“October is a Dynamic Mix of Fall and Winter”

Monthly Overviews for JH / GTNP .

October 31st: Halloween Tuesday

Halloween in Maui 2014

Check out this Feature Post from our trip to Maui a few years back. Lahaina is famous for its huge Halloween event—drawing ghosts, goblins and all kinds of characters to the streets for a festive evening.

Mt. Moran: Taken at String Lake. Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Tripod.

Teewinot: Also taken at String Lake. Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Tripod.

Elk Group: Taken near the Potholes Turnout on the Teton Park Road (Inner Park Loop). Nikon D850 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Spruce, Pines and Mountains: Taken on the Teton Park Road (Inner Park Loop). Nikon D850 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Evening Moose: Last evening, I did a run up to Schwabacher Landing to look for active Beavers. I possibly left too soon, but never saw them. I did a loop looking for rumored Moose along Ditch Creek and the Science School Road, but didn’t see them either. I spotted a Moose along the GV and spent the last 15 minutes of light with him. It gave me a good opportunity to test out the high ISO capabilities of the D850. The image above was taken at ISO 1250. Nikon D850 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

• Current Road Closures: Spaulding Bay Road, RKO Road, BarBC Road, part of Mormon Row Road, part of the East Boundary Road, Signal Mtn. Summit Road.
• Upcoming Road Closures (beginning Nov. 1): Part of the Moose-Wilson Road, Inner Park Loop Road.

Remember…today is the last day to travel by vehicle down the Moose-Wilson Road and Inner Park Loop Road.

Hey!!! Please, do me a favor! Click this link: Facebook to Share this October Daily Updates page. Your friends can see what they have been missing in GTNP in October and help me spread the word about the wonderful things to do and see in Jackson Hole!

Click these popular pages:

• Winter in the Tetons: Tips for travel and photography.
• If I Had Only One Winter Day in the Tetons:
• A Trip to Jackson Hole
• “SHANE” — The Epic Western Movie Filmed in Jackson Hole

If you are interested in taking a One-On-One Photo Tour with me, click the links below! For inquiries, send an email to info@tetonimages.com. I have numerous openings in November, December & January. Now’s a great time to book excursions for December. Bighorns are often butting heads and Moose are often visible in the snow covered sage flats. Most bulls will still have antlers at that time.

October 30th: Monday

John Moulton Barn: Last night, the weather report called for mostly clear skies. This morning, just before I headed out, the weather report show all clear skies all day. It was mostly cloudy! I stopped at the Mormon Row barns to catch the colorful skies, and to try out the “Focus Shift” option on a Nikon D850. Those photos are downloading to my computer as I make this initial post for today. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-4000mm Lens, Tripod.

10 Shot Stack in D850: The ten images in this test project were exported out as JPGs into a single folder, then opened as 10 layers in Photoshop. After applying the Auto-Align command, the layered image was Auto-Blended. Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200mm  Lens, Handheld.

Fence Line: Following a few test images, I did another 10 shot stacked image. Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200mm  Lens, Handheld.

Badgers: Badgers have been busy digging at both of the Moulton Barns. Uinta Ground Squirrels stay underground roughly 7 months of the year, so the badgers have to dig them out. I’ve seen Badgers in the area on numerous occasions, but seldom during “business hours”.

I drove down the Moose-Wilson Road, probably for the last time until May of next year. It was quiet, and all of the orange cones have been removed. A large chunk of the road closes at 8:00 PM October 31st.

October 29th: Sunday

Current Road Closures: Spaulding Bay Road, RKO Road, BarBC Road, part of Mormon Row Road, part of the East Boundary Road, Signal Mtn. Summit Road.

Upcoming Road Closures (beginning Nov. 1): Part of the Moose-Wilson Road, Inner Park Loop Road.

Bull and Cow Pair: Another day out with the Nikon D850. This was captured along the Gros Ventre. Nikon D850 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Bull and Cow Pair: Nikon D850 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Bull Moose in Sagebrush: Nikon D850 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Nails: On the way home, I stopped the John Moulton Homestead for a few close-up shots. The D850 has a new feature called “Focus Shift”. I opened the menu today but wasn’t positive how to use it yet. I did this one “old school” with only two images. Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-180mm Zoom Micro Lens, Tripod.

