Trams, Chairlifts and Alpine Slides
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By Porter Fox
Following the path of chair lifts and trams in Jackson Hole and Teton Valley, summer moves up mountainsides in a fantastic rush of color.
With millions of wildflowers and vines exploding into bloom in July and August, Rendezvous Peak and Fred's Mountain in the Tetons and Snow King in the Gros Ventres offer the wildest natural light show in the region.
Dozens of species of animals roaming the region add life to the lush scene. To access the alpine ecosystems of the Teton and Gros Ventre Range, jump on a tram at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Teton Village, relax in a chair at Snow King, or settle into the Dreamcatcher high-speed quad at Grand Targhee. The ride is peaceful and scenic, and the landscape waiting at the summit is nothing less than spectacular.
Visitors can bring bikes up Grand Targhee or Snow King and snake down the mountain on any number of trails. Local shops offer bike rentals and guided tours by the hour or day. The Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is looking into possible future lift accessed bike rides.
Dozens of trails lead off Rendezvous, Fred's, and Snow King and dive into surrounding valleys or meander through grassy fields. Hit the Peaked Mountain trail on foot or on a bike at Targhee for a moderate three- to-four-hour climb up the Grand Teton's sister mountain. The trail ends on the west side of Peaked Mountain with stunning views of the Tetons, Teton Canyon, and the Jedediah Smith Wilderness Area.
Another popular hike at Targhee is the Fred's Mountain trail from the bottom of the Dreamcatcher. Follow the path up Mill Creek Ravine across the saddle between Fred's and Peaked and hop on the quad for an easy ride to the base.
Trekking up Snow King the steepest ski mountain in the country, relative to its size will get anyone's heart pumping, and the view of Jackson from the top is second to none. Mountain biking around the summit and through Game and Cache Creek valleys is also some of the best in the area. And the Alpine Slide adds speed and exhilaration for those who choose to descend that way from the top of the Rafferty Chair.
The Jackson Hole Ski Resort offers guided nature tours on its trails. Visitors can hike off the summit into Grand Teton National Park on the Granite Canyon trail or dip into Rock Springs bowl on a less difficult route. For a 360-view of the youngest mountain range in the world, follow the Cody Peak trail from the top of the tramwest up the ridge circling Cody Bowl.
Because of the elevation of Fred's and Rendezvous Mountains, in years of normal snowfall you might run into snow during your hike. And watch out for sudden snow squalls in the summer. Above 10,000 feet, you never know what to expect!
Whether on foot or wheels, the lush flanks of the Tetons and Gros Ventres will enrapture your eyes with unique plant life and wild animals spinning in a vicious food chain. Watch for marmots and pikas on the peaks of Rendezvous and Fred's Mountain as they forage for food for the winter.
Golden-mantled squirrels ‹ small chipmunk-like animals unique to high altitudes ‹ can also be seen scurrying through the wind-washed rubble of Rendezvous Peak.
If you have time, take a seat on a rock and watch for a red fox. The crafty critters often dance across mountainsides, hunting pika and marmots and searching for bird eggs.
All three peaks provide habitat for moose, bear, elk, mule deer, and coyotes. A black bear sow and her cub are rumored to live on Fred's Mountain, and moose frequent Fred's during the summer.
Scan open meadows for bears as they forage for berries and dig spring beauties. Moose typically remain more concealed, grazing on bluebells and marshy grasslands. If you hear a bone-chilling howl, it is probably a coyote running the ridges of Rendezvous and Fred's, searching for prey.
Soaring above the mountains, eagles, falcons, and red-tailed hawks eyeball slopes for birds and small animals to attack. If you are lucky, you may see an eagle drop thousands of feet and hook into a marmot or spot a falcon overtake a sparrow in mid-flight.
Bald eagles are considered a symbol of the West, but don't expect to see many in upper elevations. Goldens patrol the high peaks of the Tetons and Gros Ventres and can be identified by "wing windows" ‹ a light-colored pattern that appears transparent ‹ near the elbow of their wings. Falcons can be distinguished by their M-shaped wings, similar to an osprey's but not as accentuated. Falcons also have a black band stretching across their head, but odds are you'll never see it because these birds are some of the fastest in the West.
When walking the peaks, be careful not to tread on one of hundreds of species of wildflowers that grow in upper elevations. Camas (white), penstemon (purple and pink), phlox (white and pink), scarlet gilia, larkspur (purple), gentian (tall and green), fireweed (pink), Henderson's parsley (smells like licorice), and the ever-popular Indian paintbrush abound above 10,000 feet. Columbine (light blue), clematis (purple vine), and arnica (similar to a sunflower) grow in lower elevations.
Keep an eye out for steer's head, a pink-white flower the size of a pinkie fingernail that looks like a steer's head. The flower is a tough find as it only blooms for one day.
Summer is short in Wyoming's mountains, but the abbreviated season makes for a concentrated show of plant and wildlife. Spring moves up the slopes of peaks every June, and flowers and animals follow in a grand march for less than three months of alpine summer.
The brief interlude of color and activity on mountainsides usually covered with snow is as beautiful as it is exciting, and trekking through the terrain can be an unforgettable experience. Pull up a chair or tram for a front-row seat!
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