Jackson Hole Community 2018

The sun is setting on our season here at the Jackson National Fish Hatchery.  We've had a great time, some great visits, some surprising visits (all greatly appreciated!), and just generally learning the Jackson Hole area.  We hope to be back soon.

In the meantime, I'd though I'd pass along some of my thoughts about this Jackson Hole "Community".  I picked up this word "community" in a recent financial article I read.  The article discussed the "gentrification" - a word I obviously had an incorrect definition of - throughout the coastal cities of the U.S.  I found that "gentrification" actually meant the influx of wealth displacing poorer residents.  Personally, I though "gentrification" meant the "graying" of an area - older residents moving in and displacing younger residents.  I probably should "google " such words more often!

Anyway, what area do you think has the highest level of "gentrification" in the U.S.?  Personally, I'd picked cities in the silicon valley.  Nope.  Winner was the Jackson Hole Community.  Not surprising, but I was impressed with the use of the word "community" in that article.  While I'm not a resident here, you can clearly pick up from locals that this "gentrification" is an issue.  And it appears it'll be an issue this coming October election.  So with the these two paragraphs as background, I hope you find my comments useful if not humorous and, in a hopefully likely event, useful for a future visit:

- Jackson Hole refers to the valley between the Teton and Gros Ventre mountain ranges.  The only things truly titled Jackson Hole are the airport and the local visitor center.  Otherwise, the town is Jackson (Wyoming).

- Jackson, WY is a tourist trap - and it's good at it.  Friendly little town, nice to walk around.  Two-star hotels go for about $300/night.  A typical $25 lunch goes for about $40.  Watch out for the tourist:  they turn their brains off when they are here.  Californians apparently think it takes two parking spaces to properly park their Prius.  And, no, your $100,000 Porsche - without a handicap tag or sign - does not automatically give you the right to park in an official-vehicle-only parking lot's only handicapped space.  The Fish Hatchery and Elk Refuge really, really frown on such actions!  ("So just where do you want us to park our car?" they asked so angrily.  Donna, "Gee, I don't know.  How about the visitor parking lot where there's plenty of space and not in a handicap space?" or something to that effect...OK, more likely something to that effect.  But you get my meaning.  BTW: I had the fun job of trying to calm the guy's wife down.)  Oh, and guess what?  California plates!

- Continuing my rant on Californians:  No they're not going to build a covered walkway from the visitors parking lot down to the hatchery to keep you out of the sun.  It's Wyoming.

(OK, I've unfairly picked on Californians, but you guys made it sooooooo easy!)

- When you plan your trip to the Jackson Hole "Community" in July, just remember:  everyone else is here, too.  Even people from Alaska.  I don't know what this area has that they don't have in Alaska, but Alaskans do visit here, too.

- Wildfire smoke season is mid-July through at least Labor Day.  If you can get here before then, do so.  The air is so clear that Donna and I are sure those Tetons are fake - someone painted them there!

- I complain relentlessly about Verizon Wireless service just about everywhere we go.  Jackson Hole was the first area that I'd been in that would give us 4G/LTE, 3-5 bar signal service, yet have absolutely no data transfer.

- If you come here and expect to visit the Grand Tetons for one day and Yellowstone for one day, you're gonna spend an awful lot of time in your car.  Pretty drive, though!

- Don't try to eat breakfast at The Virginian on a Sunday morning.  They can fit you in a couple of hours after lunch.  There are bakeries near the town square that are just as full during the week.  All are worth eating at, though, and we highly recommend you try them if at all possible during your visit.

- Do carry bear spray when hiking along any trails in Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.  It amazing just how quickly and close you can come up on a bear without realizing it.  It can be the difference between a good story (with good wildlife photos) or an obituary.

- Don't try to fish without a proper license.  Game wardens have a strange habit of showing up if you start casting and don't have a license! (Probably good advice anywhere else you may want to fish, too.)

- For you folks who wisely choose a tour bur to visit the Grand Tetons: High heels don't work well on the hike up to Hidden Falls.

- Make it your bucket list to visit the Jackson Lake Lodge.  Just go.  Go upstairs to the lounge.  You'll understand when you get there.

- Rockefeller Preserve, Taggart Lake and Jenny Lake's south parking lots fill up quickly.  Get there early.  And don't treat it like a Walmart parking lot and keep circling thinking you'll get a closer space.  You won't.  Be prepared to sit in line and wait for a parking spot at Rockefeller Preserve.  Enjoy the scenery while you wait. 

- Lastly, we recommend that you pull fully off the side of the road while traveling on US 191 when stopping to view wildlife.  Yes, you're in the Grand Tetons Nat'l Park, but you're also on a US Highway.  Speed limit is 55 mph, not the 35- 45 mph speed limit you and I are use to in national parks.  Besides when's the last time you drove the speed limit on a US highway?  Guess what?  Neither is anyone else!  Remember: it could be the difference between great wildlife photos...or an obituary.

We'll probably be in Dubois, Wyoming this time next week.  Thanks for dropping by!  Until next week, David