Advertisement
Published: August 6th 2014
On the way out of
Yellowstone National Park we passed over the
Continental Divide and stopped at
Lewis and Moose Falls where we saw a large Marmot posing above the falls, basking in the wonderful sunshine. We stopped at Headwaters Flagg Ranch where we were hoping to do a short hike but as soon as we got out of the van we were surrounded by 'giant' mosquitoes and they were big........ Paul even got a nasty bite within a few seconds, so we dived back into the van and continued our journey. I have such a problem with these little pests and get really strong reactions when bitten - so they are best avoided………Paul usually does not get bitten so it was obviously a good thing to move on if they liked him they would definitely like me more............
We were surprised that there was no National Park entrance gate to enter
Grand Teton National Park as at all the other parks one had to stop and show our pass and also another form of ID. Later we were to realise that the entrance fee to Yellowstone NP also provides entrance to Teton NP so there
is no need of a entrance gate between the two parks when you enter from the north. However if you enter from the south then you would be required to stop at entrance gates to show your pass etc.
We arrived at
Colter Bay our next campsite which was full when we tried to book a couple of days before but we had kept trying and suddenly a space appeared on the internet site so we quickly booked for a couple of nights. This was lucky as all the other campgrounds close by were full, but the downside was that we were being charged a hefty $65 a night - very expensive even for a full hook up (electric and water) site but again no wifi. You also had to pay $4 per person for the privilege of taking a shower!
It was in a pretty setting though, hence they could charge such an extortionate price. We hiked around
Jackson Lake with the Teton Mountain range as a backdrop - just stunning. We saw a number of birds here including an
American Avocet wading on the lake edge - such
a colourful bird especially when it took flight as well as a
Ruby-crowned Kinglet which had a little 'ruby crown' on the top of its head which we did not spot at first as it was hard to get a good view of this bird as it darted amongst the branches, can you spot it - all replies to our comments page please, but no prizes!
That evening we strolled back down to the lake again and watched families enjoying the evening sun whilst their children paddled and played in the fading light. Fathers were lighting fires on the beach and the smell of barbecued food was strong making us both very hungry. What an idillic setting it was but a shame that the bugs came out to eat as well so we headed home!
Next day did we drove around a scenic circuit route which was highlighted in the local brochures. With no foothills to obstruct the view and with perfectly clear skies (for a change), the jagged peaks of the
Teton Range rising out of the Jackson Hole Valley looked really majestic - just as you imagine a
mountain range to be........... Compared to Yellowstone, Teton is a really small national park but you still got some tremendous views of the mountains and Jackson Lake from the many overlooks dotted around the park. At the
Snake River overlook we looked for mammals and birds but only got to see a few birds including the
American Pelican.
We continued on stopping at
Jenny Lake and took a boat across to one of the trailheads located on the other side. We hiked up to
Inspiration Point - what a lovely walk this was, as we headed up the mountain our first stop was at a refreshing waterfall where we lingered for a while but there were too many others arriving so we continued ever upwards. We climbed for quite a while getting quite out of breath as the incline was rapid before arriving at Inspiration Point with clear views out over Jenny Lake and beyond. We still had a 'little bit' more energy so continued on for a while and we were suddenly above the snow line and we had to walk through some melting snow drifts some over a metre deep - Paul managed to get
his foot stuck between a large fallen tree and went down up to his thigh but luckily missed his face on the branches - its is supposed to be me that is clumsy!
On this hike we encountered our very first sighting of a
Moose and considered ourselves very lucky indeed. This young male was munching his way through the bush and we noticed a large flap of skin hanging beneath his throat which apparently is called a
bell.
The word ‘moose’ comes from an Indian word meaning ‘twig-eater’ which really is appropriate as this is exactly what this young one was doing ‘eating leaves and twigs’. Bull moose have unique massive palm-like racks (antlers) and this young male was just started to develop his. Larger racks can be very impressive and up to 6 feet wide and we were hoping that we get to see one of these large males, but at the moment we were happy to stand and watch this young one. By late August the racks are fully grown, and the velvet dies, dries and is then rubbed off usually around November before they start the whole process again the
following April.
