Mount Moran

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Mount Moran

| photo = Aerial image of Mount Moran (view from the east).jpg

| photo_caption = Aerial view of Mount Moran from the east

| elevation_ft = 12610

| elevation_ref = {{cite peakbagger |pid=5204 |name=Mount Moran, Wyoming |accessdate=2011-05-28}}

| prominence_ft = 2605

| prominence_ref =

| range = Teton Range

| parent_peak =

| listing =

| location = Grand Teton National Park, Teton County, Wyoming, U.S.

| map = USA Wyoming

| range_coordinates =

| map_caption =

| coordinates = {{coord|43|50|07|N|110|46|35|W|type:mountain_region:US-WY_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates_ref = {{cite gnis |id=1601557 |name=Mount Moran |accessdate=2011-05-28}}

| topo = USGS Mount Moran

| type = | age =

| first_ascent = LeGrand Hardy, Bennet McNulty, and Ben C. Rich, July 22, 1922

| easiest_route = CMC Face {{YDS|5.4}}

}}

Mount Moran ({{convert|12610|ft}}) is a mountain in Grand Teton National Park of western Wyoming, USA.{{Cite map |publisher=TopoQwest / United States Geological Survey |title=Mount Moran, WY |url= http://www.topoquest.com/map.php?lat=43.83521&lon=-110.77632&datum=nad83&zoom=4 |access-date=May 28, 2011}} The mountain is named for Thomas Moran, an American western frontier landscape artist. Mount Moran dominates the northern section of the Teton Range rising {{convert|6000|ft}} above Jackson Lake.{{cite web |url=http://www.wyomingtalesandtrails.com/photos2.html |title=Hayden Expedition |publisher=Wyoming Tales and Trails |access-date=10 October 2010}} 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.

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 Teton 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. It 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, thus an ice axe and crampons are used during 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.{{cite book |publisher=Mountaineers Books |isbn=0-89886-480-1 |last1=Ortenburger |first1=Leigh N. |last2=Reynold G. Jackson |title=A Climber's Guide to the Teton Range |edition=3rd |date=1996}}

The Direct South Buttress, a grade IV claim rated from 5.7 A3 to 5.9 C1, is a technical route suited for aid and Alpine climbing. It has a vertical gain of approximately {{convert|1500|ft}}, and features 11 pitches. This route is featured in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America,{{Fifty Classic Climbs|pages=165-170}} and was first ascended by Richard Emerson, Don Decker, and Leigh Ortenburger, August 30–31, 1953.

Climate

{{Weather box

|location = Mount Moran 43.8334 N, 110.7756 W, Elevation: {{cvt|11864|ft}} (1991–2020 normals)

|single line = y

|Jan high F = 19.4

|Feb high F = 18.6

|Mar high F = 23.4

|Apr high F = 28.4

|May high F = 38.0

|Jun high F = 48.9

|Jul high F = 59.3

|Aug high F = 58.6

|Sep high F = 49.5

|Oct high F = 36.6

|Nov high F = 24.7

|Dec high F = 18.7

|Jan mean F = 10.1

|Feb mean F = 8.5

|Mar mean F = 12.7

|Apr mean F = 17.2

|May mean F = 26.1

|Jun mean F = 35.9

|Jul mean F = 45.1

|Aug mean F = 44.4

|Sep mean F = 36.2

|Oct mean F = 25.0

|Nov mean F = 15.5

|Dec mean F = 9.7

|Jan low F = 0.8

|Feb low F = -1.7

|Mar low F = 2.0

|Apr low F = 5.9

|May low F = 14.5

|Jun low F = 23.0

|Jul low F = 30.8

|Aug low F = 30.2

|Sep low F = 22.8

|Oct low F = 13.4

|Nov low F = 6.3

|Dec low F = 0.7

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 8.88

|Feb precipitation inch = 7.27

|Mar precipitation inch = 7.04

|Apr precipitation inch = 6.40

|May precipitation inch = 5.43

|Jun precipitation inch = 3.94

|Jul precipitation inch = 1.53

|Aug precipitation inch = 1.66

|Sep precipitation inch = 2.97

|Oct precipitation inch = 4.73

|Nov precipitation inch = 7.37

|Dec precipitation inch = 8.78

|source=PRISM Climate Group{{cite web

|url= http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/

|title= PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University

|publisher= PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University

|access-date= October 12, 2023

|quote= To find the table data on the PRISM website, start by clicking Coordinates (under Location); copy Latitude and Longitude figures from top of table; click Zoom to location; click Precipitation, Minimum temp, Mean temp, Maximum temp; click 30-year normals, 1991-2020; click 800m; click Retrieve Time Series button.}}

