Twenty-second Stop - Grand Teton National Park - Aug. 19-30, 2018
On to the Tetons, just south of Yellowstone. We headed to Signal Mountain campground, which is "first come first served". Snagged a nice spacious spot, which turned out also to have a clear opening for the satellite internet. Bonus! Signal Mountain campground is on Jackson Lake, so we took our chairs down to the lake for happy hour sunset several days.
Next day, took a hike starting at the campground, up Signal Mountain. About 6.5 miles. There were signs posted in the area about a mother bear and 3 cubs, so we stayed on the lookout and made noise. No sightings! Nice trail, and there SHOULD be great vistas from the top of the mountain, but the smoke from forest fires throughout the West hid the views. Sad. On the way down the mountain, some sprinkles started, a good excuse to go to Deadman's Bar for lunch . . . right there at Signal Mountain lodge area.
Next day, a paddle on String and Leigh Lakes with a total of 7 Eddyline kayaks! Met friend Jane, and 4 more of her cohorts. A beautiful sight of 7 Eddylines, and of course the Tetons were gorgeous too! The BONUS for this paddle is the portage - carrying the kayaks maybe 1//10 a miles across the land connecting the two lakes.
Next day - breakfast with friend Caroline at Nora's - in Wilson WY. Yummy huevos rancheros!
Next day - a lovely hike starting at String Lake. We met Nancy and Gil - fellow Lazy Daze motor home owners who are also staying in the Tetons for a while. BONUS - lunch at Dornan's afterwards with Blue Moons!
Next day - Karl and I took a spectacular hike at Cascade Canyon. Went early to catch the ferry boat at Jenny Lake, taking us across to west side of lake (save 2 miles of hiking around the lake). Then up the canyon to the fork in the trail. We went to North Cascade, got above the tree line for gorgeous views of the canyon and mountains. 11.5 miles in total, getting back to the ferry boat felt pretty good! The last picture here is a view of Cascade Canyon from the park road.
Next day, Karl and I took the kayaks to the Signal Mountain boat ramp area, and paddled for a few hours. Quite smoky. Still beautiful and peaceful on the water. Gil and Nancy came for a visit to the campground and we had lunch at Deadman's Bar. Fun! This was our last night at Signal Mountain campground, with another beautiful (though smoky) sunset.
The next day, we broke camp and went to Gros Ventre campground, also in the Tetons but closer to the town of Jackson. Gros Ventre feels like home, as we have stayed there prior years, often with Jane and Ron who now live in Jackson in a condo at The Aspens. Gorgeous place with a BONUS sunroom. Jane and Ron just got a new puppy! Ranger. Gil and Nancy have a dog Elvis, and they were all helping to train Ranger. Good puppy! very smart - both of them. I think the next 4 evenings, we all were at the condo for dinner. Good cooks, (not me), great food, great company! Thank you Jane and Ron and Gil and Nancy!
Next day, Karl and I thought we would hike up Deadman's canyon, but as we got to the trailhead, the mountains were lost in the clouds. We went to the Laurence S. Rockefeller Preserve instead, and hiked to Phelps Lake. (The Preserve has a beautiful visitor center; a good place to learn how the Rockefeller family helped preserve and expand Teton National Park). As we hiked, the day got sunnier and sunnier, and clouds started moving out. It had rained the day before, and the air was so fresh! After our hike, went to Dornan's upstairs deck for lunch and Blue Moons and watched the mountains emerge from the clouds. Absolutely gorgeous.
Next day, we met friend Caroline, who also lives in Jackson during the summer and Phoenix in the winter, and paddled the Snake River, from the Jackson Lake dam to Pacific Creek. Calm, lovely section of the river. Beautiful clear skies - so refreshing after the weeks of smoky air. Saw pelicans, sandhill cranes . . . BONUS - lunch at Leeks pizza place afterwards. Thank you Caroline!
All good things must come to an end. The next day we headed for home.
Next day, took a hike starting at the campground, up Signal Mountain. About 6.5 miles. There were signs posted in the area about a mother bear and 3 cubs, so we stayed on the lookout and made noise. No sightings! Nice trail, and there SHOULD be great vistas from the top of the mountain, but the smoke from forest fires throughout the West hid the views. Sad. On the way down the mountain, some sprinkles started, a good excuse to go to Deadman's Bar for lunch . . . right there at Signal Mountain lodge area.
Next day, a paddle on String and Leigh Lakes with a total of 7 Eddyline kayaks! Met friend Jane, and 4 more of her cohorts. A beautiful sight of 7 Eddylines, and of course the Tetons were gorgeous too! The BONUS for this paddle is the portage - carrying the kayaks maybe 1//10 a miles across the land connecting the two lakes.
Next day - breakfast with friend Caroline at Nora's - in Wilson WY. Yummy huevos rancheros!
Next day - a lovely hike starting at String Lake. We met Nancy and Gil - fellow Lazy Daze motor home owners who are also staying in the Tetons for a while. BONUS - lunch at Dornan's afterwards with Blue Moons!
Next day - Karl and I took a spectacular hike at Cascade Canyon. Went early to catch the ferry boat at Jenny Lake, taking us across to west side of lake (save 2 miles of hiking around the lake). Then up the canyon to the fork in the trail. We went to North Cascade, got above the tree line for gorgeous views of the canyon and mountains. 11.5 miles in total, getting back to the ferry boat felt pretty good! The last picture here is a view of Cascade Canyon from the park road.
Next day, Karl and I took the kayaks to the Signal Mountain boat ramp area, and paddled for a few hours. Quite smoky. Still beautiful and peaceful on the water. Gil and Nancy came for a visit to the campground and we had lunch at Deadman's Bar. Fun! This was our last night at Signal Mountain campground, with another beautiful (though smoky) sunset.
The next day, we broke camp and went to Gros Ventre campground, also in the Tetons but closer to the town of Jackson. Gros Ventre feels like home, as we have stayed there prior years, often with Jane and Ron who now live in Jackson in a condo at The Aspens. Gorgeous place with a BONUS sunroom. Jane and Ron just got a new puppy! Ranger. Gil and Nancy have a dog Elvis, and they were all helping to train Ranger. Good puppy! very smart - both of them. I think the next 4 evenings, we all were at the condo for dinner. Good cooks, (not me), great food, great company! Thank you Jane and Ron and Gil and Nancy!
Next day, Karl and I thought we would hike up Deadman's canyon, but as we got to the trailhead, the mountains were lost in the clouds. We went to the Laurence S. Rockefeller Preserve instead, and hiked to Phelps Lake. (The Preserve has a beautiful visitor center; a good place to learn how the Rockefeller family helped preserve and expand Teton National Park). As we hiked, the day got sunnier and sunnier, and clouds started moving out. It had rained the day before, and the air was so fresh! After our hike, went to Dornan's upstairs deck for lunch and Blue Moons and watched the mountains emerge from the clouds. Absolutely gorgeous.
Next day, we met friend Caroline, who also lives in Jackson during the summer and Phoenix in the winter, and paddled the Snake River, from the Jackson Lake dam to Pacific Creek. Calm, lovely section of the river. Beautiful clear skies - so refreshing after the weeks of smoky air. Saw pelicans, sandhill cranes . . . BONUS - lunch at Leeks pizza place afterwards. Thank you Caroline!
All good things must come to an end. The next day we headed for home.
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