Eileen, our new dog Emma, and I went out to the Tetons from Boulder for a little summer vacation, in part because Dave Spildie was working a Forest Service gig right there at Lake Jackson, just north of Jackson Hole. We were in our little Toyota pickup, with a shell on the back that we could sleep in. The details of this trip are a bit hazy because this all happened 23 years ago. I remember that we were able to hang out at the forest service compound right on Lake Jackson, staring the Tetons right in the face. We camped nearby at a commercial campground, where we were dwarfed by large RVs and buses.
After one idyllic afternoon on the DNR pier, taking in the sun, we noticed some clouds scudding in from the north. With astonishing speed, a real gale hurtled down upon us. In less than 15 minutes, the sky went black, the winds howled. I managed to snap two pictures before we ran for it. Boats were tossed around like corks. This explains the last two shots.
Here’s that scene. Kodachrome slides, taken in ’91, scanned in 2014.
After a day or two in and around Jackson, we took off for what I assume was Bridger Teton National Forest. One night of Kar Kamping with Dave, then we backpacked into a spectacular area. It had rained a lot, the wild flowers were out in an abundance that I’d never seen. As were the flies. Small flies tormented us all day. We swung ropes and clothes at them steadily so they wouldn’t light, and it half worked. They were slow witted. Mercifully, they died down around dinner time.
Dave forbade us to let our dog wander. I was insulted at first. This is the woods, dammit. Dogs run free! He probably saved our lives with some rather lurid tales of bad dogs flushing out grizzlies and hauling them back to camp.