Knot: Also taken at Mormon Row at very close range….4″? The knot is only the size of a quarter. Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-180mm Zoom Micro Lens, Tripod.

Canada Goose: My last stop was at the Visitor’s Center. I was hoping to see the Green-winged Teal, but found this sleeping Canada Goose in morning light. Nikon D850 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC On.

Red Squirrel: Testing ISO…this one is ISO1800. Nikon D850 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Clark’s Nutcracker: ISO 1600. Nikon D850 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC On.

October 28th: Saturday

String Lake Stars: I got up early and went to String Lake for a few star shots with the new D850. This image was taken at a high ISO. Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm lens.

String Lake Outlet: This is a three shot (portrait orientation) stitched pano at ISO 1000. Click the image to see it much larger.  Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm lens.

Jackson Lake Pano: This is a three shot (landscape orientation) stitched pano. Click the image to see it much larger.  Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm lens.

Blondie: Rangers were keeping people back 110-130 yards today. Before shooting with my telephoto lenses, I set up and did the AF Fine Tune on each of them. This is a crop on the D850 at around 110 yards. Nikon D850 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Badger: Captured near Elk Flats. Nikon D850 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

D850 Comments: This is my first day out with the Nikon D850. I gave it a pretty good workout in a variety of situations. I’m anxious to try it on more night shots, but on the first morning, I’d say my D5 does a much better job of high ISO. The D850 might be better than the D810…more testing needed. Once I moved into the “blue light” period, the D850 worked beautifully. I used the L-Bracket from the D810, even though it does not fit perfectly. I think I am going to like this body for wildlife, especially once the grip becomes available to get the frame rate up to 9 FPS. (using En-El 18 batteries)

October 27th: Friday

D850 arrives! Perfect Light Camera Store shipped my camera yesterday and it arrived by UPS at 7:20 pm today. It came in too late for me to do any AF Fine Tuning with my lenses, but should do that tomorrow.  If you are #3000-#4000 on the list at one of the big online stores, you might give Perfect Light a call (They have less than 20 on their list). Lightroom Classic and Photoshop 2018 now support the D850. D850 Specs at Nikon USA.

Wort Hotel: I ran downtown after making a few settings adjustments on the D850 and snapped a handful of night shots. It was too cloudy to consider going farther north out of town for some star shots. Click this image to see it much larger! Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Tripod

Cache Street: Click this image to see it much larger! Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Tripod

Blondie was out with her cubs early today. I got just six shots before she rambled out of sight. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Snake River Vista: Two shot pano captured across the Snake River near Moran Junction. Click the image to see it much larger. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC On

Incoming Clouds: Captured at Elk Ranch. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC On

Rural Tree: Captured on Wolf Ranch Road. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC On

Hedrick’s Pond: Trumpeter Swans and waterfowl on Hedrick’s Pond. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC On.

Red Squirrel: Taken in my back yard. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm Lens, Handheld, VR On.

The Red Squirrel image above was imported into the new v7.01 Lightroom Classic. It took around 11 minutes to import 155 images. In this version, I was able to work on the squirrel photo while the program was still importing—something I couldn’t do in v7.0.

October 26th: Thursday

Beginning Today: New Laptop/Electronics Inspections on In-bound Flights:

Elk Reduction Program Begins Saturday, October 28 in Grand Teton National Park. The areas of the park open to the program, Elk Reduction Areas 75 and 79, are mostly located east of U.S. Highway 89. Area 79, the more northerly section, closes October 31. The Antelope Flats portion of area 75 closes November 30, and the remaining portions of area 75 close December 10. These areas remain open to park visitors, and the wearing of orange or other bright colors is highly recommended during this time.” GTNP Document:  Elk Reduction Program Begins October 28.pdf

Mtn Maples: On September 29th, I bumped into Chris Balmer from Perfect Light Camera Store at a pullout along Palisades Reservoir. He let me put one of my cards in his new Nikon D850. The new version of Lightroom seemed to be choking on my 500,000+ images in my main catalog, but appears to work okay with a small catalog.

