Grand Teton

Sunset at Oxbow Bend

And ... the pandemic churns on ... and, we were feeling more and more homebound. So, we decided to take a risk and take another trip. 

Scott had not been to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks in years and I really wanted to see Bear 399 and her FOUR cubs, so I arranged a trip at the end of September.

Not my photo ... it's from Wikipedia

Fortunately, I was able to get reservations in each Park and then, when we decided to leave a day earlier, I nabbed a cabin at the Togwotee Mountain Lodge in Moran on the eastern side of Grand Teton National Park. I have passed the Lodge and seen ads for years, but never stayed or even stopped there. What a pleasant surprise. We had a very nice, tidy little one-bedroom cabin with an almost full kitchen. Because of COVID, the restaurant was not open, but that didn't bother us at all because the kitchen was so nice. 

Photo: Togwotee Mountain Lodge

And, the Lodge even provided a free 5 lb. bag of ice for every day you stay. Nice. Togwotee Mountain Lodge is only 16 miles from the Moran entrance to the Park, so it's really good option if in-Park lodging is not available (and, it often isn't).
Normally, when I go to Grand Teton and Yellowstone with Caty, we just concentrate on trying to find Bears. But, since Scott had not been in so long, this was a more inclusive visit. Instead of giving you a chronological visit, I will talk about the specific places we visited and the things we saw.

But, I do need to mention a funny thing that happened as we headed back to the Lodge after visiting the Park the first night. I thought I saw a Bear in the river.

A Beaver -- who knew?

But it was far away and dark. I alternately convinced myself it was a Bear, then it was a rock, then a Bear, then a rock. I went back to the cabin and processed my (very dark, very bad) photos. 

It was not a Bear. It was a Beaver. A huge Beaver. I had not considered that.

We originally started out with a plan to stay in Grand Teton the first few days, followed by a few days in Yellowstone. But, we ended up doing that and then returning to Grand Teton for an additional day and then spending night in Green River Wyoming. During the course of our stay, fall moved in.

Fall in the Tetons is beautiful!

In fact, there was a noticeable difference between the amount of gold and orange at the beginning of the trip in Grand Teton and the end of the trip. You'll see in the pictures that we had a very nice fall experience.

Grand Teton National Park

The majestic Tetons

Located in northwestern Wyoming, the 480-square-mile Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) features the major peaks of the majestic Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the wide valley known as Jackson Hole. It is only 10 miles south of Yellowstone National Park (YNP), to which it is connected by the National Park Service-managed John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway. 

Along with surrounding National Forests, these three protected areas constitute the more than 28,000 square-mile Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the world's largest intact mid-latitude temperate ecosystems.

Scott at the Park entrance

Preservations efforts began in the late 19th century, but it wasn't until 1929  that GTNP was established, protecting the Teton Range's major peaks. The valley of Jackson Hole remained in private ownership until the 1930s, when conservationists led by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., began purchasing land 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 its land was added to GTNP.

The Teton Range was protected first

The Park is named for Grand Teton, the tallest mountain in the Teton Range. The mountains were allegedly named by early 19th-century French-speaking trappers as "les trois tétons" (the three teats) because of their conical shape. 

"Les Trois Tétons"

The name was later anglicized and shortened to Tetons. 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. 

Our cabin in Colter Bay Village

The Park has more than 1,000 drive-in campsites, 200 miles of hiking trails and several National Park Visitor Centers (not open during the pandemic) plus privately operated concessions for motels, lodges, gas stations and marinas. 

One of the ten most visited U.S. National Parks, GTNP averages (in non-pandemic years) more than 3 million visitors a year. 

Caty and I go at least every other year -- I think I have been there more than a dozen times beginning in 2006.

Why wouldn't you visit?

The youngest mountain range in the Rocky Mountains, the Tetons began forming between 6 and 9 million years ago. They run roughly north to south along a 40-mile-long by 7- to 9-mile-wide active fault-block mountain front. The range tilts westward, rising abruptly above Jackson Hole valley on the east but more gradually into Teton Valley to the west. 

Grand Teton

In addition to Grand Teton, there are another nine peaks are over 12,000 feet high in the range. Eight of these peaks between Avalanche and Cascade Canyons make up the often-photographed Cathedral Group. The most prominent peak north of Cascade Canyon is 12,605-foot-high Mount Moran that rises 5,728 feet above Jackson Lake. To the north of Mount Moran, the range eventually merges into the high-altitude Yellowstone Plateau. To the south, the range tapers off near Teton Pass and blends into the Snake River Range. There are no roads over the range except at Teton Pass, which is south of the park. 

The Teton Range

Jackson Hole (the valley, not the town of Jackson to the south, which is often mis-labeled as Jackson Hole) is a 55-mile-long by 6- to 13-mile-wide relatively flat valley with an average elevation of 6,800 feet.

