Women Travel
Set your life on fire,
Seek those who fan your flames
Rumi
We are women planning trips to places of ancient mystery and power. Do you think this might be a good fit for you?
Travel with me!
Jackson Hole Wyoming
September 2019
Possibility
The first day is the best! All the research has been done, the packing complete, arrangements made and it’s time to fly. The mountains are the ultimate in ancient mystery and power dating back to the formation of the planet, the beginning of the space time continuum, as close as we can get to a higher power and true appreciation of scale and relative importance. A spiritual cleanse to allow space.
Timeline:
Grand Tetons 9 million years old
First Paleo Indians - 11,000 years ago
1810 first trappers
1829 David E Jackson first trapping ground
1872 Jackson Hole and Tetons mapped by Haydn survey
1950s US government took land for National Park
2019 pristine, beautifully maintained, accessible park, 3.49 million visitors in 2018, 22,410 visitors/day in September 2019
Scale
Approaching Jackson Hole by air we get an appreciation of the enormity of the scale. The airport is unique— immaculate, dramatic design, the only airport located in a national park, designed to meld with the surroundings, the beginning of a full immersion art experience.
Driving out on the highway down the valley is another experience of scale, few vehicles and dramatic peaks over 12000 feet. It’s a spectacular 9 mile drive to the town of Jackson Hole.
Hotel Jackson
We checked into the Hotel Jackson, a modern, boutique hotel—immaculate rooms in soothing neutral tones, big windows looking toward the ski hill, window seat, fireplace, white bed, Nespresso maker, refrigerator, spacious bathroom. Exceptional service—valet parking first encounter with mindset of inhabitants—they are happy and grateful, clean and direct, feel privileged to live and work in Jackson and want to share their amazing luck with you.
The Hotel Jackson restaurant opens at 7:00 AM and we made arrangements with the chef to have our breakfast of three eggs, avocado and berries ready for us at 7. They obligingly heated up the bone broth we had shipped ahead, service!
Scouting the town
We began our treasure hunt immediately, walking to the National Park visitor center to pick up our pass and obligatory bear spray. We did see some bear poop one day, but no bears. (Our guide on the last day shared that she had lived in the area for 20 years and had never used or heard of anyone using their bear spray). On the way back we passed a gallery with a stunning photo of an owl, sharp, lovely lighting, unforgettable. The essence of the creature. How will treasure present? “What you seek is seeking you”, Rumi. The image stayed in my brain, refusing to leave, an expression of a soul. We went back when the gallery was open, but it was too soon to know what was really there.
Snake River Grill
We had 5:30 PM reservations for dinner every night at the Snake River Grill. When the restaurant opened, well heeled (literally) tourists crowded the steps and then poured into the restaurant to sit in the back at the bar. We had lovely outdoor seats at a table with a white tablecloth and unlimited Topo Chico and lime. The restaurant offers a diverse, fresh, clean, menu with all the elements of a perfect meal. The servers listened carefully to what we wanted and brought it, even if it wasn’t exactly as written on the menu. One night we tried a beautiful tier of green onion rings.
Grand Tetons National Park
Each morning we headed out early, right after breakfast, as close to 7:00 AM as we could get. With over 20,000 visitors/day the park would be crowded and we wanted to get a parking place. We were again struck by scale. It was a 45 minute drive to our first hiking destination, Phelps lake. Our goal was to have a fun hike, seeing as few other hikers as possible. There was a parking lot manager and a beautiful park building, reminiscent of an upscale lodge, staffed by a crowd of enthusiastic rangers. First stop, really nice, clean, bathrooms. The parking lot was filling quickly, time to get moving. We set out on the beautifully maintained trail to the lake, passing a sign about river snot (brown algae spread by feet). We saw pile of bear poop and other hikers with bear spray, no bear. Lunch on beach near the trail, trees, rocks, HP was up there, but higher. Got his picture though. Ate our salmon and plantain chips. Had a plan to get avocados at market - didn’t happen.
We had the same schedule other days, visiting Jenny Lake and Taggart Lake. The park is set up to get maximum experience with minimum effort, pristine forest steps from your car, many spots handicap accessible.
The last day we hired Jeanette of Hole Hikers to take us off trail outside the park. As rain was expected that day, we hiked across the valley from the Tetons on grassy rolling hills, a different perspective. The views of the Tetons were spectacular as was the flora. We didn’t see anyone while we were hiking, although there were campsites set up here and there. The area was unspoiled and didn’t have the crowd and staging of the park. Lovely in a different way. Jeanette is very knowledgeable and comfortable to be with, we had a great day.
You never know how it will appear
We had scoured the town, making sure that we’d seen everything and were just about to head back when we noticed an interior design shop that had been closed on our last visit. Right inside the door was a display of beautiful western style felt hats. We had happened upon Danna Burns-Shaw’s trunk show and Danna Burns-Shaw. I grew up in California and have sun-damaged fair skin so I always wear a hat, rain or shine. The hats spoke to me as Danna described wearing her hat on the trail in bad weather. I wear my charcoal grey cowboy hat every day, best hat I’ve ever had. It’s magic, turns me into my best self when I wear it, well worth the price.
Gallery Wild is owned and operated by wildlife painter Carrie Wild and her husband Jason Williams. Amongst the amazing art was a display of Spiritiles by Houston Llew of Atlanta. There I found a dragonfly with the Mary Oliver poem:
I want to be beautiful and improbable
afraid of nothing
as if I had wings
Mary Oliver
Returning to the owl
Saturday night, galleries were wide open serving homemade snacks and wine. Everyone was out, tourists and locals, decked in their finest western garb. We ended up at Mangelsen, Images of Nature. https://www.mangelsen.com/silent-hunter-1705.html
The gallery houses the work of Thomas D. Mangelson, an amazing demonstration of technical skill, artistry and love. Many of the wildlife shots must have taken hours of planning, studying the creatures and their habits. He had to watch and wait, sometimes in the snow, to capture the soul of the creature with beautiful lighting.. The druid wolf pack spoke to me, a stunning photo of a wolf pack running full tilt on the hunt tails out, determined and focused, a beautiful snow covered tree lit by dawn light in the foreground. The artist’s gratitude, love, and respect for wildlife and nature so evident.
The real treasure
The real treasure in JH is the gratitude of the inhabitants for the opportunity to live so close to the ancient mystery and power of the Grand Tetons and the sharing with my friend.
A friend is someone you walk with, and talk with — or don’t talk, just be. Someone to share dreams and reflections, sharing brings more ideas and dreams. You get in and out of trouble together, knowing that you can. A friend hears you and is heard.
This is who you travel with.
