Grand Teton Photography and Field Guide

Introduction:

The Grand Teton Photo and Field Guide is an encapsulation of the flora, fauna, and photography of Jackson Hole Wyoming and Grand Teton National Park. Also included are thumbnails of the history and geology of the valley. This is an overview, not an encyclopedia. It is a guide and not a novel, so skip over what doesn’t interest you and find what tickle’s your curiosity.

This book is for all visitors with a desire to seek out wildlife, photograph the landscape, or merely learn about the history, geology, and lay of the land of Grand Teton National Park. I provide general overviews with hot links with more in-depth descriptions of subjects of individual interest.

I have been guiding and photographing around Jackson Hole and Yellowstone since 1986 when I came here for a photography trip that precipitated my sudden move to the area.

In the “Lay of the Land” section, I write of the obvious highlights along the loop through Grand Teton Park. Hot links to side roads will give you more in-depth description of side roads and feeder roads and their highlights. GPS links to Google Maps are provided throughout. Although “Lay of the Land intro” is in the main part of the book, the road links from it are in the Road Index in the back of the book.

As a field guide I profile many animals and birds of the area. Jackson Hole is full of wildlife but there are places where animals are, and there are places where they are not. It is a waste of time to scrutinize a landscape devoid of what you are looking for so this guide narrows options down to the hot spots. I provide maps of the likeliest places to find the popular critters of Grand Teton National Park. I also touch on trees, shrubs, and wildflowers with minimal explanations. Also included are explanations of the Greater Yellowstone ecology.

Everywhere you look in Grand Teton Park is a potential postcard but there are a handful of great places photographers shouldn’t miss. Throughout the book there are many photos. Many, but not all the photos click through to a larger photo. In the photography section I will delve deeper to where to set up your tripod for landscapes, where to find the critters and many pointers on how to use your equipment to better effect.

Although unrelated to photography, geography, mammalogy, ornithology, botany, or ecology I sum up the book with some recreation opportunities you may want to consider for your trip to Jackson Hole.

Enjoy!

Buy Here Now
Itunes for Ipad
Amazon for Kindle
If you are likely to write a review, buy from a link above, so you will be a certified buyer. If not, the links below don't give a big commission to a large corporation. Barns and Nobel won't allow books over 20 megabytes in their store so if you are a Nook user you can get a .epub below.
.epub version
.mobi version
.epub for Mac and Android The .epub version was optimized for the Apple experience and is a much more robust ebook file with many more photos.  To install .epub ebook, on an Ipad or Iphone find it on your hard drive, add to Ibooks library, then import it onto your device through Itunes. .epub for Android you need a .epub Viewer app. Upload procedure below You can upload .epub files from your computer to Google Play Books. Go to Google Play Books. Near the top right of your screen, click Upload. Select and open your EPUB file from your computer or Google Drive. Files will appear in your uploads library.
.mobi for Kindle The .mobi version  is a trimmed down version with less photos and the photos are dimensionally smaller and compressed more because Amazon won't allow photos over 126k. It does have all the helpful content of the .epub version. You can copy documents in supported formate to your Kindle following these easy steps To load .mobi ebook, connect your Kindle to your computer via USB cable. After drivers are installed, you can see your Kindle device as a disk drive Navigate to "documents" folder on your Kindle device Copy your files in supported format there; then, safely eject the device.

Grizzly 610 and cubs emerge from hibernation

April 8, 2013, famous Grizzly sow 610 emerged from her den with three fat, happy and rambunctious cubs. Below are the spring photo sessions with the Grizzlies. To the delight of many grizzly 610 one of 399’s cubs from her 2006 crop of cubs,  Grizzly 610 continues to be emulating her mother as she seems to be comfortable near park roads and relaxed with yet attentive with her cubs. She seems comfortable with people and vehicles as is 399 as she straddles her between wilderness and humanity. For those who see 610 and her brood the experience will be as special. And those who know her family history will likely be even more appreciative.

To learn more about these great bears visit 

Grand Teton Park’s Famous Grizzlies 399 and 610

Jackson Hole Wolf Drama

JACKSON WYOMING – On a cold and snow day two miles north of Jackson Wyoming in the valley called Jackson Hole a wildlife drama played out right above the highway that travels between East Gros Ventre Butte and the National Elk Refuge.  This spot was conveniently located right above a large turnout that rapidly became a busy hub of activity for Jackson Hole photographers, wildlife enthusiasts, and distracted skiers who wanted to witness one of nature’s life and death dramas that are usually only available to many on Net Geo Wild and other programming on TV.

