If I Were Going...: Four Generations #3 -- Grand Teton National Park

First destination

We left early the next morning for the long (and fairly uneventful) drive to Grand Teton National Park.

We stopped a few times to educate ourselves; Caty and Lindsay

We went through Togowtee Pass (the same route Mark and I took in October when snow briefly closed the pass) to Grand Teton National Park.

We searched and failed (unlike her)

On the way, we did have a bit of a wild goose chase in Fort Washakie looking for Sacajawea’s gravesite.

We didn’t actually find it, but did learn quite a bit about the famed Indian guide, who died in either 1806 or 1884, depending on whether you believe she changed her name and escaped to another tribe. We also learned that William Clark (of the famous Lewis and…) adopted her son and raised him as his own.

Grand Teton National Park

Back to Grand Teton, in northwestern Wyoming, which comprises about 310,000 acres and includes the major peaks of the 40-mile-long Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole (note: the town to south is Jackson, the geographic area is Jackson Hole – most people get that wrong).

The valley is the "hole"

It is only 10 miles south of Yellowstone National Park, with a narrow strip called the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway in between. Along with the surrounding National Forests, these three protected areas constitute the almost 18,000,000-acre Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the largest intact mid-latitude temperate ecosystems in the world.

The money shot

Human history of the Grand Teton region dates back at least 11,000 years, when the first nomadic hunter-gatherer Paleo-Indians began migrating into the region during warmer months pursuing food and supplies. In the early 19th century, the first white explorers encountered the Eastern Shoshone natives. Between 1810 and 1840, the region attracted fur-trading companies that vied for control of the lucrative beaver pelt trade. U.S. Government expeditions to the region commenced in the mid-19th century as an offshoot of exploration in Yellowstone, with the first permanent white settlers in arriving in the 1880s.

The Teton Range

Efforts to preserve the region as a national park commenced in the late 19th century, and in 1929, Grand Teton National Park was established, protecting the major peaks of the Teton Range. The valley of Jackson Hole remained in private ownership until the 1930s, when conservationists led by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. began purchasing land in Jackson Hole to be added to the existing national park. Against public opinion and with repeated Congressional efforts to repeal the measures, much of Jackson Hole was set aside for protection as Jackson Hole National Monument in 1943. The monument was abolished in 1950 and most of the monument land was added to Grand Teton National Park.

Stamp from my National Park Passport

Grand Teton National Park is named for Grand Teton, the tallest mountain in the Teton Range.

The naming of the mountains is attributed to early 19th-century French-speaking trappers. They thought the mountains looked like breasts and called them "les trois tétons" (the three teats). It was later Anglicized and shortened to Tetons.

The trappers were impressed

At 13,775 feet, Grand Teton abruptly rises more than 7,000 feet above Jackson Hole, almost 850 feet higher than Mount Owen, the second-highest summit in the range.

So pretty!

The Park has numerous lakes, including 15-mile-long Jackson Lake as well as streams of varying length and the upper main stem of the Snake River. Although in a state of recession, a dozen small glaciers persist at the higher elevations near the highest peaks in the range.

Some of the rocks in the park are the oldest found in any U.S. National Park and have been dated at nearly 2.7 billion years.

Grand Teton National Park is an almost pristine ecosystem and the same species of flora and fauna that have existed since prehistoric times can still be found there. More than 1,000 species of vascular plants, dozens of species of mammals, 300 species of birds, more than a dozen fish species and a few species of reptiles and amphibians exist. Our goal was moose and (to a lesser degree) bears, because our past experience was lots of moose and a few black bears in Teton and grizzlies in Yellowstone.

In some eerie déjà vu, the skies clouded over and we arrived at Grand Teton National Park during some pretty ominous weather. Hey, what happened to the perfect weather?????

Rain and sun

Fortunately, gray skies often make the Tetons more interesting and – if you can see them – they are always beautiful.

Clear in the wrong direction

We explored the area as the weather got progressively worse, passing through an area called Willow Flats near the dam that was marked off as a no stopping zone because of recent bear activity. Turns out that this is a an area frequented by Bear #399 and her cubs plus her daughter bear #610 and her cubs. Apparently #399 is very popular and even has her own Facebook Page! And, as the rain pelted down, she and her cubs appeared!

Caty's photo; I was trying to park the car (a common theme)

The cubs – two of three born last year – are almost her size. It was raining and dark, so our pictures aren’t great. But, it certainly was fun watching Lindsay see her first wild Bear – pretty special when it is a celebrity Grizzly.

Excited to see Bears, even in the rain

Lindsay started a trip tradition by giving the Bears names – Pam, Casper and Enrique!

Our cabin was great – they upgraded us from one room with three beds to a two-room cabin with four double beds. Perfect.

Home Sweet Home

The next day was full park exploration – going to the Visitors Center, where we learned a lot about Moose.

Those things were heavy

We saw NO Moose in Grand Teton.

The statue was the best we could do

Then, on to Mormon Row to see the iconic barns seen in many Park photos ...

A great way to capture the spirit of the place

... Jenny Lake ...

A pretty view on the Nature Loop

... the Gros Ventre Slide area ...

Some fascinating geology

... the town of Jackson and the National Elk Refuge ...

No Elk at the Refuge, but several Trumpeter Swans

... Jackson Lake Lodge with its fantastic view ...

Some funky weather viewed from the Jackson lake Lodge

... Oxbow Bend ...

A nice afternoon reflection

... and back to Willow Flats multiple times looking for Pam and the kids. Throughout the day, we saw no Moose and some very distant Bison. It wasn’t until very late that the patrolling rangers saw a Grizzly (Bearyl Crow) at Willow Flats – not Pam, but an unknown bear.

Hiding in the grasses

We got a few pix, but it was dark. We were getting a bit concerned at the lack of critters, but Yellowstone awaited! Plus, on our way to out cabin, we saw a beautiful full moon and two foxes (Caty had also seen a fox the night before when we checked in).

We arose very early the next morning to photograph sunrise.