Moose Rut: Captured along the Gros Ventre. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC

Head to Head: Sparring bulls. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC

Sparring Moose: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC

Young Bulls in Side Channel: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC

Canada Geese: Captured near Flat Creek on the North edge of Jackson. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC

Trumpeter Swans: The cygnets should be flying soon. This family has been seen frequently all summer along Flat Creek. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

October 25th: Wednesday

National News via CNN: National Park Service proposes $70 entrance fee into some parks. [YS & GTNP]

Road Closures: I just heard of three new road closures. The road to Bar-B-C and the northern leg of the RKO Roads were closed recently. A portion of the East Boundary Road at the base of Shadow Mountain is closed. The road to Schwabacher Landing was locked for a couple of days, but was open today. The river bottom in that area closes to human entry on December 15th.

Night Skies: Four shot stitched pano. Nikon D5 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Tripod.

Morning Range Pano: Stitched from four or five horizontal images. Taken along Pilgrim Creek Road well before sunrise. Nikon D5 and Nikon 70-200mm Lens, Tripod. Click the image to see it much larger.

Grizzly Trio: Also taken well before sunrise. Not much of a photo, but at least I got to see Blondie and her cubs again. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC

Lake Pano: Another stitched pano captured near Colter Bay. Nikon D500 and Nikon 18-400mm Lens, Handheld. Click the image to see it much larger. 

Jackson Lake: Nikon D500 and Nikon 18-400mm Lens, Handheld.

Cattails: Captured at the Flat Creek Wetlands on the North side of the Visitors Center. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC

Green-winged Teal: One of three pairs I saw at the Visitor’s Center. This group stayed back from me today…worth trying again. Read more about them here: Green-winged Teal Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

October 24th: Tuesday

Blondie: Rangers kept people back at 100 yards while I had a chance to see Blondie and her two cubs late this afternoon. I didn’t get great shots, but it was nice to see her and the two healthy cubs. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Blondie: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Sleeping Indian: Taken from Gros Ventre Junction on my way home. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

October 23rd: Monday

Lightroom 2015 vs. Lightroom Classic: Round 1

Just a couple of quick notes. On October 18th, Adobe released Lightroom Classic. It is supposed to be faster and make culling quicker, along with adding a new Gradient Tool. I could go on and on, but for now, let me just suggest that people wait for at least one or two more revisions. You can read a lot about it on the Adobe Forums. I am in the process of resyncing my old catalog with the 2015 version. I’ve made a lot of changes to the folders and add/culled a lot of images over the past week.

Last night and again this morning, I checked the weather report, anticipating a day with partly cloudy skies. We got that, but the clouds were clinging to the top of the Grand. I chose to look for wildlife instead.

Bull Moose: I spotted a nice bull Moose from the Gros Ventre Road and spent my morning photographing him and a single cow. I heard there were lots more Moose along the Science School Road. I took this shot from the shadows as the distant hillsides were lighting up. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Bull Moose: Similar shot, but maybe 10 minutes later when a bit of light was hitting the bull. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Lip Curl: This bull is still hanging onto the rut. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Lip Curl: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Bull Moose: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Cedar Waxwing: Feeding on Choke Cherries. This one still has a fair amount of buttery brown and yellow. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

Cedar Waxwing: Of the dozen or so Cedar Waxwings I saw, most were turning gray. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

October 22nd: Sunday

GTNP Winter Guide & Closures: This link should have up to the date information about Winter closures and dates for the rest of 2017.

Culling: I spent a good part of the day in front of my computer organizing and culling images. My MooseNewShoots folder had roughly 32,000 images from the summer to now. I deleted roughly 9000 images from that folder today. I’d like to get the total keepers down to 3,000 soon. On my PC machine, importing from the card to the computer is terribly slow after the update to Lightroom Classic, but after it completes the import, it is preforming fairly well. The new Gradient tool with the color range controls looks to be a very worthwhile tool.

Teton Theater: The historic old Teton Theater was revamped and remodeled over the Summer and is now a pizza restaurant. As you can see, the “grandfathered” neon signs were reworked. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld, VC On.

Cowboy Bar Signs: The neon and lighted signs are the Cowboy Bar are also grandfathered by the town sign code. Recently, the owners of the Wort Hotel purchased the historic  Cowboy bar. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld, VC On.

Cowboy Bar Mural: One of the many murals inside the bar. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld, VC On.

Cowboy Bar Neon: Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld, VC On.

Antler Arches: Throughout the month of October, the SW corner antler arch is wrapped with pink lights for Breast Cancer Awareness. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld, VC On.