On the butte about a hundred yards off the highway, a black wolf was harassing a mule deer buck that had already lost his antlers but still proved far from defenseless. For two days, the wolf would make aggressive moves at the buck. The buck having wisely chosen brilliantly defendable positions to maximize his survival refused to be a pushover meal for this voracious predator.

To many spectators it appeared the wolf was playing cat and mouse with the buck because the wagging tail and the playful nature of the wolf, he did appear to be having a great old time. But I, the skeptic believes the wolf was enjoying what I believed to be a tactic of harassment and attrition, the wolf hoping the buck would wear out and lose his will to fight on.

The buck would find a relatively flat spot where he could face the wolf were behind him would be a drop off where the wolf couldn’t come up from behind or if another wolf joined the other they would both or all come from the same direction. Here, the buck would catch some restless rest between assaults from the wolf.

As the standoff played out the wolf received several good examples of what a sharp front cloven hoof feels like when applied to the head and body and, the wolf’s respect for the buck grew exponentially after each successful whack.

For those who thought it was a game for the wolf I think my video tells a different story. When the buck attacks the wolf seems to be quite head shy because of lessons learned the hard way yet intermittently he continued his assaults.

The wolf from time to time would rest and snooze as did the buck, the deer probably less restful than the wolf. The wolf would also leave now, and then I assume to go eat some field mice to hold him off for what I assume he thought would be his main course. When the wolf would leave the buck sometimes would search around the butte for a more defensible position and get a bite to eat. The wolf would return to where the buck had been then sniff out his new position, and the harassment would start anew.

As the buck gained confidence from the new respect paid by the wolf, the buck would move a short distance from his rampart defenses to eat but always on the lookout for a change of behavior of the wolf so he could rapidly refresh the wolf’s memory of his powerful hooves as he moved back to his defensible position.

Many believed the wolf was a young one just trying to learn his trade and this may be so because after two days effort the wolf departed and left the buck to fight another day, and hopefully next year in October this buck can once again become photo fodder for my camera.

Wolves - Images by Daryl Hunter

Wildlife, Landscape, Lifestyle Photos - The Hole Picture

Portfolio - Daryl L. Hunter - Images by Daryl HunterPhoto Gallery of Daryl L. Hunter  - The Hole Picture

Daryl L. Hunter is a Photographer/Writer/Publisher based in the Greater Yellowstone Region

When I was a wander lusting young man I would often find myself in beautiful places, so I bought a camera so I could document my wanderlust.

1n 1987 I packed up my Toyo 4X5 view camera, Pentex 6X7 medium format camera, and my 35-millimeter cameras and headed to Jackson Hole Wyoming, one of the best places on earth to be an outdoor photographer. 

Jackson Hole is full of active lifestyle types, fly-fishing, hunting, whitewater sports, horseback riding, etc.  I became a freelance guide as well, fly-fishing, snowmobile, park tour guiding, and horseback wrangling my way to beautiful pictures all over the area and throughout the spectrum of activities in the area.

Jackson Hole abuts Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park an embarrassment of riches for wildlife and scenic photography.

My freelance photography bifurcated to include graphic design work, which opened the door to web publishing requiring that I learned to write. I publish  The Greater Yellowstone Resource Guide.

My photographs have been published by National Geographic, Outside Magazine, Snow Country, Outdoor life, Esquire Sports, West Coast Board Sailor, Warren Miller Productions, U.S.A. Today, San Francisco Magazine, Mother Jones, Yes Magazine, Mule Deer Foundation Magazine, International Wolf Magazine, Toyota, Fly-fisherman, Beet (Belgian fishing magazine) and Fit For Fun (German sports Magazine).

I am proficient with small, medium, large format photography. As a stock photographer my photos have been used in hundreds of brochures, rack cards, newspapers, and websites promoting the Greater Yellowstone area and beyond. Today I shoot exclusively with my Canon EOS D5 Mark ll, its 21-megapixel censor can produce Tiff files of 60 megabytes, a size that can reproduce very large prints, or provide the opportunity for cropping tight and still having plenty of resolution to work with.

I have been working with Photoshop extensively since 1995 and am proficient with photo manipulation and montage. Today my photo management system is Aperture by Apple; it is superb at color correction with the added benefit of photo database management.

