Jackson Hole, Wyoming: Picture of the Day

Friday, June 17

We went back to Yellowstone today, and made our way to Mammoth, best known for the huge hot springs. The springs were certainly impressive, but I was most amazed by the rest of the geology and landscape. The carved cliffs, multi-colored rocks, and glacial remains left me awed! If we had more time, I could have spent much longer there with the camera.

Thursday, June 16

We spent today in Yellowstone National Park, and part of that time at The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. I took this photo from a stop along the route, at an altitude of about 8,100 feet. Near the middle of the photo you can see a bunch of steps that descend to another view--about 600 feet lower and 3/4 of a mile away.

The areas we visited were roughly 6,000 to 8,000 feet higher than Connecticut's terrain, which caused quite a bit of unplanned difficulty. For example, the above 600 foot descent (and ascent!) and 1-1/2-mile round-trip hike left me completely exhausted! My lungs burned and my legs felt like jelly--I felt like I had been hiking all day long.

Wednesday, June 15

This morning we went on a scenic rafting trip with Jim. It was a nice trip: about 13 miles, and lunch was included, plus we saw lots of Bald Eagles (four immature and probably a dozen mature).

I'm a little nervous that this Picture of the Day isn't the best choice. This evening we're going to a rodeo, which I think should offer some exciting photo opportunities!

Tuesday, June 14

Today we explored some of the northern half of Grand Teton NP. It was a mostly-clear day so there was more opportunity for blue-skied landscapes. This photo was taken at Colter Bay. The high peak on the left is Grand Teton, and on the right is Mount Moran (if I remember correctly). We got to see a lot of the mountain range from a few different angles today.

Monday, June 13

This morning we went for a hike around Jenny Lake, and in the afternoon we met up with Jim. He took us to one of his favorite camping and fishing spots in Gros Ventre (pronounced "grow vahnt"). He mentioned that he doesn't have many photos of himself doing fun stuff, so I offered to take a few of him fishing. Sherree thinks I look like a "home-boy paparazzi."

Sunday, June 12

This morning we met up with Jim for breakfast. (Jim and I both had "Hawg Heaven," home fries covered in sausage gravy, topped with ham and scrambled eggs, with sausage and a biscuit on the side.) Afterward, we headed out in search of some fun. In our rented Chevy TrailBlazer, Sherree drove us up Shadow Mountain. There was quite a bit of mud on the way up, so she covered the SUV in it!