O Say Can You See...

This spring, while researching a bit about climbing the Grand Teton for the May issue of Men's Journal, I discovered a great reason to climb the Grand again (as if one were really necessary). During an interview with longtime Exum guide Jack Tackle, he mentioned that on very clear mornings, especially in winter but occasionally even in midsummer, you can spot Old Faithful erupting in Yellowstone, about 50 miles away. That is just so cool. Maybe this is common knowledge among Teton guides, but I'd never even thought to look for Old Faithful during any of my trips to the Grand's summit. But I sure will next time. Here's how to spot the geyser: Try to reach the top on a very cold morning with no atmospheric haze, the closer to sunrise the better. Look due north for the 145-foot plume of steam, and be patient: Old Faithful erupts every 45 minutes to two hours, depending on the duration of the previous eruption.