Yellowstone - Day 9

June 30, 2013... Waking up in Moran, WY at 5 am this morning was on our schedule.  It was quite cool and a bit damp.  We wanted to get some sunrise photos of the Tetons on the Snake River and headed out in the church van.  We stopped at several pull-outs and snapped away and then Gin got out her handy dandy guide book to see what else there was to see.

We read that there was a small cemetery at a particular location.  We looked and looked and couldn’t find it.   But we ran into a ranger and asked if he knew where it might be.  He gave us better directions than the book and it turned out it wasn’t where the book said anyway.  The park ranger also told us to be alert because a mama grizzly and her cub were seen quite often in the area recently.

 We headed to the cemetery of a family named Allen.  Charles Allen was a postmaster, and shopkeeper early settler of Jackson.  When he sold the land he insisted that the cemetery remain intact.  Someone still visits the graves because there appeared to be flowers that had been fairly recently.  But there obviously is not anyone doing any mowing because the place was run over with weeds, sage, and grass.  It was very disappointing and Western Township Cemetery groundskeepers would have a fit!  The old stones are wonderful to see.  One was even made from a piece of petrified wood!  It was awesome!

We did a very unhealthy and easy breakfast of doughnuts this morning.  We have been much better about eating well, but sluffed off today.  We were in a hurry to get on the road in our church van.  We headed to the Tetons and Jenny Lake which is nestled inside the mountain range.  While driving there we visited a beautiful log cabin Catholic Church along the road.  It faced the beautiful Tetons across a gorgeous blue lake.  Surprising to me, the church was open and we stepped inside to have a look around.   This beautiful log church holds two masses there each Sunday and I wish we had been there during mass time.  A gorgeous round stained glass is the centerpiece of the altar.  After our short visit I was happy to leave a small donation in their very sturdy donation box.

Part of our group chose to hike part of the way around it but Dan and I chose to take a boat cruise around.  Tim, Gin, Sierra, Sandy, and Dane took a boat half way across and from there hiked the final 3 ½ miles back to the beginning.

Dan and I hopped aboard a boat and cruised in comfort around Jenny Lake and learned so much about the lake and the area.  Jenny Lake is 259 feet deep and was a cool 55 degrees today.  Wouldn’t want to stay in very long!  It is a mountain run-off fed lake and there is a beautiful cascading waterfall that has dwindled to a small stream.  Our guide told us that just two weeks ago it was flowing so strongly that he could not take the boat in nearly as close as were today.  He pointed out the only glacier at Jenny Lake.  To be termed a glacier it has to be 100 feet thick and moving.  Gravity is constantly moving it downward.  There is still quite a lot of snow on the peaks and it certainly is beautiful!! 

We looked and looked for a mama bear and her cub that are often seen in a particular area that suffered a fire in 1999 because it is much shorter.  But we did not see her.  Our guide told us that he has seen both bears and moose swim across the lake.  He pointed out an osprey nest and shared that the osprey are better fishers than the eagles and sometimes the eagles will wait until the osprey have caught a fish and then they try to steal it and has watched them fight over it.

After Jenny Lake we headed to a cool spot for lunch.  In the shade of some trees we ate quickly and headed off to our home cabins.  We wanted to find Huckleberry Hot Springs that we had heard was in the area.  We suited up and headed to where we were told it was.  We found the small path and started to follow it.  Soon we saw a sign reminding us that this was a bear area and to take caution.  After quite a ways, we found the creek we were supposed to cross and followed the next path.  It was even further but finally found hot springs water flowing across the land.  Touching it, we knew that we could not possibly sit in it and headed back to Polecat Creek. 

We splashed and played in the creek while Dane and Sierra built a nice little rock dam.  But the days are not long enough here and we knew we had to get moving and make some supper.  Sandy made a delicious chicken and rice casserole and we had salad with it.  Around the campfire it was delicious for this starving group!

Now we find ourselves sitting at the fire and talking and I am writing my blog.  Soon it will be bedtime.  And let me tell you, I have never ever seen a darker place or heard more intense silence than here anywhere I have ever been!  This may be way too much info to share but I am going to anyway…Our campsite is the very last one in the campground and quite secluded.  Butting up next to it is forest that is occupied by moose, bears and other wild creatures.  There are lots of piles of moose (we think) poo in the trees next to us.  The bathroom and showers are quite far away and a pretty decent walk.  Now, back to telling more than I should…last night it was overcast and really, really, really  dark.  There are not any lights in the campground.  Not a very safe situation in my opinion.  But late night I had to piddle.  I was facing quite a dilemma…walk in the total dark far away to the bathroom or go round to back of the cabin and risk the bears and moose and other wild life.  What should I do?  I did not take the long hike.

Enough stories for tonight.  Hopefully, tomorrow I will have internet access again and catch up with the world.  Good night.