Education: Independent study of photography and digital design:

Photography has more pay offs than monetary. It drives us to search out pretty places or to dissect our surroundings to find it where we are. It makes us seek out beautiful things even in adverse conditions. Wherever we go we are looking for a beautiful rectangle we can isolate out of the chaos of life, when you are always seeking beauty, you will find more than your share - that is rich. 

Snow Birds

YELLOWSTONE  - As winter settles in on the Greater Yellowstone Region, the snowbirds fly south either by wing or by motor coach. Those of us that are more grounded either by work, will, finance, perverse adrenalin addictions or a slavish dedication to the four seasons settle in and prepare for the curses and blessings of winter.

I grew up in San Luis Obispo California, where the weather hardly changes. In spring it greens up, in summer it turns brown again until February but the temperature rarely dips below 60 degrees and if the water in the garden hose freezes it is a talking point between neighbors. In summer, the thermometer rarely breaks 85 degrees. For many it is the perfect place.

When I was a teenager, I found out San Luis Obispo County was a tourist destination, and nothing could have surprised me more. How could that be, this place is so ordinary? I know, I had all the wisdom of a teenager! As a young adult I moved around a lot, all over California and Alaska, no moss grew under my feet as I lived as the metaphorical rolling stone. I sampled many places before the Greater Yellowstone captured me and wouldn’t let me go. I later concluded my wanderlust was satiated by the change of seasons and my wandering must have been an escape from the drudgery endlessly good weather.

Living in Alaska as a dog musher I decided I liked winter better than summer, which was when my sport of choice occurred, besides there was no mud nor mosquitoes during winter. My preference for winter continued when in my thirties when I moved to Jackson Hole, in the Greater Yellowstone, a skiing nirvana.

As I remained in the Greater Yellowstone season after season year after year, I learned I loved to see each season come, and I love to see each season go. As a photographer I marveled  how the landscape changes every several months and brings a new variety of subjects to my lens. Every season has its primary focus.

Springtime is for grizzly bears as this is the time when it is easier to find them. It is also time to photograph the landscape coming back to life from its long winter slumber. Summer is alive with leafy greenery, summer thunderstorms that bring drama to our landscape, and baby animals fill us with the awe of cute. Fall brings the drama of the breeding season of the mega fauna, elk, deer, moose etc, magnificent creatures fighting for the right to perpetuate their species.

In winter many mountain top dwellers come down to the valleys for the winter so we can get a look at them. Deep snow drives the bighorn sheep, elk, mountain goats etc. to the lower elevations where it is easier to paw their way through the snow for a bite to eat.

Me out enjoying a fresh blanket of snow.

Winter also brings that beautiful blanket of snow. At the beginning of my first winter in Alaska I looked out at the snow covered landscape in a spot where it was valley and no mountains, As I looked I wondered, here we have the dull green of the trees, the white of the snow and the blue of the sky, why is this so pretty. My conclusion was despite the paucity of color or towering mountains the snow-covered landscape smoothed out all the rough edges and softened the look of everything bringing a pleasing ambiance that was different than the one before.

I’m older now and that snow shovel is heavier than it used to be. My driveway seems to have grown as exponentially long as my property tax bill large. Unfortunately, a snow blower costs about the same as a new lens and my propensity to never make my life easier, I always buy the lens or some such thing instead of the snow blower.  Skiing has less appeal as my agility leaves me short of what I once could do.

After moving away from my hometown I learned of its appeal as it is a stunning place, but sometimes you have to back away from something before you can see it.  I no longer prefer winter to summer, and I do play with the idea of a winter escape to southern Utah or northern Arizona. But, since I have neither wings nor a motor coach I will remain here with the less mobile and hole up like the grizzly bear except with frequent forays to capture the beauty that remains constant unlike the ambulatory mentality of man.

Jackson Hole's National Elk Refuge

Jackson Hole's National Elk Refuge

Bull Elk herd, National Elk Refulge, Jackson Hole Wyoming

When the sun peaks over the Gros Ventre Mountains east of Jackson Hole, and its light creeps slowly across valley, light creeps over bundles of fur and antlers starting to stir from a cold winter night. As the sun reaches the base of the Grand Teton, orange and yellow light bathes the landscape and 6,000 wintering elk. By ten o'clock, adventurous visitors braving the winter cold venture out on the refuge in horse drawn sleighs to get an up close view of these majestic animals.

In the pre Columbian area elk ranged from the eastern states through central and western North America. They grazed the open prairies, mountain valleys, and foothills. As settlers pushed slowly westward, the distribution of the elk was rapidly reduced to the western mountains. By 1900, elk had disappeared from more than 90 percent of their original range.

When settlers arrived in Jackson Hole and homesteaded the valley in the 1880s, there may have been as many as 25,000 that wintered here. Establishment of farms and ranches displaced the elk from the traditional wintering areas and livestock competed for winter food, and hungry elk raided haystacks. The ranchers had to kill the elk if they wanted to stay in business.

In the early 1900s, severe winters with deep, crusted snow also took a serious toll on the wintering elk. In 1909 the ranchers and town folk of Jackson Hole appealed government to fund some land and a feeding program too save the diminishing elk herd. The refuge was created in 1912 as a result of public interest in the survival of the Jackson elk herd on about 1200 acres. The government has added to it over the years and today the Refuge consists 24,700 acres and is some of the last remaining elk winter range for the Jackson Hole Elk Herd. Prior to1916 Refuge was dotted with over 44 homesteads.

The refuge continues to preserve much of the remaining elk winter range in the valley, approximately one-quarter of the original Jackson Hole winter range. Elk stay on the refuge for approximately six months each winter.

Rest of article and more elk info

Weird Wildlife Behavior

Grizzly Bear Sow 610 of Grand Teton National Park had been chasing these elk and has been eating their calves for days yet these elk do much more than tolerate her presence.

Happy Trails Clark Wheeldon - Godspeed

Clark Wheeldon and his dog Rat, hunting in the Gros Ventre Mountains.

My friend Clark Wheeldon died the other day, a western character like no other! He will be missed but he gave us many memories hundreds of us will treasure forever.


Clark was my first friend in Jackson Hole; he rented me a house on his ranch and was immediately accepted into Clark's world, a world of horses, rodeo, hunting tall tales and family. It wasn’t long before my wife Sharon, and I felt as though we were a part of the family. We were soon friends with a great extended family of true western characters.


Clark always had a pot of coffee on the stove and a story to tell, and his stories were always good. A revolving door of characters were always stopping by, and he never had to worry about emptying that pot of coffee alone.


Many old cowboys are colorful characters, but Clark outshined them all. He’d start weaving the story and that twinkle would come out in his eye and that mischievous grin would cross his lips, and you knew you were in for a good one. He used to tell us about 25% of something and left the rest to our imaginations. Clark was a man of mysteries, and he would almost tell you some of them. I firmly believe all that Clark left to my imagination about deeds he hinted that he may have done.

Clark and Granddaugheter Sadee Wheeldon horseback riding in the Gros Ventre Wilderness

In the 1956 film Jubal starring Glenn Ford, Ernest Borgnine, and Rod Steiger Clark was the stunt rider for Glenn for a two minute bucking horse ride, a ride that makes all those eight-second riders look like pikers. Hearing Clark was in it I rented it while sill living on the ranch, Clark stopped by the house while my wife and I were watching it and he watched the riding scene with us. He claimed that he had never seen it. This rodeo tradition continued until his progeny took over the Jackson Hole Rodeo.


Clark knew I was pretty good about keeping my dog secured and didn’t let him run abound, but one day he got through a cracked door. Spot, the dog went chasing sheep and bit up about ten of them, a week later one of them died. I promptly went over and tried to pay for the sheep.


Clark says: “ You ain’t paying for the sheep”


Me: Yes I am, my dog killed your sheep and I’m paying you for him.


This went back and forth for a bit until Clark concluded.


It ain’t your fault that sheep died, you know how those sheep are, their head gets a little bit to close to the ground then they are dead. You ain’t paying for that sheep!

Clark Wheeldon, hunting client Bruce and I on hunting trip in the Gros Ventre Mountains

Sitting around the fire in hunting camp with a hunter that was a doctor from Pennsylvania, chat got around to college, and the Doctor said he went to Penn State, Clark replied, “ I want to Penn State too, or was that State Pen"?


Most ranchers have a cow dog, not Clark; Clark had a dackusaund hound named Rat that rode on his horse with him. It was something to see. He had a piece of carpet tied onto the back of the saddle so Rat would have a place to ride. He did make Rat walk a lot but when it was time to ride he would tell Rat to load.


I happened to be out of town when my moving truck came, and I had hired some young movers to move the stuff into the house, Clark stopped by to find the two movers sitting on the front steps while putting off carrying my safe into the house, Sharon said Clark was pissed these workers were sitting on their ass and he went over to the moving truck, and 63 year old Clark picked up the safe and took it into the house; the embarrassed movers jumped back to work.


