Our final destination for the day is a return to the Grand Prismatic Spring. This time we hike in from the back side for access to a higher vantage point. What I thought would be a quick 10 minute hike up a small hill turned into a one hour major climbing adventure that lasted for an hour. From the top of the easy hill I could see a higher peak with an even better view. Twenty minutes later from that summit I could see an even higher and more advantageous peak. Using my tripod as a walking stick and mustering every bit of strength I had left, I was able to reach what I feel is the ultimate location from which to photograph this spring. As I post this image, I think to myself that it was worth every ounce of effort. Jeanine, who was worrying about me while awaiting my return at the bottom, may have a different perspective.

A short hike to the Artist Paintpots reveals some of the most bizarre thermal features yet including bubbling cauldrons of various colors and sputtering mudpots. Although geysers are spectacular when they erupt, you have to wait around for them to do so. The features here are constantly doing something interesting.

We checked out the Upper and Lower Falls from both the North and South rims of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. We preferred the views from Artist Point on the South rim.

Continuing counter-clockwise around the Grand Loop we come across a group of three River Otters frolicking in the Yellowstone River. A lady who was watching with us said she had been coming to the park for sixty years and never seen otters. We were as thrilled as she was to watch their antics as they wrestled with and tumbled over each other. After about a half an hour they retired to their den and we continued on our circuit.

Our next stop is the Mud Volcano area. Here I steel a kiss from my bride and capture our shadows in the rising sulfur mist. Credit to Jeanine for the idea for this photo.

Our success at locating wildlife in the Hayden Valley was limited to this lone coyote who was howling to his mate(s). Jeanine was speaking on the phone with Maya at the time and she was able to hear the call of the coyote clear back in Concord.

This morning we break camp before dawn and start driving towards the Hayden Valley, from my prior visit, a great location for wildlife observation. We witness a delightful sunrise over Yellowstone Lake as we approach Bridge Bay.

As the sun sets we spot a very nice bull elk on our way back to Grant Village. Our campsite is located near a large concentration of elk and we listen to their distinctive mating calls well into the early hours of the morning. Temperatures at night are in the low 30s making for perfect sleeping weather and we don’t bother to put the fly on the tent so we can enjoy the magnificent star field.

Our final destination for the day is the Grand Prismatic Spring. The colors are extraordinary but I am unsatisfied with the point of view. I locate a vantage point in the distant hills and make a mental note of the optimal shooting location. The perfect photo will have to wait for another day.

After returning to our car we drive from the GTNP to Yellowstone where we make camp at the Grant Village campground before continuing on to the Upper Geyser Basin. There we enjoy Old Faithful and a one hour walk before settling down to diner at the Old Faithful Inn.

Our return hike takes only 4 1/2 hours with a lunch break at this beautiful meadow. As we approach Jenny Lake we are delighted to learn that the boat shuttle people have decided to operate for an additional day since the weather is so nice. Although we were mentally prepared for that last 2 miles around the lake the boat ride was a very welcomed short cut.

As we begin our descent, our packs are a little lighter (less water and food) but our hike will be 2 miles longer because we will not have the benefit of the Lake Jenny boat shuttle. We are on the trail by 8AM and the weather once again is perfect.

Jeanine woke me up this morning insisting she heard a bear outside of our tent. After warming the bear repellent to ensure proper operation, I venture outside only to discover this bull moose, his mate, and their baby having breakfast next to the creek by which we are camped. As I approached for a better closeup, I made eye contact with the bull and decided that further advancement was ill-advised. The family continued to dine as Jeanine and I broke camp and had our own breakfast.

When we reached Lake Solitude at 5 PM we had it to ourselves and Jeanine now adopts its proper name. Without a tripod, we had to settle for pictures of each other but the evening light could not have been more beautiful. The day’s considerable efforts have all been worth the beauty and serenity of this destination. We sat back, had a light snack and just took it all in.

By 5:30 PM it was time to head back to our campsite to ensure that we did not run out of daylight. We made it back with 30 minutes to spare and were sound asleep by 7 PM.

When we reached the North Fork we made camp in one of the established campsites, took on a little food, and rested for a few moments before continuing on to Solitude Lake. To this point, Jeanine has alternatively referred to our planned destination as Sacrifice Lake or Suicide Lake, clearly reflecting a perspective distorted by her fear of bears and/or the weight of her pack. We set out at 4 PM to complete the last 4 miles of the day’s hiking with little more than our water and a camera making the final ascent to Lake Solitude much more agreeable.

