Tetons

Colter Bay

 

After the immense scale of Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park was reinvigorating and in some ways a relief.  Gorgeous in its sharp contrast against the lakes and meadows, it was contained.  You could see it and somehow grasp it in one view.  We fell instantly under its spell.

 

Teton National Park literally backs into Yellowstone, so we arrived at Colter Bay in the early afternoon with time to enjoy the area.  After a brief but adventurous kayking excursion around Colter Bay (with the wind getting the best of us), and an ill fated hike out to the point turned back by swarms of mosquitos, we retired to dinner.  Where we promptly ran into the Robertsons, our next door neighbors from Bellevue - small world.  After catching up on their adventures in Yellowstone and Tetons and soaking up ideas, we headed up to Signal Mountain to catch the sunset.

 



Sam enjoying the views on Colter Bay

 

 

 Jacob and Mommy enjoying a brief lull in the wind

 

 



Sunset from Signal Mountain

 

 

That night (Day 9 of the trip) was our first night out of the RPod as we stayed in the cabins at Colter Bay.  Colter Bay is a fun mix of original cabins from different resorts in the park that were eventually collected and restored in one location.  We had a nice big cabin with three beds - enough for everyone to have a great night's sleep.  Until we turned the lights off.   PHHHHHHPPPT.   PPPHHHHHTTTT.  Lights on - bat in the room!  The resort staff happily captured the bat in a butterfly net - but no one slept well after that excitement.  Where is that trailer???

 



Our uninvited guest at Colter Bay

 

 

Jenny Lake

 

The next day we took the boat across Jenny Lake and hiked up to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point.  We beat the heat in the afternoon with a dip in String Lake.  And we finished with a fun dinner at Jackson Lake Lodge, falling in love with the views out over the wetlands to the mountains.

 

Inspiration Point and Jenny Lake

 

Grand Teton in the distance

 

Swimming in String Lake

 

Gorgeous view of the Tetons from Jackson Lake Lodge

 

Jackson Lake Dam - one of a kind views and the start of the Snake river

r-pod and Sam in the Tetons

Breakfast sandwiches at Jackson Lake Lodge - heaven

 

 

Water

 

I didn't realize it at the time, but looking back I would say that Tetons marked our first real connection to water - a connection that would carry with our trip the rest of the way.  Swimming in the glacier water, and seeing the start of the Snake with its humble beginnings in some small way connected us with our geography.  So much of the next month would be in land defined by water - Utah, Grand Canyon, the Pacific Ocean, Yosemite, Tahoe, Crater Lake.  Experiencing the water became not just a fun pastime, but an important way to experience the country.  So many of the fun memories I carry with me from the trip revolve around water.