wyoming | the mighty tetons

The Tetons are my favorite mountain range. It's possible that it's because they are the first "real" mountains I ever saw. (The Appalachians in my home state are beautiful...but just can't compete with the younger/taller/pointier mountain ranges out west!) But I think the Tetons are my favorite because they jut up out of the flat plain of Jackson Hole and command your attention. With such a flat surrounding landscape, it's impossible to keep your eyes (or camera) off them from the moment you land at the spectacular Jackson Hole Airport. (A third reason for my love of the Tetons may be that according to Wikipedia, early French Voyageurs called these mountains les trois tetons, which translates to "the three breasts." Snicker. (I was thirteen when I first visited the Tetons, and now 22 years later, I'm still thirteen...)

While the mountains in some other states are taller (Yes, we know you have 53 fourteeners, Colorado! And yes, you are a gorgeous state!), you don't comprehend the height of some of these peaks when you're already in a mountainous area. But BAM! the Tetons just jump right out of the ground, and that's what I love about them. Also, 97% of the land in Teton County belongs to the government, which means it's protected from development, so there are no shopping malls or suburban neighborhoods ruining the view. (It also means private land is extremely expensive - there goes my dream of owning a painting studio in Jackson!)

I also love that you have such a great view of the mountains even while driving around in the car. There's no destination or scenic overlook you have to reach for the best view of the Tetons - the view is all around you. While Larry and I love getting off the beaten path, it was nice that even the time we spent in the car was so incredibly scenic. Here are some photos taken while just driving around and occasionally pulling over to get some fresh air and a steady shot...













Speaking of geographical features shaped like human anatomy, one day we had a little time to kill before our next activity, so we drove up to the scenic overlook at Signal Mountain which is on the other side of the plain from the Teton Range to check out the view. There was a view of the Tetons, but there was also this:

We were immediately distracted from the majestic beauty of the natural landscape...and started snickering like schoolchildren. "Now THAT'S a reservoir tip!" we heard a man say, as a woman turned to her husband and said "What do you mean it looks like Venus...ohhhhhhhh!"

Evidently all human beings are thirteen years old at heart...