Around the Valley: I did a quick loop through the southern portion of the valley this afternoon. The berry crop along the Moose-Wilson Road appears to be about through. I didn’t seen any bears, nor have I heard of any lately. I saw a few Moose around the Snake River bridge at Moose Junction. I haven’t seen Bison in the southern portion in a while. Most of the southern portion of Mormon Row is gated. It appears most of the Pronghorns are leaving the valley, but maybe I am just not seeing them. There are almost no leaves on the trees in GTNP, but some remain in town. In some previous years, there have been numerous Beavers around Schwabacher Landing, but lately I have been hearing there may only be three in the area. The lack of leaves should make it easier to spot Porcupines throughout the Winter.

October 21st: Saturday

Bull Moose: A Winter storm passed through the valley last night. I went out hoping to find some sort of subject for the new snow. This bull was along the Gros Ventre. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Bull and Cow: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Feeding Bull Moose: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Scratching Bull Moose: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Resting Bull Moose: Moose are often up and feeding early, then bed down. The question is, “how long?” They can be down for three or four hours, and occasionally, a bull will stand up long enough to stretch and then bed down again on it’s other side. This bull was a least half a mile from the other bull. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

October 20th: Friday

Sunrise: Clouds were beautiful this morning. I stopped near the Gros Ventre Junction and walked out into the sage flats there. This is a three shot pano, stitched in Lightroom.  Click the image to see it much larger! Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld, VC On.

October 19th: Thursday

Lightroom (Classic) Update:

I installed the new Classic Lightroom program yesterday. In short…don’t do it! Wait until they fix a bunch of speed issues. You can read more about it at Adobe Forums.

Cinnamon Bear: After spending the past couple of days photographing Moose, I thought I’d drive up the newly graded Moose-Wilson Road and look for Black Bears. The only one I found was well off the road and backlit, but the rim lighting on its fur and slightly transparent nature of the red leaves made the shot worth taking. Remember, the Moose-Wilson Road will close at the end of the month! Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC On.

There are a lot more Black Bear photos and comments on this New Feature Post!: Black Bears in Berry Bushes.

Afternoon Beaver: Captured along the Snake River at sunset. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Afternoon Beaver: Captured along the Snake River after sundown. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

October 18th: Wednesday

New Feature Post!: Black Bears in Berry Bushes.

New Adobe Creative Cloud Updates TODAY! If you are an Adobe Creative Cloud subscriber, click the “Update Apps” command in your Creative Cloud control panel to see the current updates. Updates are always free on the Cloud. My Lightroom and Photoshop program updates are loading as I write this note. I see some interesting new features for both programs, one of which should include new Raw converters for Nikon’s new D850 camera.

Morning Moose: I went to bed with the post Black Bears in Berry Bushes still on my mind. At 4:30 am, I finally got up and finished it. I hit the SUBMIT button just in time to get to the Gros Ventre for sunrise. My D5 is back from Nikon Service and seems to be working perfectly. I sold my Nikon D810 to a Best of the Tetons reader yesterday and have my name on a Nikon D850 when they arrive at Perfect Light Camera. I see a few of them around the valley now. A few weeks ago, a lady made a lane change into my “new” truck. It spent 10 days in the body shop, but I have it back now. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Morning Moose: Needless to say, I had a great morning photographing bull Moose. After about 10 years of being out in the field photographing them, I finally got to witness a full on bull Moose fight. I’m not quite ready to post those photos! Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Moose Sparring: I have oodles of photos of two bulls “sparring” like these two. They are typically gentle with each other, unlike the real fights. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Moose Approaching Another Moose: When two bulls approach each other, they do what some people call the slow “Cowboy Walk”. The idea is to show off their size and antlers. Ears are usually down—a warning sign other Moose recognize. Most of the time, the larger bull simply intimidates the smaller bull, or maybe the less experienced fighter. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Slow Approach: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Onlookers: Smaller bulls usually spar among themselves, but occasionally watch as larger bulls approach each other. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Morning Moose: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Evening Moose: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Young Cow: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Alpenglow: Along one of the side channels of the Gros Ventre. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

October 17th: Tuesday

Black Bear: I’m working on a new Feature Post called Black Bears in Berry Bushes. Now is a great time to sign up to follow Best of the Tetons! I’d love to see another hundred subscribers this month! I can also use your help to let your friends know about the site. One easy way is to scroll down to the Social Media icons at the bottom of the page and SHARE this page on Facebook, Twitter, Pintrest, and so forth. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Morning Moose: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Morning Moose: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Morning Moose: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Morning Moose: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Morning Moose: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

October 16th: Monday

Elk in Fog: Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld.