Our friend Harry Taylor was known to overindulge in the booze more than he should, well one day after retirement age Harry went out and got a job, all was well until he up and died. Visiting with Clark shortly thereafter we were bemoaning Harry’s demise, and Clark said, “ That’s it – I’m quitting."


Me: I asked, “ What are you quitting Clark” expecting him to reply “ Drinking”


Clark: Working, I’m gonna quit working, look what it did to Harry!

About ten years ago Clark got a hip replacement so I decided I would drop in on him and see how he was doing.

Me: It looks like you are getting around on that new hip pretty good.

Clark: Yep, pretty good, pretty good.

Knowing that what a good sense of humor Clark had I replied.

Me: Well when are the going to get around too replacing you rest of you?

Clark: Ha, ha, ha, I don’t know but it better be soon!

I knew Clark would have a clever response :D

My times on the ranch are treasured memories and one of the highlights of my life.

Clark wasn't a big fan of the government and I would like to share a couple of his poems he wrote on the subject

Happy Trails Clark - Godspeed If anyone has any Clark Wheeldon Stories please share them below

Jackson Hole Wyoming's National Elk Refuge

When the sun peaks over the Gros Ventre Mountains east of Jackson Hole, and its light creeps slowly across valley, light creeps over bundles of fur and antlers starting to stir from a cold winter night. As the sun reaches the base of the Grand Teton, orange and yellow light bathes the landscape and 6,000 wintering elk. By ten o'clock, adventurous visitors braving the winter cold venture out on the refuge in horse drawn sleighs to get an up close view of these majestic animals.

In the pre Columbian area elk ranged from the eastern states through central and western North America. They grazed the open prairies, mountain valleys, and foothills. As settlers pushed slowly westward, the distribution of the elk was rapidly reduced to the western mountains. By 1900, elk had disappeared from more than 90 percent of their original range.

When settlers arrived in Jackson Hole and homesteaded the valley in the 1880s, there may have been as many as 25,000 that wintered here. Establishment of farms and ranches displaced the elk from the traditional wintering areas and livestock competed for winter food, and hungry elk raided haystacks. The ranchers had to kill the elk if they wanted to stay in business.

In the early 1900s, severe winters with deep, crusted snow also took a serious toll on the wintering elk. In 1909 the ranchers and town folk of Jackson Hole appealed government to fund some land and a feeding program too save the diminishing elk herd. The refuge was created in 1912 as a result of public interest in the survival of the Jackson elk herd on about 1200 acres. The government has added to it over the years and today the Refuge consists 24,700 acres and is some of the last remaining elk winter range for the Jackson Hole Elk Herd. Prior to1916 Refuge was dotted with over 44 homesteads.

