CYW 056 “Jackson Hole” / Looking North

Perhaps you’ve heard someone say they like going to “Jackson Hole”.  But what does that mean really?  If you looked at a Wyoming map you’d not find any town called “Jackson Hole” - though we'd already been through a town called Jackson.  Geographically speaking, a “hole” is a plain surrounded on four sides by mountains.  The 80 mile long, 16 mile wide valley sitting between the Teton Mountain Range and the Gros Ventre Range in Wyoming is one such place.  Since the only incorporated town therein is Jackson the area is commonly referred to as “Jackson Hole”.  About 10 million years ago, the Earth's crust started to stretch forming faults and causing earthquakes.  Over time, the block of earth west of the Teton fault shot upward, forming the Tetons, and the block of earth east of the fault dropped more than 20,000 feet forming the valley.  This shot is the view looking north from the Mormon Row Historical District just outside the formal borders of Grand Teton National Park.