posting from kalispell today. here’s what i wrote yesterday.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Driving from Grand Teton National Park

Ok, let’s just say I could definitely live here. What I mean is that I really hope to come back. Many times. If you don’t have your vacation planned for this summer, I am telling you this is it. If you come here and camp, call and reserve site #13 at Signal Mountain Campground in Grand Teton National Park. On your way here, stop in Jackson and get an almond raspberry scone and a perfect cup of coffee at the Jackson Whole Grocer, but bring your own cup and bags because this town is gloriously green. (Even the campgrounds and visitor centers have divided recycle bins!) Taido had to rush me on out of Jackson before I spent every dime of our money. I was as wide eyed as Ben in a Walmart Supercenter as I walked my allotted hour in the streets and shops of Jackson. Besides the Grocer, which though small, had everything I could ever need. Really. I wanted to go ahead and just get a job in there so I could stay close to it. But besides the Grocer, I loved Teton Mountaineering, Skinny Skis, The Hole Kid and Valley Bookstore. The bookstore rivaled our favorite in Taos as far as independents go, and it absolutely wins on addresses, “Gaslight Alley on the Town Square.” Really, I ask you, could that be a cuter address? They have been around for 50 years, which is about how long I could have gotten lost in there if my laundry hadn’t been calling me from the Snow King Resort before checkout time. After we checked out with clean bodies and clothes, we headed finally into the Grand Teton National Park.

We made stops at the visitor centers in Jackson and in Moose, Wyoming. The visitor centers alone are something to see. There is something for everyone. Simon thoroughly enjoyed the animal displays, which are impressive. Ben loved the gift shop; he has now acquired a rubber dagger, which is very necessary in life. Taido talked to rangers and collected information about hikes, campgrounds, snow closures, weather and other things he usually learns through internet access. Cole crawled through a cave display over and over again, trying to scare people by popping out of it growling. Mary Polly watched the movies playing on the floor. I read all the little captions throughout the exhibits. I really love museums, and all things historical. I have read several bits about this couple that spent years and years out here studying the Teton wildlife, Olaus and Mardy Murie. I would really like to get my hands on one of their books, but I wasn’t willing to pay $25 for it at the gift shop. I learned that Jenny of Jenny Lake (which we hiked near this morning) and her six children died of small pox when her adventurous husband drug them all out here to try to live back in the 1800s. Her situation makes mine look like a Hilton paradise. After watching a movie about the park and gathering more flyers and maps, we drove to our campground. We have been to several visitor centers on our trip now and I always ask the kids to try to learn three new things while they are in there that they can later tell me. It is fun to see what they come up with. Ben’s facts are usually the most random, like that elk can run at 35 miles per hour. When we left the Grand Teton National Park visitor center, I was surprised that none of the kids picked up that the three main peaks were originally named Les Trois Tetons by French-Canadian explorers, which translates to the three breasts. Which is just funny. But I suppose the name is an accurate description from some vantage points of what these three giant peaks look like as they seem to burst straight up from the valley. Here’s a quote I wrote down that one of the first leaders of an expedition to this area said about it in 1876,

there are no foothills to the Tetons.

they rise suddenly in rugged majesty from the rock strewn plain…

the soft light floods the great expanse of the valley,

the winding silvery river and the resplendent deeply carved mountain walls.

Our campsite at Signal Mountain was a short walk from a rock beach on Jackson Lake (campsite #13 is right on the beach, but it was taken). We spent a long time walking up and down the rocks just taking in the “rugged majesty” of the peaks. The kids all got muddy and wet throwing rocks into the ice cold lake, but after they changed out of wet socks and shoes and filled their tummies with spaghetti, we went back to the rock beach and watched the sunset behind the mountains. It was at this point that Taido won me back over to his mountain itinerary, which puts Glacier National Park back on our tour to Canada. And so we finished our walk on the rock beach, put away everything in the van (and I mean EVERYTHING) per the huge warnings everywhere about bears and citations for leaving anything out of your vehicle, bedded down in our zero degree sleeping bags (thank the Lord for those babies!) and slept a few hours before Taido woke us all up at 5:30 to go and view the wildlife in the park. No one wanted to get out of their sleeping bag, even with the temptation of the heat in the van as we drove, but like ripping off an old band-aid, you just have to jump out, throw on your freezing cold jeans and hurry into the van. The early start proved to be a great idea though. Cole spotted a moose almost immediately, which was followed by all kinds of elk and deer, many bison and their sweet little calves and two different black bears. After our drive through the park, we took an early morning hike to Taggart Lake. Parts of the trail were still covered in snow, but most of it was clear. The kids climbed on the boulders along the trail and spotted animal tracks in the mud. Simon fell asleep in his backpack, which is becoming a more usual nap than his bed or car seat. We sat by the lake for a while eating tootsie rolls (thank you Grandmother!) and just taking it all in before heading back to the trailhead parking lot which had been empty when we arrived, but was now beginning to fill up with cars.

As we drove back to our campground, Taido said he was ready to pack up and head on down the road, so we dropped our pop up (we are getting faster and faster at this!), hitched it back on the van (first try this time instead of the usual 5-10 times of Taido backing up the van with me directing), and headed north. We stopped for lunch at Leek’s Marina for some of the best pizza I have ever had. It was about 1pm by now so we were all hungry, but I had read about this pizzeria the day before and was anticipating it from the yummy pictures I had seen. And it met all expectations. Taido and I split a pizza with pesto, artichoke hearts and tomatoes. The kids had the usual boring fare. And we all split garlic cheese bread that was more like a brick oven cheese calzone. It was mmmm good I am telling you. Do stop in there and have some pizza and your last look at the Grand Tetons from the patio eating area. The peaks were working their mojo on Taido. Besides the extensive alpine climbing exhibit at the visitor center, the park film included a bit on climbing the Grand Teton, on how difficult and technical it is. It is a two day climb with lots of gear and ropes. I’m pretty sure you need an ice axe, which one gearhead I know just happens to already own. Leek’s Marina may have been our last stop in the Grand Tetons, but I feel certain we’ll be back, and it will probably be for a destination climb. Let’s just hope that I am parked in campsite #13 this time at Signal Mountain with my lawn chair and my wine glass, four kids graduated from high school and just in time for the Jackson Hole Film Festival.