http://www.nps.gov/grte News releases from Grand Teton National Park. en-us http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-35.htm Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:00:00 EST An active weekend in Grand Teton National Park kept rangers and emergency responders exceptionally busy. Park staff handled two search and rescue missions, eight medical calls, including one fatality, and multiple reports of property damage, plus one serious personal injury, in the aftermath of a significant wind event in the Colter Bay area. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-36.htm Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:41:00 EST At 11 a.m. on Monday, June 17, Grand Teton National Park rangers responded to a report of a 57-year-old male with an injury who was climbing near the Black Rock Chimney on the Grand Teton. Jim Williams of Jackson, Wyoming was leading a client on a guided trip of the Grand Teton for an authorized park concessionaire when the snow that he was standing on collapsed, causing him to take a short fall. During that brief fall, Williams caught a crampon on the ice and sustained an injury. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-34.htm Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:55:00 EST The temporary closure of Pilgrim Creek Road, located between Jackson Lake Lodge and Colter Bay Village, will be extended while a contractor continues to haul and stage gravel along the length of this unpaved road in preparation for an improvement project scheduled for July. This secondary road will be open to public access over the weekend of June 15-16, but will close from Monday, June 17 through Friday, June 21 to all access—including pedestrians—for safety concerns due to movement of heavy trucks. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-33.htm Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:14:00 EST The Pilgrim Creek Road between Jackson Lake Lodge and Colter Bay Village will be closed to all public access Tuesday, June 11 through Friday, June 14 while a contractor hauls gravel and stages it along the side of the unpaved road. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-32.htm Thu, 06 Jun 2013 15:00:00 EST Motorists may experience a minor travel delay along Highway 26/89/191 from Moran Junction to the Elk Ranch flats (one mile south of the junction) on Saturday morning, June 8, between the hours of 6:45 and 8:30 a.m. The temporary delay will allow for the safe movement of cattle from the Pinto Ranch of Buffalo Valley to the Elk Ranch pastures, which lie south of Moran Junction and the Buffalo Fork River. Park rangers will provide traffic control for this cattle drive. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-31.htm Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:35:00 EST Beginning Monday, June 10, hikers using the southern portion of the popular Jenny Lake trail to Hidden Falls and Cascade Canyon will need to take an upper trail segment beyond Moose Ponds junction. This reroute will be in place for two to four weeks while significant restoration work is done along the more often used shoreline trail. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-30.htm Fri, 31 May 2013 15:15:00 EST In partnership with St. John’s Medical Center, Grand Teton National Park will launch a new Active Trails program with a kick-off event June 6 from 5-7 p.m. at Miller Park in Jackson, Wyoming. The first 10 people to register for participation in the Active Trails program will receive a free annual pass to Grand Teton National Park, and a few lucky participants who attend a bear safety presentation will receive a free can of bear spray. Grand Teton’s Active Trails program is funded through a grant by the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-29.htm Fri, 17 May 2013 12:06:00 EST Grand Teton National Park and the Grand Teton Association (GTA) are pleased to announce that Susma Giri was selected for the 2013 Boyd Evison Graduate Fellowship. Giri, the ninth recipient of an Evison Fellowship, is currently pursuing a Ph.D. degree in Ecology at the University of Wyoming (UW) in Laramie. The Evison Graduate Fellowship began in 2005 to support advanced studies throughout the Greater Yellowstone Area. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-28.htm Mon, 13 May 2013 14:25:00 EST Each year, Grand Teton National Park sponsors a unique program that brings American Indian artists to the Colter Bay Visitor Center. For the past 38 years, artisans from diverse tribes have demonstrated their traditional and contemporary art forms, providing visitors a chance to gain a greater appreciation and understanding of Indian cultures that are alive and active across North America. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-27-ia.htm Mon, 06 May 2013 11:42:00 EST Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway and the National Elk Refuge released today for public review the Snake River Headwaters Comprehensive River Management Plan and Environmental Assessment (CRMP/EA). Prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), this environmental assessment will be open for review and comment for 57 days from May 6 – June 30, 2013. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-27.htm Fri, 03 May 2013 11:47:00 EST Summer road repair and rehabilitation projects begin next week in Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. This work will result in varying traffic delays during the 2013 travel season. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-26.htm Fri, 03 May 2013 10:47:00 EST Observance of the 2013 International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) gets underway at Grand Teton National Park with a bird-watching caravan on Saturday, May 11. To celebrate IMBD and conduct the annual North American bird count, Park Ranger Andrew Langford will visit areas throughout Grand Teton that provide the best opportunities to locate, identify and record birds. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-25.htm Wed, 01 May 2013 15:24:00 EST The National Park Service (NPS) today issued a prospectus to solicit proposals for guided mountain climbing and climbing schools in Grand Teton National Park. This prospectus will award two concession contracts valid for 10 years, each. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-24.htm Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:07:00 EST Opening dates for seasonally operated facilities and roads in Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway are announced. