day 9 .... we headed out to go for a hike on the Taggert Lake Trail.... 3 mile hike round trip... the rangers reported to Brock that there had been mama-grizzly sightings... the boys insisted I wear the bear bell... so every other step, I jinggled along.... warding off the bears....
We spotted a black badger... sunning it self on a gigantic granite boulder... as it saw us approaching, it retreated to it's den, under the boulder.... keeping an eye on us....we kept to the left side of the trail & avoided 'ruffling it's fur' ....
We made it as far as we could until we reached a snow covered path, retracing our steps.... at the Yukon parked next to us were a man & woman kissing rather passionately.... saying good bye it appeared... with 2 other guys in tow, getting out video cameras....they had arrows sticking out of their pack.
Brock approached the car and asked if they were hunting... which is illegal in Natl. Parks.... they are filming a documentary "The Great American Walkabout" and walking across the nation... California to New York, eating only what they hunt. You can find their page on facebook... pretty cool really....
Next we drove to Jenny Lake... for a boat ride across the lake and a hike up to the Hidden Falls ....
We were hipoglycemic, starved after our day of hiking.... we grabbed some wood fired pizza at the Snake River Brewing Company.... pizzas decked out with smoked bacon, scallions, dehydrated apples, truffle sauce & gorgonzola.... home-made sausage, wild mushrooms, garlic, red onions & goat cheese.... we pigged out, and rolled ourselves home ....
day 10... We were getting vacationed out... a sad statement, considering the amazing terrain we were surrounded by.... but home-sickness prevailed. We decided to load the Yukon that morning, in case we wanted to hit the road early and head east that evening.
We drove to Teton Village, and took a gondola up to the top of Mt. Rendezous.... 6,000+ elevation. What an amazing ride up the mountain, taking in the granite majesty. The view was spectacualr. They have had 7,500+ feet of snow this year.... 4,000 is their average... it was still extremely snow packed, making hiking a challenge. We were wearing shorts, having run out of clean pants, making any hiking prospects dim .... time to head home and do laundry.
We took a senic drive up past Jenny Lake and towards Colter Bay. We thought we spotted a moose in the woods. We stopped to take a look, and the ranger parked roadside said it was an elk, running from a brown colored black bear.... pretty big elk to me.....
I desperately wanted to take a drive over the mountain pass to Idaho to see the Targhgee Natl. Forest ... that meant at least a 3 hour round trip, on a curvy mountain pass... sure to induce motion sickness for our youngest and I.... we opted out.... we'll have to take in Idaho another time....
We stopped in the town square of Jackson Hole for a photo op at the elk antler arches that adorn the center terrace... then pointed the Yukon East & drove off away from the sunset into the Bridger-Teton Natl. Forest ... what amazing senery....
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