09 March 2010

Grand Teton National Park, 2009

We spent six days inside Grand Teton NP last year. Three days at Jackson Lake Lodge and three days at the Signal Mountain Lodge, with four days at Yellowstone wedged in between the two lodges. Grand Teton has become my favorite national park to visit. We visited it in 2008 and we spent more time at it this year so that we could enjoy its many varied attractions. (See "08" postings under "Sep" for other pictures.

A great view of a sunrise reflected on Mt. Moran and it's siblings with Jackson Lake in the foreground.


A closeup photo of Mt. Moran in the early morning light.

Mt Moran has a wedge of metamorphic rock (diabase) in its granite that almost looks like caulking. Note that it is harder than the granite and hasn't eroded as much as its neighboring granite. Mt. Moran also has a thin topping of sedimentary sandstone rock from the time before it rose up from a prehistoric ocean floor.

Another Grand Teton mountain with "chalking" up the middle.


A view of the mountains later in the morning from the banks of the Snake River.

Took this picture of Willow Flats (in mountain shadow) and mountains on our first morning at the Jackson Lake Lodge.

Another view of Mt. Moran.

A view of the mountains from the valley floor.

A few of the big mountains, including Grand Teton itself, in Grand Teton NP.

The horses in the foreground were inside the park and used for recreational touring.

You may agree with Mary Lou that I took entirely too many photos of mountains at Grand Teton NP.

Spotting moose was a big thrill for us at Grand Teton NP

Got see plenty of moose toward the end of our visit to Grand Teton NP.

Got see a mother and child grouping along side the Snake River.

I took a "float ride" down the Snake River for a different perspective of the park.

Another vista from the Snake River float ride.

Seeing this bald eagle, and three others like it, along side the Snake River was a highlight of the float ride.

We saw this bull moose also along the Snake River.


I was surprised to see this blue heron along side a small creek inside Grand Teton. It was a chilly morning with the temperature just about freezing.

Watched these elk cross the Snake River about a half mile below the Jackson Lake dam.


We have seen plenty of elk on both our trips to Grand Teton NP.

Enjoyed photographing the butterflies near our cabin at Signal Mt. Lodge.

A different butterfly sharing the nectar with a bee

More butterflies!
This inquisitive deer visited us at our cabin at Signal Mountain. She came up to about 10 feet of our door. No telephoto lens needed!

The objective of mama deer's attention was her baby who was wandering about nearby.

Found this bumblebee outside the restaurant at Signal Mountain.


Found this blue columbine wildflower near the Jackson Lake Lodge

These horses are corralled just outside the NP, but provide a wonder foreground for the mountains.
Saw this moose and the ones below as we left Grand Teton NP on our last day there.
Moose aren't supposed to be grazing out on the sage covered flats outside the park, but apparently the Park rangers forgot to tell them that.

We saw these two hummingbirds, among a dozen or more present, outside Grand Teton NP near the Idaho - Utah border high in the mountains at a visitor's center. They sure were beautiful!

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