Just after we drove into the park from Yellowstone (they are very nearly connected) we saw this really cute fox. As we watched he got comfy and settled in for a snooze.The terrible weather continued, and for the most part we couldn’t even see that there were mountains there. A very brief gap in the clouds and we saw that the hotel had a mountain view.Since it was raining the next day we didn’t head out for a big hike, instead exploring by car. Along the way we saw this great next with ospreys.It’s a smallish, and very beautiful park. In the afternoon the weather cleared a little, but we still couldn’t really see the mountains.Next morning I was up early. Because the park is East of the mountains it is sunrise that is particularly pretty. The clouds and sun were battling it out, making for a pretty sunrise.We fell in love with the sagebrush fields that surround the area.We finally got out onto the trails. We took a boat across Jenny Lake and headed up the Cascade Canyon. Very pretty views all along.There were a bunch of moose along the way, mostly hiding in quite dense bush.We stopped off for lunch at this spot with a view. Someone thought it was cute, took a picture of us (on her phone!) and then airdropped it to Jules.We really like pikas and the cute chirps that they make. There were loads in the rock fields along this hike.That evening there was a really nice sunset. I absolutely loved the way that the light was streaming through the mountains from behind.We made friends with some folks who had just taken their horses up the same trail that we hiked.Up early in the morning we headed right back to the best viewpoints to see the mountains.And then it was off to perhaps the nicest airport I have ever seen – Jackson Hole.
Jules flew on ahead to get started prepping for our next trip. After dropping her at the airport I continued on my way to get home in time for her birthday.
After traversing Wyoming, some of Idaho, and Utah I got into Nevada. My first stop was Great Basin National Park. It’s a high park (my hike started at over 10,000 feet) and very pretty.The hike was meh, except that it included a bristlecone pine grove. These are some of the oldest living things on Earth. The one pictured here is 3,200 years old! They have very, very hard wood and can easily keep on living once part of the tree dies (much of this one is indeed dead). Somewhere else in the park is a 5,200 year old tree – they argue it is the oldest living thing on Earth.I stayed in Ely, Nevada in a very interesting hotel (my room door opened directly onto the casino floor!). Next day as I was traversing the state I saw this place.I spent the night in Mammoth Lakes and did my last hike of the trip up to Duck Lake and Pika Lake. Next morning was the last sprint home, via Yosemite. I stopped at Tenaya Lake (a new spot for me). I had to enter the park before 6am because of time entry but that meant I got a sunrise and was home by 11am.
