Crack in rock at Grand Teton tourist site appears stable
UPDATE 7/19/18: A crack in rock that forced the closure of a popular waterfall tourist viewing area in Grand Teton National Park hasn’t grown over the past week.
In addition, the National Park Service says the crack may have begun to expand last fall and it’s uncertain when additional expansion occurred in recent months.
Officials have been monitoring the crack in a rock buttress above the Hidden Falls viewing area near Jenny Lake since July 10 when they first learned about it.
The rock buttress is about 100 feet long, 20 feet high and 20 feet wide.
Hidden Falls is located in the popular Jenny Lake area and is among the park’s busiest attractions. Other Jenny Lake attractions, including the ferry, remain open.
ORIGINAL:
Some noticeable changes in rock formations have led to an emergency closure in the Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point areas of Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park.
Park Rangers and Exum Mountain Guides noticed some recently expanding cracks and fissures in a large rock buttress above the Hidden Falls viewing area.
Those familiar with the site, specifically park rangers and personnel with Exum Mountain Guides, identified the cracks and fissures and determined the situation to be a possible safety hazard. The notable changes in the rock over the past 24 hours spurred park rangers to implement a temporary closure and initiate a risk assessment with subject-matter experts.
Superintendent David Vela said, “Human safety is our number one priority, and with an abundance of caution we are temporarily closing this area until we can properly assess the situation.”
Exum Mountain Guides are relocating their practice school services to another location, and shuttle boat and scenic cruises with Jenny Lake Boating will continue to operate. Visitors are able to ride the boat to the west shore, hike Cascade Canyon or around the lake, and enjoy some areas of the west shore as well as the front country areas of the Jenny Lake Complex.
It is unknown how long the closure at Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point areas will be in place.