This imposing animal is the largest member of the deer family. Large males (bulls) may reach a shoulder height of 6 feet, with a length of 8.5 feet and may weigh between 800 to 1320 pounds. The giant Alaska-Yukon moose may weigh as much as 1760 pounds. Although Moose mainly eat twigs their favourite food in summer is the aquatic plants that grow in marshes and lakes and they can dive underwater to depths of 16 feet to reach these delicacies. They are often seen wading chest-deep in water grazing on these plants that they can easily reach with their long muzzle.
As we watched this young male a ranger appeared from nowhere and told us to climb up the side of the mountain quickly - this was not easy but we did manage to get out of the way as the mother strolled around the corner on the track. We watched as she was reunited with her youngster who proceeded to feed from her - obviously not getting enough twigs........ The ranger said that he was getting too big and the mother would soon be sending him on his ‘merry way’
to fend for himself. We hoped he had a long life and lived for the average of 20 years wondering in this beautiful valley.
We so enjoyed this walk in the mountains of the Grand Tetons and were lucky to spot two moose but it was time to head back and as we climbed back down the mountain to the lake we enjoyed some lovely scenic views out over the Tetons.
We continued the scenic route but detoured off stopping at
Mormon Row Historic District on the way.
These few old buildings tell the story of a once vibrant community now long gone - little
Prairie Dogs have now made their home here and there were lots of them scurrying around in front of the abandoned homes and burrowing beneath them. Some of the buildings were over one hundred years old and were left to ‘weather’ naturally. Once this was a busy community living out their every day lives with a church, a school and over a dozen homesteads but all that was left was the ruined homes and farms of those people long gone. A couple of picturesque barns stood out
amidst the sagebrush flats and cottonwood trees with the backdrop of the Grant Tetons mirrored behind.
Mormon Row dispersed in the mid 1900’s as the Settler’s land was acquired to expand the Grand Teton National Park and they moved into Jackson and other more populated places never to return, but their abandoned homes still stood as a reminder of their past. We did not realise at the time but the photograph we took of the barn with the Teton Range behind belonged to the Moulton family. Behind the barn in the distance we could see a huge herd of Bison and several Pronghorn Antelope it was a great spot to see and enjoy local wildlife, I expect those original residents really missed this place.
Colter Bay, our campsite was really expensive compared to others we had stayed at and so was the petrol, or should I say ‘gas’ as I keep getting corrected........ It was $4.23 per gallon in the park compared with an average of $3.50 we had been paying elsewhere. It was a lovely national park though with plenty of wildlife and even though it was quite small,
was very scenic and so worth a visit.
We left Grand Tetons the next day with grey cloudy skies, you could not see the Teton Range which was right in front of us and had stood out so brightly the day before. We stopped in Jackson Hole to fill up and the sun came out again -
Jackson Hole is a prime ski resort but not at this time of year although you could see the reasons why people flocked to the area in the winter time.
We followed the
Snake River through
Taghee National Forest, the Salt River and Star Valley travelling through miles off farmlands with many more horses grazing in the yard rather than cars......... The Salt River is home to Cutthroat, Browns and Rainbow Trout and the streams were alive and on the menu of many resturants. We passed through the villages with names like
Smoot and also
Grover with a population of 147 at the last census. It was Sunday and everything was quiet and closed even the visitor centres in these small communities had not opened their doors. The churches were busy though with many cars
parked outside and then we realised where everyone was. We passed through Afton which had the world’s largest
Elkhorn Arch stretching across the main road. Unfortunately roadworks did not enable a very good photo of this iconic bridge……
A little later we laughed at a small street sign entitled
‘Bowels Lane' which was quite apt as there were hundreds of blue porta loos standing at the back of a building - it was quite amusing as the water sprinklers were irrigating the field beyond and it looked like the loos were being watered from above!!!
We continued through
Bridger & Caribou National Forests very scenic areas passing many ranches with their decorated entrance gates - some of the signs were quite exquisitely carved with appropriate animals and birds of the area. We crossed yet another state border entering
Idaho, we had not realised that this would be on our itinerary so another state to add to our list but still there were so many more that we would not get to visit on this three month journey.
We arrived in
Paris (population 470) - no
not Paris, France which obviously has lots more people but Paris, Idaho. As we entered the town we noticed a large
Tabernacle in the centre and stopped to take a look. We walked across the road and were approached by an elderly local Mormon guide who gave us some detailed information on
Paris Tabernacle a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before leading us around the church on a free guided tour.
