Sunrise
I tried Oxbow Bend for sunrise this morning, but with no clouds, it was a waste of time. The skies in the east were a bit hazy, and the warm, sunrise light never materialized. Jackson Lake was my second stop, but the lighting was no better there, and it was a very short stop.
Since the northern part of the park wasn't working, I drove down to the Cathedral Group Turnout. The mule ears were in bloom, and the light was very warm; almost to the point of looking fake. There still weren't any clouds, but it was a gorgeous morning otherwise, and the warm sun felt great.
Since the light was good and clouds were starting to flow into the valley, I drove to Mormon Row to shoot the Moulton barns. I had the entire area to myself, and the clouds created a wonderful contrast to the blues and greens of the landscape. It turned out to be one of the best shots at the Tetons this year. I explored an area of cottonwoods in a draw behind the barns. The trees provided framing for the Tetons, and lupine added foreground color. We're usually here in the fall, so the lush, spring growth is a real treat this year.
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After I returned to Ruby, I drove to the John Moulton barn in the northern section of Mormon Row. Clouds had filled the sky and the warming lighting was gone, but I didn't care because I found a family of ground squirrels living in front of the barn. There were six babies who stayed very close to the entrance of their burrow. Any hint of movement sent them diving for safety. They would pop-up, one-by-one, after a few seconds and return to eating the grasses around the hole. They were beyond cute and fascinating to watch.
As I was returning to camp, I stopped at Elk Ranch Flats to photograph a herd of bison in the meadow. They were intent on breakfast and didn't seem to notice the crowds along the fence.
After lunch, Carol, Shawn, Grace, Bella, Lilly, and I all piled into Ruby to explore Schwabacher Landing. We are normally here to shoot sunrise when the parking lot is packed and photographers are tripod-to-tripod taking photos. Today was a bit of a shock with only a couple of cars in the parking lot and the trails empty. Even in mid-afternoon light, Schwabacher Landing was gorgeous. The Tetons still had lots of snow on the peaks and the area around the pond was framed in deep, rich greens. The only thing missing was the reflections we normally have at sunrise.
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We enjoyed a covered-wagon ride and Western cookout at the BarT5 Ranch this evening. We met in Jackson, rode in a horse-drawn, covered wagon up to a camp in Cache Creek Canyon, and enjoyed dinner with a Western show for entertainment. The food was good and the jokes were corny. It was a gorgeous night and a fun way to spend the evening.
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