It is not long before we spot this cute little Pika, actually a member of the rabbit family. Pika’s gather as much as 50 pounds of plants which they dry in the sun and store to last them through the winter months. Along the way we encounter several moose and have come to recognize their preferred habitats.

Along the trail we enjoy breathtaking views of Teewinot Mountain, Mount Owen, and snow capped Grand Teton through the fall foliage in peak color. During the summer months this trail is fairly crowded with day hikers but at this time of year when snow has usually set in we find very little traffic.

The first part of the climb is rather steep and takes us past Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point, the common destinations for most tourists who explore this trail. Our destination will require the better part of 8 hours to reach as we move slowly under the weight of our packs (Jeanine is carrying 30 pounds, I have 40) and the lack of oxygen at this altitude (Solitude Lake is at over 9,000 ft). Once we enter the main part of Cascade Canyon, the trail levels off following Cascade Creek and offers a variety of ecosystems along the way (dense Pole Pine forests, open meadows, and rock falls).

Our goal is to hike the Cascade Canyon trail to Lake Solitude and overnight along the North Fork trail where back country tent sites have been established. The total distance is 19 miles but we are happy to shave off 2 miles by taking the Jenny Lake boat shuttle in lieu of hiking around the lake. Today is the last day that the shuttle will run for the season and dictates our 10AM start time.

Our next stop is the Grand Teton Ranger’s Station at Moose Junction where we double-check forecasted weather conditions, obtain our backcountry camping permit, and sign out a bear-proof food canister (required for all food storage on overnight camping excursions).

Today we are on the road by 5:30 AM for what will be a very long day. We arrive at Oxbow Bend pre-dawn to enjoy sunrise on one of the most iconic views of the Grand Teton’s with the Snake River in the foreground. I experiment with many compositions and settled on this one as my favorite.

Comfortably settled in our cabin, we ventured out to the Antelope Flats area. It was not long before we found a herd of bison which eventually surrounded our rental car as they traversed the road were on. They were feet from the car. Shortly after this encounter, we located a herd of Pronghorn and finally as the light began to wane we spotted our first moose.

After picking up our rental car we checked in to the Rustic Inn at Jackson Hole where we settled into our log cabin. The weather was uncharacteristically warm for this time of year and the forecast is calling for no rain or snow during our stay.

Not too many airports feature an elk antler arch over the tarmac entry door. Elk shed their antlers each year which the local Boy Scouts collect and sell.

At 4:30 AM, Kyle drove Jeanine and I to the airport where we departed for a 5-night getaway in celebration of our twentieth wedding anniversary. It is also my 52nd birthday. We are traveling to Wyoming where we will enjoy equal measures of backcountry hiking/camping and rustic resort pampering. Pictured here are the Grand Teton’s with Jenny Lake in the foreground taken on final approach to the Jackson Hole airport.

I purchased a new 50L backpack for my upcoming backcountry hiking adventure with Jeanine. Maya is happy to model it for me despite the 40-pound load. Maya is no stranger to backpacking, having completed an 11-mile hike with a 10-pound load while attending Farm & Wilderness summer camp. She will be loaning her pack to Jeanine for the trip who will be carrying 30 pounds.

Maya is dressed for her first ballroom dance class. My father taught ballroom dancing to finance his PhD and met my mother doing so. They are still dancing well into their 80s. We hope Maya will enjoy ballroom as much as her grandparents and will continue the family tradition.

The older kids were much more reluctant to let me photograph them but a little perserverance paid big dividends. All photos of the event can be seen at this link (Mattson Block Party).

These photos are among my favorites of the younger kids.

This afternoon, we attended a neighborhood block party for the residents of Mattison Drive and all of its cul-de-sacs. Jeanine was central to reviving and coordinating this event. Despite the threat of rain and a slight drizzle towards the end the party was a great success. Kyle helped with setup, Nico was our DJ and put together a great playlist, Maya was generally helpful throughout, and I captured portraits of all the kids who attended and most of the adults.

Maya and teammate Emma both seeking to play a ball at midfield. It is not clear to me exactly what was going on but I thought the photo was entertaining enough to warrant posting. Earlier in the day my soccer team lost 0-2 against Medfield, a stronger team which deserved the victory. One of their goals was unearned and we did well to keep the score close. I played almost 75 minutes and for the first time in months was not plagued with knee pain. Their defense was very strong and I was afforded a single shot on net. I had to settle for a left footed, over the shoulder, full volley from outside the box which is to say a very low probability attempt. If we bring our best game on our home field when we play then again we have a chance at beating them.