The first white man to see the Tetons: John Colter’s winter journey

John Colter’s Legendary Trek Through America’s Untamed Wilderness

Grand Teton National Park owes its fame to a man who walked through it alone in the dead of winter.

John Colter, a Lewis and Clark veteran, left Fort Raymond in October 1807 on a 500-mile solo mission to trade with the Crow nation.

Armed with just his rifle and pack, he crossed the Continental Divide through brutal snow and became the first white man to see the Grand Tetons and enter what would become Yellowstone.

When he returned in spring 1808 describing geysers and hot springs, people called it “Colter’s Hell. ” Here’s the story of his legendary journey and the mysterious stone that might prove it really happened.

Manuel Lisa Sent Colter on a Brutal Winter Mission

John Colter left Fort Raymond in October 1807 on one of the most amazing solo trips in American history.

Manuel Lisa, who ran a fur company, picked Colter for a tough 500-mile trip to find Crow Indian camps and set up trade deals.

Colter took just his rifle and a small pack into wilderness where winter temps often hit 30 below zero. He had proven himself as one of the best hunters during the Lewis and Clark trip from 1804 to 1806.

The Bighorn Basin Tested His Survival Skills

Colter pushed south through snowy land toward what’s now Cody, Wyoming.

He found bubbling hot springs, steam vents, and smelly sulfur spots that people later called “Colter’s Hell. ” These hot spots weren’t in Yellowstone but closer to present-day Cody.

Colter moved carefully through lands where several Native American tribes lived. Finding food and shelter became a daily struggle as winter gripped the mountains.

He Battled Through a 9,000-Foot Mountain Pass

Colter crossed the Continental Divide, likely through Union Pass in the northern Wind River Range. This crossing at over 9,000 feet made him the first white man to cross this part of the divide in winter.

The pass gave him a way from the Bighorn Basin into Jackson Hole valley. Snow piled deep in the high country, with frequent blizzards making it hard to see and travel slow.

The Grand Tetons Came Into View

During the harsh winter of 1807-1808, Colter became the first white man to see the Teton Range. He walked through Jackson Hole valley with the massive peaks above him.

The Tetons rise sharply to heights over 13,000 feet, creating one of the most striking mountain views in North America.

This marked the first time anyone of European background had seen what later became Grand Teton National Park.

Jackson Lake Provided a Path Forward

Colter likely traveled along frozen Jackson Lake as he moved through the valley. The ice-covered lake stretched for miles beneath the Teton peaks at 6,772 feet high.

Winter had turned the huge body of water into a solid highway, though the open lake left travelers open to bitter winds and storms.

Colter followed parts of what we now call the Snake River system, using the natural valley as his guide.

Teton Pass Led Him Into Idaho Territory

After checking out the Jackson Hole area, Colter crossed Teton Pass at 8,431 feet to reach Pierre’s Hole, now called Teton Basin in Idaho.

The steep mountain pass would have been full of deep snow, making the crossing slow and risky. This path took him into the exact area where the strange Colter Stone would later turn up.

Pierre’s Hole served as an important meeting place for Native American tribes.

A Farmer Found a Strange Stone Decades Later

In the early 1930s, Idaho farmer William Beard hit something odd while clearing his field in Tetonia. He pulled out a piece of rhyolite lava shaped like a human head, about 13 inches long.

The right side had “John Colter” carved into it, while “1808” showed on the left.

Grand Teton National Park rock expert Fritiof Fryxell checked the stone and found wear patterns that matched its supposed age. The Beard family knew nothing about John Colter.

Yellowstone Lake Appeared on His Northern Route

Colter turned north and east after leaving Teton Basin, finally reaching what we now know as Yellowstone Lake.

This path took him through the southern part of present-day Yellowstone National Park, making him the first white person to enter this amazing region.

Yellowstone Lake sits at 7,732 feet high and would have been completely frozen and snow-covered during Colter’s visit.

Geysers and Hot Springs Seemed Like Hell on Earth

Around Yellowstone Lake, Colter saw geysers shooting water into the air and pools of bubbling mud.

When he got back to Fort Raymond in spring 1808 and told stories about these strange sights, most people thought he was lying.

His tales of steaming ground and boiling water in a frozen landscape earned the region the nickname “Colter’s Hell. ” These hot spots gave rare warmth during his winter journey.

The Return Journey Proved His Toughness

Colter made it back to Fort Raymond in March or April 1808 after months alone in the wilderness. He had covered more than 500 miles through some of the harshest terrain and weather conditions in North America.

Getting home meant retracing parts of his route through the Wind River Range and navigating by memory and instinct.

His successful return after such a long solo winter journey in unmapped territory showed his exceptional outdoor skills. Few men of his time could have survived such an ordeal, let alone completed the trading mission.

His Map Changed How Americans Saw the West

William Clark included Colter’s route on his 1814 map called “A Map of Lewis and Clark’s Track Across the Western Portion of North America.”

People now consider Colter the first true mountain man, setting the pattern for the fur trappers who would follow.

He gave Clark valuable information that helped complete the official maps from the Lewis and Clark Expedition. His journey opened up the Yellowstone region to American fur traders and later explorers.

Historians still debate exactly which path he took and whether the Colter Stone really marks his presence in Idaho’s Teton Basin.

Visiting Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

You can explore John Colter’s historic winter journey at Grand Teton National Park for $35 per vehicle.

The visitor center on Jackson Lake’s eastern shore opens late spring through mid-fall with Native American artifacts from the David T. Vernon collection.

Watch Indigenous artists during weeklong residencies from 24 associated tribes.

Join ranger programs like Swan Lake hikes, lakeshore walks, tipi demonstrations, and evening amphitheater talks about Colter’s groundbreaking expedition through Jackson Hole.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• How German saboteurs terrorized New York harbor and permanently scarred Lady Liberty in 1916
• Patton thought French wouldn’t fight in 1942 — then they killed 1,052 Americans at Casablanca
• The daredevil “Sky Workers” who built the Empire State building at as fast as four stories per week