of america's premier national parks [Music] hailed as a geological wonder the teton mountain range soars to heights of over 13 000 feet at its base the snake river twists and turns through northwestern wyoming [Music] to trappers in the 19th century the deep valley was a hole called jackson hole after mountain man davy jackson today the jumping off point to explore the park is the town that bears his name located on the border where the wild west meets upscale shopping and a host of outdoor outfitters [Music] in this part of the world the horizontal and vertical terrain make it easy to answer the call of the wild grand teton is a hiker's paradise over 250 miles of marked trails lead through back country where the sights are extraordinary you get out here and the first thing you feel like is you're in a movie i mean you see so many westerns and these high dollar movies now with these scenic backdrops that just take your breath away and you get in there and it's just like heaven in this slice of heaven descending glaciers sculpted the jewel-colored lakes at the base of the teton range we have six really large lakes and literally dozens and dozens of smaller alpine lakes that make great destinations if you're hiking in the back country and it gives you great experiences of getting out on the water and you can be looking at these mountains you can be breathing this great air also called a paddlers park canoes have been a mode of transportation on these cold clear waters since the days of the early explorers [Music] designed to be lightweight canoers can portage or carry the boat from one lake to the next where the serenity can speak to the soul [Music] home to over 360 species of wildlife teton is one of the best national parks to see animals [Music] in the spring the sagebrush of the jackson hole valley is a food source for the pronghorn it's here the fastest land mammal in north america can be seen on the move while they stand out at this time of the year when the grass dries out their bi-color acts as a camouflage [Music] unlike pronghorn bison don't blend in they gather in groups along the grassy meadows [Music] in the denser wetlands a bull moose feeds on willows more solitary by nature moose appear docile but beware especially in the spring sometimes people make the mistake that they're a little more tolerant of people than they really are and this time of the year the moose are having their calves and we consider them one of the most dangerous animals in the park at the oxbow bend turnout wildlife watchers wait for a glimpse of activity along the shoreline [Music] on a calm clear day they're rewarded with a striking reflection to protect the majestic landscape grand teton was set aside as a national park in 1929. one of its most popular trails leads by the cascading tears of hidden falls a path winds up to inspiration point more than a vista it looks out on an area that was destined for development until yellowstone superintendent horace albright brought philanthropist john d rockefeller jr and his wife abby out to see it in 1926 they drove down the teton park road and saw a burned out gas station an old dance hall billboards a race track a power line right along on the west side of the road in front of the mountains and they asked what they could do to change this albright then shared his secret jackson hole plan he wanted to buy up some of these offending properties and perhaps either make a national park or enlarge a national park through the purchase of these properties but he didn't have the clout or the money to do that under the name the snake river land company rockefeller quietly acquired 35 000 acres for national park lands when the land venture was revealed it outraged the locals why number one that was land that these ranchers grazed their cattle on number two if all of that land were given to the federal government it would come out of the tax rolls of teton county what would this do to the county's ability as a government to stay afloat the controversy caused congress to at first refuse the gift rockefeller held the land for 15 years until 1950 when grand teton national park as we know it was worn john d rockefeller jr maintained a presence in the park he purchased the jy ranch on the shores of phelps lake the ranch itself thanks to father's perches became a very important place in in our family for seven decades the ranch was a rockefeller retreat his son lawrence inherited it over time he developed a vision for its future my brother really devoted a good part of his life to land conservation and therefore it seemed clear that it should ultimately belong to the government to the people lawrence rockefeller gave the 1100 acre j.y ranch to grand teton national park in 2001 but not as a monument to his family he ordered all buildings and trails removed and the land he cherished returned to the wilderness [Music] skirting along the edge of grand teton national park one of the best ways to behold the beauty of this region is riding high in the sky it takes a team effort to prep for a launch a burner heats things up as hot air meets the cooler outside air the balloon rises beyond the trees the wind takes over [Music] the topography of this area makes it ideal for ballooning the mountain valleys create wonderful circulatory winds i've counted 14 different wind layers in this layer cake and it allows us to go just about anywhere we want in this form of flying you can hear the rush of a river and get an overview well that's a nail there with two bushes traveling is a breeze okay folks are going to land with a little momentum all too soon it's time to come down to earth topping off the day with a champagne toast is fitting for a place that balances the wilderness with a touch of civilization cheers grand teton national park provides a breathtaking backdrop