For More information

Skiing and Riding in Jackson Hole

Skiing and Riding in Jackson Hole

JACKSON HOLE • Jackson Hole is world famous for one of its ski resorts but Jackson Hole is lucky enough to have three of them. All have differing attributes, Snow King is In the town of Jackson and is smaller but is affordable and convenient Grand Targhee is plumb over on the far side of the Grand Tetons but for that reason it gets much more snow so is Jackson hole’s powder cache, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is the destination resort of the three and certainly is the gem. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Jackson Hole Mountain Resort offers visitors one of the best ski and snowboard experiences in the world. It is world renowned for its steep and deep terrain, consistent fall line, deep, light powder and endless backcountry, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort also allows beginners and intermediates to excel at their own pace on a variety of groomed runs and open bowls. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has been rated as the third best ski resort country and who could argue with that. Jackson Hole has 4,200 vertical drop and that drop comes right out of the Grand Teton Mountain Range. These spectacular mountains crown jewel the Grand Teton Towers over the Valley and resort at a majestic 13,770 above sea level. When they say ski the big one they mean it! With 2,500 acres of inbounds terrain, a 4,139' vertical rise, 459" of average snowfall each winter, and unparalleled backcountry access, Jackson Hole offers a truly unique winter experience. Two distinct mountains in the heart of the Tetons - Rendezvous and Apres Vous - make up Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and have been home to incredible skiing and snowboarding for the past 40 years. Whether you're here to experience "The Big One's" wild, untamed terrain, rolling, wide-open groomers, or you're just getting out on the snow for the first time, it's bound to be an experience you'll never forget. Snow King Mountain Since Snow King’s founding in 1939 as the first ski area in Wyoming, Snow King has served as Jackson Hole’s ‘Town Hill.’ Generations of residents have grown up learning to ski there. It’s a real part of the community, where parents can drop off their kids for after-school turns and adults can do some bump skiing during their lunch hour. But it’s not just a place for townies, its steep terrain will challenge the best of skiers yet has great terrain for the beginner. With Jackson Hole Mountain Resort only a short drive away, Snow King doesn’t bother trying to compete with its high-octane neighbor. Instead, it positions itself as the little guy who just tries harder. With its short-but-steep ski area, ski-in/ski-out accommodations, and ultra-convenient location, I felt right at home at Snow King. It is what it is an unassuming and fun mountain where people come to ski, and not to be seen. Grand Targhee There’s only one word for skiing at Grand Targhee: extraordinary.  Though other words such as effortless, knee-deep, and uncrowded all apply.  The key is the more than 500 inches a year that fall on the backside of the Tetons – the snowier Western side – each year.  Add to that a skiable terrain of nearly 2000 acres, with more than 1,000 reserved for Sno-Cat Adventures, and you have an experience beyond compare.  In addition to Grand Targhee’s legendary powder, families love our corduroy grooming with cruising runs that are a signature of Grand Targhee Resort. It's not only about legendary powder; those who love to carve will begin to salivate just thinking about shredding the pristine corduroy.  And if awesome freestyle terrain is on your agenda, look no further.  We’ve got two parks plus natural freestyle terrain to get you stoked.  North Pole Terrain Park gives everyone a chance to ease their way into the world of freestyle riding.  Trick Town takes the action up a notch, with numerous features, including table top, rainbow, flat down flat and flat down rails and more. Center Earth freestyle area is a dynamic playground based on natural features and enhanced with expert grooming. More Info

Wyoming Landscape Photos

A photo portfolio of the Wyoming Landscape mostly in the Greatet Yellowstone vicinity including Jackson Hole, Cody, the Wind River Valley and Pinedale Wyoming and their mountians including the Grand Tetons, the Wind River Range, the Gros Ventre Range, the Wyoming Range, the Snake River Range and the Absaroka Mountain Range.

Go To Wyoming Landscape

Hunting Mule Deer, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming

Mule deer can be found throughout the entire western United States, including the deserts of the American Southwest, Mule deer have large ears that move constantly and independently, as do mules, hence the name, "Mule Deer." This stocky deer has sturdy legs and is 4 to 6-1/2 feet in length and 3 to 3-1/2 feet high at the shoulder. Most Mule deer are brown or gray in color with a small white rump patch and a small, black-tipped tail. Mule deer their fawns have white spots at birth. Buck deer have antlers that start growth in spring and are shed around December, these antlers are high and branch forward and reach a spread up to 4 feet in width bucks are larger than does. The life span of a mule deer in the wild is 10 years, but mule deer have lived for up to 25 years in captivity.

Mule deer can thrive nearly anyplace; their habitats include woodland chaparral, Sonoran desert, semi-desert, shrub woodland, Great Plains grasslands, shrub land forest, sagebrush steppe, and boreal forest. Mule deer are remarkably adaptable, of at least sixty types of habitat west of the 100th meridian in the United States, all but two or three are or once were home to mule Deer.

Mountain mule deer seasonally migrate from the higher elevations of the sub-alpine forests they inhabit during summer to lower elevations of the mountain valleys and desert lowlands. Deer prefer rocky windswept buttes where it is easier for them to find food during the winter and that provide escape from predators as needed. The mule deer of the arid southwest may migrate in response to rainfall patterns and a mule deers large feet have evolved to enable them to dig for water as much as two feet deep. Mule deer tend to confine their daily movements to their home ranges. Most mule deer use the same winter and summer home ranges in consecutive years-------------------------------> more

Snowmobiling Jackson Hole Wyoming

Jackson Hole Wyoming is in the heart to some of the best snowmobiling in the world. Yellowstone National Park to the north provides incredible access to the wonders of nature. For the powder hound Togwotee Pass provides hundreds of miles of trails through picturesque mountains, forests and abundant open bowls. Gros Ventre River area provides a great wildlife viewing trip. Granite Creek has a gorgeous hot spring pool fed by from the towering Gros Venture peaks. The Grey's River provides abundant snow and miles of trail much like Togwotee Pass.

