Visit to Jackson Hole

We will be here for another 11 days, decided to drive over Teton Pass to go to Jackson and to the Visitor's Center of Grand Teton National Park.  We had been here 25 years ago, hiked Jenny Lake, stayed only 3 days, then moved on.  This time we want to do more here, taking our time to hike some trails.  One of the things I remembered and wanted to see again - the antler arches located on the square of Jackson.  Yep, still there, Jackson still is just as touristy as it was back then.  Only visited a couple of stores then left.  We thought we were lost when we started driving north on Route 89 (same one we were on before in Utah) since we couldn't find the visitor's center of the national park.  Stopped to take a couple pictures of the peaks along the roadway and then discovered if we drove another mile north we would have made it to the center.  Lots and lots of people at the national park, why would we think otherwise? This is summer, vacations for families, tour buses abound, too many people. We did do a quick little hike right out of the visitor's center, Dave got some great pics of some butterflies that were following us around.

Peaks of the mountains with heavy cloud cover

But we did accomplish what we wanted to do yesterday - got literature on best places to view the mountains/wildlife/trails to go on.  When we got back into Jackson (it is Jackson, not Jackson Hole - Hole refers to the meadows between the Wasatch Mountains and the Rocky Mountains that Jackson is located) and went to Jackson's visitor center to get more literature on other things to do.  And then - we had to travel back over the pass to get back into Idaho and home.  This pass will be driven anytime we want to go hiking at the Tetons, the only other road over is north and it's West Yellowstone where you come into Yellowstone National Park.  And we have decided not to go to Yellowstone now but capture it on our way back from Montana's adventures as we head back south to Arizona.  Dealing with heavy rain and thunderstorms now (Pineapple Express fronts) so won't venture back over until Tuesday.

Upper and Lower Mesa Falls

First complete day here in Teton Valley and we are off sightseeing.  When we checked in on Thursday the lady was telling us that two beautiful waterfalls to see were about 45 minutes north of here, near West Yellowstone, the western entrance to Yellowstone National Park.  We had planned to do the morning trek because thunderstorms were predicted for the afternoon and wanted to be back in time to make sure the windows were closed - the temp was till in the high 80's and we left windows open for Grace. After breakfast, we drove thru hilly potato/rice lands and decided to stop first at the upper falls.  Very pretty and scenic.  Wasn't the wow factor we were looking for - have seen Niagara Falls and the really wow waterfalls were Tahquamenon Falls in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Hueston Woods Falls in Maine.  Those - unbelievable!  However, for those folks who have not seen many waterfalls - this would be very impressive. The upper waterfall is 114 feet high and about 200 feet wide.  Walk paths took you near the falls, we were disappointed we could not be near the base like we were at Hueston and Tahquamenon, but still pretty.  The sun came out and was a pretty rainbow created by the mist.

Upper Mesa Falls

Lower Mesa Falls

The water looked so clear you thought you could drink it.  The Upper and Lower Mesa Waterfalls are located on the Henry's Fork of the Snake River - the Snake being the river that flows through Yellowstone and the Tetons.  I would imagine it would be very cold since this is snow melt from the Tetons.  On our way back to Teton Valley Campground we stopped at the next small town closest to us, Driggs, and grocery shopped at Broulin's - we thought since it is a really small town (population 1926) we may only get the essential stuff until we get to Jackson Hole.  Amazingggggg!!! But as we now realize - there is major money here in the Valley - ski resorts, not far is Jackson Hole where a lot of money is, and this is the area for hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, airplane glide riding, ATV trails, horseback trails, skiing, snowmobiling, etc. A truly sports person's paradise.

We got our thunderstorm later yesterday afternoon - the first rain we have experienced in the RV since January when we were camping at Picacho Peak.  Wonderful the hear the rain on the roof and to see and experience nature again!  The weather fronts that come through this valley are called the Pineapple Express - meaning that fronts come from the Hawaiin Islands eastward, providing heavy rains and thunderstorms during the summer months.  This is also the same frontal system that gives Phoenix area the monsoons in July and August. However, winter they get an average of 500 inches of snow - last winter only had 400 which is why everything is so dry now. The year before - 700 inches - that's a lot of snow!  We have experienced the Banana Belt (South Dakota) and now the Pineapple Express. Thunderstorms are predicted for today - we will sit tight, but tomorrow we plan to head over to Jackson and the Grand Tetons to do some exploring.  Fun!

