Dog Days of Summer

Cascade Canyon, Jenny Lake GTNP

I once heard the Dog Days of Summer were defined as July 3rd through August 11th of each year.  Everyone one out in this part of the country is kinda getting tired of 'em.  However, some of the area - especially the Jackson Hole area - is getting a little break as we're finally getting some of the Southwest's monsoonal rains this weekend and into next week.  We've still got smoke from the west, though.

We're fine.  Mask mandates for all are back in place at the federal buildings beginning this past Thursday. Teton County has recommended masks mandate while indoors for all businesses and for employees.  We'll see how it affects dining in.  I guess too many of us vaccinated people were giving unvaccinated people Covid.

In other news, diesel has gone from $3.289/gal to $3.989/gal - a 21% increase.  Regular gas is $3.949/gal.

We also met Randy & Shirley in Idaho Falls this past week for lunch and a visit to a cookie store.  They're volunteering at a national recreation area near Stanley, ID.  This was our first visit to Idaho Falls.  It's a pretty drive from here to Idaho Falls (and back) as you go along the Snake River. We're going to have to go back and stop at the rest area near Idaho Falls and take some pictures.

So that gets everyone up to date.  I've put some pictures of today's walk along String and Jenny Lakes.  We started out fogged in, but it lifted and gave us a great view of the Tetons.  I hope you enjoy them.  Everyone be safe out there.  David

 

Mid-month Update

Grand Teton Natl Park

A quick update just to let everyone know we're fine.  We're pretty much into a routine as we've reached our halfway point of this year's volunteer stint.  The pictures here are the last of the "pretty" pics as the wildfire smoke from the west has arrived.  There are days when we can't make out Sleeping Indian Mountain (Sheep's Mountain) across from the hatchery due to the thickness of the smoke and the bouncing (refracting?) of sunlight within the smoke.  Just not a pretty area any more.

Seems like everyone is having a weird year when we watch the national weather.  I noticed that Voyageurs Natl Park was getting into the 90s.  That's stifling hot for that part of the country, and their park rangers are probably dying in the wool uniforms they wear.  For the Jackson Hole area where we're at this summer, it's gotten hotter faster which sucked the moisture out of the soil which requires more irrigation water in Idaho which is resulting in lower (and lowering) lakes along the snake river.  

When we first arrived here for the summer of 2018, I laughed at the thought that Jackson Lake (now located in Grand Teton Natl Park) had it's dam installed (before becoming a national park) by justifying it as a source of irrigation water for the state of Idaho.  If I heard a local Idaho Falls news reporter correctly last week (and this is a big "if"), it's expected that Jackson Lake would be as low at 15% of full capacity by fall.  (The lake was 95% of capacity when Doug and Stephanie were here.)  Going to have to get a picture of Jackson Lake if it gets that low! 

Well, that gets you up to date with us.  Hope everyone is doing well.  Thanks for dropping by.  David

Jenny Lake, Grand Teton NP

Jenny Lake, Grand Teton NP