Carrie Arrives

Wednesday August 10, 2011
Gros Ventre Campground Site 104
Grand Teton National Park Wyoming

 

The big news today was our
daughter Carrie’s arrival.
She had a 4.5 hour
flight to Salt Lake City and then an hour
to the Jackson Hole Airport.

 

When I looked at the weather, which was perfect,
I somehow knew the plane would arrive early so I was
trying to get us out and to the airport early.

 

Jackson Hole Airport is a very fine little place.
Sorry the picture is so dark and the airport itself so hard to see.
I wonder if there is a better setting for an airport?

 

 

They had special parking spots for hybrid cars
right next to the handicapped parking.  NICE!

 

 

Just like I thought, she was nearly 15 minutes early.
But we were there. 

 

 

Like everyone she got to walk through the
Antlers Arch.  Because the National Elk Refuge is
right down the road and elk shed their antlers
every year, there is no shortage of antlers to make
arches and they are on the corners of Jackson’s
town square as well as here.

 

 

The greeting picture didn’t go so well.
The photographer was walking at a fast pace.
But it was SO great to see her after nearly 5 months.

 

 

First stop, as for any good visitor,
was the visitors center

 

 

where she
tried on a Big Horned Sheep horn.
How do they wear two of these on their heads??
Pretty heavy!

 

 

And we had to experience all the animal furs.
A great exhibit.

 

 

A great view from the visitor’s center window.
Did I post this the first time we were here?
Oh well, a good view is a good view no matter how many times.
:-)

 

 

David caught us clowning around in the bookstore
with a moose and a wolf puppet.

 

 

We saw the junior rangers getting outfitted.
Some great NPS marketing idea aimed at grandparents
I suspect.  But cute for sure!

 

 

Had to check out this book for Nellie!
I think you need to come out here straight
away and get a copy of this.  
Bedtime reading for Bosco.

 

 

And then we were off to show her
Mormon Row.  The grasses were up
since the last time I was here.  They looked lovely.

 

 

The Mormons who settled this area created
an irrigation ditch that runs for miles from
the Gros Ventre river past all of their farms.
It is still there flowing freely.

 

 

David spotted this lovely blue bird
who wouldn’t sit still for his photo for long.

 

 

 

 

The Tetons were still looking fine
with the grain waiving in front of them.

 

 

We set off for a hike up Lunch Tree Hill
to an overlook of Willow Flats.
The “hill” is called Lunch Tree because
Horace Albright, then superintendent of
Yellowstone National park, brought his friend
John D. Rockefeller up here for a lunch picnic
to show him the beauty of the Tetons.
It was this visit which compelled Rockefeller to
want to preserve the area and
this spot was always one of his favorites.

 

To access this short trail (1 mile) you
go through the Jackson Lake Lodge lobby
and out the back.

 

 

I think they are bragging about their great
temperature with this huge clock to the right of the door.

 

John D. Rockefeller oversaw the building of
this lodge in the 1950’s and built the frame
for the huge window first and the lodge around it.
It is a VERY impressive view.

 

We hit the trail and found this sign.
Hmmm….bear….really…..in the past 10 days??

 

 

But we set out up the hill anyway.

 

 

Carrie and David stopped to check
for moose in Willow Flats which borders Jackson Lake. 
But they found none.

 

 

 

The trail had wildflowers on both sides.
And the two stopped to take pictures
of them before we started back down.

 

Still looking for Moose,
still no success.

 

And then they noticed the tree behind them.

 

 

And wanted to know “how big is it?”
Turns out to be about nearly 13’ in diameter.

 

 

Back at the lodge we stopped by the “gift shop”
and everybody tried on hats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the drive back home,
again there were tons of cars parked
by the river just before the campground.
And tons of people gathered together staring.

 

Must be moose again, same place,
second night running.

 

 

It was a BIG bull moose with giant antlers.
Great views from the binoculars but
he was behind the willows and hard to
get a picture of.   David couldn’t find him
but Carrie did.   She has the same camera
as David and got these two shots amazingly
from across the river.  They aren’t terribly
clear but you can pick out the antlers for sure
as he munches head down.

 

 

 
Back at “the ranch”,
there were wraps for dinner.
David and Carrie had Zonker Stout
from Snake River Brewing Company
Jackson Hole, Wyoming .
As you can see, a good time was had by all.