So we left Flaming Gorge yesterday (Wednesday) heading for Jackson, Wyoming. The trip was scenic and uneventful. Once we got out of the high desert, it was so good to see green again!
There are many ranches in Wyoming, and at least in the western part of the state, they look much like this shot.....spread out in hills and valleys with monster mountains on the horizon.
As the hills became more prominent, we knew we were getting closer to the Grand Teton Mountain Range with Jackson Hole as one of the main attractions. We plan to visit the Teton Village - the center of great western skiing. We have also learned this area....... overflowing with hiking, fishing, riding, rafting, and biking.......is super-packed in the summer months. The locals say summer is much more crowded in the summer than in the winter months.
Along the way, we passed a number of markers that were once part of the Oregon Trail. This one marks a location called 'Sand Springs' - a stop on the Oregon Trail where there was a northern cutoff at 'Lander Cut' shortening the distance to the Pacific Ocean. The ruts you can see in the background are remnants of some of the well-worn wheel grooves carved into the path by the many wagons along the trail.
Further down the road, we had been encouraged to check out the Museum of the Mountain Men in Pinedale, WY. This turned out to be one of the best museums we've seen on our trip. The displays and exhibits chronicled the 'mountain men' in the early 1800's, and the pioneers that followed during westward expansion through the early 1900's.
These mountain men were initially funded and dispersed into the western frontier in search of beaver hides....to support the early 19th century fashion of beaver hats, coats and other 'furry fashion' items of the day. John Astor was their benefactor. Hence, the early name of these mountain men was: the Astorians. These guys were a rugged bunch and were known for their resilience, persistence, and their ability to thrive in a most hostile environment.
This is actually a fancy sample of the mountain man's 'digs' while trapping beaver in the northwestern frontier. With the fierce winds, snow and frigid temps common in this area, can you even imagine living in this 'lean-to' ????
Indians, of course, had a major presence in the western frontier during these years and were very much part of interacting with the mountain men, and also the pioneers who were to follow.
This tipi is an exact replica of one that was captured from Sioux Chief Iron Plume (American Horse) in 1976.
Pronghorn antelope are common in northern Utah and western Wyoming. This shot does not really capture the unusual and distinctive shape of their horns, but is a shot I was able to grab on our travels. They do not have tails, but have distinctive white fluffy bottoms. We saw lots of those bottoms running in the other direction when we tried to capture their picture!
So...we made it safely to Jackson, Wyoming, yesterday afternoon. Jackson is the name of the city; Jackson Hole is the name of the valley in which Jackson is located. Evidently, 'hole' was an early term for 'valley.' I was wondering about the relationship between the two!!
One of the 'must see' venues in Jackson is the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar located right in the center of town. One of the ways in which it is distinctive is that the bar stools are horse saddles. So, of course, we had to have a few beers there! This shot is kind of dark, but Dick and I are each 'saddled up' at the bar.
It was very cool to find out that there was a PAWS Dog Park right around the corner from where were are staying. PAWS is a rescue/support organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of injured and orphaned wildlife, and sheltering and adopting homeless dogs and cats. The park had been donated by a long time dog lover....and Cutter sure did enjoy his play day there!
Tomorrow, we are heading into Grand Teton National Park where we have a reservation at Colter Bay Village in the Park. This is not too far away from Jackson Hole, so we will surely be back there, too.
No comments:
Post a Comment