Day 10 Grand Tetons

I woke up today very very cold. Holy cow cold. It was early as I was trying to get to the TA Moulton Barn early for sunrise photos. Well lets say I got up there was nothing between me and there so no coffee to warm me up. Just me in not very warm gear. Got there along the very bumpy Mormon Row and took some amazing pictures.

 I then hit a slight roadbump and this I believe would color the back end of my day. The place I had picked for breakfast did not open up. This was bad. Breakfast is my goto meal and I needed it today. So instead pop tarts and began my Grand Tetons circuit. 

Oh yeah and this guy was having breakfast near Mormon Row.

For the record this was the 90^th anniversary of the Grand Tetons. And before I begin talking about the stops for the day. I have a funny story to tell. In Alamosa KOA on day 2 my tent site was two down from two girls in a big ol tent and royal blue Subaru Forester with Michigan plates. A few days later in Mesa Verde and then again in Bryce Canyon I thought I saw them again. Then today in Grand Tetons at the visitor center I came out behind two young ladies. They looked familiar but were decked out a bit different due to the cold. I kept walking and waited to see what kind of car they had they seemed familiar. As I walked to my car I suddenly realized I was parked next to that Subaru Forester. I wanted to say something then and there as they got in the car but I did not. If they end up in parks past Yellowstone, I will never see them there. It is too damn big. But maybe Glacier. But I swear these young ladies were doing the round about trip like me.

The Grand Tetons are amazing but also a story of time. Looking up at how much of the glacier had gone was so sad. But still the mighty mountains just explode around you.

The tour started with the Chapel of the Transfiguration and the historic Menors Ferry area. I loved how the chapel had outside pews that faced the mountains. Walking through the ferry area was like walking through time. You even get to walk into the house of Maud Noble where the idea of Grand Tetons National Park actually occurred.

From there I wrapped up the western side of the Teton loop road. I would hit different turnouts and stops on my way to Jenny Lake. Of all of them the views at Jenny Lake I felt were the winners of the first route. I then headed back south where the above story of the two girls in a blue Subaru happened and looped back north on the eastern loop.

My favorite here by far was the road down to Lower Schwabacher Landing and the amazing views.

From there I would head to Cunningham Cabins where I was disappointed by no showing Praire Dogs but still was a very cool view.

Signal Mountain provided some stunning views. Tetons I can say was very very busy. Lots of people doing lots of different stuff. Some bike team from Jackson Hole was training on the mountain.

One of my favorite just normal turnouts was Oxbow Bend of the Snake River. The river is just stunning so many times over.

The day had been getting me for some reason. I have decided it most certainly was food but before I solved the second thing that had been bugging me I took care of. Other than the small walk at the Landing I had not gotten out and moving. So out and moving I did at Colter Lake. It was a nice lakeshore hike and had some decent views.

After that I ate at the Colter Ranch House Bar, the main place didn’t open for another hour. Once that was taken care of I was in much better shape.

The final part of the day was to come. Off to Yellowstone.  I had planned on stopping at a few places as I went along. But I got there and just stopped at West Thumb Geyser Basin. So let me show you some of the cool stuff.

Then the coolest thing happened. Elk, Elk everywhere. You will need to go to my IG or Facebook to see the videos but omg the giant male elk and his bugling. The bouncing young ones. This was just amazing. The male just came right across the boardwalk and it was amazing. I was floored. Here are some pictures to just wow.

Afterwards cabin and bed!

 

 Damn you guys!