There are many opportunities around Jackson Hole and a wide selection of guides, tours and rental shops to accommodate you.---------------------------------> More

Ski Resorts Around Teton Valley Idaho

Teton Valley is world famous for its crown jewel, Grand Targhee, that towers over the eastern horizon of the valley. But Grand Targhee isn’t the only option for skiing in the immediate area. Just over the Teton Pass is the Valley of Jackson Hole, home to Snow King resort which is in the town hill of Jackson and is smaller but is affordable and convenient and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is the destination resort of the three. Grand Targhee Resort There’s only one word for skiing at Grand Targhee: extraordinary.  Though other words such as effortless, knee-deep, and uncrowded all apply.  The key is the more than 500 inches a year that fall on the backside of the Tetons – the snowier Western side – each year.  Add to that a skiable terrain of nearly 2000 acres, with more than 1,000 reserved for Sno-Cat Adventures, and you have an experience beyond compare.  In addition to Grand Targhee’s legendary powder, families love our corduroy grooming with cruising runs that are a signature of Grand Targhee Resort. It's not only about legendary powder; those who love to carve will begin to salivate just thinking about shredding the pristine corduroy.  And if awesome freestyle terrain is on your agenda, look no further.  We’ve got two parks plus natural freestyle terrain to get you stoked.  North Pole Terrain Park gives everyone a chance to ease their way into the world of freestyle riding.  Trick Town takes the action up a notch, with numerous features, including table top, rainbow, flat down flat and flat down rails and more. Center Earth freestyle area is a dynamic playground based on natural features and enhanced with expert grooming. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Jackson Hole Mountain Resort offers visitors one of the best ski and snowboard experiences in the world. It is world renowned for its steep and deep terrain, consistent fall line, deep, light powder and endless backcountry, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort also allows beginners and intermediates to excel at their own pace on a variety of groomed runs and open bowls. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has been rated as the third best ski resort country and who could argue with that. Jackson Hole has 4,200 vertical drop and that drop comes right out of the Grand Teton Mountain Range. These spectacular mountains crown jewel the Grand Teton Towers over the Valley and resort at a majestic 13,770 above sea level. When they say ski the big one they mean it! With 2,500 acres of inbounds terrain, a 4,139' vertical rise, 459" of average snowfall each winter, and unparalleled backcountry access, Jackson Hole offers a truly unique winter experience. Two distinct mountains in the heart of the Tetons - Rendezvous and Apres Vous - make up Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and have been home to incredible skiing and snowboarding for the past 40 years. Whether you're here to experience "The Big One's" wild, untamed terrain, rolling, wide-open groomers, or you're just getting out on the snow for the first time, it's bound to be an experience you'll never forget. Snow King Resort Since Snow King’s founding in 1939 as the first ski area in Wyoming, Snow King has served as Jackson Hole’s ‘Town Hill.’ Generations of residents have grown up learning to ski there. It’s a real part of the community, where parents can drop off their kids for after-school turns and adults can do some bump skiing during their lunch hour. But it’s not just a place for townies, its steep terrain will challenge the best of skiers yet has great terrain for the beginner.With Jackson Hole Mountain Resort only a short drive away, Snow King doesn’t bother trying to compete with its high-octane neighbor. Instead, it positions itself as the little guy who just tries harder. With its short-but-steep ski area, ski-in/ski-out accommodations, and ultra-convenient location, I felt right at home at Snow King. It is what it is an unassuming and fun mountain where people come to ski, and not to be seen.-------------------------------------------------> More

Skiing Jackson Hole

Jackson Hole is world famous for one of its ski resorts but Jackson Hole is lucky enough to have three of them. All have differing attributes, Snow King is In the town of Jackson and is smaller but is affordable and convenient Grand Targhee is plumb over on the far side of the Grand Tetons but for that reason it gets much more snow so is Jackson hole’s powder cache, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is the destination resort of the three and certainly is the gem.

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort offers visitors one of the best ski and snowboard experiences in the world. It is world renowned for its steep and deep terrain, consistent fall line, deep, light powder and endless backcountry, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort also allows beginners and intermediates to excel at their own pace on a variety of groomed runs and open bowls.

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has been rated as the third best ski resort country and who could argue with that. Jackson Hole has 4,200 vertical drop and that drop comes right out of the Grand Teton Mountain Range. These spectacular mountains crown jewel the Grand Teton Towers over the Valley and resort at a majestic 13,770 above sea level. When they say ski the big one they mean it!

