GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK — The National Park Service announced on Monday, March 31, that one of the peaks in the Teton range will be renamed to honor the Queen of the Tetons herself, Grizzly 399.
The fallen matriarch was killed in a vehicle collision in October last year. Tributes poured in from across the globe, mourning the loss of the animal ambassador. Now, her memory will forever live on as the namesake for the mountain formerly known as Static Peak.
Peak 399, as it will be called beginning on May 1, lies immediately south of Buck Mountain, and just north of Albright Peak, in the southern end of the Teton range. According to Grand Teton National Park, the peak stands at 11,308′, and its former moniker referred to the frequency with which it is struck by lightning.
In addition to the peak rebrand, the small glacier on the mountain’s north face will be renamed Quad Glacier, in honor of 399’s bumper crop of quadruplet cubs, birthed in 2020.
Trip Denkins, Grand Teton National Park’s superintendent, said via press release that he was delighted with the name change.
“We can’t think of a more fitting tribute to this wonderful creature,” he said.
A formal dedication ceremony is scheduled for noon on May 1 at the Glacier turnout. Attendees are encouraged to bring noisemakers, party poppers and bottles of champagne. Commemorative merchandise will be for sale, with all proceeds going to the National Park Foundation.
Editor’s note: If you can bear-ly believe your eyes, that’s because it’s April 1! Static Peak will keep its name for the foreseeable future. Happy April Fools’ from Buckrail!
