Wyoming’s legendary set

THE Grand Tetons held sway over me for 20 years -- before I set ever eyes on them.

The breathtaking backdrop for a mythic American landscape has been etched on my consciousness since, as a 10-year-old, I sat mesmerized by a Saturday matinee showing of “Shane,” an archetypal little-guy-versus-bully story.

And the Jackson Hole, Wyo., landscape, personified by the overpowering Tetons, is as essential a character as any in the 1953 film. The homesteading Starretts (Jean Arthur, Van Heflin and Brandon de Wilde as Joey), helped by the loner Shane (Alan Ladd), had to battle that formidable country as desperately as they did the cattlemen, the Rykers and their gunman Jack Wilson (Jack Palance). So beautiful but so harsh, it is the sort of West that Wallace Stegner once described as “the native home of hope.”

Teton Range and Jackson Hole, just south of Yellowstone in Wyoming’s northwest corner, haven’t changed much from the 1880s, when the story of “Shane” took place. Grand Teton National Park was designated in 1929 and expanded in 1950, in part through a donation of 35,000 acres from the Rockefeller family. It is dominated by the Teton Range, which has a dozen peaks more than 12,000 feet high, and the broad valley known as Jackson Hole.

Whenever I’ve visited Grand Teton, which has been as often as possible, I’ve tried to guess where “Shane” was filmed, but the valley is broad, and nobody I asked -- rangers or locals -- really knew.

Last August I decided to find out. It wasn’t exactly a pilgrimage. I had other goals, including hanging out with my grown son Alex, who joined me on the trip; trying to photograph the perfect Teton sunrise; and reaching Lake Solitude, about 15 miles into the mountains through Cascade Canyon, a trail that had defeated me in the past.

There was lots of unfinished business. It was time to make good on some Teton daydreams and test myself a bit.

Driving north from Salt Lake City, we arrived in early afternoon. Just outside Jackson, Alex and I were rewarded with a broadside view of the Teton Range, a sight that never fails to take my breath away. It took only half an hour before we saw some of the charismatic fauna of the Greater Yellowstone Basin. As we approached our cabin at Coulter Bay Village on the north shore of Jackson Lake, we caught sight of two black bears and a moose. Good omens.

The next morning, we were up before dawn to check out sunrise at the Snake River Overlook, made famous by Ansel Adams’ shot of the river curving toward the mountains.

The Tetons may be spectacular, but that doesn’t mean they are easy to photograph. I am no pro and am as ignorant of f-stops as can be, so I’m willing to trust my camera’s computer chip to augment my main job: framing the shot. Yet even that industrious chip can have trouble with the lighting in Jackson Hole.

The Tetons rise more than a mile so abruptly from the valley floor that they often appear washed out in landscape photos. If the mountains are captured well in the morning light, the foreground often can appear too dark because the contrast is difficult for the camera to balance.

The first rays of the sun kissed the tops of the peaks, but the river valley was still in darkness. By the time the light reached the riverbank and forest, we had only a few minutes before the full sunrise overwhelmed the mountains. But that was enough, especially in the mid-30s chill. We retreated to the Jackson Lake Lodge for breakfast and to plan our quest for the first “Shane” location: the Starrett Homestead.

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Elusive film site

I had unearthed a CD-ROM book “The Making of Shane,” by Walt Farmer, which provided detailed directions and even GPS coordinates to the film’s sites. How could we go wrong?

Pretty easily, it turned out. We searched some back roads in the Antelope Flats area parallel to U.S. Highway 26 on the park’s east side but never found the trail through the sagebrush that led to where the homestead set had been built in 1952. Rather than bushwhack, we satisfied ourselves with a long view of the area.

Not that we didn’t have some success. We found the only “Shane” location still standing, a cluster of small log structures pre-dating the film that were used as the cabin of beleaguered homesteader Ernie Wright. Though abandoned and in disrepair, they were easily recognizable, bringing to mind a couple of dramatic scenes in which Rykers’ men kill Ernie’s sow, orphaning her piglets, and later stampede cattle through his crops.

The second morning built upon our previous success.

