Taggart lake

This week in Jackson it snowed, and a good bit of it lasted. So as promised last week we went for our first snow hike. The GTNP road closed at Taggart Lake when you enter from the south, so we figured this was a good destination to start off the winter hiking season. We didn't want to shoot for too long of a hike for the first snowy day so we decided not to leave until after lunch hoping that the afternoon weather would be a bit more comfortable for the kids. As it turned out we need not have worried the kids loved the snow and the weather was great for hiking.

We arrived at Taggart lake at one o'clock and since it wasn't too cold we decided to leave off the snow pants and mittens and take them with us in case we needed them. Its a nice path that starts out wide open and flat. After a short bit the trail forks, we took the Taggart Lake trail to the right, about another ten minutes and the trail forks again, and again we took the trail to the right. Once you take the second right in the background you can hear a loud river, it comes up on you quite suddenly and there is a nice wide bridge (no railing) that crosses the boulder and rock strewn river. After the bridge the trail narrows out a little bit and loops around to a barn. I assume they have horses kept at the barn in the summer for trail rides but it was empty as we walked passed. Once the trail loops back around it follows the creek upstream for a while.

                   

As you follow the stream the trail starts a little climb and continues on for a little ways, the trail is littered with rocks and boulders which made the path a little more adventurous with the added texture. The kids loved jumping on, up, and over all the rocks. Eventually the path becomes snow covered and tapers out into a small pine forest. The trees and the snow create an atmosphere of reverence and silence. Unlike last weeks hike this hike was truly quite, not even the faintest echo of a whisper stirred the air. Even the snow beneath our feet was silent.

After about 45-50 minutes we arrived at the lake. It was stunning to arrive as it seems to appear out of nowhere. Suddenly you are just there. Its a quite serene lake that sits stoically behind a shield of pines. We took the trail to the lake edge and rested a moment and enjoyed the beauty of the crystal clear glacial lake. We then took our first detour into the trees. As there was no path and the snow was hiding many obstacles the bushwhacking took a bit longer than it typically would have. The kids made it through with a few helping hands and a slip and and fall once or twice but no complaints. (probably because we spent the hole hike telling them to stay out of the snow and now were we fully immersing them in the fluffy white powder) We found a few boulders at the edge of the lake and decided to take a break and have a small fire. It wasn't necessary as we were bundled up and dry but its a good moral booster so we went ahead and splurged.  We hung out for a bout a half hour and enjoyed some apple sauce for a snack before we headed back.

           




Always Making their own trail.

  We considered taking the second half of the loop trail back. But  it was another 2.4 miles to finish the loop making it a 4 mile hike, and just 1.6 to go back the way we came. We decided we best just take the same trail back, all in all it was a 3.2 mile hike and the kids did excellent. Kevin started a snowball fight and that kept the kids all motivated to outrun his throwing distance, Jack needed a short ride to regain his willpower and then finished the hike without any further support. The whole trip took us a little under three hours and the kids didn't even take a nap (Kevin and I however were in need of one)! Next time we will push for the 4 mile hike. Next week a Dillon Family favorite The Snake River Bottoms.

String and Leigh Lakes

Sunday October 24th was our last Fall hike. I was hoping the weather would hold till Halloween but alas living in Jackson, it was a miracle we got as far as we did. That being said it was a dreary wet hike. It rained non-stop and took a little more effort to get the kiddos moving. We began the day with plans to head to Taggart Lake, but as the weather seemed to become wetter and wetter the more North we drove we figured a hike where the destination was a consistent part of the hike would be a nice motivator. So we packed all the winter clothes we would need, extra water bottles and lunch  (turkey sandwiches with peaches and pears and walnuts) and headed to Grand Teton National Park.

On the drive there the kids were a bit restless so we stopped at the "staircase" by Antelope Flats road. It is formally called Blacktail Butte and Kevin has been wanting to hike up to the top forever and never has. We figured a steep climb up a staircase would calm the kids a bit so we hopped out of the car and headed up. There are two trails, the one to the left (staircase) stops at about a hundred feet or so and is just a trail to the cliff face for rock climbers. The trail to the right is the hiking trail to the top of the butte. Its a steep trail that's very narrow and is littered in loose jagged rocks. I can be dangerous if you are not careful. It took us a little under 20 minutes to summit the butte and we climbed out towards the edge for a photo op. It was quite chilly and rainy so we didn't hang out long, the shelter of the trees made for much nicer hiking conditions.

