🎶 It’s o’dark thirty when the alarm rings. Ken’s rings to the right of the bed and mine to the left where we are snug and warm. I crack my eyes open first, give him an elbow to the ribs and say “let’s get this show on the road.” It’s our first day to visit Grand Teton National Park and we are as excited as kids on Christmas morning.
Load up
The plan for today is a sunrise hike on the Snake River at Schwabacher’s Landing. The promise, from reviews, is the hike will provide stunning scenery and photos to treasure. It is cold. The temperature is 39 degrees. We shiver while loading Armadillo with hot coffee, water, protein bars, and backpacks.
The thought crosses my mind “Is it worth all this?” But the commitment is made and off we go, as Ken drives through the Teton Pass with it’s twists, turns and ten percent grades. Kaye sleeps and I nod in the back of Armadillo while we stay warm under the blanket Kaye thoughtfully provided.
Are we awake yet?
Twilight appears to silhouette the town when we arrive in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It looks like a fun place to explore but we push on, trying to reach the river before the sun peeks up over the mountains. Up, up the Jeep climbs, surrounded by the snowy peaks of Teton, Moran and Table mountains.
We keep our eyes open for wildlife as Armadillo rolls past the National Elk Refuge and are rewarded for our attentiveness. Five stately elk stand near the road. Two bucks hold enormous racks high on strong necks and appear like bronze statues. Zoom. We pass by too fast for a photo. Our memories will have to suffice.
Go time
We arrive at the parking area of the Schwabacher hike with little time to spare. The sun is moving up quickly and the parking lot is full. Full to overflowing. There is a collective groan in the Jeep.
Hurriedly everyone dons packs, grabs their poles and sets off. The river is crowded with early birds just like us. They too are there to capture, in photographs, some of the most beautiful scenery on earth.
We hike in, quickly snap some pictures and keep going. The trail follows a meandering creek. My hands are cold. My nose is cold. I keep hoping that walking a little more vigorously will make it better and it does. Eventually.
The reason we came
Soon the other photographers disappeared and then quiet and beauty surrounded us. Alone. Ken related that a review of this particular hike says not to bother going further than the first quarter mile. Nothing else is spectacular after that point. Au contraire. Nothing could be further from the truth but thank goodness others believed it.
It is the first foray into Grand Teton National Park for Ken and I. We hike quietly while soaking in the grandeur. I am reminded of early morning hunting trips with my Dad. Reminded of the peace and serenity a walk through the woods at sunrise brings to my soul.
Always grateful
These times remind me of how grateful I am to be here and experience this wonderful world. We hiked along the creek to its conclusion at the main river course then returned on our same route. The entire hike was filled with beautiful wildflowers spread across meadows and the towering snow-topped Tetons reflected in the mountain streams.
Upon our return, Ken and I along with Kaye and Tim, piled into the warm Jeep. The mood was happily exhausted in the car as we said goodbye and drove out of the park. A hearty breakfast on The Bunnery patio in Jackson Hole hit the spot after our early morning adventure.
RV life
Would I get up again at o’dark thirty for a sunrise hike? You betcha. I would and we did again the next day. Some things are worth the effort you have to put in.
Our RV life isn’t always easy either. We put in a lot of work to be here. It wasn’t easy to dispose of a lifetime collection of possessions or to know that we would not be near our first grand-baby. But. We. Are. And grateful.
We all get to choose our life and how it will play out. Fill yours with all the things that feed your soul.
Always grateful👫
Tips And Links
We choose to stay about an hour and a half away in Swan Valley because the prices were exorbitant in Jackson Hole. This was part of the necessity for getting up so early. There is a visitor center in Jackson Hole so plan to stop there for all your information before entering the park. If you do choose to stay closer, be aware that the Teton Pass has ten percent grades for quite a few miles, is very twisty and is not recommended for RVs. The best approach would be through Alpine to Jackson Hole. Also, there are acres and acres of free and gorgeous BLM lands that are available for camping along the Palisades Reservoir that runs through Swan Valley. The Schwabacher Landing hike is suitable for any age or ability but is not ADA accessible, however, stunning views are visible with little effort even from the parking area.