for all sorts of outdoor enthusiasts the single most popular summer activity getting wet and wild from its northern origin in yellowstone national park the snake river winds its way through the jackson hole valley yet it's not the serpent shape that gives the river its name it comes from the shoshone indians who once summered along its banks a scenic float through the heart of the park offers a rare opportunity to pass through a rich habitat along its banks a bald eagle fishes and a moose moves to the water's edge it's always the highlight of the trip no matter what else takes place if we get to see wildlife it's the the best thing once called mad river south of the park boundary the snake hits a canyon where it changes from a swift current to powerful white water with a seasoned guide at the helm paddlers work their way through it the bigger the hydraulics the better lunch cap the most intense of the rapids is also a hangout to see the scene guided troops rarely have a problem but for those going it on their own it's a different story kayakers face off against a liquid obstacle course and surfs up once a year when conditions are just right spring runoff raises the water level enough to catch a big wave the snake river is one among many water wonders with over 70 miles of shoreline jackson lake the largest in the park has a sapphire surface that mirrors the full teton range [Music] set back from the shore sits a namesake lodge jackson lake lodge was declared a national historic landmark and it was built and opened in 1955 by lawrence rockefeller the son of john d rockefeller it has a very very grand lobby so that when you come into jackson lake lodge you walk forward into a lobby with ceiling high picture windows most visitors have that aha moment when they first enter that room and they see the mountain range right before their eyes [Music] off the lobby the main dining area called the mural room features themes from the frontier [Music] visitors can also savor the scenery along with an icon of the park beneath the lofty peaks of grand teton mount owen and tiwanat jenny lake graces the landscape it's home to one of the national parks most luxurious lodges jenny lake lodge first opened as a guest ranch in the 1920s today's guests are treated to peace quiet and some culinary creations the food philosophy gourmet mountain fair with an innovative flair we do a five course dinner and we try and do a lot of different games one of our signature dishes is the espresso rubbed venison loin it comes with a cognac gloss as well as a vanilla bean yukon gold potato puree [Music] 37 historic cabins are rustic on the outside inside it's sophisticated comfort [Music] amid the groves of pine a special setting makes jenny lake lodge a little gem this haven for nature lovers hasn't lost sight of its wild western roots cattle ranchers first settled here in the 1890s their ranches once dotted the valley this classic western way of life hasn't totally disappeared from the park daylight is barely breaking when the cowboys and cowgirls drive in a herd [Applause] wranglers really have to hustle to get things ready to hit the trail in the shadow of the teton range triangle x ranch has the distinction of being the only working dude ranch in a national park the turner family began hosting city slickers in search of their inner cowboy in the 1920s over 80 years and three generations very little has changed the neat thing about it on a dude ranch it's a total level playing field it makes no difference who you are how much money you make and so it breaks down all social barriers first dudes get matched up with their horses it's kind of a total outdoor recreation experience i mean you come to ride just as you know our forefathers road in case you're wondering a dude is a 19th century term once given to visitors mostly from the east who weren't so comfortable on the open range at a butte called spencer's mountain ranch hands whip up a good old-fashioned skillet breakfast [Music] after grub a hot drink and a quick nap [Music] these modern day dudes are back in the saddle riding remote trails where there are no signs of civilization [Music] at the end of the day the herd heads out to pasture guests can enjoy the warm glow of a western sunset the towering peaks of grand teton national park are considered one of the classic images of the american wilderness shoshone indians called them tiwanat meaning many pinnacles an observation that wasn't lost on french trappers passing through in the 1800s their name for the three essential peaks was letwa titons the three breasts so our understanding is that when they saw these mountains they had a very vivid imagination very colorful imagination and to them it looked like women's anatomy today they inspire a lust for adventure with seven principal summits over twelve thousand feet called the switzerland of america many are drawn to these mountains but the experience isn't reserved for world-class climbers you'll want to pay attention to little rough spots in the rock the first stop exum mountain guides located inside the park see if you can climb this entire section without using your hands at all named for its founder glenn exum who forged the classic climbing route to the top of grand teton dubbed the exum ridge [Music] to teach others technical skills exam and fellow climbing legend paul petzl led hundreds of ascents together the two men pioneered the sport of mountaineering in america so in this case my left leg is the break so i'm going to flake my rope on the right hand side today exum guides follow in their footsteps inspiring all ages to reach for new heights a course begins with simple bouldering just walking up a rock slope it's a remarkable progression and it just sort of brings out the fact that humans are actually pretty natural climbers even though