#23 The Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park

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October 1, 2010: We had covered enough miles in our race back toward Portland, Oregon, that we decided we could take a diversionary swing through the Grand Tetons National Park and Yellowstone National Park.

We got to Jackson, Wyoming, the gateway to the parks, in the late morning and had a look around. Some AMAZING galleries there. There's also a very nice visitor center and a beautiful library, so we did the maps and postcards and emails thing, and were heading toward the Grand Tetons about lunch time.

I remembered the Grand Tetons from a trip I took with my college friends right after graduation in 1970. One of our group (another Martha, called Marty) was very canny, and she said we shouldn't head into the park in the late afternoon, we should camp outside it and get up really early and head in in the morning. This we did, about 7am, and got the most fabulous campsite right on the lake because we were arriving just as another party was pulling out. (This method worked for Phil and me on Labor Day weekend in Yosemite this trip, by the way.)

My mother was a native French speaker, coming from a French-Canadian family, and my father (chromosomally mono-lingual?) claimed to be able to translate French at times. Only certain words, of course. I remember him telling me the Grand Tetons meant the “big tits”. I told Phil this—I have no idea if it's true—and we had a laugh. But see what you think from the pictures. I would say they were of the late 1950s pointed bra variety.

We enjoyed lunch and photo-taking by one of the lakes, but time was moving on, and we still had quite a few miles to get to Yellowstone. And once inside Yellostone it was still more miles to get to any of the famous sites. We headed for “Old Faithful”, the big geyser famous for going off at regular intervals. It used to be every hour, I think, but I'm not sure if it still is. Anyway, I drove slowly and carefully, having been stopped for speeding in Yellowstone years ago, and chastised by a ranger who reminded me that we had to slow down and remember the animals. Just as well, as this time I rounded a corner on some deer crossing the road.

But as we sedately careened into the parking lot of “Old Faithful”, the boardwalk was teeming with people leaving for their cars. It was about 4pm. Should we wait another hour or so for the next eruption? Phil decided not, and just as well, because in the remaining daylight we came upon many wondrous things, as you will see below, including lots of smaller geysers.

It's almost the height of idiocy to try to “do” Yellowstone in a brief flit, but as my mother used to say, “It's better than nothing”, and she was right.

Lots of pics this time--you may have to click to page two to see them all. And don't forget you can click (or double click) on an individual picture to make it show up bigger on your screen.

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Photos

Antler arches in Jackson
Each corner of the town park had an antler arch. It had taken something like 15 years for enough antlers to be collected. The boy scouts are still paid to collect them in the spring when the deer and the antelope drop last year's and start growing new ones.

Approaching the Grand Tetons
From dry plains to magnificent mountains.

What's in a name?
Do you think they're the "Big Tits?"

Grand Tetons 5
This was the larger lake.

Yellowstone stream
The colours come from mineral deposits and algae.

Danger lurks
The crust can be very thin, and the underneath situation can change quickly. People have been scalded to death, others badly burned.

Colourful algae
Some algae just thrive in the seemingly hostile environments.

Steaming cauldron
When the wind blew the steam at us, it burned and we quickly moved out of the way.

Phil heads for the "mud pots"
Passing through a bizarre landscape

Comments

[Michelle Cavanagh]

Grand Tetons
It means large teat in English. M xx

[sonlum]

weather in mid sept
We are planning a trip to YS, GT trying to avoid the crowds. No kids, How is the weather at this time?? for both parks???