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-23.htm Fri, 12 Apr 2013 11:44:00 EST To celebrate the arrival of spring, park ranger naturalists will lead early-morning tours to observe strutting sage grouse as they perform their annual courtship dance on an historic lek (mating arena) located just off the Antelope Flats Road near Mormon Row. Strutting grouse trips will be offered on the following weekends: April 13–14, April 20–21, and April 27–28, 2013. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-22.htm Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:47:00 EST Did you know April 20-28 is National Park Week? Come celebrate the annual observance in Grand Teton National Park. Join us for special events and programs that are fun and free for the whole family. This is also a perfect time to plan a special getaway to experience the wonders of Grand Teton National Park with free park admission from April 22-26. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-21.htm Fri, 05 Apr 2013 11:09:00 EST Freshmen in Teton County, Wyoming are invited to compete in an essay and creative arts competition hosted by Grand Teton National Park and the Grand Teton Association (GTA). The contest is part of Grand Teton’s multi-faceted “Class of 2016” initiative, which highlights the upcoming National Park Service centennial in 2016. This is the first of four annual awards and scholarships offered for Class of 2016 students. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-20.htm Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:04:00 EST Grand Teton National Park road crews are nearing completion of annual spring plowing operations on the Teton Park Road from the Taggart Lake parking area to Signal Mountain Lodge. The road opens to non-motorized activities Friday, April 5, 2013. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-19.htm Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:02:00 EST With spring-like weather and warmer temperatures, animals are actively “on the move” from their winter ranges to their summer haunts in Grand Teton National Park. Herds of elk recently moved off the National Elk Refuge and fanned out across the sagebrush flats just north of the Gros Ventre River and along both sides of Highway 26/89/191. Several groups of elk began spreading across snow free areas in the park on Monday afternoon, April 1 and Tuesday morning, April 2. Because spring migration is now fully underway, motorists should be alert for wildlife on and near park roads and drive with extra caution during the coming weeks. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-18.htm Mon, 01 Apr 2013 10:54:00 EST For a third year, Grand Teton National Park interpretive rangers brought the fascinating winter world of northwestern Wyoming to students across America. Rangers interacted with classrooms in California, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming through video conference technology from a ‘Snowdesk’ set. Via curriculum-based distance learning, students were transported to the snowy Teton landscape outside the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose, Wyoming. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-17.htm Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:02:00 EST Grand Teton National Park road crews will begin their annual spring plowing of the Teton Park Road from Taggart Lake parking area to Signal Mountain Lodge on Monday, April 1, 2013. As plowing operations get underway, recreation on this winter trail will cease for the season. Visitors may continue to use other winter trails, or areas adjacent to the Teton Park Road, for skate-skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing until conditions are no longer favorable. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-16.htm Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:52:00 EST Come take a walk on the virtual wild side and explore one of the most popular hikes available at Grand Teton National Park. A new web-based, interactive program takes viewers on an 'eHike' around String Lake, one of the six glacial lakes that grace the foot of the Teton Range. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-15.htm Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:30:00 EST Bears are out of hibernation and active again in Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. Park staff received reports of the first set of bear tracks on March 15th. These reports were in keeping with long-term data that indicates 50% of adult males bears are out of their winter dens by mid-March each year. Local residents and park visitors should be alert for the presence of bears throughout all areas of the park and parkway. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-14.htm Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:37:00 EST Grand Teton National Park joined with the sportsmen's group Trout Unlimited (TU) today to announce collaborative efforts underway on a stream restoration project for the Gros Ventre watershed. The project will remove an obsolete water diversion structure located near Kelly, Wyoming. The Newbold Dam—a low-head, log/rock structure—poses a significant barrier to fish passage in the Gros Ventre River, and is no longer needed for irrigation purposes. Dam removal will eliminate a safety risk for local residents and visitors who access the river for recreation at this location, and unlock more than 100 miles of stream habitat for spawning and sustaining trout. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-13.htm Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:49:00 EST Grand Teton National Park officials plan to implement changes in the 2013 elk reduction program (ERP)—a National Park Service (NPS) wildlife management program conducted in collaboration with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) and designed to help regulate the Jackson elk herd. These changes will be made in part to reduce the chance of grizzly bear-hunter encounters. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-12.htm Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:35:00 EST In consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Grand Teton National Park law enforcement rangers completed their comprehensive investigation into the fatal shooting of a grizzly bear on Thanksgiving morning, 2012 by three hunters participating in the park's elk reduction program. As the final step in the process, the United States Attorney's Office has determined that no criminal charges will be filed against the hunters involved in this incident. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-11.htm Tue, 05 Mar 2013 10:12:00 EST The National Park Service (NPS) has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Colter Bay Visitor Services Plan/Environmental Assessment (Colter Bay Visitor Services Plan/EA). Intermountain Regional Director John Wessels approved and signed the FONSI based on the environmental assessment. Implementation of the plan will begin when funding is secured. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-10.htm Fri, 01 Mar 2013 18:48:00 EST A local backcountry skier died today during an avalanche in the Teton Range at Grand Teton National Park. Jarad Spackman, age 40, of Jackson, was involved in the avalanche that took his life while he was ascending Apocalypse Couloir near the mouth of Death Canyon. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-09.htm Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:03:00 EST A new National Park Service (NPS) report for 2011 shows that nearly 2.6 million visitors to Grand Teton National Park spent over $436 million in gateway communities surrounding the park. That spending, in turn, supported 6,397 jobs in the northwestern Wyoming communities of Jackson, Teton Village, and Dubois, as well as the nearby Idaho communities of Driggs and Victor. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-08.htm Wed, 20 Feb 2013 09:41:00 EST An innovative program initiated by Grand Teton National Park and developed through key collaborators—The Student Conservation Association (SCA) and Teton Science Schools—will mark its third year in fostering a career track for college students from diverse backgrounds. Critical funding for the program comes from the Grand Teton National Park Foundation and Grand Teton Association, two dedicated and longstanding park partners. The 2013 NPS Academy will take place from March 4 - 8 at Grand Teton, where participants from universities throughout the U.S. will learn about career opportunities with the National Park Service (NPS) and other federal agencies through seminars, workshops, field trips, and recreational activities. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-07.htm Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:11:00 EST Grand Teton National Park is currently recruiting participants for the 2013 Youth Conservation Program (YCP). Funding for this youth employment opportunity comes from the Grand Teton National Park Foundation through generous contributions by their donors. Applications must be postmarked by March 15, 2013. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-06.htm Fri, 01 Feb 2013 10:05:00 EST Grand Teton National Park ranger naturalists invite visitors and area residents to discover the wonders of winter and boost their heart rate during an exhilarating snowshoe hike to Taggart Lake. Join a park ranger from noon to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 6, for a moderately strenuous snowshoe trek to Taggart Lake at the foot of the Teton peaks. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-05.htm Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:36:00 EST Grand Teton National Park rangers were able to recover the body of Nick Gillespie, age 30, of Jackson, Wyoming from Berry Creek canyon at 5 p.m. on January 28. Foggy conditions throughout most of Monday prevented earlier attempts to complete the mission before late afternoon. Rangers also concluded their investigation of the avalanche event that took his life on Sunday afternoon. Gillespie, a long-time seasonal employee of Grand Teton, was caught in an avalanche on the southeast face of Survey Peak (elevation 9,277 feet) at approximately 5 p.m. on Sunday, January 27, and he died as a result of injuries suffered in the slide. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-04.htm Mon, 28 Jan 2013 17:13:00 EST On Monday morning, Grand Teton National Park rangers began a recovery mission for the body of a backcountry skier who died in an avalanche on Sunday, January 27. Nick Gillespie, age 30, of Jackson, Wyoming, was caught in an avalanche on the southeast face of Survey Peak (elevation 9,277 feet) in the northern Teton Range about 5 p.m. Sunday and died as a result of injuries suffered in the slide. Gillespie was a long-time seasonal employee of Grand Teton National Park who worked on the park's trail crew for the past six years. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-03.htm Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:58:00 EST The University of Wyoming (UW) and National Park Service (NPS) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) to analyze environmental effects of a range of alternatives for proposed improvements to the UW/NPS Research Center Campus at the AMK Ranch on the east shore of Jackson Lake in Grand Teton National Park. These include replacement of the water and wastewater systems, construction of a new dormitory, and implementation of a number of other improvements. Public comments will be accepted during a scoping period from January 18 through February 20, 2013. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-02.htm Fri, 11 Jan 2013 15:19:00 EST Grand Teton National Park will waive entrance fees on Monday, January 21, 2013 in recognition of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Grand Teton joins the almost 400 other units of the National Park System to acknowledge this special day as part of an initiative to encourage families and individuals to visit and experience the wonders of their national parks. The entry fee for a private, non-commercial vehicle to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks normally costs $25 for seven days. http://www.nps.gov/grte/parknews/news-release-13-01.htm Thu, 10 Jan 2013 14:59:00 EST Grand Teton National Park rangers, with assistance from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, conducted an investigation into the recent death of a buck mule deer. The mule deer died as a result of physical injuries sometime on Tuesday, January 8, 2013 along the Gros Ventre River near the park's southern boundary. While the natural death of an animal inside of a national park can be expected, this individual deer wore an atypical set of antlers that brought particular attention and admiration from visitors and local residents alike, and therefore prompted this announcement about the circumstances of its death.