Jackson Hole from Signal Mountain

The glacially formed lakes in the Park include Jackson Lake, the largest at 15 miles long, 5 miles wide and 438 feet deep. Jackson Lake is natural, but a dam constructed before the creation of the Park raised the lake level almost 40 feet.

Jackson Lake

East of the Jackson Lake Lodge lies Emma Matilda and Two Ocean Lakes. South of Jackson Lake are Leigh, Jenny, Bradley, Taggart and Phelps Lakes. Plus, there are more than 100 small alpine lakes in cirques throughout the Park. The only significant waterfall is reached only via trail.

Jenny Lake

From its headwaters in YNP, the Snake River flows north to south through the Park, entering Jackson Lake at the north then flowing through spillways at the Jackson Lake Dam and from there southward through Jackson Hole, exiting the park just west of the Jackson Hole Airport. Through Jackson Hole, the Snake descends an average of 19 feet per mile, creating ever-changing braids and channels.

The Snake River

Starting about 250,000 years ago, the Tetons went through several periods of glaciation with some areas of Jackson Hole covered by glaciers 2,000 feet thick. The current landscape was created as glaciers from the Yellowstone Plateau flowed south and formed Jackson Lake, while smaller glaciers descending from the Teton Range pushed rock moraines out from the canyons and left behind lakes near the base of the mountains. The peaks were carved into horns and arêtes and the canyons were transformed from water-eroded V-shapes to glacier-carved U-shaped valleys. 

You can see a few glaciers sitting among the peaks

GTNP has about a dozen small glaciers that formed sometime between 1400 and 1850 AD during the Little Ice Age. The largest is Teton Glacier below the northeast face of Grand Teton, which is 3,500 feet long and 1,100 feet wide and nearly completely surrounded by the tallest summits in the range. As the Earth warms, Teton Glacier will probably disappear within 60 years. 

At about 2.7 billion years old, rocks in GTNP are the oldest found in any U.S. National Park. As with all mountains in the Rockies, numerous factors went into shaping the range: uplift, sedimentation (including being submerged under inland seas), erosion, volcanism.

Old rocks that you will never tire of looking at

GTNP 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 plants, 60 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, more than a dozen fish species and a few species of reptiles and amphibians inhabit the Park.

Pine Siskin

Park mammals includes the Gray Wolf, which had been extirpated from the region by the early 1900s but migrated into GTNP from adjacent Yellowstone after they were reintroduced there, Coyotes, River Otter, Martens, Mountain Lions, Lynx, Wolverines, Yellow-bellied Marmots, Least Chipmunks, Muskrats, Beavers, Uinta Ground Squirrels, Pikas, Snowshoe Hares, Porcupines, six species of Bat and Bighorn Sheep. We saw Pronghorn ...

Pronghorn

American Bison ...

A big guy

Moose ...

The Moose in the Park are Shiras Moose, just like at Rocky Mountain NP

Elk ... 

Bull Elk bugling as the sun comes up

And Black Bears ...

Bear sow gorging on berries

And, all the time I was looking for the famous Grizzly Bear 399 (which I have written about before) and her four cubs that have been photographer's darlings all summer.

Bison can frequently be seen in GTNP, but some years you can't find them at all. This time we did stumble upon a few groups (I'll talk about the last group later) and I was very excited to get a photo of a European Starling riding on a Bison's back -- and I was even more excited that I captured it flying off ...

The Starling looks tiny next to the Bison

In recent years, we have seen very few Moose in GTNP (to read why, click here), so I was particularly pleased to see TWO impressive bulls at fairly close range. This one was walking along a dike by the Jackson dam ...

We saw this bull while driving by: a minute later, we would have missed it

... and this one was skirting the Snake River ...

Another bull!

Bull Elk

I'll talk about other Moose later, because we were fairly successful in finding Moose, especially compared to some recent years where we couldn't find any.

Because it was fall, the Elk were impressive, with the bulls in full antlers and a fair amount of mating behavior. 

It don't think the rut was as far along as what we usually go to see in Rocky Mountain National Park and we saw only small groups, not the big harems we see at RMNP. Still, it's hard to beat how handsome this guy is, especially against the backdrop of the majestic Tetons.

But, the best of all was a Black Bear and her two cubs that were hanging out on the banks of Jackson Lake in Colter Village not too far from our cabin. We were prevented from getting too close to them by wildlife volunteers and Park Rangers who had established a perimeter ...

Protecting the Bears from the people

... but they were also helpful in pointing us to where we could go to get a good view of Mama walking down to the lake's edge ...

Black Bear sow at Jackson Lake

... then being joined by one cub ...

The Ranger said they had been there all week

... for a shared drink ...

A long drink from the lake

... and then passing the other thirsty cub ...

 

The whole family, heading two directions

... as they headed back to the woods ...

