From tales of the early days in Jackson Hole told by explorers, homesteaders, and dude ranchers, to stories of early mountaineering feats, mixed with accounts of the struggle to conserve the land that is now Grand Teton National Park, Bob Righter’s Grand Teton Reader has a little something for everyone.
Righter—who grew up in California and is now a long-time Wyoming resident—is a historian who has spent many decades fascinated by the history of the Jackson Hole region. He has published two books about the formation of Grand Teton National Park (Peaks, Politics, and Passion and Crucible for Conservation) that detail the controversy and triumph that created the park we know and love today.
Through his decades of research, Righter had compiled a significant number of compelling articles and essays from individuals spanning the hundreds of years of human history in the valley. Many of these stories did not make it into his first two books, which inspired him to edit his favorites to share with the public—enter Grand Teton Reader.
As an avid backpacker, Righter envisioned a light paperback that someone could enjoy while warm in their sleeping bags, camping in the wilderness. With that in mind, Righter edited thirty-five of his favorite stories that vary in topic, are written by a wide array of people, and are both entertaining and thought provoking. A few highlights include:
- Glenn Exum’s count of taking two Labrador Retrievers to the summit of the Grand Teton
- Grace Gallatin Seton-Thompson’s humorous recollection of her near-death experience crossing the Snake River during spring runoff
- Frances Judge’s account of being raised by strong females in a pioneer family who settled in the Buffalo Fork Valley in the early 1900s
- Fritioff Fryxell’s musings of clouds moving through the Teton’s high peaks
- Laine Thom’s Shoshone legend of the Snake River
- And many more!
The stories within Grand Teton Reader appeal to anyone who has ties to Jackson Hole, and are sure to both interest and inspire all readers. The book is a great gift for the Grand Teton enthusiast in your life and is available now—you can pick it up locally at Jackson Hole Book Trader (both Jackson and Wilson locations) or the Jackson Hole Historical Society’s gift shop. It is also available online.