SNOW AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS

Our our way into the town of Jackson, we stopped to take this picture of the Grand Teton.  The Grand stands at 13,775 ft. and is the highest point in the Teton Range and second highest peak in Wyoming. It is views like these that have kept us coming back to Grand Teton National Park over and over again. 

The Grand overshadows the valley below.  The small patches of snow at the bottom of the picture are along the bank of the Snake River which flows north to south.

We decided to take the tram in Teton Village to the top of Rendezvous Mountain.   The elevation at the base of the tram is 6,311 feet and the elevation at the top of Rendezvous Mountain is 10,450--a gain of 4,139 vertical feet in just over 10 minutes.  Once we were about halfway up the mountain, the snow appeared to be several feet deep below us. In the photos below, you can see just how deep the snow is around the base of the pine trees.

This is the beginning of one of the more advanced ski trails with a tremendous vertical drop at the beginning of the run.  This trail would not be for the faint of heart.  

Here is a picture of Paul at the top of the tram.  You can see just how much snow is still there on June 3!  Last year there was a small pile of snow about 8 feet high but not nearly as far across.  The tram operator said that this area had a near record 730+ inches of snow this past winter.  The temperature at the top of the tram at noon was 32 degrees, while the temperature at the base of the mountain was a much more pleasant 50 degrees.

Yes, the skier that rode the tram to the top with us is about to start off on a cross country ski trail.  He can be seen at the left back of the photo below.  Notice the ski poles in Paul's hands for balance on the icy crusted snow.

You can see the Jackson Hole valley over Paul's right shoulder.  A very impressive view!

This is Corbet's Cabin, a small restaurant at the top of the tram that serves hot beverages and is known for their homemade waffles.  You can barely see the sides of the building with all the snow still piled high.

The tram car is visible over Paul's left shoulder.  Each tram car can hold 60 people.  The panoramic views from the tram of the valley below are breathtaking.

This is a close-up of a cornice, an overhanging snow drift which could come tumbling down at any moment.  Breaking cornices is one of the causes of avalanches.   

Here is a view of the mountains from the tram.