May 10, 2025
When I first planned out the trip I expected a short 1.25 hour drive between campgrounds. I did not realize that the direct route usually doesn’t open until mid-May due to weather conditions going through the higher passes. When I first arrived at Yellowstone I was given a list of closed roads and attractions, and put them on the map.
So a few times since my arrival I used multiple navigation apps to get my route from Madison Campground to Colter Bay RV Park and they all took me west and south through Jackson, WY, about 3.5 hours of driving. The drive went fine, and I actually got to see more of Jackson/Jackson Hole, which is really cute! I stopped by REI in Jackson to get some more warm weather hiking clothes since it felt like 80 during the day, but completely forgot I needed to get groceries too. So I ended up backtracking about 20 minutes to go get groceries before finally making it to Colter Bay around 5:00 PM. I also found out once I got here that the direct route MAY HAVE opened up this morning. Sigh. Honestly, I don’t know how much time it would have saved me with needing to get groceries, but still a little annoying to consider.
I truly hope I never become jaded to the amazing things we have access to and the ability to visit for a relatively small investment. Yellowstone was absolutely gorgeous, and I didn’t even get to see the full wild flower blooms, major parts of the park or all of the cool animals. Driving into Grand Teton was just plain humbling. Truly majestic to see the mountains along the Snake River. Fortunately I managed to keep the rubber side down, and pulled into my camping spot with electrical and water hookups – a luxury for sure! I took a quick 2 minute walk down to the shore of Lake Jackson and was once again floored by the whole experience. I could hear the ice bouncing off each other, only slightly spoiled by the other people who had the actual nerve to speak to each other and ruining the majesty (no, I’m not serious, well, not completely).
After staring like a fool for a few minutes I went back to the RV to fold laundry, make dinner and hopefully head back to the lake for the sun hitting the tops of the Tetons. Dinner was thai peanut chicken with rice and matchstick carrots. I have tons of the sauce left, so I suspect there will be multiple variations of this dish over the next few weeks. After dinner I was conflicted between having a hot chocolate or an Old Fashioned. Then I remembered I am an adult out on my own and I don’t actually need to decide…
So with that determined, I took my faithful mug back down to the lake. Unfortunately clouds moved in blocking my initial hope, but it really is hard to take a bad picture in places like this.
The plan is to be up early tomorrow for sunrise at Oxbow Bend and hopefully a hike up to Bradley and Taggart Lake – about 6 miles round trip.
May 11, 2025 – Mother’s Day Sunrise
As planned, I was awake in time to be the first person at Oxbow Bend, one of the highly recommended photo spots. There were some clouds to the east which was a nuisance, but still pretty impressive. I also stopped at Willow Meadow which had some better light but lacked the reflection.
Next was a stop for breakfast, though the generator is still inhabited by gremlins. Oh well. Digesting for a little now before heading out for my hike to Taggart and Bradley Lakes. Cheesy eggs, more of the monster cinnamon roll and hot chocolate.
May 11, 2025 – Hike and recovery
Has a nice long hike this morning, even though I didn’t get quite to the lake I was aiming for. The weather was incredibly, about 50 and sunny to start out, getting just a bit warmer as the morning went on. I made it about 75% of the way to Bradley Lake, and had a great view of Taggart Lake below, unfortunately the snow started piling up and I want confident in just winging it on my own, so I turned around and headed back to walk along the shore of Lake Taggart to see of that way up was any better. You can’t really tell by the picture, but the snow was about 3 feet deep for extended periods, and with the changes in terrain and slope being impossible to determine it just seemed to risky for me.
The path along Lake Taggart meandered through a dense pine forest, which provided enough shade for there to also be a pretty thorough snow cover, but at least it was flat and well traveled, so much easier to follow if not so easy to walk on. But I was able to make it back above Lake Taggart and tried to push my way to Lake Bradley as the trails merged above the sketchy part I that turned me around. I also met a few groups that kept going and were coming down, so it was clearly passable. So I pushed on the try to get to Lake Bradley. I made it about another.3 miles, being more confident walking in the snow, but eventually decided again the risks weren’t worth it. Also, I stopped to put on more sunscreen and within 5 minutes clouds started cresting the mountains. So I turned back again.
