... range of mountains in Wyoming named for a division of the Sioux Tribe, whose name was variously written Teton, Titon, or Titowan, and means "prairie dwellers." (Gannett, 1905) On the 14th of September the party reached the heights of the Rocky Mountains, safe and in good spirits after many hair breadth escapes, and drew near to the Pilot Knobs or Trois Tetons, that great landmark, so singular and conspicuous, near which is the romantic source of the Louis River, or the great south branch of the Columbia. ... The Three Tetons are the most noted historic peaks in the Rocky Mountains. The topography of the country is such that the highest peak, Grand Teton (13,691 feet) can be seen from a great distance and has long served as a landmark to trappers and pioneers. Unlike the mountains of that region, the Tetons are not hemmed in by foothills, but rise in bold relief from the surrounding plateau - the Grand Teton towering seven thousand feet above Jackson Lake, at its base. The range is but sixty miles long and lies some twenty-five miles southwest of Yellowstone Lake. It is crossed by Teton Pass, about twenty miles south of Grand Teton. (Thwaites)
Other Names:
Pilot Knobs, Trois Tetons, Grand Teton Mountains, Grand Tetons, Teton Mountain Range, Teton Mountains
County:
Teton
Feature Category:
Land Features
Stories:
The Teton Range derived its name from three lofty peaks rising from it. These peaks are known to have been named some time in the eighteenth century by French trappers. In 1811, in the passage of Mr. Hunt and his party across the country, one of his guides pointed out these lofty peaks and informed Mr. Hunt that they were on the headwaters of the Columbia. The guide evidently did not know or remember the name and so Mr. Hunt christened the three peaks Pilot Knobs. Early names suggest that the three peaks were named the Tetons because of their similarity in form to female breasts. However, there is some question as to whether or not the Teton tribe of Indians was in any way responsible for the naming of these peaks. (WPA)
