Teton Moods

Having recently returned from a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and the nearby Grand Teton National Park I was anxious to put together a video of our trip. I've been going to the Tetons since the '70's when I went with my dad from whom I've inherited a bad case of wanderlust. I remember my first trip and my first views of this majestic mountain range. We had come over Togwotee Pass from the then-tiny town of Dubois where we had spent the night. Though I'm now a vegetarian my recollection is that I had the best steak of my life in Dubois. Don't know if that would be true today, but the next time you pass through stop and try some of that grass-fed Wyoming beef. 

Anyway, we had come over the pass only to see nothing but clouds, grey and menacing all along the Teton range. You wouldn't have known there were mountains at all for the overcast. As the weather prognostication was not favorable we spent the remainder of that trip in Yellowstone viewing geysers and critters rather than peaks.

Of course that trip just spurred my interest in returning to catch a glimpse of the Tetons and eventually I saw them on a clear and sunny day. Back then clear days were the norm whereas today you're lucky to not see these incredible mountains through a summer haze of wildfire smoke that seems to come earlier and last later than ever before. I've driven, hiked, biked, and kayaked (and now SUP'd) through this scenery and I still think the best views are from the saddle of a two-wheeled steed. Apparently a whole lot of folks would agree with me as the number of bikes, especially those new-fangled E-bikes, were all over the Park roads.

This year our first week saw nothing but sunshine and clear blue skies. Oh, and warm - actually hot for the area - temps close to 100 degrees. While folks in Seattle sweltered through history-making heat Teton country wasn't far behind. Still I knew from experience that the clear days would not last so kept my camera busy capturing most of the shots you'll see in the video below. The wildflowers were also taking a bow on this epic stage and I'm at a loss to decide which was prettier - the snow-capped peaks or nature's flowerful pallet of color. 

Crowds there were as well but we've visited enough to know some out-of-the-way spots where peace and quiet and solitude could still be found. The town of Jackson was mobbed as is usual during the summer but locals seem to take it all in good humor. The Town Square shootout was still going on (Monday-Saturday @ 6p.m.) and though a little hokey everyone in attendance (and there were a lot of everyones in attendance) seemed to enjoy the show. And of course the Stagecoach still does laps around the Square with passengers gawking out of the stagecoach windows at all the tourists taking pictures and gawking as the stage and two beautiful horses clip-clopping slowly by. An interesting side note: apparently the same outfit that offers the stagecoach also does sleigh rides through the nearby National Elk Refuge in winter (December-April). Sounds like a heck of an excuse to mosey up that way when the flakes start to fall. 

Not unexpectedly, the wildfire smoke did make an appearance during our last couple of days. The mountains are still beautiful shrouded in the hazy mist and the smoke makes for some stunning sunsets over the Tetons. The smoke makes all the photographers work a little harder but there are still great pictures to be had. 

One day we were in Jackson and were treated to a hailstorm. I've never seen so many shorts and halter-topped tourists scramble for cover but the storm thankfully dropped the temperature a good twenty degrees and I'm sure the local stores didn't mind the sudden influx of sodden shoppers trying to get out of the wet. I was most impressed, as you'll see if you pay attention in the video, by the young cowboy who stayed atop the Stagecoach hunkered down with his steeds while gravel-sized balls of ice rained down from leaden skies. There's a reason those cowboy hats have such wide brims...

Eventually the skies lightened up, the hail that had accumulated melted, and all the would-be cowboys and cowgals streamed back out onto the wooden boardwalks. The only place I noticed that didn't see this post-storm exodus was the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. I guess patrons there know a good thing when they drink it or perhaps they never even noticed there had been a summer downpour.

One would have thought that COVID was non-existent and the only masks that were worn were by some of the stuffed local residents. Social distancing was in full-effect however, if you count six inches as the measure instead of six feet. Looking at the license plates on the cars lucky enough to snag a parking spot around the Square I'd say most States were well represented though most seemed to come from the midwest. Same went in the campgrounds although a fair number of folks had flown in and rented their RV/Motorhomes with going rates around $2,000 for three days. One local mentioned that out at the airport they were charging $900/day for rental cars and couldn't keep them in stock. Just WOW...

