Portion of World-Famous National Park Skyline Collapses in Rockfall
A section of Grand Teton National Park's famous skyline was forever altered over the holiday weekend after a portion of Teton Mountain's famed Second Tower collapsed in a rockfall.
The Jenny Lake Rangers—Grand Teton's elite search-and-rescue team—announced the news in an Instagram post reported on by Buckrail, revealing that a chunk of the tower had collapsed over the 4th of July weekend.
"The Second Tower, specifically, is now a repeat offender," the team wrote. "In September 2022, a significantly larger portion of the formation collapsed. At this time, it is not known if the East Ridge climbing route has been impacted. A large debris field is visible from the valley on the Teepe Glacier."
Indeed, a large 2022 rockfall had previously transformed the look of the Second Tower,
, "
changing the feature’s profile from an even-sided pyramid to a pointed spire."
The Second Tower is part of the iconic Cathedral Group skyline, which encompasses views of the Grand Teton, Teewinot and Mount Owen.
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According to the Jenny Lake Rangers, the area's unpredictable weather may be to blame.
"While we know that freeze-thaw cycles can contribute to rockfall, and such events have been observed with higher frequency in recent years, these events remain highly unpredictable," they wrote.
The group's best advice? Stay out of the way.
"The best mitigation is to limit your exposure, minimizing the time you spend under areas that may be more prone to rockfall," the post reads. "Areas of recent rockfall are often more active, as seen with the recent event on the Grand. Multiple parties observed consistent, intermittent rockfall for at least 48 hours following the event."
Check out before and after photos below: