Grand
Tetons National Park is located just south of Yellowstone. Whereas Yellowstone
became a America's first national park in 1872, Grand Teton did not become
established until 1929. However, the early Tetons park encompassed basically
only the mountain front. The local growing ranch community initially resisted
development of the park area. However, starting in the 1920's, John D.
Rockefeller, Jr. began a land company to organize and purchase much of
Jackson Hole valley in preparation of expanding the park. Franklin Roosevelt
in 1943 then established Jackson Hole National Monument. Congress established
the expanded Grand Teton National Park in 1950.
Note the extent of glacier cover down the valley on the east face of Grand
Teton. Do these glaciers still exist today? During the glaciation stages
of the Quaternary, mountain glaciers extend all the way down into Jackson
Hole valley.
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