wyoming

OLD WESTDiscovering the Pioneer Spir it of Wyoming

Last of the

Years ago a friend of mine spoke of a remotetown in Wyoming called Jackson Hole.She described it as a place of serenity, peaceand majestic mountains… this “little slice of apple pie you’d travel miles to eat.”Quaint and beautiful, it embodied theromance of the American West we have all come to cherish. “The stunning wildlife,the Old Western Town feel and thoseglorious mountains… oh, those mountains,”she had exclaimed.

O U T D O O R A D V E N T U R E

BY KAREN PASACRETA

■ The view of the Tetons from Taggert Lake in Grand Teton National Park takes the breath away. Photo © Ron Niebrugge / WildNatureImages.com

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hese thoughts nested in the back of my mind, knowing one day I would get

there. Nearly 10 years and many life changes later, I made some reservations,

gathered up my family and made the trek last year.

Jackson Hole lies deep in the valley of the Northwest Region of Wyoming with

Grand Teton Park. The “Hole,” as it is called, is 48 miles long and 8 to 15 miles

wide, and every element of fascinating landscape in between. The town of

Jackson sits at the southern end of the valley. I once read in a travel book that

traveling isn’t about the journey; it’s about the destination. My family and I

wanted both. So, we decided to spend our summer vacation driving, grabbing

as much of the American Western experience as we could.

ARE WE THERE YET?We flew into Salt Lake City, Utah, and braved the countryside with our 10-year-

old daughter staring out the rear window of the rental car. And what a drive it

was, climbing up and down and over and through mountains, hills and valleys.

The hues were amazing, especially when the sun struck and turned the carved

rock red, orange and yellow. We were mesmerized by all that was spread out

before us. A far cry from the salty New England air we lived

and breathed daily; we felt out of our element, yet excited

and exhilarated. We were experiencing something

completely new and different, something we

had only read about.

It was the outdoor adventure trip that

turned into much more than we

expected. It became a revelation. After

7 hours and 275 miles of winding

highway, few passing cars, two states

(Utah and Idaho) and several “are we

there yets?” later, we arrived at a

fabulous area bustling with outdoor

activity. People laced the streets, biking

with fishing poles on their backs and

tennis rackets under their arms. Kayaks

and inner tubes were strapped to

cartops… and stores everywhere called

out to us to attempt a white-river

rafting trip down Jackson’s

famed Snake River Canyon.

As we looked up from the valley,

we couldn’t help but draw in a deep

breath. We were finally here. That

majestic Teton Mountain range we

had heard so much about soared

straight up to the sky. Grand Teton,

the highest peak at 13,770 feet above

sea level, stared down at us.

TWhat could have seemed intimidating just fueled our curiosity and exhilaration.

We did what any self-respecting tourist would do: We headed right for the Visitor

Center to grab activity brochures and maps. With only eight days to explore this

outdoor wonderland, we didn’t want to miss anything.

HOLE IN THE MOUNTAINSIt’s hard to believe that prior to the 19th century, there were no written accounts of

Jackson Hole. Mountain men were enticed to explore the region after being

encouraged by the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1803 to 1806. Jackson Hole was

named for David E. Jackson, a partner in the Mountain Fur Company. Jackson

referred to the town as his very own remote “hole in the mountains.” The name

stuck. With the passage of the Homestead Act of 1862, settlers could acquire land

and the pioneers poured in. With a risky climate and a limited growing season for

farmers, however, many sold out. Those who stayed consolidated the lands into

sizeable ranches. Some still remain today and are open to visitors.

With incredibly warm days reaching into the 90s to the cool nights that sometimes

hit 40 degrees, clearly this town is a seasonal draw and transplants continue to pour

in. As of 2000, Jackson Hole boasted a year-round population of 8,647, increasing

by 52,000 in summer alone and by 5,000 in the winter.