And, then they disappeared again

That was quite a treat.

I won't list all the birds that live in GTNP because there are so many except to say that we keep looking for the Great Gray Owl in its furthest south range. No luck so far.

People have been here for ages; Photo: Scott Stevens

The human history of the region dates back at least 11,000  years, when the first nomadic hunter-gatherers began migrating into the region during warmer months pursuing food and supplies. 

Jackson Hole is named for David "Davey" Jackson, a partner in the Rocky Mountain Fur Company, who oversaw trapping operations in the Teton region between 1826 and 1830.  After fur trading died out, Jackson Hole and the Teton Range were generally devoid of all but small populations of the original Native American tribes. 

Most overland human migration routes such as the Oregon and Mormon Trails were well to the south of the Teton Range.

Major westerly trails skipped the Tetons

The first U.S. Government sponsored expedition to enter Jackson Hole was the 1859-60 Raynolds Expedition. Led by U.S. Army Captain William F. Raynolds and guided by mountain man Jim Bridger, it included naturalist F. V. Hayden, who later led other expeditions to the region.

Organized exploration of the region was halted during the American Civil War but resumed when Hayden led the well-funded Hayden Geological Survey of 1871. In 1872, Hayden led explorations of Yellowstone.

Early photo by W.H. Jackson (notice how big the glacier is)

The Snake River branch of his expedition led by James Stevenson explored the Teton region. The team included photographer William Henry Jackson who took the first photographs of the area.

Even though early explorations failed to identify any sources of economically viable mineral wealth, small groups of prospectors set up claims and mining operations on several of the creeks and rivers. But, by 1900, almost all had given up and moved on.

Barn from original Mormon settlers

Pioneers began settling the Jackson Hole valley to the east of the range in 1884. 

So, let's look at a couple of the different areas we visited.

Moose Wilson Road
There's a road that travels from the south end of the Park to the town of Moose, passing by the Teton Village Ski area that often delivers good wildlife, especially Moose and Black Bears. Because the road is narrow and there have been issues with tourists blocking the road or -- worse -- leaving cars and getting too close to wildlife, the road now has a long section where you are not allowed to stop. 

At the beginning of the road, there is a parking lot that looks down on Lake Creek, where I have seen both Moose and Black Bears. I have frequently seen Black Bears further down the road as well. During this trip, we saw one Moose ...
And several Black Bears stuffing themselves with berries to fatten up for winter.

Eating berries

The Park has a number of wildlife volunteers whose job it is to prevent visitors from being too stupid. When we saw this Black Bear scratching itself on a pole, we parked at the lot and joined a lot of spectators.

Bear stopping to scratch

Walking back to the car, we saw another group in the woods being "managed" by a wildlife volunteer. I think the scratching bear had moved further back into the brush and the group was watching it from a different vantage point. There was talk of a cub, but I didn't see one.

It must be frustrating to manage eager photographers

We had to move so quickly, I wasn't sure if I got any good photos of the Bear. It turned out I got some passable ones ...

I wasn't looking at anything but the bear

But, on closer inspection, I discovered that I also photographed a cub! 

Surprise!

I am glad I didn't zoom in too much because the baby was at the far corner of my shots.

Gros Ventre River
One of the places I really wanted to take Scott was the Gros Ventre Road out to the Slide Area. Seven miles east of Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park, it is a fascinating -- and beautiful -- area reached via a rather rough, pothole-filled road (or, it was).

I took this in 2013; the Slide is on the distant mountain

We stayed in a spacious cabin at Colter Village, which is in the north part of the Park and nicely situated for exploring.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806) passed well north of the Grand Teton region. During their return trip from the Pacific, expedition member John Colter was given an early discharge so he could join two fur trappers who were heading west in search of beaver pelts. 

Colter later explored the region around the Yellowstone River. During the winter of 1807-08 Colter passed through Jackson Hole and was the first white person to see the Teton Range. 

Fur trading was the initial draw; but scenery is now what runs the economy

Between 1810 and 1840, the region attracted fur trading companies that vied for control of the lucrative beaver pelt trade. 

The Snake River flowing past the Teton Range

The masks are something new for traveling

Menor's Ferry was built in 1892 near present-day Moose to provide access for wagons to the west side of the Snake River. 

Ranching increased significantly from 1900 to 1920, but a series of agricultural-related economic downturns in the early 1920s left many ranchers destitute. 

Beginning in the 1920s, the automobile provided faster and easier access for visitors to areas of natural beauty. Old military roads into Jackson Hole over Teton and Togwotee Passes were improved to accommodate the increased vehicle traffic. And, so, the area became a major tourist and outdoor recreation area.

Moose cow off the road

The volunteer allowed small groups to very briefly (as in time to get about 10 photos) approach the bear as it scavenged in some thick bushes and then he sent us back. 

