grand teton national park - part 1

I have been remiss in my blogging.
With hundreds of Teton vacation photos resting in my computer just waiting to be let out, all else is backing up.  I know my folks want to see them and I know most everyone else probably doesn't...  A little voice in the back of my head keeps crazy whispering "No one likes vacation slide shows!!"
I am at an impasse.
Friends, I apologize.  I just can't ignore such a beautiful chunk of our summer.  The crafts and seasonal goodness are going to have to wait.  Come on now, grab yourselves a barcalounger and a can of beer.  This summer we took a trip to Grand Teton National Park...
(Many thanks again to our good friends Lisa and Jeff who pretty much planned this whole trip.  We're glad we were able to travel together and so enjoyed all of our time with you.  It was great for the girls to try out siblinghood with each other I think and Naiya so adores you both.  As do I :)  Can't wait to try it again some time!)  

 Our two combined families (one five year old girl each) stayed for a few days at Dornan's Spur Ranch Cabins.  Dornan's is a 77 year-old family-owned resort in the middle of Grand Teton National Park.  It's a 10 acre complex with about a dozen small cabins, a restaurant/bar with a view, a gas pump, a small store/gift shop, a very well-stocked wine shoppe (their spelling, not mine), a few outdoor adventure rental places and a "chuckwagon".  Yup, a chuckwagon.  That's how they advertise it.  I was expecting to be served my all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast from an actual wagon but really it's just a covered outdoor grill...and then there's a giant teepee.  (?)  Go figure.
 Chuckwagon confusion aside, it was a great place to stay.  Beautiful views, convenient location and cozy cabin to boot.

 The day after we arrived, we took a float ride down the Snake River.  Unfortunately I didn't take my camera on this adventure but we saw quite an array of wildlife which, following our already exciting beaver spotting on the drive in, set us up for a grand animal viewing week to follow.  We witnessed a herd of elk (including one swimming across the river), spied a number of bald eagles, a few white pelicans and some yellow bellied marmots.

(This moose shot was taken on a different day.)

 Our first hike attempt was a little rough with our not-so-keen-on-hiking five year old, but Phelps Lake was beautiful and on that escapade, some of us saw our first ever bear in the wild - a grizzly!  (She was about 50 yards downhill from us and we didn't get any pics of her before she turned and wandered back into the trees and we quickly headed the other direction.)

 Our second hike followed a boat ride across Jenny Lake.  After side tracking for a letterbox on our way up, we made it (this time without carrying our daughter once!) to beautiful Inspiration Point.

(Not that interesting a shot until you notice the squirrel peaking out from a hole in the trunk.)

 Inspirational indeed.

 On another day we rode bikes (7 miles) to this same lake and enjoyed a refreshing swim and picnic lunch.

The Tetons loom over every pleasure one takes in the park.  They're a gorgeous range and, apparently, the third most photographed mountains in the world.

(More to come with part 2!)