Once at the bottom we piled back in the car, the children noticeably more calm,and set out to Taggart Lake.
 Somewhere along the way we changed plans and decided to go to String Lake and follow it to the Leigh Lake campgrounds. We parked at the String Lake trail head, a note here the String Lake trail is the trail to the left it crosses a bridge and then goes up behind the lake, it doesn' follow along the lake shore. However if you take the trail to the right it follows String Lake and meets up with the Leigh Lake trail about half a mile down. String Lake is a nice skinny lake with crystal clear blue green water. Punctuated by giant boulders that sit calmly out of place in the frigid lake. Hiking in the rain is a different and unique experience. Its silencing, yet noisy. The wind bends the Lodge Pole Pines, and they creak and groan as if they wish to succumb to the continuous onslaught of momentum. The serene and timid lake spurs to life with small angry waves, and the foggy clouds, sink lower and lower ominously.
    
The trail is an easy one, its nice and wide, paved in some places and has plenty of clear markers and a few educational boards. It crosses a few bridges that are wide but have no railings. Once you cross the Inlet/Outlet between the lakes the trail forks again. We decided to just continue on straight ahead and find a place to get out of the rain and have a fire to warm up. There are tons of boulders jutting out of the ground, kind of a natural playground if you let it be. We finally settled under a small Ponderosa Pine and Kevin made us a fire, no easy feat as everything was wet, but some how he got it going. We hung out until we were all thoroughly dried, warmed and fed. Then waited a few more minutes to give the kids a nice long rest. The hike back was long and a bit on the grouchy side, Lulu got a bit whiny, Jack was carried about half the way back and our trooper Emma trekked on without one complaint.

It was an educational hike to say the least. We learned that, though the kids can go 5 miles in sunny weather that distance is cut in half when its wet and cold (we barley made it 3). Second Lesson, regardless of how much you try, you can't keep kids from splashing in puddles. Always bring a cozy warm change of clothes, because kids are kids and when water is involved, they cannot stay dry. Marshmallows are an excellent motivator!

NEXT UP OUR FIRST SNOW HIKE!!!!

Emma Matilda Lake

Today we went to Emma Matilda Lake up Pacific Creek Road. If you enter Grand Teton National Park from the Moran Entrance it's just a few minutes in on the right hand side of the road. Since we went to Two Ocean Lake on Lulu's birthday we decided to check out the other lake trail that stems off this road.

We parked at an unlabeled pull-out and there was a small trail with no markers so it seemed like a perfect place for us. The trail starts off with a bit of a climb and it takes a bit to get in sight of the lake (about a half hour) but is a very beautiful and diverse hike. Its a nice narrow path that winds through meadows, aspen groves, and pine forests, occasionally with a glimpse of the lake in the near distance. After about half an hour you come to a few signs where the trail forks off into North and South Emma Matilda Trails. We took the North Trail and followed it until we began to veer away from the lake. That's when Kevin noticed something off the trail and with an abrupt left we bushwhacked it down to the lake.

Near the edge of the lake was an Elk path. We followed  it up and around the first bend of the lake while we looked for a good, dry spot to stop and have lunch. Along the way we saw the remnants of what seemed to be a wolf hunt; bones were strewn every where and we found a lot of wolf scat, but no fresh tracks so that was good. We eventually came upon a nice river rock beach and stopped for lunch. Today we had bologna and cheese sandwiches with grapes and bananas as a side. As any outdoorsman knows it is important to know many ways to start a fire, so today Kevin used a road flare to ignite our fire and it worked unbelievably well.We even submerged it in the lake to see if  we were still able to get it to re-ignite, and we were!

 While Kevin and I were searching for firewood we found mint and decided to have some fresh mint tea. Luckily we had a glass bottle with us, so we filtered some lake water into the bottle and added some fresh mashed mint and put it in the fire to boil. As a treat for the kids we brought some marshmallows, and Emma was put in charge of roasting them to perfection. A great after lunch dessert of fresh mint tea and warm toasty marshmallows was enjoyed by all.