So now we're back at home but if I close my eyes and don't listen for the sound of sirens, which seems to have become an integral part of Denver's soundscape, I can feel the hot wind (smell the sage?) in my hair and hear the sound of wind rustling through the prairie grasses. If I had my druthers we'd still be up there. The road that beckons is at its loneliest right after coming home, that's for sure. 

So where to next? The summers not over and I hear tell there's a border up north going to open in the next couple of weeks. Hmmmm, that itch in my gas-pedal foot might still get itched.....

The most expensive real estate in the Tetons

 My better half and I have been up in the Tetons the last couple of weeks enjoying the stunning vistas, abundant wildlife (though sadly not a single bear - grizzled or black - to be found), along with record crowds despite an ongoing pandemic in many of the places from which these folks hail from. 

A local guide at one of the favored moose-watching locations told us that May visitation to the Grand Teton National Park was up 49% from the same time a year ago. Sure, sure, I thought - last year was the height of the COVID crisis so I thought perhaps 2020 traffic to the park might have been way off. As with most things I couldn't have been more wrong - 2020 set records over 2019 - apparently Americans unable to travel overseas last year all decided to congregate in a little place called Jackson Hole and then invited all of their friends and relatives up for a repeat this year.

My wife and I have been up to the Tetons enough to know where to find the less crowded spots although even our hidden gems seemed to be attracting more people than we had anticipated. One of the lakes near the Moran entrance station is tucked back on a rough and tumble dirt road (though not 4-wheel necessary) that most tourists whiz by without even considering turning off to see this special jewel. This year the small parking lot was full though that meant about ten other cars and one full-sized RV who somehow managed to get his big rig up the narrow and twisting path only to find that the parking lot couldn't accommodate rigs a third his size. But all was well as there were sufficient black flies and mosquitos galore to more than go around the small crowd. Once out on the lake in a kayak and on an SUP the bugs tended to leave us alone so we could focus on the two bull moose we found grazing along the shore. Such is why folks head to this neck of the woods. Note to SUP'ers, do you think you can out-paddle a moose? I didn't put it to the test but I was starting to wonder...

We caught up with an old friend and his family for an afternoon in the Town of Jackson which is an eclectic blend of old west meets Gucci. Lots of famous celebs call Jackson their second, third or fourth home depending on how lofty their celebrity. Housing and real estate prices are astronomically high as you might expect but if I had a couple of million dollars looking for something to do I might be tempted to buy 40 acres (without the mule) where I could sit on my front deck and contemplate the stunning beauty of the Teton range. $10.5 million will get you a nice 4 bedroom/4.5 bath on 4.7 acres. Need a tad more space? $11.5 million puts you into a 7,263 sq. ft., 5 bedroom/6.5 bath "...set on 5.06 acres, discreetly tucked atop the ridge of Spring Creek" boasting "...unrivaled Grand Teton and Sleeping Indian views." As if there's anything discreet about a house that costs $11+ million. 

O.K. with something a little smaller? How about a 3 bedroom/3 bath 2,200 sq. ft. "cabin" for just $1,190,000? This one doesn't feature the world famous Teton views but on the plus side it sits on those 40 acres (minus the mule) I mentioned earlier. Another advantage is that you won't have to shovel that infamous Wyoming snow because its only 3 season accessible...

Perhaps the most expensive property I found was a little, and I mean little, property actually in town in the "desirable East Jackson Neighborhood". This 3 bedroom/2 Full baths 1,950 sq. ft. home is nestled on just .18 acres and can be yours, if you hurry, for just $1,195,000. Why is this the most expensive? On a per acre basis that works out to a whopping $6.6 million. The $11 million home I mentioned earlier at least sat on 5 acres which works out to just $2.2 million per. 

Needless to say my wife and I won't be moving North to Teton country anytime soon but depending on your budget you might want to consider it. The views can't be beat, you can rub shoulders with the glitterati at the local Albertsons supermarket, and you won't look out of place wearing those cowboy boots and cowboy hat you have tucked away somewhere in your closet (you know, for the week or two of the National Western Stock Show where every Denverite goes at least a little bit country). 

Anyway, there you have it on the state of real estate in Jackson, Wyoming. Me, I'm back at the Gros Ventre campground which does quite nicely in a pinch. Can I interest anyone in a S'mores?