Mike Whitfield, Conservation Biologist, Teton County, Idaho

When considering the wildlife impact of a project on the scale of Grand Targhee Resort’s massive expansion in terrain and services, an understanding of the context is vital. Wildlife species generally need features such as suitable seasonal habitats, freedom to move about between those habitats, and areas where they can find security from human disturbance. The historical and geographic context for wildlife disturbance in Teton Canyon and Mill Creek includes the original construction of the resort access road through critical mule deer winter range in lower Teton Canyon and the subsequent upslope expansion of the resort itself later in the 1960’s. Additionally, there is increased wildlife disturbance due to the more recent dramatic expansion of recreational use at the bottom of Teton Canyon and the Mill Creek trail in all seasons, as well as growing backcountry activity throughout the area. Grand Targhee Resort is now proposing expanding into what is left: a band of highly used wildlife habitat at mid-elevation on the north slope of Teton Canyon (South Bowl) and deeper into Mill Creek. Our ongoing activities have pushed a remarkable array of wildlife into a narrow area of premium importance to their persistence—and Grand Targhee is threatening to develop what habitat remains.  

South Bowl has long been recognized as vital winter range for many native ungulates, including bighorn sheep, moose, mule deer, mountain goat, and elk. Predatory species found on Teton Canyon’s north slope include cougar, wolverine, black and grizzly bear, coyote, and potentially wolves and lynx. South Bowl also supports birthing and summer range for ungulates, as well as migratory pathways to lower elevation habitats and mineral licks. Of particular concern are impacts to the sensitive Teton Range bighorn sheep population, a population at risk of local extinction. Resort expansion into ‘South Bowl’ will ultimately lead to high levels of human activity in all seasons, to the detriment of early and late winter, spring, and summer uses by bighorns. The sheep will also likely be cut off from access to an important mineral lick below the project area in the Apostle cliffs area. Ironically, in recognition of Teton Canyon’s winter habitat value and potential, the Caribou-Targhee National Forest earlier entered into agreement with Wyoming Department of Game and Fish to complete vegetation treatments, specifically prescribed burning, in the lower South Bowl. We encourage the Forest Service to optimize the value of South Bowl for bighorn sheep in consideration of this population’s severe habitat limitations. 

The more heavily forested area in the Mono Trees portion of upper Mill Creek is security habitat for deer, elk, and moose, including winter range for moose and nesting habitat for sensitive bird species, such as goshawks, great gray owls, and boreal owls. Conservation of old growth forests such as those found in the Mono Trees area is a priority for the Forest Service, and compromising these habitats would conflict with the Caribou-Targhee Forest Plan because of their importance for many sensitive wildlife species. Overall, Grand Targhee’s proposed expansion would increase year-round, industrial scale recreation into the Mill Creek area, which would severely impact one of the few remaining wildlife security habitats that remain in this area.

 © Etienne Brunelle