Extra Jagged, Please

Thursday, 17 September 2009

Unposted Business

So, a couple of administrative things first.

You may remember that when I got to Glacier National Park, I mentioned that I took video of my "delicious" little motel cabin but did not have WiFi to post the clip? Well, I have done now so here's a link back to 11 September's entry.

Similarly, the following day I got footage of a Columbian Ground Squirrel. Here's where you can see that clip.

Road Trip Day 29

So, today I arrived, formally, at my 8th National Park, Grand Teton. I say "formally" as yesterday I drove along the edge of it in order to get from Yellowstone to my digs in Jackson.

Jackson, by the way, is just the tiniest bit tacky. A bit too much "Ye Olde Saloon and Art Gallery" and such like. It's the perfect base for visiting Grand Teton, but I wouldn't call the town a destination in itself.

Anyway, I drove through town and back into Grand Teton, this time taking the turn off for the visitor centre and main entrance. Here I presented my receipt from Yellowstone which is also valid for Grand Teton, a bargain. As ever at the National Parks I was issued with a map and newspaper. I have quite a good collection now.

Faulty

The Teton Mountain Range, of which the highest peak is Grand Teton, is around 50 miles long and was created by a fault in the earth's crust which means the mountain side of the fault is moving up while the valley floor sinks. The fault is still active today and ruptures in a massive earthquake every few thousand years. This activity means that the mountains are still growing and is preventing them from forming "foothills". The end result is that the mountains appear to be sticking straight out of the ground, rather than gradually ascending like most ranges.

On top of this current activity, the range has been subjected to repeated glaciations making the peaks extremely jagged and well, mountainy. Like this...

And this...

And they even look beautiful with something obscuring your view...

Moving On

As beautiful a park a Grand Teton is, especially with the day I was blessed with today, by the time I had driven alongside the range and paused a while at the lake it was time to move on.

I turned back through Jackson and southwards through Wyoming to Pinedale, my stay-over for the night.

As has so often been the case over my trip here, the journey became destination as the highway swept through more mountains, open plains and craggy outcrops.

Wyoming? Here's Why.

Pool and Hot Tub

I spent just a little more on the hotel tonight and have a lovely room in a smart hotel with a little indoor pool and hot tub, both of which I've made use of this evening.

Tomorrow, I hit the road and drive as far as I feel comfortable doing aiming to get as close to Rocky Mountain National Park, my destination for Saturday before staying in Denver for the weekend. But that is the future. For now...

Goodnight.

View Driving Day 29 in a larger map

Stats - Day Fifty-Five

Distance travelled - 75 miles - Jackson to Pinedale WY, with a day in Grand Teton.

State count - 21 + DC + B.C.

Room numbers stayed in - 203, 1, 148, 212, 205, 210, 246, 118, 3, 145, 229, 111, 207, 206, 40, 605, "Cowboy", 35, 11, 18, 262, 216.