For many years or actually off and on for years I kept a journal. Even through those dark hours and dreary daze I managed at times to scribble a few lines. But as with many I withdrew into a diary of writing in my head. Now it's time to let those moments free....

Grand Teton Arrival

Bob Moore

copyright-tortoise werx 2008

The bus headed north along ol’ historic 89, north out of Jackson. A vast flat prairie where lay in front of the bus’ nose and a grand range of jutting granite peaks reached skyward just out the left window, maybe a dozen miles away. I moved from the front to sit in the back, away from the kids and family. With grand presence of magnificence in the mountain view I needed a moment, a break from the commotion of childhood busyness, so I gaze reclined back with the others and watch in awe as Mother Nature rolls by, painting herself in grand vistas on the canvas in my mind. Wow!!!  The Grand Tetons loom just a few miles in the western horizon. I think to myself, engage in contemplative conversation, contemplate the shots through the bus windows, and anticipate getting into the park, deep into Grand Teton, these revered grounds to really find the corners for awesome shots. We’re now getting to camp for a few days after being on the road for two nights. It’ll be a break a chance to relax. We head past the Jenny Lake Visitor Center and continue north. Colbert Bay will be base camp for the next three nights.

                     
We stop just outside the camp ground entrance where park services and a museum/visitor center greet us. I grab my camera bag. We’re told in our Grand Teton briefing that we can bail out here, grab showers, swim, explore, and even hike. Then after several hours meet the bus in the park, back at group campground. It’s our first real opportunity to put some miles beneath our feet and get some descent shots of the Teton range. "Jacki" fidgets with gear and her stuff, so I wander away from the bus alone. I mosey towards the lake and landscape, towards what I think will be trails. A photographer sits on the ground and motions my attention towards movement down a hillside in a caution roped off area. Baby fox, a couple of baby foxes. They’re making their den in a culvert just behind the ranger station and service area for Colter Bay. Foxes are awesome critters. I’ve seen them in Missouri, Kentucky, Florida, but these kits are amazing. They move in short uneasy spurts, playfully bouncing and retreating. Humans sit near on the hillside, it’s a close encounter and one that puts the babies in jeopardy. They need to be further away from the destructive hand of man. Yet they are visual reminders of the new born beauty that is life, and just plain fun to watch. It’s an uplifting promising preface to what could be a great stay in Western Wyoming.

We meet back-up at the museum visitor center, stamp our parks passport and visit the usual gift shop, exhibits and information kiosk, brown, wood grained, black laminate  counters. The usual Park Service visitor center that’s comfortable and natural. They all have a certain feel, a NPS look. This is where Jacki and I knew we’d find each other as we inquire into a 2-3 hour hike. It’ll be the Lakeshore Loop for us as others gather in the lobby. To find their way, their Teton memory. Some will swim in the cold glacial feed lake, others, shower, and a few linger back with the bus in a camp we’ll find later.                 

The  trail leads around a small island in Jackson Lake. Colter Bay is a small inlet and home to the NPS docks for boaters. Grand Teton is a formidable park of massive mountain peaks and large spectacular clear blue lakes. Even in June the presence of snow is evident and still lingers heavily on the not so distant monoliths. The peaks create a dramatic contrast to the flat forests and reflect with shimmers in the lakes below. We wind our way past the boats at dock to a small pebble beach where folks are high stepping tippy toed shivering as they wade into the ice cold lakes. It’s the Europeans, they love and endure this Alpine brisk condition. We stop, hammer a Coor’s with the folks then head across a land bridge to the small island we’re off to discover.

Each park is different. The Visitor Centers and NPS Service buildings might have the McPark service look but each unit is different and special in it’s own unique aspect. Here we found the typical brown stained building where we gathered trail and park info.

 
Grand Teton National Park features dramatic contrast. Lush thick pine and hardwood forests give way to extraordinary granite grey peaks which thrust upward in sharp divergence of scenery. The dramatic views can’t help but impress and humble the human soul. I stop and shoot as much as possible. Having a ton of memory w/ my new DSLR Nikon means I’m stopping twice as often to capture the moment. Hike times are now longer, which means I’m also getting more time with each trail, a little more time to take it all in. The beauty of Grand Teton does not fail the soul.            