Yellowstone National Park

Monday was Columbus day. Not a huge holiday by any means but still one our banks and schools value enough to take a much deserved break from public service. Thus an opportunity for my family and I to explore the first National Park before the inevitable Winter closure. Yellowstone is a big park, so when we go we try to have a theme. That way we can explore a specific section of the park, this go round we decided to have a day of Waterfalls.

We started out our day nice and early, leaving our house at 6:00am. We packed a backpack full of water bottles and snacks and set out on our way. We arrived in Yellowstone about 8:30 and stopped at our first Waterfall of the day. Lewis Falls.

Lewis falls is the first waterfall you come to when you visit Yellowstone from the South Entrance. It's a nice size fall that you can see from the road, there is a little parking area by the falls and a nice short trail that leads up to the waterfall, with a big squared off viewing section. The hike was just intended to burn off some energy so the car ride to Canyon Village wasn't so loud, but once we set the kids on a trail they don't turn around until they are thoroughly satisfied with the hike. So we ducked under the railing and hiked up stream a bit. (there were no signs posted that instructed us to stay on the path so we felt it would be OK.) We hiked on for a few minutes until the falls were out of sight and the stream was a wide slow flowing beauty. In our discovery we found a tree that had some what we originally assumed to be fresh elk rubbings. But upon further investigation we couldn't be certain the scratch marks weren't from a bear.(All scratchings went downwards, they were quite high up on the tree, and they were small scratches, not typical of the large rubbings elk usually leave.) The sap was still dripping from the wounded tree so we decided that its best we not wait around to see what did carve up the tree.

After Lewis Falls we decided the next waterfalls to see would be the Upper and Lower Falls in the Canyon of Yellowstone. So we drove up to the Artist Point pull out, on the drive there we saw nearly a dozen Elk. Even a nice sized Elk with a huge rack that felt the road through the park was his personal side walk.

Once to Artist Point parking lot we got out and pulled on our winter coats and set out to hike to the Lower Falls,on the South Rim Trail. The hike is a nice one but a little unnerving for a mother of three extreme explorers. The path comes a little close to the edge of the canyon a few times, and can get a little bit steep. With good supervision this hike is a manageable one. The hike is about a mile and connects up with a few other paths closer to the falls. We forked off on Uncle Tom's Trails, this trail takes you down a little over 300 steps, 3/4 of the way down the falls. It's a bit more treacherous than the South Rim trail. The steps are metal and when wet they are very slippery. To top it off its a steep climb down, and rocks falling from the cliff face have left dents in some stairs so always look where your putting your feet.

We made it to the bottom and enjoyed the view for a bit before we headed back up. Jack needed a ride from Dad as it was a bit of a climb but the girls stuck with it and made it all the way back up on their own. From the the beginning of the hike at Artists Point to the bottom of Uncle Tom's trail was about 2 hours.

Once we finished the rail we thought the kiddos deserved a much needed break so we headed out to the Virginia Falls One Way Loop road for a scenic waterfall drive. There we drove along to see see the falls and Kevin spotted a cave up on the side of a hill and decided to check it out.

After the loop we decided to head over to Old Faithful, even though it is devoid of waterfalls its still has a few nice loops and plenty of geysers to check out. Here is also where we had our big excitement for the day.

We started out parked by the new Visitors Center (which is awesome) and headed out on thee Old Faithful loop. When you start this loop there is a small decline that leads to a bridge, as we were walking down this bridge Lulu fell and forgot to catch her self with her hands. Thankfully her head is a hard as concrete and she only ended up with a bloody nose a few scrapes and bruises and one huge goose egg on her forehead. As any true outdoor enthusiasts when we gave her the option to turn back or go on she chose to keep on a hiking. We finished the loop, taking a quick detour to see Solitary Geyser, which doesn't give off a spectacular eruption but a nearly constant one and even has an interesting story behind the reason for the eruptions. We took the bike path back to the Visitors Center and had a quick bite to eat at the Geyser Grill. After our late lunch (we ate at 3:30) we headed back home, while the kids got a quick nap, Kevin I saw a few more beasts of the park Including a lounging Buffalo, a wandering Moose a Doe and her fawns and, a coyote that scampered across the road as we left the park

An Introduction

So to fully understand the blog, the goals, and the intended outcome it may be a bit valuable to have some background info.