I have been hoping to hike out to the Old Patriarch Tree while the snow is still on the mountains and before the Park Service closes the Inner Park Loop Road on October 31st. Everything looked promising this morning, but I bumped into a fog bank as I made it to Lupine Meadows. I saw the Elk above and Pronghorns below in that area.

Pronghorn in Fog: Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld.

Foggy Patriarch: I made it to the tree at about 8:00am, then had to wait until 10:30am for the fog to lift. By 11:00, I was hiking back to the car. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-4000mm Lens, Handheld.

Old Patriarch: I took a LOT of photos there this morning, including texture details at the tree, panos, and a variety of locations. Nikon D810 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Tripod.

Standing Young Bear: Captured along the Moose-Wilson Road.  Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld.

Black Bear in Black Hawthorns: Rangers were fairly tolerant today, we were still farther away than I would prefer. I switched to the DX body. Nikon D500 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Bull Moose in Evening Light: UPS delivered my serviced Nikon D5 this afternoon. It has a new shutter and bayonet mount, along with receiving a good cleaning. I tested the AF Fine Tune on my telephoto lenses and then headed out to find a subject before I lost the light. This Bull Moose was along the Gros Ventre.  Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Bull Moose: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Bull Moose with Evening Light: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

October 15th: Sunday

Mt. Moran and Bull Moose: I had a great day today. I started it with a nice Bull Moose along the Gros Ventre river. Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Morning Moose: Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Morning Moose: Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Lip Curl: Bull are still interested in the Cows, but I’d guess most of the rut is over now. Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Cub in Black Hawthorns: After the Moose, I found a family of Black Bears on the Moose-Wilson Road. Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Cub in Black Hawthorns: Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Sow Feeding: Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Cub in Black Hawthorn Bush: Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

October 14th: Saturday

Togwotee Pass: This Pano was taken on the drive up Togwotee Pass. Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Fighting Bison: Four inches of overnight snow changed the region again. This was taken on Elk Ranch. Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Cub in Black Hawthorns: Captured on the Moose-Wilson Road. Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Cinnamon Sow: I spent the morning looking for Grizzlies up north, then ran into this opportunity. Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Wagon Wheel: Taken near the Hatchet Resort on my way up Togwotee Pass. The Hatchet Resort closes tomorrow, along with many facilities in GTNP. Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld.

I added additional photos on this page: Foliage Reports: 2017. I snapped this photo yesterday afternoon along Mormon Row.

Friday, October 13th:

Sunrise Barn: Skies were “interesting” for a short period of time, but quickly dulled. A cloud covered the top of the Grand, so I didn’t think much about shooting west. As of noon, skies cleared considerably.  Wind is also a factor today if you were trying to capture reflections in the pools.

I received a report that Grizzly Sow 399 was near Antelope Flats Road today.

In case I buried it in this page, you might want to visit the Foliage Reports: 2017. I recently had someone ask about my photos of this year’s Oxbow Bend foliage season, indicating they hadn’t see the Foliage Reports page. The page has a few wildlife photos mixed in with the leaf shots.

Loose Ends: The truck has been in the paint shop all week to repair a recent fender bender. Should be ready on Monday. I have been more or less incognito all week in the rental car. My Nikon D5 went to the repair shop on Monday. The site says the repair is finished I should have it Monday.

October 12th:  Thursday

Bull Moose Crossing Dry Creek: I spent the morning watching three bulls and three cows graze and move through the Gros Ventre river bottom.  Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Sparring Bulls: Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Moose Cow in Morning Light: Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Road Info: “On Tuesday, October 17, 2017, the UNPAVED section of the Moose-Wilson Road will be closed 7:00am to 5:30pm for rolling and grading.” That’s good news…the road is still listed at a road on the park map, but lately it looks and traveled like a war zone.

Dual Crossing: Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Closures: The Gros Ventre and Signal Mountain campgrounds will close tomorrow around 11:00 am. They were the last two campgrounds open to the public. The convenience store at Colter Bay will close on Sunday. Looks like a lot of the facilities in Yellowstone end services on the 15th, too: Yellowstone Closures.