The Lakeshore Trail is roughly two miles plus a few tenths that loops around and skirts the Jackson Lake shoreline. We get off the main trail soon after breaking left at the y and loop off to north by west then southern trail, get a good look, we’ll meet this trail head again as we turn here for home on our way back, a quick snap for reference. Now we follow a small game trail to the stone beach. Sometimes, Wow!!! Is all I can think of. The mountains seem to erupt from the flat great lake with brilliant and fantastic might. The enormity of minuteness of my human soul and presence is magnified by the impressive presence this range implies with it’s abrupt existence. We wander around, back in a south western direction, the vista and panorama grows. I stop and fire off a dozen shots, stop again and peel off another 12. The weather is awesome, altho a little over cast. A breeze keeps the chop up so a mirror effect is out, yet the scene in every direction I look is amazing. I keep shooting, robin sitting and relaxing as I capture as much as I can. Breathe, feel the moment, live the peace.

It takes us about 90 minutes to circumvent the island. After 20 minutes of strolling the rock beach we work our way back to the main trail. There in the thick green forest we make better time. I keep my camera to the ready, strap wrapped  around my wrist. Just incase I can get a quick wildlife shot off. Which happens just as we pass an older couple. A grouse crosses our trail just as we got clear of the trail. I go to switch lens to a telephoto when the folks pass us startling the bird, then they proceed to “chase” the bird with a  small point and shoot camera. Sniped of an awesome shot, still I got a couple, which would have been better, but what do you do, it’s the moment, it’s the zen of here and  now, and now I’m in paradise. We grab gear and put space betwixt us and the old folks. We’ll see more, they got their shot.

 
The power of Earth, nature and time are beautifully painted in scenes, just as Grand Teton is now etched in my mind. I have read and planned as well as I could for this moment. This hills are amazing, the trails magnificent, and the coming highlights stunning. This is what I live for. The immense energy when in the foothill porch of such extraordinarily striking mountains is powerful. These moments of profound beauty move men. Again we view the range from the island shoreline as the boats come back in to our line of sight. Again we meet up with the land bridge trail back to the Visitor Center.  It’s my introduction to Grand Teton.    

We meet back up with the group as they swim and dink in Colter Bay. Jacki and stop for a moment but we’re heading back to camp, declining the offer of a 16 oz PBR. I have “Moosedrool” back in the cooler, so I’ll hike back. Besides we’re ready to get there and grab a primo camping spot. A place close enough to be in the security of camp yet far enough away to garner a little privacy. 

Camp is about ¾ mile from the VC parking lot. A nice paved road into the Teton forest. Here we are careful as to how we tread. This is Grizz country, the first real experience for either of us and we do not wish to become a statistic by acting inappropriately if we do come across a brown bear. Although careful we are not paranoid and treat our stroll up the wooded path with respect, talking loudly and making our presence known before we turn a blind corner.

Jacki is an expert with campsites, actually in all aspects of outdoor skills. She jumps right into the task of getting a tent set-up. She amazes me with her industrious woods ways. I gather gear. Grab pads for ground cover and she gets the tent set-up. We have a great location just off the edge of the where the group is spread out. We have woods with some other campers on one flank and to our back an open meadow beyond a underbrush line of small new growth. It’s a great site. A short walk into the meadow reveals a beautiful view of the Teton Range. And our evening is highlighted with a sunset hug and moment in arms as the peaks turn a wonderful pinkish purple.

Morning found us rising to frost and a frozen water bottle outside the tent. I was actually able to stay pretty warm by mummying up and sleeping my bag with a fleece blanket. Jacki added a Mexican wool throw to her bedroll and together snuggled up in our cocoons we kept relatively warm. Until we unzipped and squirmed out of our bags. There the reality of a new day hits with the sucking of  deep breath. 

We’re the first to awaken as usual. It’s still pretty early, twilight and I am ready to go in search of wild life. This is a great time to find animals in the wild. They tend to be returning from nocturnal activities. We spot a coyote pup not far from camp. It’s mother has made a den in a culvert pipe under the road, I’m sure this situation will be rectified and the coyotes moved to a better area for everyone’s safety. Back in the VC parking lot we come across the fox kits and I get some more shots. Then we move on to the Bay where the mountains are themselves awakening in grand fashion. The Tetons are coming to life in brilliant colors, reflecting in the lake and as far as the eye can see. The panorama shots are fabulous, I can feel them with each shutter click. We linger, hold hands and relax in peaceful solitude as we feel the day coming upon us.