A new virtual tour can help you "climb" the Grand Teton/NPS

The view from atop the Grand Teton is incredible. To the west, the Jedediah Smith Wilderness stands. To the north, Yellowstone National Park. To the east, Jackson Hole, with the moraine that is Timbered Island so very well defined. If you haven't climbed to the top of the 13,770-foot peak in Grand Teton National Park yet, or can't, you can still enjoy the view.

A new virtual tour produced by the park staff takes you from the Jackson Hole Valley to the summit from the comfort of your living room or office. No cold or pelting rain, no thunder claps or lightning strikes, just a nice mix of interactive still photos and video cuts that take you to the top. 

This virtual mountaineering excursion'”or eClimb, as the park dubs it'”provides an introduction to the features, geology, history, and excitement of scaling the granite ledges and spires that form the Grand Teton massif: the highest peak in the Teton Range and second highest mountain in Wyoming. This web-based tour introduces viewers to the various elements (rocky terrain, plants and wildlife) that exist in Grand Teton's forest and alpine communities.

eClimbers can control images and sounds at each stop along their virtual tour, and they can activate videos to explore the human and natural history related to each location along the climbing route. By hovering their mouse over a photograph, hidden images will be revealed through the click of a button. eClimbers can also use videos to imagine scrambling over boulder fields and wedging through rocky alcoves as they experience the thrill of climbing and drama of a mountain rescue in a virtual landscape.

"After the success of our String Lake eHike that we posted in early 2013, we knew an eClimb could provide an exciting experience for visitors who either don't have the time or the ability to reach such a high mountain summit," said Vickie Mates, Grand Teton's chief of interpretation and partnerships.

"We hope children and adults alike enjoy this virtual journey to the alpine zone and the summit of the Grand Teton. And we hope that those who discover our suite of electronic experiences will also be tempted to make a live visit to Grand Teton National Park to explore first-hand the exquisite Teton peaks and the wildlife that lives in their majestic shadow," Mates added.