Spuds and Utah

We packed up the RV yesterday morning and left Provo, Utah for Victor, Idaho - they dub Victor "the end of the road" because if you go any more south or east, you run smack into the Teton Mountains. We are situated in the Teton Valley - surrounded by mountains on all sides - quite lovely. Was an uneventful drive, Dave decided that since it would be a long day, to stay on Interstate 15 as long as possible instead of our original plan of taking Route 89 - the one we traveled to get to Glendale and Provo. Pulled into the campground at 3pm, most miles we have driven and longest day.  Thankfully nothing happened other than lots of road paving going on which delayed us.   Lots and lots of rolling hills and co-ops for potato seed companies.  Rice is also grown here.  When we made the turn to go east off I15 in Idaho Falls, we could just barely make out the Teton Mountains but as we neared Victor, can't miss seeing them since we are at the base of them - and they still have some snow on them.  Our plans for the next two weeks:  driving over Teton Pass to get into Jackson Hole, Wyoming about 20 miles from here, see Grand Teton National Park, go into Yellowstone National Park which is north of Grand Teton NP,  see Jackson, do as much hiking as possible.  Lovely here - very green, lush, and hot.  Was 99 when we got in yesterday afternoon, way above normal of 82.  Supposed to drop into the 70's the rest of the week and lows in the high 40's at night.  Yeah!!! cooler weather, finally. And right now there are thunderstorms over the Teton mountains - and the temp dropped down to 75 within an hour.

Thoughts on Utah - been there, done that, don't want to go back.  Got really burned out by the red rock and there must be something with kids in Utah - both campgrounds we stayed at - the kids stayed up until midnight every night playing outside. We love kids - but.  Most of you know - Dave and I are early to bed folks, early rise, so this drove us nuts.  And families had tons of kids!!!  What's up with that?  And don't use seat belts on kids, kids on back of pickup trucks' beds, kids playing in the streets, and we are talking about young - just over a year old walking in the street, we were a nervous wreck. At the campground in Provo we had the luck  two families?  - women only, right beside us in 2 RVs, and we counted 13 kids before we gave up trying to figure it out - the kids seem to multiply every time we looked. We just couldn't figure that group out.  Another thing we observed in Utah - everywhere you look and in every town - Church of the Latter Day Saints (LDS/Mormon) prominent on the main road, and we were shocked when we saw a different denomination church!

Provo

We drove north on Route 89 from Glendale to Provo, Utah yesterday 247 miles from A to B, staying at Lakeside RV Campground on the Utah River which flows into Utah Lake.  Very nice drive through a valley - the Wasatch Plateau to our right and the Pahvant Plateau to our left. Very scenic and we like driving on these country roads instead of interstates.  Much more relaxing.  We are less than 40 miles south of Salt Lake City but are not planning on doing any sightseeing either in Salt Lake or here - we have been to Salt Lake City before and don't need to see it again. This stop over for 3 days is a resupply type of visit.  Sorta like the pioneers stopping at a fort for supplies, huh?  Need lots of paper products, some things for the RV, cat food, prescriptions filled, etc.  And it's pretty hot here, just like everywhere else - supposed to be 99 today.

About the Shingle fire - I am still watching the updates, as of this morning it was 75% contained.  As we were driving north on 89 we drove past the Wood Hollow fire near Mount Pleasant which started the end of June and destroyed over 47,000 acres, 1 fatality, many out buildings lost and 1 home.  How the firefighters managed to keep the fire on one side of the road and not cross over - amazing.  Some thoughts on campgrounds - we were entertained in Glendale, a home across the street from Bauers had so many kids, and Grandma's house to boot, with Grandma moving out and one of the daughter and husband and so many kids moved in.  Two nights before we left a huge toy-hauler type 5th wheel came into the campground, turned around and parked right in front of their house - and as we watched, furniture/large appliances/beds were moved into the back of the 5th wheel from the house.  Was quite entertaining. And this same family allowed their small children to play in the street as well as stay outside playing to almost midnight!  Wow.

The campground we are at now is very much a long-term summer retreat with some worker-bees living here - at 5am they start up their vehicles and off they go.  Glad we are only staying a few days, enough is enough.

Bryce Canyon NP

We had Bryce Canyon National Park on our list of things to do while here in Glendale, Utah, but were resigned to the fact that the Shingle Fire burning just north of us would prohibit us from getting there to see it.  But, yesterday morning we said - let's do it - worst is we get turned away, or if the smoke is too bad, we turn around.  We headed up Route 89 north, past the road closures into the fire, stopped long enough at Long Valley Junction's gas station where the road closures are, saw people sitting around the small store talking - I am sure about the fire status - and still were able to continue north towards Hatch where the turn off to go east, driving towards Bryce.  The air was smoky all along and I was worried that the canyon would also be smoky.  Our trip turned out to be the best decision - the sky was partially cloudy, the wind had shifted to where the smoke was more west and north so the canyon was clear, and it was a cool 72 degrees.  Didn't stop us from getting sun burnt!



