Jackson Hole Morning – Part 1

Once again, feeling grateful to have a job that takes me across the country and, occasionally, lands me in a great location to take some pictures.  This recent trip landed in Jackson Hole, Wyoming with a day off built into the schedule, a rare opportunity and certainly one not to squander. 

Winter in the Tetons is unpredictable at best.  An epic snowstorm does wonders for skiing but getting caught in the middle of one can quickly change a day of outdoor photography into an indoor day enjoying hot chocolate (which isn’t all bad).  Since the work schedule was set in advance, all I could do was hope for the best. 

The forecast for this day was cloudy overnight, clearing in the early morning hours.  The moon was forecast to rise at 5:05 am with about 21% illumination. This would bring enough light to illuminate the mountains without washing out the stars in the background.  The sun wasn’t forecast to rise until 7:40 so there was a small window of opportunity for some interesting night pictures.  I set the alarm for 4:30 hoping the clouds would clear enough to allow a shot of this magnificent mountain range, lit by the moon with a backdrop of stars.  Just hoped that the clouds wouldn’t get in the way. 

Being well hydrated when you go to bed is generally a good thing.  At this age, it often means waking up in the middle of the night for a trip to the little boy’s room…which happened to be at about 3:00.  Since I was up, why not go find out what the weather was doing.  I do chuckle realizing the whole idea of setting the alarm at 0430 on a day off is not for everyone.  Getting up at 0300 to wander around in the dark with single-digit temperatures in hopes the weather might allow some photo opportunities…I wasn’t expecting any company on this excursion! 😊

Many of the roads leading to the classic photo spots are snow-covered and closed so without snowshoes or skis, the plan was to just drive around and hope something interesting presents itself.  Driving north out of Jackson on Highway 191 towards Grand Teton NP was almost eerie.  In and out of the fog, I had to quickly stop to give way to a dozen, or so, elk crossing the highway.  In places, the fog went down to about 8 feet off the ground and it was clear below with a very distinct cloud line.  It felt like you could reach up and touch the clouds.  I was beginning to lose hope but as I traveled further north, the clouds began to clear with smaller areas of patchy low clouds and fog.  This was a good sign!

I clearly remember the first time I got a glimpse of a moonless night sky free from light pollution.  As you look up to see the billions of visible stars in our Milky Way galaxy you can’t help but feeling insignificant in respect to the awesome size of the universe around us.  As others have described, this feeling of insignificance is comforting in the sense that it puts life in perspective.  The things we worry about seem completely unimportant, at least at that moment.  I’ve been asked several times if it was scary, being alone out in the middle of nowhere, in the total darkness?  I must admit, there is a part of me that is aware of all those things we are taught to fear in the dark.  But, those feelings are completely overcome by the sense of calm when I look up and see the vast universe around us…being in the presence of God.

Since I was up so early, the moon was still below the horizon and the stars were out in their full glory.  I pulled over near Ox Bow Bend to, once again, enjoy the experience.

As moonrise approached, I moved to a spot inside the park to get close to the mountains.  The clouds were clearing, the sliver of moon began to appear on the eastern horizon and the distinctively rugged Teton mountains began to emerge!  Since I elected not to bring a tripod, the critical part was finding something solid to brace against and then hold the camera perfectly still for the 15-30 second exposures needed.  Obstacles to this process were cold fingers in the single-digit temps and I couldn’t push the button with gloves on, and how long I could hold my breath!  There was a bit of the “spray and pray” technique being used and a couple much needed trips back to the car to warm up.  Luckily, a few pictures worked out to capture the essence of the moment:

Note to self…bring a tripod next time.

Admittedly, the lack of sleep was starting to take its toll.  Sunrise was at 7:40, so I set my alarm for 7:20, found a nice quiet place (not hard to find) and took an hour nap in the car, waking up to start the new day.  The new day started well!

The morning was far from over.  After the sun came up, the experience took on a completely different character… Jackson Hole Morning – Part 2