Fall break 2018 part 2

Thursday we headed to Grand Teton National Park.  Ever since we moved to Utah and started exploring beyond the Wasatch front, we've become big fans of national park.  They are always worth it.

I love going to the gift shops in the visitor centers.  You come across gems like this legendary classic.  (Although Mark pointed out it is THE legendary classic.)

There were lots of signs around with warnings about avoiding bear attacks.  They were very effective in scaring me but not very effective in clearing up what to do in the face of an attack.  Sometimes you play dead and sometimes you fight back and sometimes you use your bear spray.  It depends on if the bear is attacking you or approaching you or stalking you.  I think if I saw a bear up close, I would not have the presence of mind to decide what the bear was doing.

Also I don't have bear spray.

But I did have these two:

And that mountain!  I'm telling you, I took a lot of pictures of it.  It was just so beautiful.  I think if you grew up next to that mountain, you would be ruined for any other mountains for the rest of your life.

This is Jenny Lake.  The water was crystal clear.

Adam, of course, saw a remote looking dirt road and turned down it.  I, of course, kept telling him not to.  We came across a sign that said it was not for cars.

Just try telling someone who owns a Subaru something like that.

Owning a Subaru changes people.

We were rewarded after the jostling almost-but-not-quite-a-road by this:

This is Jackson Lake and we had this little corner of it all to ourselves.

It had burned somewhat recently and here Mark is inspecting a burned tree.  I loved all the tiny Christmas trees that were cropping up all over where it had previously burned.

Here are just three more of the many pictures I took of the mountains.  They were just stunning and I kept thinking that if I took one more picture it would capture them, but I'm not sure it did.

That is Jackson Lake in the distance, the side opposite where we were before.

Another dirt road yielded a close up viewing of a herd of bison.

Also, we drove to "Mormon Row" which was settled by pioneers.  The buildings were no longer in use but still in good condition and in a picturesque spot.

Adam had me pose by the corner of the barn for a picture.  "Why me?" I asked.  "How about I take your picture?"

"You're wearing a flannel shirt," he said.  "You could run for 4-H president."

So that's always a good back up plan (except I might be too old).

When Adam and Mark were there last summer for their scout high adventure, they saw a moose.  Despite our best efforts, we did not see any moose.

We drove back for another night in Afton, tired and happy and with our eyes full of magnificent vistas.

Until next time, Grand Teton National Park.