Sunday, October 28, 2012

Lewis Falls

Further on the route came across the Lewis Falls on the Snake River. We could not resist the temptation to stop by and take some pictures. And we could click some captivating shots:
I am departing Boise for India tomorrow morning (29th). Bye for now.
My next post will be in a few days after I reach Coimbatore. Have a great week.
 .

Jackson Dam & Reservoir

Enroute from Grand Teton to Yellowstone we stopped briefly to take pictures of the Jackson Dam & Reservoir (Minidoka Project) and the Snake river. The views were spectacular:
Snake River - Above & below

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Grand Teton & Jenny Lake

After a good night's rest at Jackson Hole and a leisurely morning followed by a hearty & fulfilling breakfast at Hampton Inn comprising English Muffins,Sweet Muffin,Omelette,Butter & Marmalade,Waffles, Honey, a range of Fruit Juices, strong well brewed aromatic Coffee etc we checked out finally 10.00 am and took off towards Yellowstone. Enroute we stopped briefly to fill up gasoline and pick up small eats from the nearby store before hitting the freeway. As we drove  on we could soon see the Grand Teton Range from a distance and this spectacular view remained perpetually in our sights as we drove towards it. To our left we saw planes taking off from Jackson Airport which is one of the busiest airports in Wyoming State. 
Grand Teton is the highest mountain in Wyoming's Grand Teton national Park and a classic destination in American mountaineering.We reached a classic view point within an hour from where we had awesome views of the Teton peaks. Unfortunately there was very little snow capping the peaks and that was disappointing. We travelled further and parked the car in a huge parking lot from where we took a long walking tour or trek to Jenny Lake. We did not walk to Lake Solitude, Hidden Falls & String Lake picnic area as these trails were closed. We walked parallel to a small stream flowing towards the Jenny Lake. Presumably this is an a stream fed by melting glaciers from the mountain range. The trail threw  up some magnificent views of alpine trees,the stream,the fallen trunks,the rocks and finally the beautiful blue shimmering, glimmering and glorious lake. There were many patches of tall dead & drab tree trunks with little vegetation around - it was obvious that there are frequent and devastating forest fires in these regions. It is however amazing how nature has its way of bouncing back and vegetation grows back over a period of time. We could sight plenty of deer & elk poop enroute and Mira who was always ahead of us continuously sounding warnings of "Poop Alert". We spent around two hours trekking before resuming our journey towards Yellowstone. It was a glorious day with bright sunshine and temperatures around 25-30 F. There were sign posts warning trekkers to stay together and sing/talk loudly to ward off bears. We tried our best to be noisy by singing & clapping our hands. Looks like we successfully kept the bears at bay. Alas we did not see any animals - elk,deer or bear.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Jackson Hole,Wyoming

Jackson Hole, originally called Jackson's Hole, is a valley located in the US state of Wyoming, near the western border with Idaho. The name "hole" derives from language used by early trappers, who primarily entered the valley from the north and east and had to descend along relatively steep slopes, giving the sensation of entering a hole. These low-lying valleys are surrounded by mountains and contain rivers and streams, which were good habitat forbeaver and other fur-bearing animals.
The first people to settle the region were Native Americans, then fur trappers, and then homesteaders. Because the soil is not ideal for raising crops, the valley was used for cattle. Tourism quickly became popular with the establishment of dude ranches.The nearby Grand Teton andYellowstone National parks are major tourist attractions throughout all seasons of the year. Posted below are some random pictures clicked in Jackson Hole.
A Chandelier constructed from Antlers
Entrance to Hampton Inn. Other views of Hampton Inn below



Gas fired Fireplace - The fire burns 24 hours during winter
Fall colours visible on the tree lined avenue
Giant Elk statue
Central Park with entrance gate built exclusively from Elk Antlers - Elks shed their antlers every year during spring during/after mating
Central Park & Bench below
A Highway Motel - we had stopped for refuelling in the nearby gas station
Highway Views
We stayed at Hampton Inn Suites and had a wholesome breakfast. It is here that I tasted my first waffle. I have also photographed the process of waffle making. Waffle with generous quantity of honey is delicious

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