Mount Moran
Encyclopedia
Mount Moran is a mountain
in Grand Teton National Park
of western Wyoming
, USA
. The mountain is named for Thomas Moran
, an American western frontier landscape artist. Mount Moran dominates the northern section of the Teton Range
rising 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) above Jackson Lake
. Several active glaciers exist on the mountain with Skillet Glacier
plainly visible on the monolithic east face. Like the Middle Teton
in the same range, Mount Moran's face is marked by a distinctive basalt intrusion
known as the Black Dike.
and other peaks to the south. No trails to Mount Moran have been maintained for over twenty years, and any approach overland requires a great deal of bushwhacking through vegetation, deadfalls and bogs along the perimeter of Leigh Lake
. Instead, most climbers choose to canoe from String Lake
, across Leigh Lake
and then pick their way to their respective route; but even this may require some overland route finding. As a result, most climbs on Mount Moran tend to take several days even when the technical portion of the climb is comparatively brief.
The first ascent of Mount Moran was made on July 22, 1922 by LeGrand Hardy, Bennet McNulty and Ben C. Rich of the Chicago Mountaineering Club via the Skillet Glacier route. The Skillet Glacier still provides perhaps the easiest and most direct route to the summit and is rated 5.4
. As the name implies, most of the climb is on the steep snow and ice of Skillet Glacier, and an ice axe and crampons
should be used in the ascent.
The most popular route up Mount Moran is the CMC route, named for the Chicago Mountaineering Club. The CMC is rated 5.5
, and ascends the east face just south of the Black Dike. The CMC climbs good rock and is essentially free of snow and ice. It also has the advantage of a good camp high on the flank of the mountain.
The Direct South Buttress
route, rated 5.7 A3, is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America
and considered a classic around the world.
cargo plane owned by the New Tribes Mission
crashed on Mount Moran during a storm, killing all 21 on board. A rescue party organized by Paul Petzoldt
located the wreckage on November 25, but the extreme location of the crash made it impossible to recover the plane or the bodies. The wreckage remains on the mountain today, but the Park Service
discourages direct climbs to the site.
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
in Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park is a United States National Park located in northwestern Wyoming, U.S. The Park consists of approximately and includes the major peaks of the long Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. Only south of Yellowstone...
of western Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The mountain is named for Thomas Moran
Thomas Moran
Thomas Moran from Bolton, England was an American painter and printmaker of the Hudson River School in New York whose work often featured the Rocky Mountains. Moran and his family took residence in New York where he obtained work as an artist...
, an American western frontier landscape artist. Mount Moran dominates the northern section of the Teton Range
Teton Range
The Teton Range is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in North America. A north-south range, it is on the Wyoming side of the state's border with Idaho, just south of Yellowstone National Park. Most of the range is in Grand Teton National Park....
rising 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) above Jackson Lake
Jackson Lake
Jackson Lake is a lake located in north western Wyoming in Grand Teton National Park. The lake is natural, except for the top 33 feet , which is due to the construction of Jackson Lake Dam, built in 1911. This top level of the lake is utilized by farmers in Idaho for irrigation purposes...
. Several active glaciers exist on the mountain with Skillet Glacier
Skillet Glacier
Skillet Glacier is located in the Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, United States. The glacier is situated on the eastern cliffs of Mount Moran and is easily seen from Jackson Hole...
plainly visible on the monolithic east face. Like the Middle Teton
Middle Teton
Middle Teton is the third highest peak in the Teton Range, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. The peak is immediately southwest of Grand Teton and the two are separated from one another by the lower saddle, a broad high ridge at . The Middle Teton Glacier is located on the eastern slopes of the...
in the same range, Mount Moran's face is marked by a distinctive basalt intrusion
Intrusion
An intrusion is liquid rock that forms under Earth's surface. Magma from under the surface is slowly pushed up from deep within the earth into any cracks or spaces it can find, sometimes pushing existing country rock out of the way, a process that can take millions of years. As the rock slowly...
known as the Black Dike.
Climbing
Mount Moran is a massive and impressive mountain which would make it attractive to mountaineers. However, the comparative difficulty of the approach to the climbs makes it a much less popular climb than the Grand TetonGrand Teton
Grand Teton is the highest mountain in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park, and a classic destination in American mountaineering.- Geography :...
and other peaks to the south. No trails to Mount Moran have been maintained for over twenty years, and any approach overland requires a great deal of bushwhacking through vegetation, deadfalls and bogs along the perimeter of Leigh Lake
Leigh Lake
Leigh Lake is located in Grand Teton National Park, in the U. S. state of Wyoming. The glacially formed lake is wide and slightly longer in length from north to south. Situated just southeast of Mount Moran, the lake is at the terminus of both Paintbrush and Leigh Canyons...
