The Tetons in Autumn

A quick trip to Big Sky was needed to pick up all the ski gear we left there last spring. We may be needing this gear in Colorado well before the holidays. What a horrible chore to HAVE to drive through the Tetons in autumn.

I have never visited this area during the month of September and I was looking forward to seeing some nice color. As it turns out, we were probably a week or two early to see peak color but it was spectacular nonetheless.

On Thursday, Colin and I drove to Jackson, one of our favorite little towns in America. Colin did not have school on Friday and we wanted to make the most of our 3-day weekend. On Friday morning, we woke up at 5:15am (crazy photographer's hours), slammed a quick breakfast in the hotel lobby, and drove in the dark to wait for sunrise at the famous Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park.

A billion photos have been taken from this location as it perfectly reflects Mount Moran in the Snake River. It was in the low 40s I'd say when we set up the tripods with about 25 other photographers in the know. I knew it was going to be a good day when I opened the car door and the first thing I heard was the bugling of a bull elk a couple hundred yards away!!! This is another major reason people flock to the Greater Yellowstone area in the fall.

I've heard the odd elk bugle on TV shows many times but there is nothing like hearing it in person. It sends shivers down your spine! We watched a couple bull elks in the distance prance around a harem of cow elk. What a ritual...

Anyway, here is our sunrise scene at Oxbow Bend:

After watching the sunrise at the Bend, we headed back south again to check out another well known vantage point for fall colors in the Tetons - Schwabacher's Landing.

On the way, we just had to pull over to snap a few shots of the range. This shot shows Colin hard at work, looking small in this massive view.

On to Schwabacher's Landing...

As we walked toward the water to find a good place to set up, Colin spotted two bald eagles chasing each other through the trees just above the water. Unfortunately, our cameras weren't ready for the action but it was a magical moment that I will remember for a long time.