}}

Incidents

On November 21, 1950, a DC-3C 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.{{cite web |url= http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/2002/11/daily-11-22-2002.shtml |title=Rescuers Failed to Reach Downed New Tribes Plane|date=November 22, 1950 |publisher=Christian History Institute |archive-url= https://archive.today/20050404075324/http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/2002/11/daily-11-22-2002.shtml |archive-date=April 4, 2005 |access-date=December 25, 2013}} The wreckage remains on the mountain today, but the Park Service discourages climbs to the site.

On August 25, 1977 Gerald and Susan Huntley experienced a severe rappel accident while climbing the East Ridge of Mt. Moran. A rappel anchor failed and Gerald fell, fracturing his skull, spine and wrist. As Susan went for help, she fell and was killed after breaking her neck. Gerald survived with serious injuries.{{Cite web |title=AAC Publications - Rappel Failure and Fall/Slip on Rock—Wyoming, The Tetons, Mt. Moran |url=https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13197704403/Rappel-Failure-and-FallSlip-on-RockWyoming-The-Tetons-Mt-Moran |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=publications.americanalpineclub.org}}

On July 14, 1986, two women climbers fell uncontrollably while hiking on Mount Moran. Abigail Mackey was fatally injured and Nicola Rotberg was seriously injured after falling over 1,000 feet.{{Cite news |last=Kahn |first=E. J. |date=1987-08-09 |title=HAZARDS INVOLVED |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1987/08/17/hazards-involved |access-date=2025-04-14 |work=The New Yorker |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X}}

On May 17, 2015, Luke Lynch and Stephen P. Adamson Jr. were climbing Mount Moran's northeast face via The Sickle route when they were caught in a wet slough avalanche. Lynch was killed instantly and Adamson Jr. succumbed to his injuries days later.{{Cite web |last=Dunfee |first=Ryan |title=Jackson Hole Locals Luke Lynch, Stephen Adamson Jr. Killed in Avalanche On Mt. Moran |url=https://www.tetongravity.com/story/Ski/jackson-hole-local-luke-lynch-killed-in-avalanche-on-mt.-moran |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=www.tetongravity.com |language=en-US}}

Mt Moran summit WY1.jpg|Mount Moran summit with Falling Ice Glacier at left and Skillet Glacier at right

Mount Moran.jpg|Mount Moran with the Snake River in the foreground

Moran Teton from north GTNP1.jpg|Mount Moran rises abruptly above Jackson Lake. Grand Teton can be seen in the background at left

Grand Teton National Park - Mt. Moran.jpg|Northeast aspect

References

External links

[http://www.mountainproject.com/v/wyoming/grand_teton_national_park/mount_moran/106204685 "Mount Moran"] at Mountain Project
[http://www.summitpost.org/show/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/1599 "Mount Moran"] at Summit Post
[http://www.summitpost.org/route/157582/direct-south-buttress.html Direct South Buttress"] at Summit Post
[http://www.rhythmontherock.com/daves_journ_moran_1.html Mount Moran Photo Gallery of CMC route]
[http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap090302.html NASA Astronomy Photo of the Day] - Great Fireball of August 10, 1972, over Mount Moran
[http://www.jackieandalan.com/mtmoran.html A climb of Mount Moran trip report with photos and video.]

Category:Mountains of Grand Teton National Park

Category:Mountains of Wyoming

Category:Mountains of Teton County, Wyoming

Category:Grand Teton National Park

Category:Climbing areas of the United States