Ski hills abound around Jackson, where we stayed for two relaxing nights, but the grandest sight of all are the Grand Tetons. Shifting clouds allowed us and our visiting Aussies to see tops of peaks and, as we headed to Yellowstone a couple of days later, the whole range sparkled in sunshine. Fresh, pure white snow marked each ledge, crevice, glacier, and feature while blue sky outlined craggy tops.
Our drive, now northwards with long, winding Snake River positioned between us and that section of the Rockies for part of the way, was spectacular. Arriving at Yellowstone National Park, we saw snow a-plenty. Vehicles pulled out into the few available turnouts to take photos while “foreigners” tested their aim in throwing that cold wet stuff. Stories about the animals we saw on this trip are still to come, but I here divulge that buffalos still reign in that park. Stopping at Old Faithful was disappointing because of crass commercialism and crowds. We left before the geyser decided to spout and my brother did not go into the immense log inn that was the original structure and where our mother waitressed for a summer when she was 19.
All other sightings were as we’d hoped: sapphire blue, grass green, mustard yellow pools, some murky, others clear down and down, steamed, burbled and plopped. Sulphur fumes wafted through the air. A strong, chilly wind accompanied us that first afternoon as we traversed along boardwalks that took us safely above these and other other-worldly formations. Bare skin that felt cold one second was quickly, if briefly, warmed. Frustrated photographers waited for the wind to dispel the steam, but it wasn’t happening that day.
We left Wyoming and this park with its startling yellow and pink volcanic cliffs below Yellowstone Falls going through Mammoth Hot Springs with its (mammoth indeed) travertine sculptures at the park’s north-western boundary. Sunshine sparkled on pure white “frozen” flows, steps, and water dribbling over them. An elk grazed unconcernedly nearby.
Crossing the 45th parallel and Yellowstone River into Montana, we made a run towards the Canadian border. At Great Falls, we viewed Rainbow Falls which had so impressed Lewis and Clark, and were ourselves impressed by the way the Missouri River has been dammed to preserve the integrity of this wide, shallow waterfall. Our stay that night was in Blackfoot country where I cut short my evening stroll because the locals seemed bothered by my wanderings. Conversely, dogs totally ignored me. Unique “Road to the Sun” was not fully open but again the Rockies, mirrored in lakes within Glacier National Park, outdid themselves.
The weather began deteriorating soon after we reached Waterton Park, Alberta. It didn’t exactly improve while we were in the Canadian Rockies where the mountains around Canmore, Banff, Lakes Louise and Moraine played hide and seek in sun, cloud, and rain. The reflections in Emerald Lake were disturbed when a Japanese tourist jumped into the glacier-fed water from the bridge. “Honey,” a passer-by asked his lady friend, “would you be impressed if I did that?”. I didn’t hear her answer, but, since they continued walking away, I assumed he didn’t need to!
Eventually, still on schedule, we reached Kelowna for the mini-family reunion at our niece’s home. Sister Valerie arrived from Quesnel, taking George and Rose back there a few days later. Our month-long “incredible journey” together was over. Memorable moments emerge during conversations while photos bring others back in technicolor. I experimented, of course, taking some with my new phone. Now – how do I get them off?