LAST OF THE OLD WESTDowntown Jackson centers around the historic town square, a small patch of green

that welcomes you from all sides with artistically crafted arches made of real Elk

antlers. My daughter had pointed these out in the yards of some of the homes as we

made our way downtown. It seemed to replace the New England trellis one might

place as the gateway to a backyard. Here they were proudly displayed in the front –

some displayed last name monikers; others spoke for themselves.

We learned these arches were an important part of Jackson culture. Each spring,

thousands of wintering elk on the Teton Valley’s National Elk Refuge (a short

driving distance from downtown) shed their antlers before migrating to the

summer range. Every year the Boy Scouts of Jackson Hole harvest them in huge

quantities for an auction to bidders from all around the globe. They are expertly

crafted into furniture, light fixtures, decorations and jewelry.

From yesterday totoday, Jackson Hole

has always been aplace for people

to enjoy the“hometown” feel.

■ Historic barns of Mormon Row in Grand Teton National Park, where a number of Mormon families homesteaded in the late 1800s, are some of the mostphotographed sites in America. Photo by Stefano Amantini © Atlantide Phototravel / Corbis

■ Jackson Hole was originally namedJackson’s Hole for mountain manDavey Jackson. In those days,“hole” meant a high mountainvalley. Photos (right) © Ron Niebrugge /WildNatureImages.com and photo (below)© Jennifer Dunlop / Alamy

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■ Stagecoach rides (above) by the elk antler arch in downtown Jackson bring back another time. Photo © Ron Niebrugge / WildNatureImages.com Whitewaterrafting (right) down the Snake River is a not-to-be-missed experience in Wyoming.Photo © David R. Frazier Photolibrary, Inc. / Alamy

It was hours before anything came into view and

then... “Stop there!” My daughter noticed people

gathering their cars on the side of the road and

migrating like herds into the woods. “Shhhh…”

whispered an onlooker, barely able to contain his

excitement. “A moose is in the woods, just grazing.

It’s extraordinary!”

As we carefully followed the crowd, I got my camera

ready to zoom. Not more than 10 feet in front of us

was an oblivious bull moose having lunch. It felt like

an intrusion, like coming in without knocking. I

snapped a quick photo and we darted back to the

car, all three of us silent and stunned.

The auction, which takes place during the annual Elkfest, has been a

part of Jackson for over 40 years. More than 5,000 people gather

annually in the third week of May for a chili cook-off, live music and

good ’ol community fun. This precipitates Old West Days, a town

celebration held a week later. Now in its 27th year, Old West Days

delights with a parade, a brewfest, a wine festival, a town rodeo and

stagecoach rides.

IN THE WORLD’S FIRST NATIONAL PARKIt didn’t take long during our trip to realize we needn’t step back in

time to get a small taste for ourselves. After spending an impatient

afternoon waiting for a herd of bison to take notice of our car, we

decided all we could do was sit back and relax. We were the

inconvenience. The bison belonged to the land. As we pondered this,

the road opened up and just like that, the bison were off, and so were

we... to a new destination: Yellowstone National Park.

OF TIME AND THE RIVERWe couldn’t resist ending our trip on a high note –

taking a float ride down the Snake River Canyon.

We spent our last two days in Jackson enjoying the

river and all it had to offer. Originating in the high

country of Yellowstone, the Snake River meanders

through the valley, fed by the Ventre River, Flat

Creek and others. We floated down the tame end in

a large raft filled with about 10 people from all over

the world. Wanting us to see and experience it all,

our skilled guide instructed us to look straight

ahead. And right there sitting on a bank was the

very symbol that embodies America – the

American Bald Eagle. I had never seen one before.

Before our trip finished we would see nine more,

some on the banks and some in nests. It never

got old.

In the days that followed our trip we longed to

return to Jackson. Even now, a year later, Jackson

Hole is in our hearts and our minds like a friend far

away that you can’t wait to see again. ✵

To plan your own Wild West adventure,visit www.wyomingtourism.org on the Web or

call Wyoming Travel & Tourism at 1-800-225-5996 to order your guide to the Old West.

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