With 2,500 acres of inbounds terrain, a 4,139' vertical rise, 459" of average snowfall each winter, and unparalleled backcountry access, Jackson Hole offers a truly unique winter experience. Two distinct mountains in the heart of the Tetons - Rendezvous and Apres Vous - make up Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and have been home to incredible skiing and snowboarding for the past 40 years. Whether you're here to experience "The Big One's" wild, untamed terrain, rolling, wide-open groomers, or you're just getting out on the snow for the first time, it's bound to be an experience you'll never forget.

Snow King Mountain

Since Snow King’s founding in 1939 as the first ski area in Wyoming, Snow King has served as Jackson Hole’s ‘Town Hill.’ Generations of residents have grown up learning to ski there. It’s a real part of the community, where parents can drop off their kids for after-school turns and adults can do some bump skiing during their lunch hour. But it’s not just a place for townies, its steep terrain will challenge the best of skiers yet has great terrain for the beginner.

With Jackson Hole Mountain Resort only a short drive away, Snow King doesn’t bother trying to compete with its high-octane neighbor. Instead, it positions itself as the little guy who just tries harder. With its short-but-steep ski area, ski-in/ski-out accommodations, and ultra-convenient location, I felt right at home at Snow King. It is what it is an unassuming and fun mountain where people come to ski, and not to be seen.

Grand Targhee

There’s only one word for skiing at Grand Targhee: extraordinary.  Though other words such as effortless, knee-deep, and uncrowded all apply.  The key is the more than 500 inches a year that fall on the backside of the Tetons – the snowier Western side – each year.  Add to that a skiable terrain of nearly 2000 acres, with more than 1,000 reserved for Sno-Cat Adventures, and you have an experience beyond compare.  In addition to Grand Targhee’s legendary powder, families love our corduroy grooming with cruising runs that are a signature of Grand Targhee Resort.

It's not only about legendary powder; those who love to carve will begin to salivate just thinking about shredding the pristine corduroy.  And if awesome freestyle terrain is on your agenda, look no further.  We’ve got two parks plus natural freestyle terrain to get you stoked.  North Pole Terrain Park gives everyone a chance to ease their way into the world of freestyle riding.  Trick Town takes the action up a notch, with numerous features, including table top, rainbow, flat down flat and flat down rails and more. Center Earth freestyle area is a dynamic playground based on natural features and enhanced with expert grooming.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------> More Info

Wrestling Grizzly Bears

I had the opportunity to photograph these bears in May of 2008

Grizzly Bear Info

Jackson Hole's Willow Creek Trail

Willow Creek is a major drainage system for the Wyoming Range, the scenery is fantastic and provides prodigious, geographic, flora and fauna viewing and there are many trails you could get lost on. Take a map. The trail is popular with horseback riders, mountain bikers, hikers hunters, and fisherman.

Willow Creek's headwaters begin high in the Wyoming Range on the south end of Jackson Hole. Fisherman may with to trying to outwit the feisty native Cutthroat that make Willow Creek their home. These fish are native, not stocked, so they offer a challenge for the most experienced fly fisherman and an opportunity to advance the skills of the novice. Catch and release only, please. The Jackson Hole One Fly Foundation - National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Conservation Partnership Program is funded a project to improve a degraded area along Willow Creek.

From the trailhead at Bryan Flats sixteen miles south of the town of Jackson, Wyoming, the trail heads west out of the parking lot and starts a steady climb for one mile to a ridge top high above Willow Creek here, there is a fork in the trail where you can turn down to Alder Creek or continue down the ridge line, the junction is signed.-----------------------> More

Jackson Hole Slide Show

A slide show of the scenic splendor of Jackson Hole Wyoming

http://www.free-press.biz/theholepicture/scenic-Jackson-Hole/Jackson-Hole.html

Turquoise Lake Trail - Gros Ventre Wilderness

By Daryl L. Hunter
Turquoise Lake is an alpine gem in the middle of the Gros Ventre Wilderness and there are many ways to get there but the most expeditious one is via the Goodwin Lake Trail. This access facilitates a 2,000-foot elevation head start over most others by virtue of its 8,000-foot trailhead.......................... About 2.5 miles from the trailhead you come to Goodwin Lake which is at the base of a steep flank of Jackson Peak............................... Climbing out of the cirque that hosts Goodwin Lake you enter sub alpine terrain with fewer trees and a lot more meadows revealing awesome views in every direction.....................More