We first decamped to the Oxbow Bend Turnout, near Moran Junction, for another sunrise. The spot is deservedly one of the park’s most popular photo destinations, but in the cold predawn dark, we had it to ourselves. We walked to the bank of the Snake River and studied the still waters, which barely reflected Mt. Moran and the clouds through the fog.

Other than a few birdcalls and fish breaking the surface of the river, it was quiet, until in the distance we heard the unmistakable serenade of wolves. The animals were successfully reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995, and a pack had migrated south to Grand Teton.

Sunrise did not disappoint. The first light touched Mt. Moran, bathing it in a pink glow. The still waters of the river allowed us to capture the clouds and peaks in mirror images, muted by morning mists and constantly changing as the sun drenched the landscape.

After breakfast at the Jackson Lake Lodge, we resolved to find the holy grail of “Shane” sites: Cemetery Hill and the nearby town, where much of the film’s action took place.

We followed the CD-ROM’s directions down washboard roads and found the little trail head. We had only to follow the faint trail half a mile or so west through the scrubland to the hill.

As we climbed the small hill, I caught sight of movement toward the west. I stood mesmerized, thinking for a crazy moment it was a tiny horse galloping through the sage. At about 30 yards I focused on a massive gray wolf, mostly light-colored with streaks of black, holding its tail high and loping past us as it disappeared around a hill, too quickly for us to react with our cameras.

We were speechless. For a moment it seemed that we were in the wilderness that “Shane” had portrayed so well.

Of course, when I think of the “Shane” sites, I imagine them as they were in the film, but Hollywood usually trumps reality. The cemetery and town seemed real enough in the film, but they were merely sets built and dismantled in the middle of nowhere.

There are still a few pieces of lumber strewn about the hilltop and a small depression where the homesteaders dug the grave of Frank “Stonewall” Torrey, the blustering ex-Confederate homesteader played by Elisha Cook Jr. who was killed in one of the most famous western fight scenes ever. But I had to use my imagination to conjure up anything more.

The town site is half a mile farther toward Grand Teton peak. We couldn’t find this trail, but it was obvious where it had been from the Grand Teton backdrop. Satisfied to be this close, we imagined cowboys celebrating the Fourth of July in front of Grafton’s Saloon and Palance’s Wilson gunning down Cook’s Torrey. It seemed so real, so alive on the screen, but now there was nothing, save our imagination, which is, after all, the most a movie can give you anyhow.

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Long hike to Solitude

MY “Shane” curiosity satisfied, we still had ambitious plans for the day. This time I was going to make it to Lake Solitude.

Many of the Teton day hikes are easy, and getting even a few hundred yards off the main roads will pay off in great views and wildlife encounters. Some hikes are more arduous, climbing, sometimes gradually and sometimes not, up the mountain valleys that separate the Tetons’ peaks.

For at least 15 years, I’ve had it in my mind that I should hike up Cascade Canyon, in the shadow of the Grand Teton, to Lake Solitude. With the help of a boat service across Jenny Lake this is a 7.2-mile exercise -- each way -- with an altitude gain of about 2,200 feet.

Years ago I tried it with my family, only to be stopped by a grizzly blocking the trail. Prudence prevailed. Another time someone in our party got sick. Occasionally the weather hadn’t cooperated. Then, too, my natural predisposition is toward indolence.

This time I would not be denied. Mind you, I am no great hiker and had just hit 60. This trek would match the longest I had ever taken, but once I get a goal in mind, it’s hard for me to let it go.

To make things interesting, an old pal, Tim Cahill, a well-known travel and adventure writer, agreed to join us. This would be child’s play for Tim, so I had incentive to finish honorably.

We got a late start, reaching Jenny Lake after 9 a.m. The initial mile of the Cascade Canyon Trail is one of the most popular hikes in the park, so I suggested that we take a parallel horse trail to avoid the crowds and make better time.

As with many good ideas, this one quickly came undone. Instead of linking up with the main trail, we were on a climbers’ trail that got narrower and steeper, ultimately topping out at a cliff. Retreat was in order.

