The
guys left before dawn to go fishing. I decided
I shouldn’t waste a good day cleaning house or even painting pictures. I took my cameras and drove to Grand Teton
National Park just a little over an hour away.
No
matter what the weather or time of year the Grand Tetons are always spectacular.
Even
though most of the park is closed after October there are still trails along
the edge open to the public. I decided
to hike to Bradley Lake.
The
temperature was mild for autumn and the snow line was still high,
...although
remains of a light snow could be seen in shady areas. I parked my car at the trail head and walked
past the empty corral which in the summer held horses for riding.
There
were a few hikers with big backpacks who looked like they were returning from
overnight camping.
Others
were there just to walk around and take a few photos. Some seemed to be driven to beat some speed record,
marching along, head down with two hiking poles and not a glance at the scenery.
I
took my time moving up the trail. It was
steep going over the rocky ridges left behind by ancient melting glaciers.
Bradley
Lake rests in a bowl at the foot of The Grand. It was clear and deep and acted
as a mirror reflecting the frosty mountains.
On
my way back down the trail I almost stumbled over a huge, fresh pile of
poo. It wasn’t biscuits left by trail horses
or deer pellets or elk nuggets. It was
blackish blue and full of nuts and berries.
Either Yogi or Smokey had recently made a pit stop. Crap!
I guess this answered the age-old question.
It
was all downhill from there. I hustled
along whistling and humming and keeping my eye out for big shaggy
creatures. I thought they were supposed
to be hibernating at this time of year.
Funny
how a shot of adrenaline can add a lot of energy to tired legs.
