Jackson Hole: One of the Earth's Great Wonders

Along with our daughter Jess, we just spent the past five days in and around Jackson, Wyoming. The primary purpose of our visit was to spend time with Mark's twin brother Ace, and Ace's wife Sallie and son Keaton, which was great. But you can't go to Jackson Hole without experiencing the fabulous surrounding areas, which are unique on this earth. Here's a sampling of what we were able to see and do:

• Teton Village - This is essentially an upscale ski resort, but it's accessible to the masses. We rode the Bridger Gondola all the way up to the top, which is a rise in elevation of several thousand feet. Up there, one can view the entire resort and valley below. There was still plenty of snow. Several restaurants are perched at the summit, along with shops and a snow sports school. Jess expressed interest in paragliding, so we booked her a flight for a couple of days hence as a 21st birthday present. Unfortunately, the flight was cancelled due to high winds. A major disappointment, but it gives us a new reason to return to Jackson Hole. Read more about Teton Village here.
  

• Grand Teton National Park - The Tetons are unlike any other mountain range. The awesome craggy peaks reach to the 13,000 foot level and have inspired painters and photographers for as long as there have been paint and cameras. We saw Jackson Lake, Jenny Lake, and (after a 1.6 mile hike each way) Taggart Lake. We also got to see a large herd of bison, up close.

• Gros Ventre - This is another fabulous area north of Jackson. We went in search of moose, but never got to see any. The Gros Ventre (roughly pronounced as "grow von") region features many lakes, rivers, elk, bighorn sheep, moose and deer, as well as many other types of wildlife.

• High School Butte - This is a steep hill in the middle of Jackson with a zig-zag trail going up the side. We hiked to the top, where the view is spectacular and you can see virtually the entire town on all sides.
  

We've now been to Jackson Hole in the middle of winter and late spring. We want to experience it in summer and fall also. There really is no place like it anywhere. Here is some more information about Jackson Hole. We will definitely be back.