Jackson Lake Lodge to Jackson, Wyoming. Sunday, June 23, 2024
Today I thought would be easy, just slide on out the back door of Yellowstone and the Tetons, downhill most of the way into Jackson. Brought to mind a favorite blues number by Lane Tietgen, continuing the religious theme on this Sunday, with a little Heisinger and Schrödinger thrown in. https://youtu.be/1ml3Xf64APQ?si=Nuk87D2rYToZEAYs
But the wind had other ideas. Focused by the contours of Jackson Hole, it compelled me to get into a full tuck and pedal hard just to go downhill. At least it was cooling on this hot day, and the scenery was so dazzling I didn’t mind much. Hard to take my eyes off of the Cathedral Group as I slowly slid past.
I blew right by the Chapel of the Transfiguration, a favorite tourist photo op with its view from the altar, so I had to cage these images off the web.
My buddy Eric used to say, when we came upon a great view during a Sunday hike, “we didn’t go to church today, but you can’t have a better sermon than this.”
I was following the Snake River, the major tributary of the Columbia, which starts right above Jackson Lake and is impounded by this dam.
and continues its journey through Idaho Falls and Lewiston, where I’d seen it before. A roadside stand warned us that bears were still a problem this far from Yellowstone.
It was fun to pass the trailhead of my 1977 climb of the Grand Teton, so now I can claim to have done that peak from the sea as well. I know, it’s only the second highest in Wyoming.
Jackson was a little schlockier than I remembered, with its wooden sidewalks, stagecoach rides, and the town square framed in elk antlers. Even the cheapest motels were crazy expensive, and no tent camping was allowed. Ah well, it will be my last Gateway town for a while.
Distance 39 miles, 2,267 total. Time 7 hours with stops. Elevation gain 612 feet
©️ 2024 Scott Luria
The Ends of the Earth 