While there are certainly lots of vistas including magnificent mountains to see in the area, I love to check out the ponds and small bodies of water for bird like. While we did not see a huge amount, we did spot a few swans, ducks and geese.

The National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole is a 25,000 acre area just north of town where the elk winter. As many as 4-5000 elk gather here each winter to feed on available grasses and rear their young. It is also common for other wildlife to be seen, including eagles, coyotes, foxes, bison and sometimes wolves, as well as trumpeter swans, ducks, geese and a variety of other birds. The combination of wildlife and some of Wyoming’s most scenic landscapes, including the Teton Mountain

Range, makes the Refuge sleigh ride a great experience.

On the east side of the refuge, one can drive from Jackson Hole for about 1 1/2 miles between the mountains and Miller’s Butte. Often herds of bighorn sheep can be seen in this area. It is not uncommon for these animals to come up to your car and lick off the salt.

 

 

Mike Jackson has a passion for barns. He has taken photos of many, and is always on the lookout for more. He will research ownership and take years to get permission to photograph privately owned properties. So when we did a day long photo shoot, we spent a little time looking out for some interesting and accessible barns. I should note that the iconic Moulton barns were not reachable in January as the roads are not cleared. Here are a few we saw.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

I was fortunate to find Mike Jackson on a recent trip to Jackson Hole. He has a photographic guide service and , as a long term resident and avid photographer, he knows where to look for scenic and wildlife image opportunities. His work can be seen on his blog “Best of the Tetons”.  Mike and I met at the Jackson Hole visitor center early one morning. It was overcast, so sunrise shots of the Tetons from Snake River Overlook were out. So we headed to Gros Ventre Road through the town of Kelly looking for wildlife. Just north of Kelly – a neat little town with interesting photo opportunities – we encountered a small herd of moose in the drifting snow.

After getting quite a few shots, we headed further north along Ditch Creek and encountered a pair of buffalo trying to root through the snow for grasses to eat. We watched them for some time, waiting for one or the other to raise their heads.

This area was quite pretty, with patches of trees, a few old buildings, the creek and lots of fresh snow. We had seen about 10″ the day before, and at the time light snow continued.

We then headed back to Kelly for a few interesting shots. I particularly like the one of the old wheels with the Tetons in the back.

Mike then drove us over to Moose Junction and down Moose Wilson Road to a small pond created by a beaver dam. There were a few of Mike’s professional friends down by the pond watching the antics of a river otter. We trudged down about 150′ through knee high snow to get close to the pond. After a while we saw the otter swimming around, then eventually climbing out of the pond with a frog in its’ mouth.

We watched for a while longer, then headed back to town for lunch. Along the way, and after lunch, Mike showed me a number of Teton barns, which I will cover in the next post.

The Pedigree Stage Stop Race is an annual eight-stage sled dog race through western Wyoming and eastern Idaho. The race, which begins in Jackson Hole, is challenging because it is neither sprint nor distance. Each stage is different; it is more about strategy than speed. The race features mushers from all over North America.

We were in Jackson Hole for the race  this year. The town was abuzz form 5 pm on, with the bars and restaurants in the town center area all crowded, with a real sense of excitement. At 6:30 pm the first two sleds set off. Other sleds set off at about ten minute intervals. This was a fairly short leg – a few blocks to the base of Snow King, followed by a torch parade down the mountain and fireworks. A fun event!

 

Thanks for joining us and sharing our adventures!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton