The Tectonic Tetons

Most people like a bit of drama in their lives, secretly loving the occasional workplace feud, family discontent or daily first-world crisis. Our brains get buzzed with dopamine driven reward cycles that energise us like a short circuiting battery.

Arriving at the Grand Tetons redefines what true drama really is; behold, Beethoven’s 5th symphony sculpted in stone.

The irony here is that the stunning facade of the Tetons are born out of extreme violence, a spectacular example of pure vertical sheer that occurs when two directly opposing tectonic plates crash head on into each other. The towering granite peaks are in some places separated by an astonishing 30,000 feet from the corresponding rock layers on the lower Jackson Hole valley floors and substrates. But the presiding emotion here is not one of aggression or violence, but of peaceful awe.

Lycra suited cyclists whizz serenely against the cinematic backdrop, their hearts and legs gaining additional power from the flowing panoramas. Although busy, the park is not nearly as jam packed as the neighbouring Yellowstone. We head from our camp beside Jackson Lake for Jenny Lake. A quick 10 minute ferry shuttle lands you on the toes of the towering Tetons, with plenty of spectacular hikes branching out from the jetty. The track up to Inspiration Point climbs steadily and surely up the banks of Cascade Creek, briefly deposits you at Hidden Falls, before pivoting you around to 180 degree views of the lake and sagebrush hued plains stretching out for miles at your feet.

The locals are friendly, perhaps a little too friendly, as they try every trick in the Chipmunks Almanac to cheat you out of your well deserved lunch. Glance westward, and you see the looming shoulders of Teewinot Mountain, with South, Middle and Grand Teton huddled behind like a gargantuan rugby scrum packing down.

For a switch of scenery, we drive the loop through the charming resort town of Jackson and head back north on the quieter, more rustic Moose-Wilson Road. We didn’t meet any Wilson’s, but an obliging female moose entertained us as she grazed on the creekside vegetation. Lastly, we decide to further reward (and exhaust!) the kids with a side trip up to the Phelps Lake and Death Canyon overlook.

Returning to camp, with white tail deer and red foxes sauntering through your site, it’s easy to imagine that perhaps you are captured in the National Parks emblem itself, like some mystical tourist trap snow-globe. It’s little wonder then that these jagged peaks are to be found immortalised as the background of decades of Western movies, adding the dramatic to the drama unfolding on the flickering silver screens.

Extra Points

Some of us, okay, I admit it … just one us, thought it would be worth the extra effort of a pre-dawn start the next day, with a drive down to Schwabacher Landing to witness the Technicolor 3D spectacle of the Tetons being lit at first light. A motley crew of photographers, both serious and rank amateurs, huddled in the cool mist looking for the killer shot. Whether we succeeded or not with film or CMOS, the experience of watching these rugged peaks being painted in pinks, red and golds is a moment well worth losing some sleep over.