We still couldn’t find the cutoff and contemplated bushwhacking, but the terrain was inhospitable, strewn with brush-covered rocks. More backtracking led us to the source of our error. When we had passed the junction we were distracted by a rock cairn demarking the climbers’ trail and an attractive young woman nearby who apparently blinded us to the correct turnoff.

The next three miles of the trail were fairly level, following the canyon’s contours and often crossing the small stream emptying into Jenny Lake. This stretch is forested, with views of steep canyon walls and cascades dropping from the heights, giving the canyon its name.

Tim set the pace. Alex and I did our best to keep up but had to stop to catch our breath often, which Tim tolerated with good humor. The final three miles to Lake Solitude rise steadily over a rocky trail, and Tim’s conditioning let him pull away. The altitude was getting to Alex and me, so we rested often, reaching Lake Solitude at 9,035 feet almost an hour behind Tim.

We collapsed next to the lake. Too soon, Tim announced that if we didn’t head down soon we might miss the last boat across the lake, which would mean an extra two-mile hike to the car. Good motivation to get us going.

The slopes were considerably easier downhill, although we had to be careful of rocky footfalls. I remarked to Tim that, truly, gravity was our friend. He replied, “It’s not just a good idea; it’s a law.”

After considerable exertion and a brief pause to ogle a bull moose, we made the boat dock with a full nine minutes to spare, sore but unbowed. We had covered about 15.5 miles and gained 2,700 feet in elevation.

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The perfect sunrise shot

I continued my sunrise quest the next morning but didn’t dare wake Alex or Tim. Moulton Barn on Mormon Row is usually a good foreground, but the sunrise was muted by cloud banks that day.

Tim headed back home after breakfast, and Alex and I spent the day checking out photo spots. We repeated the five-mile drive up Signal Mountain and were rewarded with the sight of a large black bear feeding just off the road, plus some shots of Jackson Hole. A return to Mormon Row led to a close but photogenic encounter with a herd of huge bison. By late afternoon the rains came.

The next morning we were headed home, and though we tried to catch one last sunrise at Schwabacher Landing on the highway back to Jackson, south of the park, we were stymied by heavy overcast.

After we hiked a short way to a beaver dam and pond, the clouds parted just enough to give up one last majestic view of the Tetons.

Our work completed, we got back in our motorized steed, steered our car toward the horizon and headed out of the valley.

Just like Shane.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

A good look at Grand Teton

GETTING THERE:

From LAX, Delta and United have connecting service (change of plane) to Jackson, Wyo. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $415.

WHERE TO STAY:

I prefer to stay in Grand Teton National Park because Jackson is a half-hour drive from the park. Summer accommodations are tight, so book as early as possible. For lodgings in Jackson, www.jacksonholenet.com has information and links.

Grand Teton Lodge Co., (800) 628-9988, www.gtlc.com, has several lodging options in the park, including the Jenny Lake Lodge and cabins at Coulter Bay Village.

Jenny Lake Lodge has two-person cabins for $495, including breakfast and dinner. Doubles at the lodge are $179-$259.

Coulter Bay Village has cabins from $40-$115.

Signal Mountain Lodge, (307) 543-2831, www.signalmountainlodge.com, has cabins and rooms from $109-$280 and lakefront retreats, which sleep four or more and have amazing views of the Tetons, from $211-$226.

WHERE TO EAT:

Jenny Lake Lodge: A fixed-price dinner costs about $65 without wine. Reservations are essential; call as far in advance as possible.

Jackson Lake Lodge’s Mural Room and Signal Mountain Lodge’s the Peaks provide decent food for $30-$40, with great views thrown in.

Pioneer Grill at the Jackson Lake Lodge, with its retro counter, is fine for more casual dining, as is the Trapper Grill at the Signal Mountain Lodge.

TO LEARN MORE:

“The Making of Shane,” a CD-ROM book by Walt Farmer is available from his website, www.theastrocowboy.com, for $20, plus shipping, or from Amazon.com.

For Jackson Hole film history, log on to www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/grte2/hrs18b.htm.

Grand Teton National Park, www.nps.gov/grte, has information about the park.

-- James Dannenberg