With the last day at hand we wondered to ourselves what to do. Not only were we exhausted, but we have explored an awful lot of area for winter conditions. We decided on two goals: one to make getting to the Flagg Ranch marker at the top of Grand Teton National Park and two a revisiting of the National Elk Refuge. The National Elk Refuge was a main locale for us as it was only within a mile or so from base and packed a ton of potential around Miller Butte. Flagg Ranch was a goal as we spend most of our time lower in the park.

The day started out with the National Elk Refuge. The skies looked dreary and dreadful. A huge cloud/snow type storm moved in making visibility not as well as you would hope. Driving alongside the butte we found a nice herd of big horn sheep who just happened to make their way down. At first I was excited to see them come within a decent distance to whip out the pre-extended tripod and begin shooting from the roadside. Two tourists with their cameras came up behind use and just willy nilly wandered along snapping without care to take any precaution from startling them. It amazes me as they have no concept of an animals being. Anyway, back to the moment. After a few minutes they got tired and left (thankfully!). I hung out there the whole time. This was a moment I wasn’t going to just piss away. At any moment things can change and boy did it. As I patiently just kept shooting breaking up my figure behind the tripod they moved closer. Closer to such a point I was a bit nervous, but I kept my nerve having trust in the big horns. Avoiding any rapid movements at all and trying to to stare or put off any aggressive vibes. I just sat still and watched the scene unfold in my viewfinder. They got to within leaping distance. It was such a good feeling that I had to sit back and just absorb for a few moments. That these animals did not find me to be a threat and were comfortable in my presence. That is not to say I didn’t walk away from the situation without some photographs.

The second part of the day included an event I hadn’t expected. Headed back we were coming out from near the Moran Junction and all of a sudden it shot from 26 degrees to zero degrees in a matter of minutes. Bringing with it this massive fog that covered everything. The whole valley was covered and you couldn’t see more then five feet in front of us. Driving conditions being what they were we naturally found a pull off and tried somehow to capture this amazing phenomena. It was also our first introduction to hoarfrost. Something new to us. Hoarfrost being when ice crystals form on top of ice crystals on top of ice crystals. We found this all over the snow, trees, you name it and it was covered. Really an amazing way to cap off the day. Now we just had to drive home with a goal of hitting nothing…(mission accomplished.)

Hoarfrost for breakfast? Youch.

“Yes?”

(insert musical notes here) Cletus the slack jawed yokel (and here)

Magpies abound. Between Ravens and Magpies they are the most abundant birds to be found in the area.

Hoarfrost sitting upfront of the view at Oxbow Bend.

Sudden fog formed in the distance during sunset after a sundrenched day on the frozen over Jackson Lake.

The view at sunset.

Hoarfrost on the snow! Made up front and center before the Grand Teton. Laying the Nikon D300 on the snow as a quick made tripod so I could crank aperature to f/32 made this shot possible. Having a battery grip takes the idea of water a little and moves it a bit farther from my mind, but with the seals it wasn’t much of a concern.