Grand Teton National Park

June 12th, 2023

On June 4th, I hitched up the trailer and headed for the Gros Ventre campground, just north of Jackson in the Grand Teton National Park. This area along with Yellowstone and the surrounding national forests and wilderness areas are significant in my memories. I calculate that this is my 12th visit starting with the first in 1977.

I have never camped in Grand Teton. During all the previous trips, as I reserved lodging in Jackson. I recall, I stayed at the Elk Refuge Inn, just north of town back in the 70s at a price of $79 per night. That was pretty expensive back then, given my vacation budget and the fact that in those days I was a factory worker. Now, even the cheapest lodging will cost you $300 per night and the nicer places are $500 and up. Jackson Hole has become a rich peoples playground. But for camping, and because I am now an “old folk”, my nightly fee at Gros Ventre was $25. The only downside, is you have to make reservations for a site months ahead of time.

Most mornings I rose well before sunrise, so as to be at various scenic points as the sun rose and splashed the peaks with a pink glow. After taking a few photographs, I would hike one of the trails at the base of the peaks. I felt better than I have in months and problems faded from thought.

It turns out that this year of 2023, you may be able to get a campsite in the middle of the week a few days ahead of time, provided it is not peak season. How do I know this? My friends from Minnesota who were up in Montana visiting relatives, decided to come down and camp with me a couple of nights and were able to get the site right next to mine a couple of days prior to arrival. This was a great surprise and welcome development.

They arrived on Thursday, after I had been in the park for 4 days. While enjoying their company, I realized a significant thing about my feelings for this place. It is beautiful here with awesome landscapes, wildlife, and lakes and streams. But all of my best memories are related to the people who were with me while here. We experienced the grandeur together.

It was my wife Gail who accompanied me the first few years. We came often after backpacking trips outside the northwest entrance to Yellowstone in the Beartooth Wilderness. I was with a group of 8 in 1988 on a Nordic ski trip in Yellowstone. Later that same year four of us got together again to backpack in the Beartooth Mountains. That year is easily remembered, as it was the year of the Great Yellowstone Forest Fire, when large areas of the park burned, even threatening the iconic Old Faithful Inn.

Later, in the early 90s, a couple of my friends from work joined me on a backpacking excursion. Others from my time in Park City, Utah joined for fishing in 1992. After that there was a hiatus while I raised my two sons. But, in 2005, when they were 9 and 11 years old, they and my father travelled with me. It was a trip of three generations of Scott men. That was my last trip until now, as my son’s high school, sports seasons, and college education took precedence.

All of this I thought about as my friends left for Minnesota. Others have faded from my life. My father passed away in 2020 and my sons now have busy lives of their own with family, responsibilities, and jobs.

Two days ago, I travelled north again for a week in Yellowstone. I will write about it in a few days. Hopefully I can resurrect some enjoyment in that great place, but always there will be nostalgic memories of what once was.

Next up, bears, bison, and beautiful scenery…