He told us that pioneers lead by
Charles Coulson Rich (any relation Bob?) entered the valley in 1863 and the
Paris Idaho Tabernacle was built quite a while later in 1888. Rich was a pioneer builder, founder and settler of the
Bear Lake Valley region. As we walked around we noticed that the
Tabernacle looked fresh and modern but it was over 120 years old - its ‘newness’ was because it had just been restored. The sandstone used in the original construction was brought by horse drawn wagons and sleighs (we say sledges) from
Indian Creek 18 miles away, requiring about 1200 trips between the quarry and Paris itself. Everything in the building was made by hand by the men, women and children of
the area, even the wooden nails used in construction. The sloping floors which were a common practice in the late 1800s provided a clear line of sight to the podium for the worshipers. The interior ceiling was constructed by
James Collings an
English Shipbuilder which resembled the hull of a ship, turned upside down - still not sure why but it looked pretty good and was indeed quite apt for a ceiling......... All the lumber used was white pine from nearby forests. Hardwoods were expensive and difficult to obtain so doors were painted with a graining style using a technique of varnishing over paint whilst still wet, then finishing with a hardwood grain effect - this technique was popular in the West because of the lack of natural hardwoods. The dividers in the stained glass window were also made of wood, as were other historic buildings in the region, the pioneer builders used what was available at the time and improvised where they could.
The elderly guide that showed us around
his church was
very friendly and informative. A Paris native he added so much detail to our visit, including describing a winter in the 1870s that
stayed
below -30 degrees F for more than a week and without putting something over ones mouth and nose, the membranes would also freeze when you breathed.
He told us that he would have loved to
visit the UK but as he was so old he probably would not get to make it now - never say never I said…………..He obviously was devoted to his religion which showed as he described in detail the history of his church and fellow worshippers. He showed us a list of the original founders and we noted that one of them had the same surname as us - probably came from Wales at some point.
We asked our guide why the town was called
Paris, apparently it was named after one of its original settlers, whose last name was
Perris. The decision was made to spell it like its more famous sound-alike, so the townspeople wouldn't have to fight spelling errors for the rest of the town's existence - apparently Fred Perris was okay with this misspelling of his surname so today we visited Paris not Perris……….
We continued
on to our next campsite situated in
Bear Lake crossing another state border back into
Utah. Most of the settlers that arrived in Bear Lake were from Britain including
Elizabeth Warmsley Palmer born in Preston, England in 1806 she was to became one of the first converts to the Church of Latter Day Saints. A notice board on the side of the road informed us that after arriving in Illinois in 1842 she drove an oxteam to Utah in 1849 becoming one of the earliest pioneer women, she died in the area in 1890. We were staying in another Koa Campsite overlooking the lake and it was in a gorgeous setting. We had plenty of space around our van with a private fence all around us, like one’s own little garden - it would have been nice to have stayed here longer but we needed to push South now.
The next morning we drove through the
Logan Valley, which looked a bit like Cheddar Gorge in Somerset UK, only much bigger, longer and deeper and we soon became dwarfed in the steep valley gorge stopping to have lunch under the canopy of the gorge.
We continued on to just north of
Salt Lake City and called in on
Roy and Jessica, whom you may remember we met at a Geyser in Yellowstone National Park. They had invited us to visit them, promising us that they would give us a break, swapping our ‘camping’ in the van with a ‘real’ bed - we couldn’t possibly miss out on that could we……..… Well they really did ‘treat us’, not only did we get our own room and really comfy bed but also our own en-suite bathroom complete with a proper shower all to ourselves - how we take for granted such luxuries..............
The best thing though was their company, such a warm couple we could have stayed for a lot longer if we did not need to get back to San Francisco at some point………. What they had both forgotten to tell us when we met was that they (or rather Jessica) loved animals and I mean ‘loved’. I ‘like’ animals but as some of our friends know I am not overly fond of too close a contact with them - preferring to take photographs from afar
- well Roy and Jessica have a rather large extended family on their homestead - it came comp!!!!!!!!! Jessica had rescued many of the animals and they were very lucky to have found such a loving home - she even took some of the animals with her and brought even more back from Japan when Roy was stationed in the country with the Air Force - not the horses though she found a 'horsesitter' for them…………
Such a
menagerie of happy animals, one of their cats even sits on a high stool at their breakfast bar and when Jessica cooks he just sits and watches everything she does - the next time we visit he will probably be doing the cooking - hope its not catstew………..all you cat lovers I do not mean it really!