they don't know it once everyone masters safety equipment and they learn the ropes they're scaling a rock wall [Music] the next step is to take on the peaks but first you have to gear up for it [Music] where one misstep can spell disaster guides say it's more about awareness and stamina than gorilla arm strength the series of pitches gets progressively harder one challenging maneuver has a climber clinging to a cliff with a 500 foot drop where your right foot is you got to get out there and stand on that right foot a little bit more and then you can match speed on it to finesse the move requires matching hand and foot holds while crossing the rock face nice stand on that little handful yeah left a little bit further with your feet there you go there you go that's the hardest part you're done you step out just over an abyss it just drops down so and it's the hardest move to climb too so not only do you have the exposure but the difficulty there too and it's also just the very top of the whole spire it's a lot of exposure but it's a thrill definitely [Music] for even more exposure at thirteen thousand seven hundred and seventy feet the jagged pinnacle called the grand is the star of the range it's a very striking peak it's beautiful mountain and you can't miss it as you drive into the valley from any direction for anyone that has a little bit of a sense of adventure you immediately wonder what would it be like up there you know what would i see towering above its neighbors a summit of the grand is more like a calling the majority of climbers come here to conquer it a feat that takes fitness two days of training and total focus we all talk about having to chunk things down in life you know you have a big goal and you're gonna have to figure out the small steps to get there the series of obstacles to overcome are as much mental as physical you become really absorbed in the moment and you're starting to really take things in very very small bite-sized chunks pushing your own limits makes getting to the top all the more memorable once man takes on the mountain accidents happen the double grapevine a good one to practice ben led by veteran renie jackson the jenny lake rangers have earned international recognition take the tension off that load we have quite a group of rangers that are specially skilled in mountain rescue both from you know going up the trails on the ground as well as a very elite group that flies below a helicopter attached to a line high altitude rescues are loaded with risk the team puts their lives on the line even when they train for an operation called a short haul the term short haul does not refer to the length of the line or anything it refers to the helicopter moving the human load from the starting point to the nearest place that a helicopter can safely land so it's a it's a short distance to secure a person in a device called a litter fluid teamwork is crucial good knot tying skills even more so multiple knots ensure there's a backup system [Music] when you're hanging by a thread time is of the essence you may have someone who is really badly hurt up on alleged high altitude in a in a technical climbing situation and you need to be able to get that person to definitive medical care as quickly as possible using the short haul method 15 to 30 rescues each year that would otherwise take days can be accomplished in mere hours with hazardous variables of weather and visibility there's no margin for error everyone's lives are ultimately in the hands of a skilled helicopter pilot in this playland for thrill seekers many have lived to tell about their ordeal thanks to the incredible skill of the jenny lake rangers a number of lives have been saved and that that's the coolest thing coolest feeling from november to april snow covers the mountains and blankets the valley as grand teton is seized in the icy grip of winter the steaming snake river winds its way through a tundra of snow and ice [Music] with temperatures teetering below zero those who braved the big chill see a different side of the park in a winter setting it is just spectacular you have this incredible mountain range that is covered with snow and you have a very quiet solitary experience on the valley floor and if you take the time to get out on the land you can sort of feel like you're the only person in the world cross-country skiers slide across an open expanse and alpine enthusiasts huff and puff uphill all in pursuit of making fresh tracks on virgin a little bit powder our snowshoe hike today just some of the park rangers lead guided hikes in some pretty primitive footwear this is what's called an alaskan style snowshoe you can see it's pretty long it's a little bit narrower it has a big turned up front so it helps you to stay on top of the light dry powdery snow like we get here snow shoes let visitors get off the beaten track without sinking in people aren't the only ones out and about animals have adapted to harsh conditions mule deer forage for food moose migrate from higher elevations to the valley where their long legs help them navigate through deep drifts [Music] on the southern boundary of the park over 5 000 elk from grand teton yellowstone and the surrounding lands make up the largest wintering elk herd in the world the national elk refuge was created in 1912 after development began to threaten their winter range today for a closer encounter an open slate carries visitors through the refuge rarely do we see just elk when we're out on the sleigh rides and it's very common to see coyotes eagles mostly when you when you watch the animals in the wintertime they're in energy conservation mode the males will will spar now that's really common during the rut in the fall right now they're just kind of practicing naturalists are on board to share information but it's not all talk