From mountain men in the early 1880s to mountaineers of today, people have been drawn to the rugged high-alpine country of Jackson Hole.
Passion for place
Explorers of the region in the 1870s climbed peaks in the Teton Range for science and mapping, leading the way for mountaineers who continue to follow in their footsteps. Nathaniel Langford and James Stevenson of the Hayden Survey claimed to have climbed the Grand Teton in 1872 but left no physical evidence of their climb. In 1898, a party of men led by William Owen made the first documented climb of the Grand, claiming to be the first. The Grand Controversy—who climbed the Grand first—is still alive today, proving the mythic importance of first ascents.
Other adventurers in Jackson Hole include people who embark on backcountry trips either by horse, hiking boots or skis into the Bridger-Teton National Forests, Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, or wilderness areas. People raft down the treacherous and exciting Snake River; anglers fish pristine waters; and hunters and wildlife watchers search for big game animals. Some adventures, though, aren’t planned. Bachelor and caretaker of Flat Creek Ranch, Farney Cole, amazingly fought a sow grizzly bear and won.