We so enjoyed our stay with them, Jessica is a really good cook and we sampled some lovely homemade ‘American Meals’. Her homemade Turkey Burgers were to die for and she even gave us some
Halibut when we left to take with us as I said it was my favourite fish - much later we really enjoyed
this cooked over barbecue coals.
One day whilst staying with them we travelled into
Salt Lake City - Roy dropped us off at
Clearwater Train Station and we spent some time exploring the city. The trains were really clean and efficient and we met a young lad on the platform who explained what one had to do. Everything is automated so you cannot ask the Station staff for info - but their ticket machines take any coins/notes and give the right change. The next problem was trying to figure out which side of the platform to stand on - we thought it would be the right side but it was the left so lucky we chatted to this young lad or we could still be waiting for that train!
Salt Lake City On our visit we were hoping to be able to see the great
Salt Lake Temple but like other LDS temples it is considered sacred by the church and its members and a ‘temple recommend’ is required to enter. In other words only Mormons who are deemed worthy are permitted entrance, so there are no public tours inside but
we were able to see some adjacent buildings on
Temple Square like the Salt Lake Tabernacle, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building/Family Search Centre and Assembly Hall.
The
Salt Lake Tabernacle is known as the home of the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir and its impressive organ with 11,623 golden pipes made of round wood staves, hand-carved from Utah timber. The Tabernacle is so acoustically sensitive that a pin dropped at the pulpit can be clearly heard at the back of the hall. We stood at the back about 170 feet away and definitely heard the pin as the young lady on stage demonstrated to us - the acoustics were really out of this world.
We also walked around the
Visitor Centre which focused on the Salt Lake Temple, and presents the history of the temple in an interesting exhibit. Nearby, ‘The Building of the Salt Lake Temple’ told the story of Brigham Young's selection of the temple site almost immediately upon arrival
in Salt Lake Valley, the 40 year construction period, and the temple's dedication in 1893 as well as detailed architectural plans. There was also a large model of the completed temple building like a giant dollshouse with exquisite internal decorations and adornments - what an astounding building this must be. One exhibit also outlined the church's beliefs about the temple and its role in Mormon worship.
Whilst we were visiting people were making searches on the computers tracing their ancestors. Within the complex the
Family History Library includes over 2.4 million rolls of microfilmed genealogical records as well as thousands of microfiche, books, serials, and other electronic resources. Records available were for the United States, Canada, the British Isles, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. A majority of the records contain information about
persons who lived before 1930. Apparently over
200 cameras are currently digitising records in over 45 countries. I
have used the Church of the Latter Day Saints research engines in the past, tracing my own family’s members and it has been a very useful research tool.
It was good to be able to visit
Temple Square, we had heard so much about it and there were definitely lots of things to see within the huge complex if you are interested in the history of the Mormon Church or just want to hear more about what the Mormons believe or just for a nice stroll particularly on a warm day as the gardens were really colourful.
Whilst we were in a large city we also wanted to see if we could find another lens for my camera as I still only had the 55-250 mm canon one that I had luckily found in Cody. A lady at the visitor centre gave us directions to a camera shop on the outskirts with directions of what tram to catch etc - although we had to
change trams twice we found it without difficulty and they actually had the lens I wanted which was great as I could now take more photos. On the tram on the way back into the city we chatted to a guy from Newcastle (your home town JT) who was on a three week tour of USA - we picked up on the accent straight away.............
Roy picked us up from the railway station on our return to Clearwater and we spent a pleasant last night with them at their ‘animal farm’. Roy had been for a job interview that day - having just retired from the USAF (United States Air Force) he was looking for a ‘second’ career, and we do hope that he managed to secure the job, but if not finds the one he is looking for.
It was time to leave our comfortable new home and our new found friends, Roy and Jessica and move on - we are heading to yet another national park,
Bryce Canyon - see you there…….
Advertisement
Tot: 0.145s; Tpl: 0.02s; cc: 11; qc: 27; dbt: 0.0405s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
bronwyn
non-member comment
national parks
We too loved Grand Teton but now you are headed to my all time favourite...Bryce.