View from Slide Lake

A landslide occurred on June 23, 1925, following melt from a heavy snowpack, weeks of heavy rain and earthquake tremors in the area. 

Approximately 50 million cubic yards of primarily sedimentary rock slid down the north face of Sheep Mountain, crossed over the Gros Ventre River and rode up the opposite mountainside a distance of 300 feet. The slide created a large natural dam over 200 feet high and 1,200 feet wide across the Gros Ventre River, backing up the water and forming Lower Slide Lake.

But, that wasn't the end of it.

On May 18, 1927, part of the landslide dam failed, resulting in a massive flood that was six feet deep for at least 25 miles downstream. The small town of Kelly was wiped out and six people were killed. 

The Gros Ventre ("Big Belly") River now flows easily

It is one of the world's largest known examples of recent "mass wasting" events aside from volcanic eruptions. 

Slide Lake is now much smaller than it was before the flood.

Slide Lake

After a few false starts, we finally got on the road to the Slide Area, stopping for some beautiful fall scenery along the River ...

Scott enjoying the breath-taking scenery

And, then stopping for an even longer time to photograph some friendly horses at the Gros Ventre River Ranch. Scott loves to photograph horses and he had a ball getting very up close and personal.

Horse Friends

Unfortunately, we made it only to the near side of Slide Lake because the road was closed for construction. I can' say it doesn't need it, but I was bummed we couldn't go further.

However, we did explore around the Lake, just missing a Black Bear that some other visitors told us about (we looked and looked, but it had disappeared into the bushes). We had to settle for fall foliage and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

A cute little Kinglet blending with the trees

The Gros Ventre River closer to the Park is a great place to see Moose. It took use a few tries on this trip to find any. But, we did find a pretty cow in the waning light one evening. 

Moose cow

I also hear that the Gros Ventre campground is a good place for Bulls at the end of September/beginning of October.

Schwabacher's Landing

A nice walk on a fall day; Photo: Scott Stevens

GTNP has a number of roads that go from the main Park road down to the Snake River. I have explored a few, but not all. Scott and I checked out one that I had not explored. Our goal was to just find a nice place for a picnic. What we discovered was one of the best views in the Park. Wow!

One of the prettiest views I have seen

Because it was a calm day, we were able to capture a spectacular reflection of the Tetons framed by the golden fall foliage.

I will never skip this location again. And, because we loved it so much, we went back again. And, we saw another bull Moose!

Schwabacher's Moose

Yum!

Oh, and we had a lovely fruit, cheese and charcuterie luncheon, too. 

We had driven over Teton Pass the previous day and, when Scott stopped to get gas, he noticed that the convenience store in Moose had a little gourmet cheese shop. Don't be fooled. 

The town name may sound rustic and simple, but everything around Jackson, Wyoming, is upscale and expensive. It was some of the best cheese I have ever had.

Mormon Row
Another place Scott had not seen was Mormon Row (Caty and I didn't find it until a few trips ago). We made one visit where Scott was able to photograph the iconic Moulton Barn ...

Scott's introduction to Mormon Row

And, I was able to get a few more shots of the barns and of the scenery around the barns. The next time we went back, we ignored the barn and photographed an old farmstead in front of a rather dramatic afternoon sky. 

Old farmstead

But, we spent the most time in the middle of a herd of Bison that crossed the road all around us.

American Bison

We were surprised to see small calves so late in the season, including a few that had not yet lost their red coloration.

Tiny fall calf with mama

And, as breeding season approached, there were a few bulls that stopped to spar a bit.

Bison encounter

It was by far the best Bison encounter I ever had in GTNP. See it in motion here and here.

Bison herd

Grand Teton Sky

Oxbow Bend Sunset

One thing you can count on in GTNP is some dramatic skies -- and usually some spectacular reflections. I already showed you Scwabacher's Landing and my opening picture on the post is the most incredible sunset I have ever seen at the Oxbow Bend, the subject of millions of the most beautiful Grand Teton photos.

Oxbow Bend with gathering clouds

This trip, we were lucky to have some very still days, yielding wonderful reflections ...

Jenny Lake reflection

... some changeable weather that draped the mountains in clouds ...

Snow on the mountaintops

... that magnificent sunset ...

Oxbow Bend sunset

Milky Way

... and the Milky way reflecting on the surface of Jackson Lake ...

You can't go wrong with the sky in the beautiful Park.

And, since you asked ... despite looking for days, driving by an area where they had been just minutes before and then spending two hours waiting in a huge crowd gathered by a field they were expected to cross within minutes, we never saw 399 and her cubs. 

They were close, but didn't come our way. I hope they all survive the winter and maybe we can see them next year. The cubs will be larger, but it will still be a treat.

So, that's Grand Teton National Park. Next time I will talk about our adventures in Yellowstone National Park ...

Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park

Trip date: September 29-October 4, 2020