Sunrise on the Tetons

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:19 am

Oh, how lovely!

Reminds me of a trip we took a few years ago to Yellowstone and Grand Teton. We stopped at that tiny Episcopal chapel in Grand Teton National Park (I can't remember the name of the chapel, I'm afraid). It's a little bit of a place, but when you go inside, instead of a reredos behind the altar, there's a clear glass window, framing a perfect view of the mountains. I'm sure I'm not the first person to sit there in the front pew and think "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills...".

We saw so many beautiful things on that trip, but my favorite isn't anything that's on the tourist maps...rather it was our first view of the valley you come down into when you're driving from Butte, Montana, to Yellowstone. You come out of the mountains, and all of a sudden there's this wonderful golden valley spread out before you. We just stopped...utterly awe-struck (fortunately, it's not a high-traffic road!).

Redwolf

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 1:59 am

Nice Pictures!
I'm glad somebody said it was a bison. I couldn't make it out clearly enough.

Lovely trees, Aspens. There are two in the park where I practice.

SteveShaw · Post by **SteveShaw** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 2:47 am

We have a native aspen, Populus tremula, and when there's a tiny breeze they do just what you've said.

Hmm. "Tetons." Interesting name. Wonder where it came from?

SteveShaw · Post by **SteveShaw** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 2:50 am

Innocent Bystander wrote: I'm glad somebody said it was a bison.

Q. What's the difference between a buffalo and a bison?

A. You can't wash your hands in a buffalo.

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 4:29 am

SteveShaw wrote:Hmm. "Tetons." Interesting name. Wonder where it came from?

From just where you're thinking:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Teton_National_Park

The mountains were named by a French trapper who viewed them from the Idaho side of the range and called them tétons, French slang for "breasts" (presumably referring to the shape of the peaks).

SteveShaw · Post by **SteveShaw** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 4:49 am

avanutria wrote:
The mountains were named by a French trapper who viewed them from the Idaho side of the range and called them tétons, French slang for "breasts" (presumably referring to the shape of the peaks).

Gosh, who'd have thought such beautiful peaks would have such a rude name?

WyoBadger · Post by **WyoBadger** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 6:15 am

Well, some of those trappers were alone out in the mountains for a loooooong time...

There are worse place names in Wyoming. Some of them have been "modified" for the official maps.

djm · Post by **djm** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 6:51 am

Steve Shaw wrote:A. You can't wash your hands in a buffalo.

And if you're a buffalo, every two hundred years you get to celebrate the bisontennial. <groan>

djm

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:59 am

Lovely pictures, Tom. It's been quite a few years since I've been up that way--far too long considering that it isn't that far away.

The strangest thing to me about buffalo is the sound they make. Exactly like the grunt of a pig--at least that's how I recall it. A silly sound for such a huge animal.

Susan

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 8:13 am

I didn't realize there were buffalo just roaming around out there. I guess I thought they were in zoos or else in fenced in grazing. So, if you see one as close as the one by the cabins, would you be sort of nervous? Are they sort of aggressive during their rutting season---whenever that would be? Would you walk real far around him if he was by your cabin like this? Would you just stay in your cabin? I'm just trying to imagine looking out my cabin window and seeing something that big standing there

.

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:12 am

Cynth wrote:I didn't realize there were buffalo just roaming around out there. I guess I thought they were in zoos or else in fenced in grazing. So, if you see one as close as the one by the cabins, would you be sort of nervous? Are they sort of aggressive during their rutting season---whenever that would be? Would you walk real far around him if he was by your cabin like this? Would you just stay in your cabin? I'm just trying to imagine looking out my cabin window and seeing something that big standing there .

They can be quite aggressive, if you forget they're wild animals and approach too closely. Think of a really, really, big bull.

When we were in Yellowstone last, a motorcyclist made the mistake of stopping broadside to a bison bull to get a photograph. Evidently that posture is considered a confrontational one, so the bull lit out after him. Fortunately, he hadn't shut down the bike, and was able to get out of the way, but I bet he had to buy new leathers after that encounter!

Redwolf

WyoBadger · Post by **WyoBadger** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 6:07 pm

True, a lot of people forget that they are wild animals. They move so slowly and seem so lovable and, well, dumb, people have no idea how fast (35-40 mph) and dangerous they are.

Looking out your cabin and seeing one is quite a sight (!!), not one you can see too many places these days. This one wasn't showing any aggressive intents, but we still stayed well out of his way (one of the first things they tell you upon your arrival at TSS is "Stay away from the buffalo!"). I've never heard of one flattening a cabin to get at someone, but I have heard of them ramming vehicles. A motorcycle would barely constitute a speedbump!

The morning I took the sunrise photos, I did have to make a serious detour to get around some bison that were feeding right beside the road. They are usually pretty docile, but you never know. Getting turned into roadkill by an ungulate--what a way to go.

Steve and DJM, those were bad even for you guys.

T