Weekend at Targhee

Two nights at the annual Bluegrass Festival at Grand Targhee Resort in Alta, Wyo., is a new thing for me. Great music, great company, great camping.

The little tent pictured below is the one I slept in. And that group of tents is the "community" that sprang up for the duration of the festival. Given the close proximity of one tent to another, I was pleasantly surprised at how civilized and considerate everyone was of their neighbors.

Volunteered at Snow King Hill Climb

Since I volunteered at a mountain bike race a month ago, it's probably stretching things to call volunteering at the Snow King Hill Climb today a "new thing." But it was my first time, so I think it qualifies.
Although the course is only 2.3 miles long, this is a foot race I'll never try. Runners start at the Town Square in downtown Jackson head towards Snow King. That part is a flat half mile, easy enough. But then it climbs 1.8 steep miles over alpine terrain and switchbacks, a path I don't find easy even just walking. I helped other parks and rec employees at the finish line up top, recording racers' bib numbers and times. Wish I could say I'd run the race, but volunteering counts for something, too, especially when it involves getting out of bed at 6 a.m. on a Saturday.

Attended an AMK Ranch talk

Mount Moran is my favorite peak in the Teton range. It was a cloudy evening when I took this picture, but the scene was so beautiful I couldn't resist.

I passed it on the way back from a science talk on "fluidity in gender" at AMK Ranch in Grand Teton National Park. The talks are held every Thursday for eight weeks every summer. For years I've wanted to go and finally did.

I didn't bring my camera to the talk, so I didn't get shots of the ranch.

This herd of cow elk and their young were hanging out near Leeks Marina in the park In a month, the bull elk will be herding them into harems for mating. For now the cows can just eat, relax and enjoy summer.