YELLOWSTONE'S WILD WORLD

On a whim I decided to make a quick trip down to Grand Teton National Park to photograph some moose and then go on into Jackson, WY to buy a few groceries.  Time was short and it was to be a quick trip – 24 there and 3 hours of driving each way.

Making such a quick trip seemed like a foolish choice, given the expense of getting down and back, but when I rounded the curve near the north end of Jackson Lake and saw the Grand Tetons stretched out before more, excitement tumbled into my pores.  A feeling of being home washed over me and I wondered – would this be the place that I finally come to when it is time to settle down?  I can’t imagine leaving Yellowstone but my fondness for the scenery of the Tetons never dies – in fact it grows with each visit.

As you know, I found moose and groceries.  But, what I have not mentioned yet, is that I went looking for something different to shoot.  Maybe not different as in no one ever goes there, but for me, a place I had never been.  And, so it was, early in the morning, after photographing some landscapes and bull elk between Signal Mountain and the park entrance, I found myself finally taking the turn that led me to the Chapel of Transfiguration.

But, before I had gotten that far, I had stopped to try and find some unusual places to photograph the Tetons at sunrise.  But, my experiment did not go so well as I could not get the clear view of the mountains with this creek in front.  And so I angled until just a bit of mountain poked through, with that special alpenglow – had to get some thing to show I was trying.

And then I wandered around a bit, looking for a better view with some interesting components.  There was not much time left with the alpenglow and so I decided on capturing the fence and the first light on the tree trunks, framing the mountains.  Not perfect but unusual and I kind of like that.

At the chapel, a big red bus had just pulled up and I did not want to try and experience this new place with a large crowd and so I busied myself with trying to capture the beginnings of the fall colors against the Teton mountain range.

Finally the bus left and I sort of photographed my way up to the door.  But, when I walked inside was when I quit breathing for there was the most breathtaking view.  At the end of the chapel is a huge picture window with an alter and cross in front of it.  Beyond was a grove of aspens I had just been photographing and even further beyond was the Tetons.  I had seen this view before, in someone’s photo, but did not know where it was.

For me, not knowing what I would find in this new place – the thrill of discovery was enchanting and my smile was covering my face.

The Chapel of the Transfiguration was built in Moose, Wy in 1925, predating the designation of Grand Teton National Park, for the purpose of serving the guests and employees of the dude ranches in that area so that they would not have to go into Jackson for services.