Stopped at the visitor's center, left the truck there and got on the shuttle and headed to Bryce Point, 8300 feet up, and walked the rim of the canyon back towards the Lodge, about a 2 1/2 mile hike.  Easy hike, saw spectacular views of hoodoos, red sandstone, slot canyons, objects that looked like windows, castles, amphitheater, saw faces in the great monoliths, watched hikers/horseback riders below, had a nice day.

At Sunset Point, near the Lodge, we viewed the Navajo Loop trail - and when we looked down into the canyon where the trail was to see if it was something we wanted to do - holy smokes!  Looked like little bugs moving around.  It was a couple busloads of people, Asian background, walking the 1 mile loop.  Ah - no, we won't go that trail.  The picture on the right - if you blow it up - you can see all the 'bug's.  And they were noisy! Really spoiled the whole effect of being there.

We experienced Bryce the right way - we feel.  We started at the south of the rim walk, highest elevation, and hiked down in elevation and for the most part were going down and not up.  And had a place to grab something to eat and relax at the Lodge, whereas going the other direction - would have been so much more pooped and no facilities.  One impression we got, there were many Indian/Pakistani/whatever families.  Typical attendance at Bryce is about 1.3 million people a year, we saw more people here but not as many as Zion and the South Rim - which was mobbed.  And more Far Eastern people than we saw in Zion or the North Rim.  I have seen people with 'High Five' t-shirts on - the five national parks in the area that they have been to: Zion, Arches, Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Capitol Reef - logos of each park on the back of the t-shirt.  After seeing Bryce Canyon - we are definitely red rocked out.  Done, no more, won't go see Arches again (saw it about 25 years ago) and won't see Capitol Reef.  We leave this Sunday for Provo, stopping to get supplies, etc., then move on towards Teton National Park and Yellowstone by next Thursday.

30% Contanined

The Shingle Fire, as the wildfire is called, about 10 miles north of us here in Glendale, Utah,  is 30% contained and no advancement of the fire, a good thing.  The firemen are still putting out hot spots, securing what has already burned by 'mopping up' and building a fire break to the north and east of the fire's path so it won't go beyond those breaks.  Large air tankers are flying by to the scene, dropping retardants to stop the spread. Bulldozers, equipment, tankers, helicopters - lots of things going on and it is very costly to maintain.  Think about it - you have to house the people, feed them, provide aid if hurt, give them time off to get refreshed - lots of manpower behind the scenes - and of course - lots of money spent to get this under control.  And this fire is one of over 400 burning right now in the country.  There is a wonderful website to look at - it's updated as each fire's info is updated.  http://www.inciweb.org/ According to the command center's website, people are here from Alaska, Oregon, and from Wyoming helping with this fire.  About 700 personal.  And this isn't a big fire - just it's in a mountainous area, lots of pine and scrub, fortunately only one injury, one cabin lost, and lots of woods/trees burned up.

The smoke wakes us during the night, very stinky, and we have to close the windows in order not to get sick from the smell.  In the morning a deep smoky  haze is over the valley here, we wait for the wind to change to the south to push the smoke out. As I look out the window of the RV right now, the valley to the north of us is very smoky - can barely see the top of the canyon, can't make out the pine trees and to the west - clear.  Wind out of the north west this morning.  By the latest report, they hope by the 10th of July to have the fire 100% contained.  We all need to give firefighters everywhere the respect and gratitude and credit for their hard work.  We salute you!

Still Fire Watching

Taken at 8am this morning - smoke got worse within 1 hour

This morning when we got up, we could not see more than 100 feet out the RV window, the smoke was so thick.  And stink!  We are still not 100% from the bronchitis bouts we had over a month ago and therefore we do not want to go outside until the wind shifts and moves the smoke out of this little valley.  As of this morning's 8am update, the fire has torched over 9000 acres, one fireman has been injured, one cabin has been destroyed.  The fire continues to move north and east, evacuations are still in effect for the area, our campground owner has moved all his cattle back down from the grazing area they took them to last week.  The fire destroyed the north and east fences and with the undergrowth now burnt up, the cattle have nothing to feed on and will also wander into the burnt area.  Yesterday they rounded up all the herd, carted back here.  Concerned now that the land here in the valley won't be able to support the herd, will have to now provide feed to the animals instead of letting them graze.  The cows are so noisy!  We think that the cows may be scared, smelling the smoke.  Talk about bellowing!  Today being July 4th, fireworks are not banned but people are strongly urged not to set them off.  There is a parade at 10am this morning with the typical small town concessions and games and food for the townsfolk.  We were going to go to the parade but don't want to venture out in this smoke.  Hopefully by noon the air will be clean and we can walk to the game area.  I love small towns and this town reminds me of growing up in one, everyone knows everyone and their business.