Also, you might note that the Inner Park Loop Road (Teton Park Road) from Taggart Lake Trail Head Parking are to Signal Mountain closes at end of the last day of October. This will be the last few days to access String Lake, Jenny Lake, Spaulding Bay and the trail heads by vehicle until May 1st of next year. The area and trails around Jenny Lake will be close on October 16th for one day to allow helicopter lifts for trail work.

Moose Cow in Dry Creek: Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

White-tailed Deer: After seeing Mule Deer for 30 years, White-tailed deer don’t look quite right to me! I stumbled upon three of them on my way back to the vehicle today. Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

October 11th:  Wednesday

Morning Moose: I spent part of the morning looking for the bull Moose I photographed yesterday afternoon. I didn’t find that one, but managed to find a couple of others along the Gros Ventre. Remember, if you want to go down the Gros Ventre Road, you need to be there before 9:00 am or after 2:30 pm. Crews are repairing a section of road damaged by this year’s high water during runoff. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm Lens, Tripod.

Feeding Bull Moose: Besides the willow leaves found along the river bottoms, Moose like to feed on Bitter Brush, found mixed in with Sagebrush. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm Lens, Tripod.

Chipmonk: Sometimes the little critters are equally interesting and often even more difficult to photograph. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm Lens, Handheld.

Cinnamon Black Bear: At times visitors and photographers are allowed to stop for a few seconds to take a photo from their window along the Moose-Wilson Road. When another vehicle pulls up behind your vehicle, you have to continue. It takes a fair amount of luck to be stopped at a time when their head in not deep in the branches. They won’t allow people to turn off their vehicle, so it seems to help to have the camera set to a high shutter speed to offset some of the vehicle’s vibration. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld.

More photos and comments on Foliage Reports: 2017

Bull Moose: Late evening along the Gros Ventre. Nikon D810 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.

Sunset: At the John Moulton Barn on Mormon Row. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld.

October 10th:  Tuesday

Alsenglow: Early morning at Schwabacher Landing. This is a two shot stitched pano. Click the image to see it larger. Just for reference, it was 14°F at sunrise today. Nikon D810 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens

Moose Falls on Crawfish Creek: Just inside the Yellowstone south gate. Nikon D810 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens

The Grand: Taken near the Jackson Lake Dam. Nikon D810 and Nikon 17-400mm Lens, Handheld (DX Crop).

Bull Moose: This bull put on a good show for people driving along the highway. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm Lens, Handheld.

More photos and comments on Foliage Reports: 2017

Bull Moose: When I saw him last, he had crossed the Gros Ventre Road and was still heading south into the GV River basin. Another bull was hanging out near the Snake River Bridge at Moose. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm Lens, Handheld.

Cinnamon Bear: Taken along the Moose-Wilson Road. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm Lens, Handheld

Tidbits: Yesterday, I packaged up my Nikon D5 and sent it by FedEx to the repair center in Los Angeles. I don’t know how many photos it has taken, but I am sure it is well over the 450,000 expected actuations. By noon today, they had inspected it and gave me a price of $587 to replace the shutter, clean the camera, and replace the bayonet mount. I will have new rubber grips, to help make it look “spiffy” again. Hopefully, I will have it back by the weekend (NPS service). Today, I sent in my Nikon 70-200mm lens. It was acting up under certain situations, and was still under the 6 month warranty from the last repair. You might notice more shots with the D810 and D500 this week!

October 9th:  Monday

Silver Swan: The Trumpeter Swan stretching it’s wings has a leucistic coloration known as the Mearl or Silver Swan. It’s just one of the many Trumpeters at the Boyle’s Hill swan pond west of Jackson. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

Swan in Gold: There’s enough remnant foliage at Boyle’s Hill to add some color to the water. It’s a good place to hone your “birds in flight” skills, especially if the wind is blowing from the south. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

Evening Light on Miller Butte: Nikon D500 and Tamron70-400mm Lens, Handheld, VC On.

October 8th:  Sunday

Early Edition: Heading out soon…I hear my wind chimes this morning, but they are much less active than yesterday morning. The weather report calls for S, SW winds early, then changing to N, NW winds by mid morning and snow through the middle of the day. For the open minded and intrepid group of photographers, today might offer up some special shots. Others may prefer a warm couch watching football games on days like today? Yesterday’s gusty winds may have taken the fizzle off some of this Fall’s foliage season in some areas. Other areas still have green trees.

