Mid-June Update

Lake Creek Trail, LSR Preserve, GRTE

We're more or less getting into the swing of things. Lots to remember, but we're getting there.  Getting use to working the parking lot. Of the three days per week we volunteer, I tend to be roving on two of them.  That keeps you real active when you rove and work the parking lot on the same day!

Been hot for this time of year - high 70s/low 80s.  Aspen are leafed out. Pines and firs are in full pollen mode.  You can see the pollen as it blows across the trails, roads - even when in the forest. It's all a pretty landscape, though. Strange as it sounds, we'll drop below freezing Monday night. Maybe even Tuesday night.  We're told we'll be back to normal by late next week.

For those of you that haven't heard, the Teton Pass had a big collapse Friday night, the 7th of June. the road had started to develop major cracks a couple of days earlier and was temporarily closed to fix those. A day or so later, a mudslide closed the pass. The full collapse came a day later. After a late snow event the last part of May, the hot temps created a rapid snow melt that took out the pass. The biggest impact is the extra long commute it created for a lot of Jackson workers who commute from western Idaho. A temp road is expected over the next few weeks with a full repair late this year.

In other news, as I've mentioned in previous posts our truck likes to throw the check engine light almost every year we arrive in Jackson Hole. Turns out this one was persistent. Turns out that the mass air sensor was out of tolerance. A reprogram of the PCM seems to be the solution.  Check engine light hasn't returned since, and it's had plenty of time to do so. We think it'll hold.

Anyway, that catches you up with us.  Thanks for dropping by and checking on us. We'll post more later, David

June Update

Grand Cathedral as seen from the Teton Science Center, Kelly, WY

I always thought the four letter acronym for Grand Teton National Park was GTNP.  Turns out it's GRTE.  Who knew? (OK, besides people who work here!)

Newbie training is over. Now we really learn about the park (or backstage magic as I like to call it). Big park. Huge staff - though I'm confident they could use more. Probably close to 400 people when you include volunteer staff. (We were told, but I didn't write it down.) Then there's the concessionaires. The employee loop in Gros Ventre Campground isn't full at this time, but we're told it'll be full by July. Thankfully, everyone wears name tags so I can remember people's' names!

We've gotten snowed on twice since arriving with the last one requiring some time to clean it all off the truck. Morning low temps are now trending above freezing each morning. Idaho Falls weather staff indicate our highs may reach the high 70s later this week. 

Aspen are leafing out. Cottonwoods are leafing out. I expect the cottonwood "snow" at any time. We haven't seen any large wildlife, yet.  It's gotta be around here as each morning we leave there's several wildlife tours parked along the road with field telescopes and binoculars all in use.

Interesting how things work.  With the exception of 2023, during every season we've spent in Jackson Hole our truck has presented a check engine light in May after our arrival. Usually it goes out in a week or so.  This year it held true to form.  Arrive May 17th, truck presents the checking light on the way home on May 20th. During the week it cleared once and return about 5 minutes later.  Yesterday, June 1st - as if on queue - the light goes out and stayed out the whole day. We'll see what today brings!

That brings you up to date on us.  Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us! Hopefully, we'll have something exciting to post about next time, David