we'll interpret for people what they see and give them some background on the elk but we like to include in there just a lot of quiet time too so that you can hear coyote toweling and antlers clacking and it can be a very peaceful and serene experience while it's peaceful along the valley floor in a land of contrasts some have a need for speed on the border of the park jackson hole mountain resort is ski central this world-class combination of steep terrain and abundant snowfall makes for a mass meeting of downhill junkies it has 4139 feet of vertical rise that is the longest contiguous vertical rise in this country but as important as the the height is the steepness and the variety of terrain you have all these amazing cliffs and a huge bowls and gullies and long ridge lines most of all the people who come here are psyched to push their own limits and so that really makes it unique in the rockies for sure it's not just about pushing your limits on groomed trails the back country of grand teton national park and the surrounding wilderness is only a lift away alpine guides lead the way to a drop off the back side of the mountain for a full out-of-bound ski experience i think a lot of people think of backcountry skiing as you drop a rope and it's just one big bowl and you kind of do a little powder turning you know but in jackson it's pitch after pitch and there's rolls and there's steeps and when you know this area as well as the guides do here it's just a matter of taking a left turn where nobody else is taking that left turn for those who want even more of a lift high mountain heli skiing has the ticket outside the park a helicopter lands precariously on a lone peak of the snake river range [Music] then it's all downhill for over 2 000 vertical feet [Music] [Music] to get deeper into the backcountry in winter requires a ski-in ski-out place to stay [Applause] rendezvous backcountry tours operates four yurts in the wilderness area originally designed by mongol nomads to endure long brutal winters the yurts solid structure and angled roof make it the perfect shelter from the cold it will shed snow off of the yurt and then the the snow actually builds up on the walls and creates even extra insulation inside the hut yurts come fully equipped for surviving the night and you can count on having plenty of snow to melt it enables a group to come up here and spend a couple days in the mountains without having to carry in everything that they need so it makes a nice resting place for weary skiers but weary skiers never have to rough it in this part of the rockies among the high-end hotels that dot the park's perimeter the amangani has it all the name amangani means peaceful home it's very small very intimate we don't have many rules and regulations or policies and procedures so that our guests really can feel like they're staying in one of their friends homes zen inspired redwood design at this luxury year-round retreat makes it cozy with only 40 rooms the staff can cater to guests every indulgence [Music] we have breakfast lunch and dinner anytime anytime of the day you can get pancakes filet mignon or a prime new york steak it's always open for whatever the guest wants customized cuisine plus a window with quite a view make the amangani world class [Music] with over 400 inches of annual snowfall grand teton and its surroundings are a magnet in winter [Music] yet the same snow that draws people in can pack a punch massive avalanche slides thunder down mountainsides with deadly force it's 5 am at the base of jackson hole mountain resort the mountain doesn't open to skiers for several hours but bob comey and his team of avalanche forecasters are already hard at work their job making the resort avalanche safe and predicting the avalanche conditions for the back country the general avalanche hazard is moderate above 9000 feet today by 7 30 a.m the team is out of the lab and heading up the mountain good morning workers currently as far as what's going on high pressure continues to dominate the weather pattern first they get a briefing on the weather conditions back country forecast we dropped it to low at mid and low elevation [Music] at the top ski patrollers take time to prep for the day then they head out to the slopes where they make a study of the stability of the snow and i'm just brushing down i'm looking for clues clues to the mystery softer weaker layers are more likely to collapse and slide forecasters make every effort to keep people aware of avalanche hazards but ultimately there's only so much they can do we come in we give you information but it's up to you to make good decisions that's a lesson avalanche survivor stephen koch knows all too well in april of 1998 koch set out alone to snowboard mount owen one of the tallest peaks in grand teton national park but something went horribly wrong i heard a noise above me and i realized that it was an avalanche that had started in a cliff band above me and next thing i knew the snow shot over the lip and it hit me and knocked me back and all of a sudden just it turned totally violent and i'm tumbling and tumbling my body was getting torn apart i thought yeah my head's going to be next or my neck and it'll all be over falling 2 000 feet and counting steven realized his only hope was to try to stop himself and let the wet slab of debris continue past him i dig my hands in the snow and i dig my feet in the snow and classic self-arrest position and i i looked down and my lower leg is just flopping off to the side because i had torn all the ligaments in my right leg and i'd look down and just go oh man that's not right [Music] alone in a remote part of the park with a fractured back and two blown knees with no food water or warm clothing all he could do was hope and wait i was really reaching out mentally to to people i knew