Today was spent in the Teton National Park for Michael's birthday. What an enjoyable day!!
I was able to photograph the bear even though it was quite a way off. I saw the moose but the rangers waved the cars to keep going as the moose was very close to the road. There were six rangers moving traffic along.
Grand Teton National Park's 310,000 acres lie at the heart of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem encompasses over twenty million acres and is considered one of the few remaining, nearly intact, temperate ecosystems on Earth. The animals inhabiting Grand Teton National Park depend on this vast area for survival, residing in and migrating to different areas depending on the season.
"The diverse wildlife in Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway complements the spectacular scenery. As part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, these two national parks contain numerous communities. Each community must supply the basic needs of wildlife: food, water, shelter and space. Familiarity with wildlife communities and behaviors allows you to improve your chance of viewing these animals in their environment." In trying to photograph wildlife, you must be extremely patient!!!!!!
There are different communities to see the animals. "Alpine Elevation, wind, harsh winters and brief summers force the plants and animals living here to adapt. Plants grow as mats and animals are few. Look for yellow-bellied marmots, pikas and bighorn sheep seeking shelter in rocky outcrops. Forests From treeline to valley floor, forests provide cover and food for many mammal species. Lodgepole pines dominate, but forests also contain other pines, firs, aspens and spruces. Look for elk, mule deer, martens, red squirrels, black bears and snowshoe hares. Northern Jackson Lake Highway 89/191/287 follows the eastern shore of Jackson Lake north of Colter Bay. Enjoy a view of the Teton Range and look for wildlife in the aspen groves and meadows alternating with extensive conifer forests. Lush meadows attract mule deer and elk, while the lake attracts American white pelicans, Canada geese and other waterfowl. Colter Bay Sagebrush, meadows and forests provide habitat for many mammals. Deer feed at the edge of conifer forests. Uinta ground squirrels flourish in dry sagebrush meadows, while red squirrels chatter incessantly from conifer forests. Look for occasional snowshoe hares and martens. Trails lead to ponds inhabited by beavers, muskrats, waterfowl and river otters, or may provide a view of bear, moose or elk. Willow Flats North of the Jackson Lake Dam moose browse on willow shrubs. At dawn and dusk, elk graze on grasses growing among willows. Predators such as wolves and grizzly bears pursue elk calves in early summer. Beavers create ponds by damming streams that also harbor muskrats and waterfowl. Oxbow Bend The slow-moving water of this cut-off meander of the Snake River provides habitat for fish such as suckers and trout that become food for river otters, beaver and muskrats. Moose browse on abundant willows at the water’s edge. Elk graze in the open aspen groves to the east while grizzly bears occasionally look for prey. Teton Park Road Extensive sagebrush flats are interspersed with stands of lodgepole pines and aspens. Pronghorn gather in small groups where they browse on sagebrush. Black bears cross between forests and plains. At dawn and dusk look for elk grazing on grasses on the forest edge. Snake River This riparian area attracts a variety of wildlife. Elk and bison graze in grassy meadows along the river. Bison also eat grasses in the sagebrush flats on the benches above the river. Moose eat willows that line the waterway, and beaver strip bark. Blacktail Ponds This turnout is located 0.5 mile north of Moose Junction on Highway 26/89/191. Old beaver ponds have filled in and now support grassy meadows where elk graze during cool parts of the day. Moose browse on willows growing along the river. Two Ocean and Emma Matilda Lakes Elk graze during dawn and dusk, and seek refuge from the heat of the day in nearby forests. Moose browse on willows growing along the lakeshore. Mule deer, coyotes, black and grizzly bears, martens and red squirrels also frequent this area. Cascade and Death Canyons Look and listen for pikas and marmots in boulder fields along the trails. Moose browse on willows and other shrubs growing along creeks. Black bears frequent the canyons and grizzly bears are becoming more common. Taggart Lake and Beaver Creek Willows growing along Beaver Creek provide food for moose. Elk graze on lush grasses and deer browse on shrubs while black bears sometimes frequent the area. Sagebrush Sagebrush flats occur on semi-arid, rocky soils covering the valley floor. More than 100 species of grasses and wildflowers flourish along with sagebrush. Lack of cover makes large animals conspicuous. Look for pronghorns, coyotes, bison, badgers, elk and Uinta ground squirrels. Rivers, Lakes and Ponds Aquatic habitats and adjacent forests, marshes and meadows fulfill the needs of many forms of wildlife. Diverse and abundant vegetation offers excellent food and cover. Look for moose, river otters, beavers, muskrats, coyotes and mule deer." We stopped by this area in the morning. People had spotted a bear across the street in the bushes about half way up the hill. We could see it quickly popping its head up and down but I was unable to get a photo. We came back to this area later in the day and I was successful. There were three rangers there to protect both the bear and people. It was really special for me to be able to get a photo even though it was far off.
The bear kept shaking the branches to get the berries.
The ranger said the bear was eating hawthorne berries in the tree. Grizzly and black bears also eat chokecherry and other berries. These berries are a vital food source for the bears.
Such a gorgeous drive
Gravel road for part of the way
Leaves are starting to turn
I did see a moose but could not stop and take a picture.
This is the area where I spotted the moose.The area is blocked off so you couldn't stop. I think we will come back to this area tomorrow. Hope we are successful then in getting a picture of the moose in a different area.
Such a pretty area.
The bear was also in this area.
The bear slept in the grass last night.
The ranger pointed this out to me.
Interesting fences
This guy was not happy we were so close.
A rafting group going down the Snake River.
We ate at the Alpenrose Restaurant at the Alpenhof Lodge again. It was the closest to Switzerland as we could get.
When you enter, you spot a painted pine chest and a painted or carved antique Bauernschrank–a cupboard or closet about two meters high.
Not really Swiss. It is more Austrian.
For an appetizer we had the Pilzstrudel (mushroom strudel)
I had the Jägersnitzel with spätzle and red cabbage
Michael had the Weiner Schnitzel with spätzle and red cabbage.
For the wine, we had a Swiss pinot noir from the Neuchâtel region.
"A little history of the wine.
The Perrochet family has called Auvernier home since long before the age of government record-keeping. In fact, Auvernier’s parish records show the Perrochet family as far back as the16th century. History shows that a majority of the population supported itself with vineyards and fishing in the region until the mid-twentieth century. In those days, the magnificent sloping landscape that envelopes the village was entirely covered with vines, right up to the Lac de Neuchâtel.
Prior to Jean-Jaques Perrochet’s (1769-1833) purchase of the Maison Carrée in 1827, the wines were housed in older and less well-adapted buildings nearby, and the winery went by the name “Claude et Jean-Jaques Perrochet Frères.” Jean-Jaques was succeeded by his descendants: Alphonse (1797-1853), James-Alphonse (1844-1918), Alphonse-James (1886-1973), and Jean-Jaques (1927), in partnership since 1991 with his son Jean-Denis (1961). In 2008, Jean-Denis and his wife, Christine, took the reins at the domaine, joined in 2015 by their son, Alexandre."
Cheers! Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!
