Bear Bums and Dino Bones Road Trip - Day 5 Land Of Lakes & Mountains

[kirstenjet]

Got up late and straight in to Grand Tetons. The plan today was to drive the whole 42 mile loop and do most of the pull out/over looks. The mist was very stange creating a band midway across the mountains.

We made it to the Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center in time to have to wait 5 mins for it to open. We'd decided to pick up bear spray before we went walking too far in the park. 2 cost us $90 so we should have picked it up when we saw it for $30 each in Wal-mart but I really didn't want it in the car when it wasn't needed for 2 days.

For anyone who hasn't heard of it its basically extreme pepper spray for bears, and it's advised to have it if you hike even a small way in the parks. It's meant to be more effectiive against a grizzly than a gun (not that you'd get me to touch one of them!). Once we'd bought it we were then shown by a ranger how to use it if needed. It never was, but as uncomfortable as it made me when I was carrying it (convinced I'd set it off my accident!) I knew it was the sensible decision.

Nearly forgot to say this cute little guy stopped to say good morning

I bought an app called Gypsy Guide for phone and blimey it was fantastic! You download it before you go and it just uses the gps, no data at all on your phone, it knows where you are and gives you information, sometimes historic, often geographic, sometimes anecdotal like having a tour guide with you. It also says when stops, junctions and pull ups are coming up so you have warning. It also recommends if it's a must do or if you've not got time to bypass it.

First stop it recommended was Glacier Vew Overlook and explains all about them and more importantly how to tell where it is.

After a few thousand stops or so it felt like (I'm surprised the hinges on the car doors didn't wear out this holiday) we stopped at Jenny Lake trailhead. The plan was to have a quick look round and find where the boat left to get across the lake for the next day. So we left all our hiking stuff ( like water and bear spray) in the car as we weren't going far. After half hour of ooohing and aaahing over how beautiful and close the mountains looked here, I realised we'd gone nearly a mile up the trail and weren't seeing too many people. The beauty of the place just completey draws you in. It was here it really hit me that there really were things in the woods that could kill you and what was the point of the bear spray if it was in the cooler of the car!

Back at the car we decided we wanted to do the String Lake hike today instead and headed to trailhead. Unfortunately both of us were too busy taking photos I think to notice we'd gone the wrong way! We ended hiking Leigh Lake instead but when it looks likw this, who cares

Leigh Lake was a longer hike than String Lake and we didn't make it all the way as eventually we couldn't cope with the mosquitoes anymore. It was not so bad when you were walking but any time you stopped to drink or catch your breath it was like being caught by a cloud of flies like in the cartoons! I had used DEET but it seemed to have no effect.

Back in the car we went north as far as Colter Bay Village, which is on Jackson Lake the biggest in the Tetons. Had hopes to get food here but the only place we fancied was shut for lunch

So many stops and binoculars out every time but we seemed to be missing all the wildlife. Eventually we got out first elk sighting but from a distance at Willow Flats!

Would have been nice to get closer but this put the kaboosh on that.

Lunch ended up being at Signal Mountain Lodge another hotel/camping village. We ate at the bar to save waiting for a table, it came with a gorgeous view of the mountains so no complaints here.

Afterwards we finished off the rest of the loop and made our way back to Jackson. Dinner was at Big Hole BBQ, mainly as it was close to the hotel and it was pouring out. Neither of us was that hungry so we ordered between us. While we were waiting the lady next door offered us her ribs to keep us going, kind but bizarre to say the least! When dinner arrived, we thought they'd misunderstood and done it for each of us not to share!

Back to hotel after and to relax in front of yet more Chopped.


Day 6 Cabin In The Woods

[Loopylooloo]

Beautiful scenery again, that lake just looks so lovely, shame about the mosquitos. Love the little beaver fella. (Is it a beaver?) glad no bears actually showed up but good that you are now prepared!

[Ivegottadream]

Wow. Thank you for sharing your trip. It looks totally beautiful, and sounds amazing.

[kirstenjet]

He's some sort of ground squirrel/marmot but I'm not sure which!