. Instead, most climbers choose to canoe from String Lake
String Lake
String Lake is located in Grand Teton National Park, in the U. S. state of Wyoming. The natural lake is located at the outflow of Leigh Lake. A small wetland area is on the northwest side of the lake and is prime moose habitat. A short half mile long creek connects String Lake to Jenny Lake to the...
, across Leigh Lake
Leigh Lake
Leigh Lake is located in Grand Teton National Park, in the U. S. state of Wyoming. The glacially formed lake is wide and slightly longer in length from north to south. Situated just southeast of Mount Moran, the lake is at the terminus of both Paintbrush and Leigh Canyons...
and then pick their way to their respective route; but even this may require some overland route finding. As a result, most climbs on Mount Moran tend to take several days even when the technical portion of the climb is comparatively brief.
The first ascent of Mount Moran was made on July 22, 1922 by LeGrand Hardy, Bennet McNulty and Ben C. Rich of the Chicago Mountaineering Club via the Skillet Glacier route. The Skillet Glacier still provides perhaps the easiest and most direct route to the summit and is rated 5.4
Yosemite Decimal System
The Yosemite Decimal System is a three-part system used for rating the difficulty of walks, hikes, and climbs. It is primarily used by mountaineers in the United States and Canada. The Class 5 portion of the Class scale is primarily a rock climbing classification system. Originally the system was...
. As the name implies, most of the climb is on the steep snow and ice of Skillet Glacier, and an ice axe and crampons
Crampons
Crampons are traction devices used to improve mobility on snow and ice. There are three main attachment systems for footwear: step-in, hybrid, and strap bindings. The first two require boots with welts, the last adapt to any type....
should be used in the ascent.
The most popular route up Mount Moran is the CMC route, named for the Chicago Mountaineering Club. The CMC is rated 5.5
Yosemite Decimal System
The Yosemite Decimal System is a three-part system used for rating the difficulty of walks, hikes, and climbs. It is primarily used by mountaineers in the United States and Canada. The Class 5 portion of the Class scale is primarily a rock climbing classification system. Originally the system was...
, and ascends the east face just south of the Black Dike. The CMC climbs good rock and is essentially free of snow and ice. It also has the advantage of a good camp high on the flank of the mountain.
The Direct South Buttress
Direct South Buttress (Mount Moran)
The Direct South Buttress of Mount Moran is a technical rock climbing route on Mount Moran part of the Teton Range in in Grand Teton National Park. The route is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.- External links :**...
route, rated 5.7 A3, is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America
Fifty Classic Climbs of North America
Fifty Classic Climbs Of North America is a climbing guidebook and history written by Steve Roper and Allen Steck. It is considered a definitive piece of climbing literature, known to many climbers as simply "The Book", and has served as an inspiration for more recent climbing books, such as Mark...
and considered a classic around the world.
History
On November 21, 1950, a C-47C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
cargo plane owned by the New Tribes Mission
New Tribes Mission
New Tribes Mission is an international, theologically evangelical Christian mission organization based in Sanford, Florida, United States. NTM has approximately 3,300 missionaries in more than 20 nations, second only to Wycliffe Bible Translators/SIL International David Hesselgrave, Executive...
crashed on Mount Moran during a storm, killing all 21 on board. A rescue party organized by Paul Petzoldt
Paul Petzoldt
Paul Kiesow Petzoldt was one of America's most accomplished mountaineers. He is perhaps best known for establishing the National Outdoor Leadership School in 1965. Paul made his first ascent of the Grand Teton in 1924 at the age of 16, becoming the youngest person at the time to have done so...
located the wreckage on November 25, but the extreme location of the crash made it impossible to recover the plane or the bodies. The wreckage remains on the mountain today, but the Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
discourages direct climbs to the site.
External links
- Mt. Moran on SummitPost.org
- A climb of Mount Moran trip report with photos and video.
- Mt. Moran Photo Gallery of CMC route
- NASA Astronomy Photo of the Day - Great Fireball of 10-Aug-1972 over Mount Moran