This slideshow requires JavaScript.

As I woke up this morning and looked out the window all I could see was stars!  Then I realized that today was the first day of winter.  As I laid in bed contemplating where I wanted to go this morning I realized that with clear skies I would have a nice shot of the Teton Range as the sun came up.  If you have never witnessed the early morning dawn in the Teton Range you are in for a treat.  These pics do not do justice to the beautiful scene that unfolds right in front of you.

I headed out early before light and got my much-needed companion, my coffee.  And once again headed north out-of-town, only this morning I was alone.  The elk hunt is still going on for a few more days so I chose a safe spot to watch the magic unfold.  Incredible!  I never get tired of seeing this.  As the dawn arrives you can start to make out the features of the Teton Range.  Then as the sun makes its way over the horizon it bathes the range with its warm glow.  Truly a beautiful morning!

I have also added a few shots from yesterday morning.  This past week has been a real treat for professional photographers (which I am not – obviously) but there has been almost 20 moose to choose from, males fighting, and 6 grizzly bears to view.  Two sows with their cubs.  Yesterday I finally got close enough to one to take the shot above – I wish I had a bigger lens but this is what I got.  She was digging around in the sage brush all the while keeping an eye on those who were watching her.

I have never seen grizzly bears this close to town before but this fall and now winter they are seen on almost a daily basis.  Griz in the wild is awesome to see.  In yesterday’s paper there was an interview with Tom Mengelsen  who is one of Jackson’s premier wildlife photographers, where he sat and watched the two mother sows fight over a fallen buffalo  while the cubs sat an waited for a victor.  These two sows were mother and daughter and mother apparently won.  National Geographic kind of stuff.  Come visit Jackson this winter and see some of what we share.