The Grand Tetons

Mystic of Holyhead (successor to Lynn Rival)
Rachel and Paul Chandler
Fri 11 Oct 2019 15:52
A short drive south from Yellowstone NP brought us to the magnificent Grand Teton mountains and Jackson Hole, where we stayed for 3 days enjoying the scenery and wildlife.  We'd been feeling cold at Yellowstone and appreciated getting milder weather. 


Proper mountains


. . . with glaciers


Is that the way up?


Jackson Hole - (hole meaning mountain valley or basin)

There are many pleasant walks through forest dotted by pretty alpine lakes.  The geology of the area is again fascinating - the mountains arose only a few million years ago but the exposed rock is billions of years old - and the National Park Visitors Center and information signage is excellent.


Alpine lakes and glaciers


Reflections

So far we'd seen a lot of wildlife but in the hope of seeing more we'd booked a specialist tour.  Tyler, our guide, picked us up in a 7-seater but we were his only customers and got his undivided attention the whole afternoon.  He drove us around the park, telling us all about the wildlife - mostly bison, elk and pronghorn - we were seeing.  We spotted a juvenile bald eagle (it's head feathers had yet to turn white with age) and a fox but it wasn't until almost sunset that we saw our prize: two bull moose, ambling across a meadow not far from the main road. 


We saw a mule deer . . .


. . . a cheeky chipmunk . . .


 . . . a pile of old antlers . . .


 . . . an elk in high listening mode (look at the ear) . . .


 . . . and a moose