Teton Wilderness, GTNP, Jackson Hole 2017

Brian Skibbe

Brian Skibbe

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Feb 3, 2017
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I've been so bad at uploading trip reports from this year....lol. I've been to Moab, Jackson Hole, the Aspen/Snowmass area, Rocky Mountain National Park, amongst other places. Here's at least a few photos from my trip to the incomparable Jackson Hole region. What an unbelievable region of the country...just unbelievable. Yes, I've been to Yosemite, Zion, and Bryce, and they all are absolutely incredible. But.....the large mammalian diversity of the Jackson Hole region is something special that sets it apart from everything else in our beautiful country. Photos are from the
Teton Wilderness (grizzly and wolf tracks, my campsite at the soda fork meadows), Grand Teton National Park (black bears, moose), and the town of Jackson... There's a good chance that I'll head that way this weekend to hike, snowshoe, cross country ski, and hang with the "Jacksonians", and #optoutside for this New Years Weekend.Bison tetons.jpg Black bear cub.JPG Black bear momma.JPG Hidden falls GTNP.JPG Jackson antler arch.JPG Moose calf.jpg Moose.jpg View attachment 60485 Tetons Mormon Row.JPG Wolf track Teton Wilderness.JPG
 

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Weren't you planning on fishing/hunting for your food on this trip? Did that work out at all?
 
Good to see you around here Brian. Nice photos! And how was your time there at the Soda Fork Meadows? Do you have any photos from there?

Love the Grizzly Print photo. Wishing You the Best!
 
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Wanderlust073 said:
Weren't you planning on fishing/hunting for your food on this trip? Did that work out at all?
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Greetings from Kansas!

Yes, I was hoping to fly fish for some of my meals...but that proved laughable. As i hit the trail at Turpin Meadows...and looked down to the right at the Buffalo fork....rolling and churning, I just chuckled at myself. She was rocking and rolling, and there was no way me and my fly rod setup was going to pull a meal from those waters, ha ha.

So, I'll plan on doing this at a different time out there, when the flows make it more feasible. Thanks for asking, though... You afforded me my first laugh of the day...just thinking of it.

Happy trails!
 

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Kmatjhwy said:
Good to see you around here Brian. Nice photos! And how was your time there at the Soda Fork Meadows? Do you have any photos from there?

Love the Grizzly Print photo. Wishing You the Best!
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Well hello there!

Ahhhhhhh.... The soda fork meadows.... I've always loved nature and the wilderness, but I found something extra special sitting on the little hill at the bench campsite, looking up the soda fork at Smokehouse mountain on those beautiful late-June days, watching and listening to the north buffalo fork bustle by and the osprey calling from a treetop. That was special...and I owe the magnificence of that spot to you, my friend. One day I was sitting there, looking up at Smokehouse mountain as I read a book, and after a bit of time I looked at my watch, and realized that those few moments was actually over two hours. I had completely disconnected from time. You can't buy that with all of the money in the world...you must be in a place like this, and just let time go away naturally. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

The second day I was at that spot an outfitter brought a group of about 15-20 boys out for a retreat, just down to the south at the outfitters campsite, so that removed that silence of nature from the picture...ha ha ha! And they let the horses out to feed at night with the cowbells on them, so needless to say, I had to move North into the North Fork meadows. (I found that neat little fire pit tucked back in that little nook in the trees down my the buffalo fork and to the right...) :) Saw wolf tracks on the way back out on the trail, which was quite nice.

There is an extra special place in my heart for Jackson Hole now. In the thirteen days I was out there, I hiked nearly 150 miles between the teton wilderness, GTNP (30 miles on one of those days doing paintbrush canyon, to hurricane pass, and back out cascade canyon), and other areas around Jackson. My first bear encounter was in cascade canyon, where I came up on a couple staring at something ahead of them (blocked from my sight by trees) By time I (slowly and quietly) reached them, I was within 30 feet of mama and one cub of the year). Luckily, she was cool as a cucumber, and once my heart settled back from it's short trip to my throat, it became one of the most cherished moments of my life to date. Her cub came a bit closer to the three of us (the couple backed behind me and headed back down the trail) and climbed up into a tree to my eye level so we could appreciate each other for a minute. Momma came and collected him (at which they were at about 15-20 feet then) and they circled around me, and popped back up on the trail about 50 feet behind me. As I was watching them start down the trail, the cub stopped for a moment, turned around, and took one more glance at me before he turned to chase his mother down, as if to say "see ya!!".... So incredible... My heart about exploded...

I loved Jackson as well. Touristy, but not so terribly congested at many other vacation towns. Made a few friends at the boulders in the park at the base of snow king, so I have friends to visit when I come back...which will be very soon!

Thanks again for all of the wonderful recommendations. I'd love to hear about your summer up north sometime!

Sincerest regards,

Brian

p.s. That grizzly print photo was taken on a muddy section of the trail, not far from where I exited the trail to head to the bench campsite. ;)
 
Brian, Hi There! Thanks soooo much for the wonderful trip report and all the photos of the Soda Fork Meadows. Gosh, how much do I love love love that spot! Yes I can tell by the photos on how high the North Buffalo Fork was. That is because of all that horrendous snowfall that we had last winter. And the meadows soooo green and lush as always at this time of year. Good for you and happy that you were able to experience the place. Yea!!! Am not surprised that the Grizzly print was right where you found it. I often see bear tracks near that little creek. They love it in here.
Thanks Thanks Thanks again for the trip report and photos!!!

Also am in town here if you do wander thru this area. Working again another winter. I have both Sunday and Monday off and will go dayhiking somewheres. Yes it is special, so special here. I have been here for years and love it here.

Wishing You the Best!
 
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