May 2018 Daily Journal for JH & GTNP

Coyote In Snow

“The Park Awakens!”

May 1, 2018 – Tuesday  – Mayday!

Grand Teton National Park is in the process of welcoming this year’s visitors—but it happens slowly! Many roads are still closed, but one of the major arteries, the Teton Park Road (aka Inner Park Loop Road) opened to vehicle traffic today. Moose-Wilson road between the Murie Center Road and Death Canyon Road will be closed to all users until May 13. Expect construction delays at Gros Ventre Junction all summer. The road to Curtis Canyon opened today, allowing antler hunters to access the National Forest. Closed Roads as May 1 : Signal Mountain Road to the top, Spaulding Bay Road, Cattleman’s Bridge Road, Pilgrim Creek Road, Grassy Lake Road, Two Ocean Lake Road, Forest Service Road from Pacific Creek Road, RKO Road, BarBC Road, along with both two track roads off the East Boundary Road. Continue reading "May 2018 Daily Journal for JH & GTNP"

10 Tips for a Grand Teton National Park Visit

Tips for a better visit from a 31 year resident and local photographer.

Sparring Moose

1: Do some pre-trip planning!

  • The good news…Grand Teton National Park is open all year! Summer visitors have access to most roads and facilities. It’s beautiful here all Winter, but you’ll find fewer roads and access.
  • Grand Teton National Park is home to many species of wildlife, however you might need to time your visit based on what you are hoping to see. For example, bull Moose will not have antlers from late January through mid-August. Many mammals will be shedding winter fur during the Spring months, but those months are the best months for the babies. Remember, some of the wildlife migrates out of the region while others hibernate during the Winter months.
  • Weather can be an issue at any time of the year. It helps to bring warm clothing at all times of the year. Temperatures can drop to below freezing overnight, even in the summer, yet warm up to comfortable temperatures by afternoon. We have experienced heavy snow on July 4th!
  • You’ll know you are in Grand Teton National Park via a few entrance signs, however much of the Park lacks clear signage  identifying its boundaries. This is especially true on the East side of the park. Pick up a Park map as soon as you can, or visit click the link below to view the official Park map. Note: Visitors entering GTNP via Yellowstone pass through a gate a Moran Junction, then enter the highway. Many believe they are out of the Park, yet they are still well within Park’s boundaries. Check the maps before letting your dog off its leash or considering using a drone anywhere in the Jackson Hole area!
  • Wildlife viewing rules state that humans must stay 100 yards from bears and wolves, and 25 yards from other wildlife. Visitors must follow the instructions of on-site rangers and volunteers, even if they are are more strict than printed rules and documentation.
  • Click Here to view the GTNP Map
Continue reading "10 Tips for a Grand Teton National Park Visit"

April 2018 Daily Journal for JH & GTNP

Elk Migration

“Wildlife on the Move”

  April 1, 2018 Sunday – Gaper Day – April Fools Day – Easter Jackson Hole Ski Resort
Jackson Hole Ski Resort: April 1st is the traditional Gaper Day at Teton Village. “GaperDay is a mountain tradition that takes place in ski resorts across North America. It is the day when locals can dress in the most ridiculous outfits and pretend to be like their gaper counterparts. Their getup can range from no or very limited clothing (only shorts) to the most retro ski attire there is.” Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200mm Lens, Handheld.

Early April Notes:

Continue reading "April 2018 Daily Journal for JH & GTNP"

Foxes of Winter and Spring 2018

Winter is often a great time to find and photograph Red Foxes in Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park. Their fur is full and beautiful! If against the pristine snow, they often are easier to spot. Instead of loading this page with heavy copy, I thought it might be nice to simply post a lot of photos. All but two of them were taken in January, February and March of 2018. Almost all of them were captured in the southern half of GTNP. Continue reading "Foxes of Winter and Spring 2018"