Storm Clouds over Mormon Row: Nikon D810 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens

Moon Over Mormon Row: Nikon D810 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens

Murphy Barn: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Isolated Way of Life: A two shot Pano stitched in Lightroom, taken at Mormon Row. Click this image to see it much larger. Nikon D810 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens

Snow Moose: Taken along the highway near Blacktail Butte. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Pronghorns: Taken near Elk Flats. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Pronghorn Buck: Taken near Elk Flats. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Grizzly: Captured along the Rockefeller Parkway. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Grizzly: Captured along the Rockefeller Parkway. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Black Bear in Tree: One of yesterday’s captures along the Moose-Wilson Road. The data was still on a card I didn’t download.

Foliage Reports: 2017

October 7th:  Saturday

Dancing Clouds: Skies were essentially clear at sunrise today, but the big weather issue was wind. It was howling all morning and into the afternoon. I am afraid this kind of wind will negate some of the better foliage opportunities for the next few days. I took this shot near the Chapel of the Transfiguration.

Black Bear: I keep going back to the Moose-Wilson Road hoping to get a portfolio quality set of shots of a Black Bear in the colorful shrubs. I heard of a Grizzly roaming around near the Teton Science School on the East side of the Park.

October 6th:  Friday

Two expressions come to mind right now. One is “So many places, so little time.” The other is an acronym: F.O.M.O (Fear of Missing Out). Leaves are at peak or nearing peak during a time we have snow on the mountains. The weather is nice with a few bands of light sneaking through the clouds. And, the animals seem to be active. This morning, the full moon is setting at about the right time. I gotta go! If you can…get out yourself! It should be great here in the Tetons over the next four or five days.

Gros Ventre Full Moon: The Tetons were socked in with clouds, so I headed up the Gros Ventre. I took this from the Crystal Creek Campground. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Gros Ventre: Same general area, after the first hints of color hit the clouds. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Mule Deer: Captured along the upper Gros Ventre near Slide Lake. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld, VC On.

Slide Lake: Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Slide Lake Tree Trunks: Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Black Bear: This was a tough shoot today. Branches were almost always in the Bear’s face. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

October 5th:  Thursday

Black Bear: I stayed in town this morning, then did a trip up the Moose-Wilson Road in the afternoon. Some of the bushes are turning red and orange. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Swans: I went to Boyle’s Hill Swan Pond to check out the color and a report of five Cygnets. As an added perk, there was a River Otter swimming around the pond. Nikon D810 and Nikon 200-500mm Lens, Handheld.

Dead Timber: Taken along the Moose-Wilson Road. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Jackson Peak: Taken from the Moose-Wilson Road. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

October 4th:  Wednesday

Pano: Upper Lot at Oxbow: I spent most of the morning using my Nikon D500 and the new Tamron 18-400mm lens. This is a four shot pano, taken using a tripod at the upper lot. Those trees are almost prime. (Click this image to see it much larger) Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Oxbow Bend Pano: Taken from the water’s edge. This pano was shot in “portrait” orientation, using about 9 captures stitched in Lightroom. (Click this image to see it much larger) Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Abracadabra: Now You See Them—Now You Don’t! This is the time of the year you can expect photographer and tourists to be in your shots at places like the Mormon Row barns, Schwabacher Landing, and Oxbow Bend. Instead of stressing about it on location, you might consider using tools in Lightroom and Photoshop to take care of the “issue”.

Northern Peaks: Taken along Pacific Creek Road. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld, VC On.

Togwotee Vista View: Taken from a pullout along Togwotee Pass. A cloud clung to the top of the Grand all morning. By about 11:00m a new storm moved across the range. (Click this image to see it much larger) Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld, VC On.

