Ruffing It: The Grand Tetons

Friday, September 13, 2013

The Grand Tetons

As most of you know, the Tetons are one of my favorite national parks. In 1987, I photographed my first moose here. Since then, it has continued to surprise me with its diversity and beauty. I couldn’t wait to see what gifts it would hold this trip!

We drove from Cody and planned to spend the first night in Yellowstone at the “generator free” campground known as Lake Lewis. When we arrived, however, the campground was full, so we drove on into the Tetons. Just inside the park, we discovered the Sheffield Creek campground, a small campground just across the Snake River. It was only a few hundred yards off the road and inside the national forest. To our surprise, there were several campsites still open. The area had been burned out during the 1988 Blackwater fire but had recovered sufficiently to be a pleasurable stop… and at $5 a campsite (when most campsites run around $45 in the developed Yellowstone and Teton campgrounds), it was a real bargain!

We watched a beautiful sunset. The temperature was warm enough for us to be dressed short sleeves. As light faded, however, the air turned crisp, and we headed inside the camper for a good night’s sleep. During the night, clouds rolled in, and it began to rain.

We awoke early, anxious to see what the morning’s drive had in store. We passed Willow Flats, where I had photographed my first moose. The skies were overcast and drizzly, so I was optimistic. A thorough check of the area with binoculars, however, provided no animals. We kept onward and found a bull elk near the road. An “elk jam” quickly followed with dozens of cars and RVs stopping along the roadside. I was able to capture a few shots before he fled into the brush.

Throughout the day, we traveled well-known roads through the Tetons. The skies remained overcast. We found distant herds of bison and antelope, but none worthy of photographing. We also took a newly discovered four-wheel-drive road over Shadow Mountain but saw no other animals. With the more developed campgrounds full of big rigs and traffic, we decided to return to quiet Sheffield Creek for the night.

The next morning, we were back on the road early, hunting moose. Again, to my chagrin, Willow Flats was moose-less. Near Antelope Flats we saw a distant elk with a harem of nearly a dozen cows several hundred yards off the road. Later we saw a herd of antelope within 50 yards of the road, but most were lying down in the tall sagebrush… not a good photograph.

Bull elk and harem

We traveled far up Gros Ventre Road, another one of the park’s gravel/four-wheel-drive roads. As the road continued and darkness began to engulf us, we turned around and set up camp alongside the river. For the third night, we had rain. We were awakened by a Canada goose honking overhead.

We drove back into the park the next morning, again under heavy clouds. As we neared the park, the clouds began to rise, leaving ribbons of gray around the mountains. We were delighted to get a hot shower at the Alpine Climbing Club facility just as they were closing down for the season.

I admit that I was disappointed. I have always found big game to photograph here in the Tetons. Perhaps it is the time of year. The animals seemed to be on edge and in transition. The weather has wavered, both warm and chilly. The fall colors are just beginning to tinge. Hunters were abundant in the national forest, setting up their camps.

As a farewell gift to ourselves, we decided to have lunch at Jackson Lake Lodge. Our table overlooked Willow Flats. As we enjoyed our sandwiches, over 200 yards in the distance, we caught sight of a bull moose and his cow. I had my short lens on the camera and knew it was hardly worth the effort to take a photo. I thought for a moment about going out to the truck for the big lens, then thought better of it. Perhaps it was time just to enjoy the moment… a beautiful sight to end our time in the Tetons.