The Players

The Black Bear- aka me

age 24

 Not the most fearsome of Bears but still a bear. I can stand on my back legs and give a good roar, but mostly in confrontation I just scamper away. My favorite place is any place I have yet to go. I love nature and the amazing beauty that it beholds. I like dirt paths and natural trails over pavement and boardwalks. My favorite part of hiking is when we take an abrupt left and make a path of our own. My favorite place to hike is Third Beach in the Olympic National Park. 

The Grizzly- aka husband

age 26

 

 Awe-inspiring, fearsome and reclusive. That is my counterpart in this adventure of life. My Lovely husband Kevin. He is the push factor, the one who motivates us all to put on the hiking shoes and get out of town. He has the roar and the absolute unquestioning power to get us all moving. He pushes us out of comfort zones and even gives us all a little hand when we need it. He's favorite part of hiking is finding a path nobody else is on. Favorite Place to hike any old growth dense forest.

The Tom-Boy Princess

age 5

 

 Emma, my girly girl. She loves pink and all things feminine, aspires to be a ballerina and her role model is Fancy Nancee. She also loves to find bugs, worms and other dirty critters deep in the dirt. She can wear ruby red slippers and climb a mountain simultaneously. Her favorite place to hike is the River Bottoms. Most likely because over this summer we have constructed a lean-to tepee and she feels its her responsibility to maintain a good home. Girls!

My Wild Thing

age 4

  

Goose, or Lulu, or Luigi, or Loogie. Her given name is Lucy but at the ripe of old age of two she decided that wasn't a good name and has been changing it since. She's wild. She doesn't hike she runs, much like her dad, the pace of the crowd just doesn't suit her well. She has her own plans her own ideas and is her own person. She has no misguided notion that the world's opinion matters, she lives her life by her standard regardless of what anyone else wants. Her favorite place to hike is Yellowstone National Park mainly the geysers as she is obsessed with the "hot lava" that flows beneath the surface.

The Gak age 2

 

Whatever image you conjured on that introduction "The Gak" is probably an accurate one. Jack our baby and only boy is a mess. Not like a disastrous child who cannot be contained but a literal mess. He is always covered in dirt and debris regardless of how many baby wipes you have assaulted him with. He is sweet, caring and a nice little boy who is too independent for his own good. He likes to hike anywhere that involves throwing rocks into a source of water. He needs a dose of encouragement to keep up with his older and more skilled siblings but all and all he gives it his best.

So that's us, the local tourists.

The Hole Tourist

I live in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The buzzing, bustling heart of a land bordered by protected wilderness. The gateway to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, and many other adventures in between. This summer my family and I have been exploring, in depth, the place in which we call home. I have decided to start a blog about our adventures in this rough, rugged and demanding place with two hopes in mind. That as Winter settles in on this valley I can continue to motivate my family in our exploration, even in the bitter cold  months ahead; as well as find some new and interesting things for a family to do in order to stave off cabin fever.

Jackson is not a kid friendly town, well that's not entirely true. Jackson is a kid friendly town if you have hundreds of dollars to throw at various lessons and classes that are targeted towards one child in particular and not an entire family. That works well for some but for my situation its not the most appealing option.

I am a family lady. The most important things to me are; my children, my husband and how we all can interact and get along as a group. So as you can well imagine individual ski lessons at over 400 bucks a piece isn't what I have in mind when I am looking for some quality family time. Interestingly enough last year a set of kind hearted grandparents (shout out to you Granny and Papa) gifted to us a National Parks Pass. With that we set out in search of fun, family, and adventure; we even learned a few things along the way.
 That essentially is my blog. Its about a girl, who has a family, and a hope. We are locals in a tourist town, and occasionally we are tourist in an un-local town. This blog will be our adventures, both big and small, successful and downright miserable. Enjoy the ride.