The contents of Joel's backpack

We fly to Salt Lake and stop at Promontory, UT on the way to the Tetons

These exact, working replicas of the original engines were built in the 70's

We were astonished at the colorful decoration of the trains -- something that is lost in old photographs

The old railroads employed "wipers" (underage boys) to keep these works of decorative art looking spiffy

We finally get to the trailhead for the west side of the Tetons, outside Driggs, ID

We climb up to an alpine basin, called the Alaska Basin, and pitch our tent

From there, we could day hike in multiple directions

Ramar of the Mountains

We day-hike up to one of three passes separating the Alaska Basin from the east, National Park, side of the Tetons

The vegetation gets sparse toward the pass...

...except where a stream cuts through

The pass named for old mountain man and trapper, Joe Meek

Our destination on the following day is another high pass, with Grand Teton peeking over the horizon

Technically, we are hiking in the Jedediah Smith Wilderness, in the Targhee National Forest, on the west border of Teton National Park

The high alpine scenery is alluring but we are experiencing it under ideal conditions

The presence of water works wonders in the dry environment

These are the best-marked network of trails we have enjoyed, outside Europe

It's cold and windy at the top

Jean stands at the pass, dwarfed by the dramatic topography

It's beautiful up here but you don't want to stay too long

A baby snow field

We descend to the more temperate zone

Thanks to a wet spring and early summer, we find lots of flowers in early September

We found the Gentian flowers particularly beautiful

Relaxing back in camp

Off again the following day for Hurricane Pass, the most direct route to the heart of the Tetons

Looking back at Meek Pass, across the Alaska Basin

The top of Grand Teton mountain appears beyond Hurricane Pass

The topographic drama unfolds -- the three Teton mountains

On the pass

The trail continues down the valley to the area where we will hike the following week, when we will enter from the National Park side

A classic glacial cirque, or basin lake, at the foot of a small glacier

Battleship Rock

Jean, way down the trail

The trail zig-zags down the mountain

Back into Alaska Basin

We made good time getting back to camp as we were chased by a storm

Our camp kitchen, a considerable distance from the tent, in deference to the bears

In grizzly territory, we stuff our food into a bear-proof barrel, rather than hanging it

We drive over Teton Pass to the east side of the range, administered as a national park

Up we go again, heading for Paintbrush Divide, in the heart of the Tetons

The trails are well-constructed and very well-maintained but still very steep

Our camp at Holly Lake, below the Paintbrush Divide

A sow bear checks out the campsites. Her two cubs scrambled along later.

The cylinder on my belt is pepper spray for bears

Hauling the pack is a way-different experience from day-hiking. In terms of pack vs. body weight, Jean has it worse.

A couple hikers ahead of us negotiate a snow field

This one's pretty easy

Hikers at Paintbrush Divide ahead of us

We push on, over the top and into the next drainage

Wouldn't want to be here in winter!

The trail goes in and out of snow fields

The three Tetons begin to emerge

Is it Switzerland or Wyoming?

Can't stop taking pictures

On the other side, we see Lake Solitude at the head of Cascade Valley

Looking back toward the pass as we descend

Cascade Valley is the classic "U" shaped valley sculpted by glaciers, a theory first promulgated by John Muir

Grand Teton is easy to spot but then it gets complicated

Whitebark Pine and Subalpine Fir, the dominant trees of the high country

A yellow-bellied marmot looks us over

Our camp in Cascade Valley. Could it be any better?

Typical view from our camp

Our kitchen, a five minute walk up the trail, where the Park Service had installed a locked, steel box for food storage

After all that hiking, we played tourist for a couple days and drove up to Yellowstone

This causes traffic jams

Papa Bison out for his morning constitutional where the walking is easiest. He gets a police escort.

Many of the animals in the Park are nonchalant about humans and their machines

The Old Faithful Inn

Jean remembers visiting here at age five

We love the rustic whimsy of this building!

Old hand-hewn benches lined up toward Old Faithful

The interior is even more complex

Tourists gather for Old Faithful's promised eruption

O.F. does it's thing

We found the geysers, super-heated pools and vents of the Upper Geyser field more interesting than O.F.

The pure blue color indicates very hot water in which no organisms can grow

The outer reaches of some pools are cooler, allowing for multi-colored growth

Cones build up over the centuries, often with ancient tree trunks in their centers

Our favorite, Morning Glory pool at the far (less crowded) end of the field

The name says it

We stayed a couple nights at a privately-owned converted ranch along Mormon Row, surrounded by national park.

Old out-buildings are converted to rooms. We had a "duplex" to ourselves.

Not a bad view!

We hear strange noises just beyond the fence

The local herd of bison meanders by

Our last day-hike, a short climb through aspen groves outside Jackson, WY

Six-foot thistles!

We stop at Mormon Square in Salt Lake before flying home

The illuminated Jesus in the north visitors' center watches over the square

The Zion Bank and the Mormon Temple

We listen to rehearsal for Sunday morning's broadcast from the Tabernacle