When the sun hits those peaks…oh my heart sings! We had a wonderful two and a half week vacation camping in Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park. 
Life has been busy and full! Trying to get caught up on real life, farm work, and going through pictures from the trip. 🙂
The sun sinking down and throwing some great light on the surrounding mountains while we hike down on Logan Pass with our big brood…
Our hike was cut a little short when we saw this big guy coming down the mountain…
A boar Grizzly Bear taking a quick break from eating berries to give us a look over….
September 15, 2014
Many Glacier, Glacier National Park
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On our trip to Grand Tetons last fall, we spent a good portion of a day driving down a dirt road along the Snake River….
While we visited the Tetons this past September, the elk danced in the aspens…
Later that evening we enjoyed a spectacular sunset…
Sandhill Cranes in Tetons National Park…
Cool Facts
The Sandhill Crane’s call is a loud, rolling, trumpeting sound whose unique tone is a product of anatomy: Sandhill Cranes have long tracheas (windpipes) that coil into the sternum and help the sound develop a lower pitch and harmonics that add richness.
Sandhill Cranes are known for their dancing skills. Courting cranes stretch their wings, pump their heads, bow, and leap into the air in a graceful and energetic dance.
The elegance of cranes has inspired people in cultures all over the world—including the great scientist, conservationist, and nature writer Aldo Leopold, who wrote of their “nobility, won in the march of aeons.”
Although some start breeding at two years of age, Sandhill Cranes may reach the age of seven before breeding. They mate for life—which can mean two decades or more—and stay with their mates year-round. Juveniles stick close by their parents for 9 or 10 months after hatching.
The earliest Sandhill Crane fossil, estimated to be 2.5 million years old, was unearthed in the Macasphalt Shell Pit in Florida.
Sandhill Crane chicks can leave the nest within 8 hours of hatching, and are even capable of swimming.
The oldest Sandhill Crane on record was at least 36 years, 7 months old. Originally banded in Wyoming in 1973, it was found in New Mexico in 2010.
For more information, please visit here…
While camping in Grand Tetons, we were able to see this mighty Bull Moose, I’ve posted other pics of him here…
Before spotting him though, Mark and I were outside, blissfully enjoying our first cup of hot coffee for the morning, It was one of the more cool mornings we had at Gros Ventre campground. A car stopped beside our trailer and parked on the road. It was a bit strange because the road was closed just a bit down the road. The guy finally got out with his camera and gear, which perked my interest! We grabbed our camera’s and woke up our oldest and let her know we were going on a walk. In just a couple of steps up and out of campsite and to the other side of the road we could see what made the other guy stop…
What we thought were two mule deer bucks, ended up being three!
We hung out for a while there and noticed another guy walking right past the deer, with a huge camera. We decided to follow him just a little ways which led to…
This is what we came back to at the campsite…
The kids roasting mini-marshmallows around the fire… 🙂
What a wonderful way to start the day!
Taking in the beauty of this wonderful place…
On our last day of camping in the Tetons, we hooked up to our camper, headed down the road and had to make a decision as to which road to take to go back to Yellowstone. We decided at the last minute to veer closer to the mountains in hope of seeing more elk. While driving we saw a cow and calf elk come running full tilt out of the trees, we quickly pulled off the road and decided to wait and see what else would come out…
Here comes the rest of the herd…
With a nice bull…
We were definitely happy campers seeing these beautiful animals our last day in Tetons!
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"For heaven's sake (and for the Earth's), let's get it together. Get out there! Listen! The wild places will fill you up. Let them." Walkin' Jim Stoltz, 1953 - 2010
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