Snow on the Mountains at Jackson Hole.

September 22, 2017; Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Yesterday morning, September 21^st.

So … I am posting this in real time, and will get back to the proper sequence of events with the next posting.  Last Friday I came out from my northern Wind River Range campsite, with a view of the Grand Tetons 23 miles away (see the next two posts when they are posted), because there was a chance of snow … chance of SNOW(!) … I mean it was 75ºF the day before, on the 14^th of September!!!  So I had the foresight to dig out my long-johns and light Winter boots (as opposed to my super heavy duty Winter boots), even though it was 75ºF.  Good thing, since it was in the forties Fahrenheit on the Friday, and wet and even though I didn’t put the long-johns or boots on, they were to hand when needed.  I toddled on down to Jackson Hole, and posted on my blog (which I’ve been doing for the past week, amongst other PC work), and that night found a campsite up in the Gros Ventre Range on the east side of Jackson Hole (the Teton Range being on the west side).

View northeast from my camp.

I expected a few flurries and a dusting of snow, which is what we got, and then back to warmer temperatures.  But the cooler weather has remained and on Wednesday night a Winter Storm Warning was issued for 8 to 18 inches in the mountains above 8500’!  I was at 8570’ that last Friday, but at 7913’ ever since.  And at my altitude I found about 4” on my vehicle on Thursday morning … the 21^st September(!) … 1^st day of Autumn(!!).  I was only worried about getting down the mountain … I didn’t want to slide over the edge and go rolling down the mountainside, but I needn’t have worried, as the ambient temperature of the gravel road, melted off the snow, and so it was not a problem.  I did however go slower than normal as I didn’t want to hit any slippery mud sections and disappear over the side through negligence.  Of course 1900’ below it was only a cold rain in Jackson.  I went back up last night and more snow this morning, but it was warmer this morning.  I do love it though, these variations in weather; it makes for a wider range of subject matter for future works.  It is interesting that the first snows have fallen, yet so many of the deciduous trees still are green, and even up on the mountain, the Aspens have yet to reach their prime.

Ambient road temperature keeps the snow down … only one pick-up truck has passed by.

The long-johns did go on last Saturday, and the Winter boots, only on Wednesday night.  When the cloud clears, I am looking forward to serious recon of this area with all the new snow on the mountain tops.  I shall take a few days to do so, hopefully a painting or two, buzz briefly through Yellowstone (much fewer visitors due to the weather), and then head down to the four corners region … to the Europeans, that is where the States of Colorado, Utah, Arizona & New Mexico all connect.  Warmer still at this time of year.  So here are a few photos of the snow.

The lower slopes of the Tetons in sunlight to the west,
below the cloud above me.

Close up view … I think that is the Grand Teton.

Cloud rising.

Is it clearing or is that just a sucker hole
(Portland-speak for ‘a break in the cloud that suckers you into believing it is going to clear’)

On the down the mountain.

Oh! … more sucker holes?

The first dispersed campsite up the mountain …
this guy is hard-core; note glimpse of hammock under the tarp to the right.

And down on the valley floor with the outskirts of Jackson in the distance.

After the Eclipse at Mosquito Lake in the Wind River Range, Part 2

(Take Note: for those of you who have signed up to be notified by email of new postings to this blog, you have been receiving not just a notification, but an actual copy of the new blog posting as the email.  As this does not show the images of the paintings in the best possible light, you should click on the title of the latest blog posting at the top of the post, and not the title of the painting itself; this will open up the actual blog itself, and you may then enjoy the paintings at their best.)

Tuesday-Tuesday, August 22-29, 2017; to Mosquito Lake, west of Union Pass, Wind River Range, Wyoming.

C1635

“Afternoon at Pinnacle Buttes”

(Brooks Lake, Absaroka Range, Wyoming)

Oil Painting on Pannelli Telati fine Cotton Panel

5” x 7”

SOLD

Saturday at Mosquito Lake saw the weather back to sunny with puffy cumulus clouds drifting lugubriously along.  Several vehicles wandered into my campsite, during the day, and as quickly left again when they saw it was occupied; it’s the weekend so I suppose there will be a repeat performance tomorrow.

Sunday: no, there really wasn’t a repeat performance … a couple of cyclists pedaled through my camp, and later one motorbike saw my camp was occupied, and I heard two cars out on the road all day, and that was it.  A very hazy but warm day all day, and the Absaroka Range, 50 miles to the northeast, was lost in the haze for most of the day, appearing slightly in the early evening.  The antelope family was out grazing all day.  I wonder if they were about the first couple of days I was here, but I think I would have noticed.  The coyotes were talking in or near the wood at the north end of the lake at dusk tonight, whereas they were down at the south end two nights ago, where the pronghorns are now.

Following shots are taken handheld from 600 yards away … magic camera.

Pronghorn guy …

… sees girl, who’s playing coy …

… as she has a couple young’uns.

Not sure, but think these are Cinnamon Teal.

Evening light after a bit of smoke haze day.

Monday: haze thickened during the day until by late afternoon, Union Peak had disappeared … I believe that it’s smoke coming down from Montana forest fires.   Hopefully the wind will shift during the night.  The Pronghorns were there at breakfast, but must have departed shortly thereafter, since I never spotted them for the rest of the day.  I was sitting on a log in the wood taking photographs of a plant with berries, when the resident squirrel, started a run along a log to my left, along another a few yards in front of me, then along a third to my right, ending up on my log stopping abruptly about three feet in front of me, looked at me as if to say, “shit! What are you doin’ on my highway?” then scampered off behind me.  The chipmunks here seem to be as enamored with the fire circle as the pair up above Aspen at Lincoln Portal, although I’ve not caught them gnawing any rocks … never got a shot of these ones … never stayed still to pose.

My patch of woodland.

Forest floor … I actually found two late strawberries.

Smoke haze from Montana.

Tuesday: heading out today and happy the pronghorn family is still in residence, but down the road two miles is a herd of their peers. 

Last Morning at Mosquito Lake.

Pronghorns … there were about 30 more.

Goin’ off.

Lake of the Woods …
detoured on a desperate road to get here.

Pool on the Great Divide.

Shower approaching across Union Pass
with the Gros Ventre Range to the west.

Warm Spring Creek & Canyon on the way down
from Union Pass … drops of rain began,
but held off really, until I got to Dubois
and the library.

I am beginning to really like  these Pannelli Telati fine cotton panels by Belle Arti, out of Italy; there seems to be a good amount of ‘grab’ of the paint, and not so ‘slidey’ as some panels … I guess I’m finding that to be a preference.  Having been primarily a Watercolourist my whole career, I’m finding the technical side of Oils quite fascinating.

The pigments used were:

Imprimatura: W&N Venetian Red

Drawing: W&N Ultramarine Deep

Painting: W&N Venetian Red, Cobalt & Ultramarine Deep Blues, also a touch of Cerulean, Cadmiums Orange & Yellow Pale.

Rublev Blue Ridge Yellow Ochre, Italian Burnt Sienna, Purple Ochre & Lead White #1.

M. Graham: Hansa Yellow.