October 3rd:  Tuesday

Bull Moose on Ridge…fresh snow and cottonwoods with a nice morning moose. Taken along the Gros Ventre River. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Bull Moose in Snow: Moose seem to be “on the move”, searching for new cows. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Aspens: Taken at a long distance along the Gros Ventre. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Bull Moose: Yesterday’s snow was uncharacteristically heavy on the east side of the valley. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Moose Thrashing: It’s not uncommon to see a bull thrash around on a willow or aspen tree. When this one did it, a pile of snow tumbled down on him. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Moose Thrashing: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Willows with Snow: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Aspens and Hawthorns: Taken along the Moose-Wilson Road. More foliage photos and comments on this page: Foliage Reports September/October 2017. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Black Bear: Taken along the Moose-Wilson Road. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Chipmonk: The berries are feeding a variety of mammals and birds. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

October 2nd:  Monday

Mallard Ducks: The drake’s heads are mostly back to full color now. A few weeks ago, all of them looked like females. This was taken at Schwabacher Landing. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Twigs: Also taken at Schwabacher Landing. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Cattails: Taken along the Moose-Wilson Road. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Robin and Choke Cherry: The Choke Cherry Tree near my house is now attracting a variety of birds: Robins, Cedar Waxwings, Evening Grosbeaks, White-breasted Nuthatch, Chickadees, and a couple of Wrens. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod, VC Off.

Orange Leaf: I had lunch with a good friend and long time reader of Best of the Tetons today. While waiting for the meal, he handed me a brand new Tamron 18-400mm lens! Wow! I put it on my D500 and tried it out in my yard. Very nice! Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld, VC On.

Ruby Crowned Kinglet (?): The image was also captured with the D500 and Tamron 18-400mm lens. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld, VC On.

Spring Gulch: I did a quick spin in the snow to try out the new lens. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld, VC On.

Sunset Clouds: Taken as a three shot HDR, merged and processed in Lightroom. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld, VC On.

Moose Crossing Sage Flats: Taken as a three shot Pano, stitched and processed in Lightroom. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld, VC On.

October 1st:  Sunday

Wolf Ranch Road: As you might guess by the photo above, we had snow in Jackson Hole. Town may have only received a few flakes, but most areas north of Snake River Overlook received a big winter blast. Foliage season is roughly 7-14 days later this year than last year. Aspens on the east side of the valley are nearing peak, while some of the other zones are spotty. Cottonwoods along the Gros Ventre and Snake River are changing now. They are not peak, but have a definite Fall appearance. I’ll be adding more photos and foliage updates on this page: Foliage Reports September/October 2017  Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

Pronghorn in Snow: Captured at Elf Flats. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

Elk Ranch Cabins: Snow changes simple scenes in a big way. Snow days seldom offer big vista views of the Teton Range. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

Elk Ranch Cabins: Elk Ranch is located on the north end of Elk Flats. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

Elk Ranch Chimney: I could have spent the entire day taking photos like this of the area barns and homesteads. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

Snowy Wagon: This old wagon is located near the highway on your way to Dubois. Look for it next to the Hatchet Resort before heading up Togwotee Pass. I’ve had this spot on my “to do” list for my next snow day. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

Grizzly in a Mountain Meadow: This sow was about 50 yards off the road, photographed through a wall of falling snow. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

Handheld? Most of these images were captured while shooting over a bean bag resting over the back of my truck bed. Most were shot at 1/800th Second, F/9, Auto ISO 560 +/- and at 600mm.

Grizzly with Distant Tree Line: I was using a 150-600mm lens for all images today, giving me the option to grab an occasional environmental shot. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

Grizzly on the Move: On a clear day, I cold have captured more details in the eyes and face, but then everyone has those shots. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

Grizzly in Snow: Some people call this sow “Felicia”. She has a collar and a pair of teal ear tags. The collar is less visible when she is approaching or is looking my direction. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

Grizzly in Snow: I took a lot of Grizzly images this morning. I wasn’t dressed properly for standing that long in the wind and snow. No complaints!…I’ll warm up later. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Handheld, VC Off.

These photos are from today, October 1st. September Daily Journal for JH and GTNP is loaded with recent photos and info. The first part of October will resemble the last half of September, so check it out!

Road Closures:

• The southern portion of Mormon Row is closed due to muddy conditions.
• Two Ocean Lake road is closed due to road conditions and Grizzlies in the area.
• The Gros Ventre Road will be closed between 9:00am and 2:30pm each day for the next couple of weeks. Details on this page: 17-67 Gros Ventre Road Construction.pdf

If you are interested in taking a One-On-One Photo Tour with me, click the links below! For inquiries, send an email to info@tetonimages.com. I have numerous openings in October, November and December. Now’s a great time to book excursions for December. Bighorns are often butting heads and Moose are often visible in the snow covered sage flats. Most bulls will still have antlers at that time.