Teton Mountains across Jackson Lake, near Yellowstone Nat. Park, Wyo., The

Publication

Teton Mountains across Jackson Lake, near Yellowstone Nat. Park, Wyo., The

Description

THE TETON MOUNTAINS ACROSS JACKSON LAKE. In approaching the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake by the road from Old Faithful we come from the W. and at the Thumb Ranger Station encounter another fine highway reaching this point from the S. This is the South Entrance Road and if time allows, the visitor can enjoy an exceedingly intersting side trip by following it at least to Moran, on jackson Lake, 48 miles S. of West Thumb and about 25 miles beyond the southern boundary of the Park. This magnificent body of water, surrounded by lofty mountains, is the center of that "Jackson Hole" which was renowned in the annals of the old Rocky Mountain fur trade decades before the Yellowstone Park region itself was discovered. Although much wild and beautiful scenery is disclosed all along the way, the greatest delight of this trip is in watching the continually changing views of the Teton Mountains, which lie just to the W. and S. W. of Jackson Lake, their mighty summits rising to a height of nearly a mile and a half above its surface. Probably the most striking range in the entire Rocky Moutnain system, their central peak, the Grand Teton, has an elevation of 13,747 ft. Mount Moran, which we see before us, superbly reflected in the glassy waters of Jackson Lake, lies a little to the N. of the Grand Teton and has an elevation of 12,800 ft. Ranges such as the Tetons, rising 2,000 to 4,000 feet above it on all sides, are what give to the Yellowstone Park the aspect of a valley, even though its own elevation is between 7,000 and 8,500 ft. above sea level. (View looking S. W. Elev. 6,733 ft. Lat. 44° N.; Long. 111° W.)