I was caught in some light rain on the way down but had my rain jacket, so no problem there. I ended up doing just under 8 miles with about 1,400’ elevation gain. I estimate about 2.5 of those miles was done on top of snow, which is both tiring and challenging on the knees with feet tending to slide out in weird directions. It was a very nice hike, but I was glad to get back to the RV as just a few minutes later the rain really moved it, lasting munch of the drive back to camp.
I made a cold lunch, then decided to do something different and switched the table into bed format and doze off for a bit. I woke up to a weather alert, wind, rain and thunder. I thoroughly enjoyed it, though it only lasted about 20 minutes.
Now I suppose I will try to be productive, in a sedate way, as I think the hike was enough physical activity for now.
I just got back from a walk to the lake and was lucky enough to see a young couple take a quick swim. I was calling the lunatics in my head, but remembered I did the Polar Bear Plunge at Bradford Beach in Milwaukee (probably 1992) when the air temp was single digits. To be fair I was probably a lunatic for doing it back then as well. I’m the one in the Miami Diving t-shirt in case you didn’t recognize me with hair, and 30 years younger…
May 12, 2025 – sleeping in and the long walk
I decided I just wasn’t up for another sunrise adventure, so I slept in. Until 6:45, which honestly felt pretty glorious. I did take stroll down to the beach to see what that looked like – wasn’t disappointed!
Then it was time to figure out what to do for the day. I decided to try for another long hike since tomorrow will have a fair bit of driving. My target was 9 miles around Emma Madeline Lake, but once again the remnant snow banks had other plans. After about 1.5 miles of fighting through deeper and deeper snow banks and becoming increasingly fatigued, I decided to turn back and try another route. I did see a bald eagle take off from a nearby tree, stumbled across a rather large bone and saw a couple of ruffed grouse during that leg of the trip. I didn’t know what the grouse was at the time, but it became clear later on.
Anyway, I made it to the trail that leads up to Two Ocean Lake, which mostly winds through Aspen groves and meadows, with no snow! There was a lot of runoff from the melting snow, but my On waterproof boots handled with well. There were tons of tracks, deer and raccoon(?), but no signs of animals for almost the rest of the hike. I did repeatedly hear what sounded like a generator trying to start up – I figured I was suffering trauma from the RV issues. Turns out that is the sound of the ruffed grouse. So I almost make it up to Two Oceans Lake, but the trail heads back into the pines and the snow starts piling up again. Nope. Can barely feel my legs as it is, not going through that again!
So I pull out my trekking poles and begin the hike back to the RV. Mostly quiet on the way down other than several grouse calls. I did get a nice view of Emma Madeline Lake, so that was nice.
Then, with only about 300 yds to go, I finally see my first mammal of the hike. The cutest coyote! They were far enough away I couldn’t get a great shot, which is fine with me and even better as far as Leah is concerned. And as my sister reminded me today “look but no touch!”
After that I drove up and down the park, and recorded what I am sure will only get exponentially worse as the season starts to peak. I mentioned a grizzly spotting yesterday, and today there were a dozen or more vehicles parked on the side of the main road just waiting/hoping the bears come back. People had chairs, tripods and monster camera lenses lol set up for the possibility of that one shot.
This happens regularly around bodies of water as well – see my earlier post in Yellowstone about the birder menace 😜. After driving around I headed back to the camp around 4:30. This site had full hookups, so I took as luxurious a shower as possible with a 6 gallon water heater and a shower the size of a phone booth. It was nice though. Boring dinner of rice, ground turkey, carrots and guacamole, and I plan on another fortified hot chocolate. I am taking suggestions for my nickname for the drink. My first idea of The Yellow Teton after the two parks doesn’t have quite the feel I was going for. 🤔
That climb out of the balcony house, along the cliff is a hell no for me! Good thing you went…
Eeeewww
I’m pretty sure that you felt a kinship with that raven in your story. LOL
That has crossed my mind. I also have plenty of wall space in my study, so I am considering an…
Travel with Sherpa 
As long as you don’t look down, look back, or think about it, it is totally fine 😜