Mount Moran is a majestic mountain located in Grand Teton National Park in northwestern Wyoming. At 12,605 feet, it towers above the valley floor and is a popular sight for hikers and climbers. Let’s explore this iconic peak through some fun riddles!
Geography Riddles
Riddle 1
I’m found within Grand Teton National Park, northeast of the town called Moose. I tower high above the valley floor, a rocky giant gazed upon in awe. What am I?
Answer: Mount Moran
Riddle 2
I’m a river that flows right by the base of Mount Moran. I’m an excellent place to spot wildlife like moose, beavers, and trumpeter swans. Anglers come to fish for cutthroat trout in my waters. What am I?
Answer: The Snake River
Riddle 3
I’m a glacial lake located right at the foot of Mount Moran, formed by a recessional moraine. My name comes from the Native American word for “linen” or “shine.” Many love to hike to my shores for gorgeous views. What am I?
Answer: Leigh Lake
Riddle 4
I’m a canyon with towering rock walls that cut through the Tetons. A tributary of the Snake River flows through me. Mount Moran and its Skillet Glacier tower above my northern reaches. What am I?
Answer: Cascade Canyon
Riddle 5
I’m a high mountain pass that crosses the Continental Divide. I’m found right near Mount Moran and provide access to backcountry camping. What am I?
Answer: Paintbrush Divide
Geology Riddles
Riddle 6
My base is made of sedimentary rocks over 2.5 billion years old. My top is igneous rock formed from lava that flowed 55 million years ago. What am I?
Answer: Mount Moran
Riddle 7
I’m a small glacier found tucked beneath the east face of Mount Moran’s summit. Though I’m shrinking, photographers still venture to capture my icy beauty. What am I?
Answer: Skillet Glacier
Riddle 8
I’m a sheer rocky cliff that rises over 1,000 feet from the valley floor. I’m found on Mount Moran’s northern side and my dark color contrasts with the lighter granite around me. What am I?
Answer: The Black Dragon
Riddle 9
I’m a type of rock that makes up Mount Moran’s summit and upper slopes. I formed from the cooling and crystallization of magma. What am I?
Answer: Granite
Riddle 10
I’m the mountain range that Mount Moran is part of. We extend 40 miles through Wyoming and our name refers to the peaks that rise sharply above the valley floor like a row of craggy teeth. What are we?
Answer: The Teton Range
Climbing Riddles
Riddle 11
I’m a 12-pitch climbing route that ascends the huge dihedral on Mount Moran’s northwest face. What am I?
Answer: CMC Wall
Riddle 12
I’m the easiest and most popular climbing route on Mount Moran. I involve 10 pitches up the southwest buttress to the summit. What am I?
Answer: South Buttress
Riddle 13
We’re a pair of technical ice climbing routes that ascend steep gullies on Mount Moran’s Skillet Glacier. What are we?
Answer: Hot and Cold
Riddle 14
I’m an exposed 5.8 climbing route that ascends the huge dihedral splitting Mount Moran’s southeast face. What am I?
Answer: Direct South Buttress
Riddle 15
I’m a steep 600 foot gully that splits the right side of CMC Wall. I provide an adventurous 50-degree ice climb when conditions allow. What am I?
Answer: Skillet Chute
Wildlife Riddles
Riddle 16
With my antlers I rule, my kind you’ll see wandering slopes throughout the park. Bulls spar in fall rut through clashes head on. What am I?
Answer: Elk
Riddle 17
I’m the state mammal of Wyoming, living in the Tetons. In cold months my thick fur coat is white as snow. Antlers on the males grow so big. What am I?
Answer: Moose
Riddle 18
Cinnamon coats we bear, through willows and wetlands we roam. Largest members of the weasel clan, a keen sense of smell we own. What are we?
Answer: Black bears
Riddle 19
I’m the fastest mammal in North America, racing across the slopes. With my spotted coat and tufted ears, I can sprint up to 40 mph with ease. What am I?
Answer: Pronghorn
Riddle 20
Listen close and you may hear my bugle echoing far and wide. I’m the largest deer in North America and male antlers can span five feet. What am I?
Answer: Elk
Hiking Riddles
Riddle 21
I’m a 10.4 mile roundtrip hike to a mountain pass with panoramic Teton views. The trail gains 4,000 feet in elevation along the way. What am I?
Answer: The Paintbrush Divide Trail
Riddle 22
I’m an 8.5 mile roundtrip hike along the northern flanks of Mount Moran to a azure glacial lake. What am I?
Answer: The Leigh Lake Trail
Riddle 23
I’m a 9 mile loop that circles Leigh Lake and String Lake, treating hikers to stunning Teton vistas. What am I?
Answer: The String Lake & Leigh Lake Loop
Riddle 24
I’m an iconic Grand Teton hike that leads to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. Early on, I also provide views of Jenny Lake. What am I?
Answer: The Jenny Lake Trail
Riddle 25
I’m a challenging unmarked route for experienced hikers to reach Mount Moran’s summits. Expect route finding, scrambling, and breathtaking views. What am I?
Answer: The Mount Moran Summit Route
Historical Riddles
Riddle 26
I’m the Native American tribe that has long inhabited the lands around the Tetons. We call ourselves the Tukudeka, or “eaters of meat.” What tribe am I?
Answer: The Shoshone
Riddle 27
I’m the pioneering surveyor who led an expedition in 1898 to explore the Teton peaks. I’m honored today by a mountain and lake that bear my name. Who am I?
Answer: William O. Owen
Riddle 28
We were the daring pair of climbers who made the first ascent of the Grand Teton in 1898. Our surnames are now linked forever with Teton climbing lore. Who are we?
Answer: Jack Stebinger and Franklin Spalding
Riddle 29
I’m the renowned American mountaineer who made the first ascent of Mount Moran in 1922. I’m also famous for climbs in the Canadian Rockies. Who am I?
Answer: Fritz Wiessner
Riddle 30
I’m the dude ranch that opened in 1926 at the base of the Tetons. For decades I hosted visitors exploring this incredible landscape. What historic ranch am I?
Answer: The Bar BC Ranch
Pop Culture Riddles
Riddle 31
I’m an Oscar-winning 1953 Western film shot on location in Jackson Hole with the Tetons as a backdrop. What classic movie am I?
Answer: Shane
Riddle 32
I’m a 1969 western novel and 1974 namesake film, partially set near the Tetons. I portray the lives of two brothers living in the wilderness. What story am I?
Answer: Jeremiah Johnson
Riddle 33
I’m a 2007 novel featuring detective Joe Pickett solving crimes in fictional Twelve Sleep County, Wyoming. Mount Moran appears on the book covers. What mystery series am I?
Answer: The Joe Pickett series by C.J. Box
Riddle 34
I’m a famous outdoor photographer whose images of Grand Teton National Park have graced calendars and prints for decades. Who am I?
Answer: Ansel Adams
Riddle 35
I’m an iconic innovation in mountain climbing gear invented in the Tetons in the 1920s. I use interlocking metal teeth to grip a climbing rope. What am I?
Answer: The modern carabiner
Nature Riddles
Riddle 36
Golden yellow and black my colors be, among flowers I flutter so carefree. Sipping sweet nectar as I meander, of the bee world, I’m the wanderer. What am I?
Answer: A bumblebee
Riddle 37
Through the pines and spruces I glide, searching for prey with silent flight. Powerful talons and keen eyes I boast, from high perches I survey the most. What am I?
Answer: A northern goshawk
Riddle 38
In alpine meadows I blossom bright, my purple petals a lovely sight. I sway in the breeze through summer days, to everyone’s delight with my beauty ablaze. What flower am I?
Answer: Alpine asters
Riddle 39
I’m a rodent found in the Tetons with cinnamon fur and a bushy tail. In winter my coat turns white as snow. Downed logs and roots are where I go. What am I?
Answer: Red squirrel
Riddle 40
Through Mount Moran’s forests I roam unseen, bark and nuts make up my cuisine. Sharp quills are how I defend with ease, a prickly treat no predator wants to seize. What am I?
Answer: Porcupine
Mount Moran Trivia
Riddle 41
What Native American tribe gave Mount Moran its name?
Answer: The Shoshone tribe
Riddle 42
What year was Mount Moran first climbed?
Answer: 1922
Riddle 43
What famous American mountaineer made the first ascent of Mount Moran?
Answer: Fritz Wiessner
Riddle 44
What is the elevation of Mount Moran’s summit?
Answer: 12,605 feet
Riddle 45
What glacier is located on Mount Moran’s eastern face?
Answer: Skillet Glacier
Riddle 46
What sheer black cliff towers over 1,000 feet from Mount Moran’s north face?
Answer: The Black Dragon
Riddle 47
What major river flows right by the base of Mount Moran?
Answer: Snake River
Riddle 48
What glacier-carved lake sits at Mount Moran’s northern base?
Answer: Leigh Lake
Riddle 49
What canyon with towering rock walls cuts between Mount Moran and neighboring peaks?
Answer: Cascade Canyon
Riddle 50
What mountain range is Mount Moran part of?
Answer: Teton Range
Fun Brain Teasers
Riddle 51
The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?
Answer: Footsteps
Riddle 52
What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps?
Answer: A river
Riddle 53
What belongs to you but others use it more than you do?
Answer: Your name
Conclusion
Hope you enjoyed these riddles exploring different facets of Mount Moran! This iconic Wyoming peak has been inspiring adventurers and photographers for generations. Its rich history and incredible landscapes continue to draw visitors today. Next time you’re exploring Grand Teton National Park, take a moment to appreciate the towering beauty of Mount Moran!
