It's no wonder that the Teton Range in Wyoming is the most photographed mountain range in the world. Trying to describe the beauty of this place is like trying to describe to someone what a grape tastes like. I've never eaten a grape, so do you think you can adequately describe it to me so that, without a doubt, I could fully understand the experience? I'm not talking about the texture or look…but the actual taste. My guess is probably not. That is how I feel when talking about my pics of the Tetons to people who have never been there. Perhaps making it even more difficult is trying to convey a sense of presence as well, not just "look at the beautiful mountains". A single photograph has the ability to stir up the deepest emotions to those who have some history behind it. Take for instance if you were to show me a picture of your grandmother. I may say "she looks great" or "I bet she is a sweet lady" or "why is she wearing a Falcon's hat". But when you look at it, you not only see her, you smell a roast on the stove, you can taste her sweet iced tea, you can hear her voice saying " if you think you are in trouble now just wait until your daddy gets here", you can feel a big sweet hug, or feel her pulling you by your ear and putting your bad butt in the corner. An analyst may say when you see a picture of a place you have never been, or a person you do not know, you are only experiencing 1/5, or 20% of your senses…that being the sense of sight for those of you who may be falling behind. When a photograph means something to you, all of your senses come alive. That is how I feel when I see pictures of the Tetons. I can feel the cool mountain air, hear the wind blowing through the trees and the sounds of a shallow river making its way across the valley, and taste the fries my mom would always cook for me on the old Coleman stove outside in the campground. French fries surely do have a different taste to them when you are sitting outside watching a sunset over the mountains…as opposed to sitting at home alone listening to the traffic go down Harrison Ave.
I have so many fond memories having been there for the first time when I was 6 or 7 years old, and the latest time in the summer of 2011. We would usually stay just outside the park at a KOA campground near Dubois for a night so we could get up early the next morning and grab a spot in Signal Mountain campground. I remember walking around the campground in the evening as people were just starting to light campfires and the smell of the many different dinners being cooked hovered in the air like a fog. The light and shadows on the surrounding mountains were in a state of constant change as the sun set beyond yet more mountains west of us. I can feel that cool evening air and smell the country cooking as I'm typing this…and I'm smiling a mile wide…and hungry. Just as I had described in an earlier post about the anticipation of seeing Capulin Mountain in New Mexico, I remember the same excitement the next morning when we could finally start to see the towering peaks of the Teton Range coming into view. And one word always comes to mind when I see them for the first time each trip; "majestic". What makes these mountains so much different than others is the fact that there are no foothills on the eastern side (which is the direction we approached from). They jut straight up out the ground to a peak elevation of over 13,700 feet. Seeing them from the "other side", which is to say from the Idaho side looking east to them, they look completely different. It's hard to believe they are the same mountain range.
My childhood memories from the Tetons all pretty much run together. From that first trip up until when I quit going with my parents when I was a teenager (my first trip back as an adult was 2008 and I was…um…OK I was 39) I can't really distinguish one trip from another. I remember being there with cousins and friends running all over the campground, and especially heading down to the lake. The campground, most of the time, was wooded pretty well so although you could see glimpses of the mountains from most of the grounds, we had to be at the lake to see them in all of their glory. But running towards the lake the woods would thin out as the shore drew closer…then the REAL fun began. For you see, to get to the lake we had to slide down an embankment of…oh let's say about 20-30 feet. Some places were sloped at an angle which was flat enough to almost walk down without assistance, but us kids wanted no part of that. We would find the steepest decline and slide down the sand and gravel until we got to the kazillion small rocks and boulders that lined the shore. The lake levels rise and fall dramatically depending on how much water is allowed to flow through a nearby dam, thereby creating a "playground" for us kids. We would literally spend hours between going up and down the slope, skipping rocks across the lake, and trying to build a rock bridge to the other side. Of course we only piled enough rocks to get about 3 feet into the lake. It had quite a drop-off from there so as what happened year after year, we gave up quickly and went back to climbing up and down the embankment. Oh, and the backdrop for all of this was the Teton range just across Jackson Lake. Stunning. At some point late in the day, us kids and the 10 pounds of dirt on us, and in our pockets, would make our way back to the campsites to go take showers and eat dinner. Then, as the sun was fading behind the mountains we would grab our blankets make our way down to the ranger talk at the amphitheater. We knew the time was drawing near for the show when they started playing music over the loudspeakers. And that is when my family first heard John Denver. He immediately became a staple for my family and still is to this day. We had all his albums and began a tradition of listening to his music when we traveled (as well as all the time at home). We saw him in concert many times, including a spectacular acoustic show at the Saenger Theater. I listen to him often, and just as I go back when I see pictures of the Tetons, the same thing comes over me when I hear his songs. My three absolute favorite songs of ALL TIME are his. In no particular order they are "Windsong", "Eclipse", and "Annie's Song". Anyway, back to the amphitheater. Each night a ranger would give a presentation on a subject related to the area. One night it may be about the wildflowers, in the area, the next it may be about the animals that inhabit the park, and the next about how one day I would become a great photographer known around the world. I know you don't believe that…but there are plenty of beautiful wildflowers up there even though it gets very cold in the winter, I promise. When my mom and I were there this past summer (while staying in a cabin right next to the campground) we walked over to the amphitheater to catch a show. It looked EXACTLY the same way as I remember as a kid. It's not real big…probably seats about 50 people on metal bleacher-type seats and there is always a campfire burning off to the side. This night we were treated to the story about the re-introduction of the wolves in Yellowstone, their habits, territories, and how they changed the ecology of the area. It was very interesting!
Well at this point, I'm going to take a break. Time for me to eat another orange juice freezie. Brings a smile to my face every time. In the next entry I'll talk more about my experiences in the Tetons…and how it felt to go with my mom and some cousins there…for the first time since my Dad passed away. I'm very sentimental so this was both a tough, and rewarding trip for me. In the mean time, I've posted some links to Grand Teton National Park below, including my picture gallery from my website. Maybe while I'm digging a fork into a red plastic cup of orange juice sweetness, you can take some time to look at some pictures that mean something to you and think about how they make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside…unless that feeling is that you have to pee. In that case, don't forget to flush.
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