Author: Dillon Kunz
Dillon grew up near Jackson Hole, going to the national parks so often with his family that he took it for granted. Spending all day on Saturdays studying inside during college taught him how good he had it, and he now spends as much time in the mountains as possible.
The Mysteries of Mummy Cave
9000-year-old history. 7000-year-old artifacts. 1500-year-old mummies. Is this Ancient Egypt? It is not, but rather Cody, Wyoming. More accurately, Mummy Cave is a nearly enclosed and long-excavated alcove that was full of priceless discoveries, just to the east of Yellowstone National Park and just west of Cody. The excavation was divided into almost 40 layers, each representing a certain period of time in the cave’s history. Items found include, but are not limited to, deer and mounta...
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The First Explorer of Yellowstone
Batman or Superman? Drake or Kendrick Lamar? MJ or LeBron? There are many ‘who is better?’ controversies in our day. Among the great controversies of our time is one that should not be overlooked—who was the first great explorer of Yellowstone? There are two main candidates: John Colter and Daniel Trotter Potts. Let’s dig into the evidence for each. John Colter John Colter got his mountain man start as part of the famous Lewis and Clark expedition commissioned by Thomas J...
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The Enclosure: The Ancient Structure on the Grand Teton
Ancient Structure Found: On July 29, 1872, a group from the Hayden Expedition believed they were going to be the first to ever climb the Grand Teton. Though it’s a bit controversial whether or not they made it to the top, what they did find was of great significance. During a storm they found themselves on the west buttress (an adjoined peak to the Grand), where they found a prehistoric structure in which they took refuge, calling it the “Enclosure”. How Old is it? As it...
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Grand Teton Glaciers
Let it snow… For many, glaciers have long had an almost mythic appeal and lifegiving sense (and for many around the world that depend freshwater melt from glaciers, this is very literal). Glaciers form as snow fall exceeds snow melt for centuries. It compresses itself, thus eliminating air bubbles and becoming the beautiful blue color that we love. On the surface, glaciers are snow white or have a dirtier look as they scoop up rock and soil on their slow journey down the mountain (ev...
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