August 23: Grand Tetons

Starting trip mileage 6298 miles.

Rising at 5AM we headed for the Tetons before sunrise. We returned to Moran Junction and then to Jackson Lake Junction, turning left to go down Teton Park Road. At that point I could stand it no longer and stopped to take some tripod shots of the Grand Tetons in the early light. They stood above us, ghostly, with fog in the valleys. It was still so dark I took 15sec time exposures.

Tearing ourselves away from that view we drove past the dam to the first turnout overlooking Jackson Lake and I shot some more pictures. There was a group of wild ducks swimming away from the shore, adding to the scene of the lake and the mountains.

We drove past Signal Mountain Lodge as the sun was just striking the tops of the peaks. I was looking for a good vantage point for that spectacle and had noticed a squiggle of a road on the map going up Signal Mountain. I had no idea what it was like but the choice to head up it turned out to be a very good one- theres probably no better vantage point.

We soon came to a nice overlook which I shared with an attorney from Chicago, taking pictures. I loaned him my tripod for a shot or two. We headed on up the mountain, jumping a nice doe and buck on the road.

Heading for the top, we got views in every direction from the tip of the small mountan. We stayed there 20-30 minutes, admiring the view of the sun on the mountains and the long views to the valley in the other directions. The flat valley was dotted with ponds and cut by the Snake River. We were looking down on the fog over the river and patches of fog at other places. Two guys from Detroit shared that scene with us - they and their two dogs had slept on top of the mountain, too tired to go further. We got the boys up there and got them dressed and the van lower bed made.

Heading down from the summit we stopped at the previously by passed Jackson Lake Overlook - and it turned out to be the best view of the lake and mountains. The lake fog was now beginning to lift up into fluffy white clouds ringing the mountains. Picture time again!

On down to the first overlook on Signal Mountain where we decided to eat breakfast. There were a couple of folks there looking at a grouse sitting on a stump down the hill. After they left I walked down the hill with my 300mm lens to see if I could get a close shot - and I got close, took a picture and climbed back up the hill - and the grouse never moved. Jeff and Mark went down and got even closer - within about 6ft before she moved - and then saw her two young ones which I hadn't seen.

We had found yet another fabulous breakfast spot. We had our cereal and fresh fruit overlooking Jackson Lake and the Grand Tetons on a beautiful morning.

Looking at the rugged Grand Tetons across the lake was fine, but we were looking for a way to actually get into them. We found the way in the form of a boat trip across Jenny Lake. From the boat landing we hiked up to an overlook and got great views across the lake and further into the mountains.

As in all the national parks, the squirrels were anxious to be fed. On this trail, we found that all we had to do to attract a squirrel was to work the zipper on one of our backpacks. That sound brought squirrels from all directions.

Around the Jackson Hole area we parked by a river and let the boys play around in it for a while. We also visited a small chapel where the view to the front was formed by a large window which let you look directly out to a view of the rugged Grand Tetons.

We headed out across Wyoming and stopped at a KOA Campground in Rock Springs, central Wyoming.