and and sending energy and vibrations and will that i was injured and i needed help when search and rescue rangers finally found steven 24 hours later he was beaten up and hypothermic but lucky to be alive today steven lectures on learning about avalanches before hitting the back country a lot of snow the american avalanche institute teaches the basics of avalanche safety in and around grand teton national park i can't see this where it rolls so it seems like it gets just over 35 degrees which is getting into the perfect slope angle which the most avalanches run the class learns how to recognize risky conditions most victims trigger the avalanches themselves so students test their body weight on the snow pack to see if it will slide we're not trying to tell people to stay home or to never ski anything steeper than 25 degrees but they need to understand that if they're pushing into bigger steeper terrain have they made that decision based on facts based on a good stability assessment or are they just you know playing russian roulette rolling the dice the ski patrol at jackson hole is ready for a rescue with frequent drills patrollers create an avalanche scenario and go to work probing and listening for signals from buried transceivers but their best rescue tool may be their best friend too good girl hey ray we gotta find it jackson hole employs a team of specially trained canines with a nose thought to be 44 times stronger than a person's the dogs can detect human scent percolating up from deep in the snow handlers work constantly to hone their skills [Music] one patroller runs his lab named hooter in a zigzag pattern downhill so she covers as much terrain as possible it doesn't take long for her to catch a whiff [Music] up she gets really excited she just she just knows what she's going to do she's going to dig up something and get excited and get some praise and bounce around and start to bark and just her motor is always running within just a few minutes she's located a mock victim get him out of there good girl get him out of there better girl come on who's that dude is that ryan good job good good good good good good good even though patrollers and their dogs are on standby for a rescue all right the best way to survive an avalanche is to avoid it along the teton range things only seem serene grand teton and neighboring yellowstone national park make up an area called the greater yellowstone teton region where there's a powerful geological connection [Music] earthquakes make and shake these mountains born out of a violent pass some eight to ten million years ago the teton range right here of course is about 50 miles long at the base of the range there is a fault namely an escarpment in the ground that actually marks the surface location where the ground ruptures all the way from the fault clear to the east side of this valley so we're standing over the teton fault right here but it's about 10 miles down the fault has a history of rupturing approximately every thousand years with a major quake that causes the mountains to rise up as the valley drops down there hasn't been a major rupture in 2800 years so it could happen again anytime throughout the park high-tech satellite tracking instruments called gps track shifts in the earth every 15 seconds so we attach this antenna to bedrock that allows us to determine how this position moves because the gps system measures location that is latitude longitude and elevation surveillance data is transmitted to the university of utah where scientists keep a close watch on the teton earthquakes and the yellowstone volcano the lateral motion of the caldera is pushing its neighbor its next door neighbor is the teton fall likewise pressure that might be loading the fault puts pressure on the caldera and so it's a question of chicken and the egg we're not sure which one is the dominant feature we think they interact bobby boy scientists not only study the system they supply safety information to both national parks it's not just what's under the earth that connects the parks but the creatures that walk upon it the parks and surrounding wilderness lands make up part of the greater yellowstone ecosystem one of the largest protected regions on earth we are a small part of this much larger land mass and together that provides enough space for lots of different animals to live out their annual rituals and because of that we have now all the native species that once occurred here are are here like bears wolves other predators they're free to interact it's a really fantastic situation that doesn't exist in many places along with the geology and the wildlife yellowstone and grand teton share some 4 million annual visitors who come to revel in the scenery and recharge it's just like nowhere else just everything is huge and there's wildlife everywhere and it just seems so pure and natural i'm still running on adrenaline from what we have seen and experienced you know there from wildlife to just the views and just being out here period [Music] over 80 years ago park founders had the foresight to preserve a place of beauty a place that became part of one of the largest protected regions on earth and an unrivaled playground where you can raft a raging river climb sky high cavort with cowboys and unwind in style this recreation mecca and sanctuary for all transforms from season to season but always wakes the spirit on a grand scale [Music] you

Channel: GoTraveler

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Keywords: national park, yellowstone, yosemite, grand canyon, nature, travel, hiking, camping, wilderness, animals, wyoming national parks, culture, jackson hole, jackson wyoming, rv camping, snake river, tourism, Wyoming, usa road trip national parks

Id: eTbWnbquKis

Length: 49min 6sec (2946 seconds)

Published: Thu Aug 13 2020