While there were two or three days where we experienced some relatively heavy fog, the fog actually provided for some really cool scenery in some instances, especially in Grand Teton. One day, as we were driving to the trailhead, we saw our first fogbow. Though we stopped to take a few photos, they really didn't represent what we actualy saw.
In all, we saw eleven bears during our trip: nine were grizzlies, and two were spotted while hiking. Fortunately those two bears were well off the trail. One morning, well before sunrise, I noticed a dark object on the edge of the road as we drove towards Logan Pass in Glacier. As we got a little closer I could see three more objects. After slowing almost to a crawl we realized it was a grizzly sow and her three cubs. After getting past the bears we continued driving, knowing that bears can become habituated to humans - even when they're in their cars. Earlier that week we saw our first albino chipmunk at the top of Ptarmigan Falls. Actually, I didn't even know they existed! On the following day we heard a loud splash in the water as we walked along Swiftcurrent Lake. On the opposing side we could see a cow moose and her calf walking into the lake, and continued to watch as they began swimming. After about a minute it appreared that they were intending to swim across the lake. Sure enough, they swam all the way across the lake, a distance of at least a quarter-of-a-mile. More amazingly, they were heading almost directly towards where we were standing. Although they didn't actually come ashore, the calf looked as if he/she was ready to stand on solid land. The mother, however, was quite content to feed on the aquatic plants just off the shore. We stood there watching for several minutes, but left after their presence started drawing crowds.
While staying in Wilson just outside of Grand Teton we saw five different moose, at various times, hanging out just below our 2nd story condominium balcony. Among these was this bull moose, who just began the process of digging a rut pit. As he dug he periodically urinated in it. Bull moose use wallows like these to ensure the odor from their urine is coated on their bodies, which is highly attractive to cows:
As a result of this extended trip we were able to add ten new hikes to our TetonHikingTrails.com website. All of these are located within the Greater Yellowstone region. This includes Fred’s Mountain at Grand Targhee Resort on the west side of Grand Teton National Park. Along the Wyoming portion of the Beartooth Highway we hiked to Night Lake, Beauty Lake and Sheepherder Lakes, each of them located in an area known as the High Lakes, and all being quite superb hikes:
While in Bozeman we hiked to Lava Lake, and Beehive Basin, which is an absolutely outstanding hike:
All of these hikes now reside on our Other Wyoming Hikes page.
Before closing out I wanted to give a shout-out to Montana Ale Works in Bozeman for the best meal both Kathy and I have had in a couple of years. If you're ever in that area, I highly recommend checking this place out. A few other honerable mentions include the mini charcuterie board we thoroughly enjoyed at Urban Kitchen in Bozeman, the kielbasa at Miazga's in Jackson, the smoked pastrami at WYOld West Taproom in Cody, as well as the enchiladas at J's Pub in Caspar. Last but not least, the tiramisu at Calico in Wilson was simply out of this world. Of course you can't beat the ambiance of the rooftop at Dornan's, and despite what my philosophy professor said many years ago - that you can't argue aesthetics - no one will ever be able to convince me that the best place for a beer isn't on the back porch of the Many Glacier Hotel (a huckleberry beer, of course!).
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
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